Cummins Diesel Swap

[lumpy]

Anybody know what is involved in swapping a '93 Cummins Diesel into an older '85 1ton chassis? I have a really clean '85 with 88k on it, and just picked up a '93 3/4 ton with a strong Cummins in it with only 145k on it. The '85 is the better truck, but has a wuss of a 360 in it. I have seen that the swap has been done before, just wandering how involved it is and is it worth the effort?

[VPFD13]

There is a Cummins Diesel web board And they cover alot of this.  I would start there.
http://www.turbodieselregister.com/

[dukeboy_318]

dine it, its nit hard just requires slot of time and effort, but when its done, its awesome.  youll have to fab motor mounts and trans mounats to ge the angle right, and you will have to swap the entire engine wiring harness and computer from the 88 to the 85 which can be tricky.  besides that website, check out www.dieselpowermag.com  theyve done some swaps and have some good articles on the subject

[Todd Wilson]

I emailed with the guy that did this swap as he has the extact same truck as I have except mine is a 74. I would still like to do this swap myself. If your truck is a 3/4 ton or better it can be done.

http://web.mac.com/rctscanadainc/75_D200_cummins_swap/Diesel_World_Article.html

He has sections comparing the old truck and the new truck which was rusted really bad. Interesting to read and look.



Todd

[daytonalo]

Why not just swap cab and bed ?

[Charger-Bodie]

Why not just swap cab and bed ?

my thoughts exactly! just use the wiring and dash etc from the deisel.

[Todd Wilson]

Probably because his truck is a really nice truck and most of the diesels are used and beat up. Thats the best time to do a repower.

He could get away with swapping cabs but the older 70's trucks it wouldnt work. As much as they look like the same truck they are way different. Body lines and so forth dont line up.

Todd

[Charger-Bodie]

Probably because his truck is a really nice truck and most of the diesels are used and beat up. Thats the best time to do a repower.

He could get away with swapping cabs but the older 70's trucks it wouldnt work. As much as they look like the same truck they are way different. Body lines and so forth dont line up.

Todd

you are correct BUT it isnt a 70s truck hes using 1 is a 93 and the other is an 85 and they should change over

[Todd Wilson]

Probably because his truck is a really nice truck and most of the diesels are used and beat up. Thats the best time to do a repower.

He could get away with swapping cabs but the older 70's trucks it wouldnt work. As much as they look like the same truck they are way different. Body lines and so forth dont line up.

Todd

  you are correct BUT it isnt a 70s truck hes using 1 is a 93 and the other is an 85 and they should change over

Yes thats what I said .


Todd

[Charger-Bodie]

Probably because his truck is a really nice truck and most of the diesels are used and beat up. Thats the best time to do a repower.

He could get away with swapping cabs but the older 70's trucks it wouldnt work. As much as they look like the same truck they are way different. Body lines and so forth dont line up.

Todd

  you are correct BUT it isnt a 70s truck hes using 1 is a 93 and the other is an 85 and they should change over

Yes thats what I said .


Todd

i thought so but i wasnt sure .

[lumpy]

Thanks for the info . Here is a pic of the '93.  The body isn't that bad. no rust just worn out. The interior is pretty rough. Would a body swap be easier?

[RD]

Thanks for the info . Here is a pic of the '93.  The body isn't that bad. no rust just worn out. The interior is pretty rough. Would a body swap be easier?

IMO, yes it would be, do you plan on swapping out the cabs also or just the interior? 

[Todd Wilson]

A body swap would be a pain in the ass to do just for the motor.   The bed would be the easy part. You would have to take the front clip off to get the cab off. Put your cab on the new diesel frame/engine  and still have to do the wiring for the diesel.  On your old truck all you got to do is pull the engine/tranny and fuel tank   and swap the diesel stuff over.  A body swap would require unhooking the steering and brakes as well as everything else. Lots more work and if it needed to be done due to a broke frame or something so be it  but his truck is in very nice condition.


I'd strip your nice truck   put the diesel tank in it and run the fuel lines for the diesel. Then stick the diesel in and start hooking stuff up. Probably need to front radiator support area from the diesel truck to hold the radiator and intercooler stuff.



Todd

[dukeboy_318]

Thanks for the info . Here is a pic of the '93.  The body isn't that bad. no rust just worn out. The interior is pretty rough. Would a body swap be easier?

no just swap the motor, like todd said too much involved to swap bodies.  Ill help where i can as i have experience with this, but we done it on a nieghbors fordmost recently(yeah i know...)  anyway, on your truck, it should be pretty much a bolt in, ill take pics of the 89 dodge ram that we have(frames the same as yours as well as the body) inorder to help

[ACUDANUT]

  Could I do this to my 73 3/4 ton Camper special truck ??  The body and paint are show room condition, but the 383 I have in it gets 5 mpg down hill with the engine off.

[dukeboy_318]

yea, just have to find a cummins to put in it, try to find a 89-97 12 valve, little or no computer stuff to switch over

[supserdave]

That 93 looks nice compared to Iowa standards. I would just switch the bad body parts onto the 93.

[dukeboy_318]

That 93 looks nice compared to Iowa standards. I would just switch the bad body parts onto the 93.

nah, swap it in to the other truck, much much easier.

[oldkimmer]

..............just remember that the 93 was built to handle the cummins, the old 1s werent...........kim..............

[Todd Wilson]

..............just remember that the 93 was built to handle the cummins, the old 1s werent...........kim..............

If you would have looked at the original web site you will find the older trucks in some places are actually heavier and beefier then the new style 93 truck and identical in a lot of other places. The rear ends would probably be a Dana 60 on the old truck and a 70 on the diesel truck. The 60 will handle things just fine. Thats why I said if its a 3/4 ton or bigger he would be ok.


Todd

[dukeboy_318]

..............just remember that the 93 was built to handle the cummins, the old 1s werent...........kim..............

If you would have looked at the original web site you will find the older trucks in some places are actually heavier and beefier then the new style 93 truck and identical in a lot of other places. The rear ends would probably be a Dana 60 on the old truck and a 70 on the diesel truck. The 60 will handle things just fine. Thats why I said if its a 3/4 ton or bigger he would be ok.


Todd

[Chryco Psycho]

the frame on the Cummin truck should be thicker wall , Body swap would be the way I would do it

[694spdRT]

You may want to check for interference with the intercooler behind the grill on your 85 as well. The intercooled 91-93 trucks have a different grill with more room behind then than a 89-90 non intercooled trucks. You may find it easier to use the radiator support out of the 93 as well.

I swapped an entire 1977 Dodge cab and front clip onto another Dodge chassis without unbolting the front clip. I lifted the body off with a hoist and rolled the 4wd chassis under it and dropped it right back down on. 

BTW: I am putting a 4bt Cummins and A618 overdrive tranny in a 1983 fullsize Jeep Cherokee so anything is possible.

[ACUDANUT]

HEY it's time for some updates 694speedr/t and the rest of you guys....Pictures ect. I am very interested in this.