Well after a long time of talking, thinking, and planning, I am taking the jump into a dt engine swap.
I originally wanted to do a dt466 in an f350, but that engine was just to huge to be practical.
Could it of worked, yes.
But it was a terrible idea unless you like extra work and hair pulling.

The dt360 is capable of crazy power, maybe slightly less than the 466, but still far more than I would ever want. They have been known to be build to thousands of HP.
And they fit better, plus maybe better economy from what I heard so far.

For those of you unfamiliar with the dt360, it is a 5.9 liter inline 6 diesel engine, built from 1987 to 1993 or something around there.

Nice picture of one here:
Cummins Swappers?Eat Your Hearts Out! | What's New Blog & Discussion at Diesel Power Magazine

It has an inline injection pump, but isn't a good pump for churning out big fuel, so an adapter plate is needed along with a cummins p7100 pump, along with pump tuning, injector lines, and injectors.

Apparently guys have run up to 300 psi of boost with stock head bolts over tightened, but I plan to only go up to maybe 60 or 70 psi, which is lots for what I want.

I do not want a screaming sled pulling race motor, so I will not be putting in high RPM performance parts like some guys have done on these swaps, I might get the pump adjusted to max out at 3200 RPM instead of 2800, but thats about it.

I bought a complete running bus to get the engine, and drove it home. Everything ran perfectly on it, because the bus was in service, then a car ran into the side of it, so it was maintained till the day it was hit. I bought that for 1100$, which for me was a good deal, because I couldn't find a running dt360 engine for under 3500$, and now I have a transmission and scrap metal to make some money back, and at current scrap metal value, I will actually make money and get my motor for free.

Although it is running 100%, I plan on buying a rebuild kit for 1500$, and giving it new bearings, liners, pistons etc. I figure might as well, since its out of the vehicle, and then it should be good for a really long time. I do plan on sending the pistons to get the ceramic coating put on the crowns, to help protect them from heat, and maybe boost MPG a touch. Hopefully I will have a bit of time off around Christmas to work on the engine.

What am I going to put it in?
Well, I just bought a 2008 white f250 4x4 with a 6.4 motor that snapped the crank somehow. I bought it for 2500$, and I waited and waited to find a 6.4 donor truck, because I already have an f350 6.4 truck, so now I gained a buttload of spare parts, like injection parts, heads, turbo, transmission, etc. I don't actually have the truck right now, it just shipped 2 days ago, and I hope to get it in a few days. It was 1000 km away, so I had to pay 950$ shipping. When it gets here, I'll take a few pics.

The plan for the motor, is the rebuild kit, ceramic coated piston crowns, injection pump and adapter, lines, and injectors. For air, I am thinking of running a he351ve turbo from a dodge, the turbo with the variable exhaust housing, to better control boost. That one will bolt to the engine, and then I'm thinking maybe an s400 or something from a detroit diesel series 60, under the passenger side floor. I know this seems different than most guys have done for compound turbo setups, but I *think* it will work good for what I want. It will most likely end up around 500-600 hp, and 12-1400 ft/lbs of TQ. I know it could go higher, but I don't want to have to swap axles and stuff cause then MPG will disappear quick.

Major issue right now, picking a transmission. And finding it for a reasonable price. Another fellow that did the same swap, used a spicer eso66-7b 7 speed manual, which looks pretty great, but he bought it for 1500$ rebuilt, and I can't find one for that price, but still looking.
It looks like a great option, being an OD tranny. Dual disc clutch was cheap for it too. Anyone have an opinion on a better transmission? Definately only looking at medium duty stuff, no pickup truck transmissions.

Transfer case, apparently the stock one can be converted to a divorced transfer case, so I think I'll go that route. Sounds like about 600$ in parts.

This is a current thread of a gent doing the dt360 swap on a 2008 f450:
Dt360 2008 f450 - Competition Diesel.Com - Bringing The BEST Together

So yeah, basically I'm just starting, and theres no backing out now.
I am excited to drive this thing one day.
The 2008 and newer diesel trucks just don't excite me the way the older ones did, I wanted piston slapping low end grunt power, not the new electronic engines with all the emissions and high tolerance parts that crap the bed.

So, since you can lo longer buy that, I'm building it. I guess . lol.
(with all the extra 6.4 parts I aquired though, I imagine my other truck will be on the road for a long time haha. )

Here is a dt360 pic:

 

Sounds like you've got your work cut out for you! Good Luck.

 

Major understatement!! lol.
With all the hours I work, it will be tough.
But, if I can get everything figured out, I do get some time off around christmas, and a couple months off in the spring, so hoping I can have it finished in the spring.

 

why don't you use the trans out of the bus?

 

now you've got to show us the '08 truck you scored for 2500 bucks.

 

I thought about it, and I could, but it's an allison auto, and the torque converter is pretty loose.
Granted, it wouldn't slip so much in just a pickup truck, but it also isnt overdrive.

 

When it gets here, I will take some pictures!

 

Transmission kurfuffle....

This is really not making any headway at all in my head.
I wanted to put in a manual, but here are a bunch of thoughts, random transmission thoughts.

If I used the stock transmission, I would be looking at an 800$ adapter plate, 800& transmission controller, but I'd be able to avoid spending anything on the transfer case, or custom length drive shafts. Big problems are how long will it live, and how well do the stand alone transmission controllers really work. Most likely I'd also want a tighter TQ converter at the very least. So theres another 1000$?

If I go the medium duty manual route, I'm looking at about 500$ for a dual disc clutch, 600$ to divorce the transfer case, and who knows how much for the drive shafts, and about 2000$ for the transmission itself.

Maybe I would be happier aiming for 400 hp and just running the 5r110 transmission?
Maybe it would actually live for a long time...
They seem to do alright behind tuned 6.4's, the those can put some serious TQ down.
This will just be a daily driver truck, probably minimal towing, minimal drag racing, no sled pulling, etc.

Cost wise, using the ford super duty transmission actually seems like the cheaper way to go, I can find used ones for 300-500$, where the medium duty overdrive transmissions are usually 2000$, and harder to come by. In fact I haven't found a single one for sale locally, and ebay wants 2500$ for a rebuilt one, and 1500$ core charge. But then on the other hand, a transmission like the spicer eso66-7b probably might not ever need to be replaced, but impossible to tell for sure.

What do you guys think?
I really like manual transmissions, but keeping the 5r110 looks like it would be a lot simpler in the end, and relatively cheap to replace.

Then another option presents itself;
Use a 6 speed medium duty transmission, but something non overdrive, but more popular, like the eaton fuller 6 speed found in many international 5 tons, and swap the axle ring and pinions to 3.31 ratio. This might possibly net the best possible fuel economy, but really doesn't make the project any easier other than using a more popular transmission than a medium duty overdrive unit.

As per good advice in another thread, "don't let the project snowball and linger on forever", I agree on that, but at the same time, I want to put this truck together just once, I don't want it to be an ongoing project, I want to get it right the first time.

 

I vote 5r with the stand alone controller.

It has been done many times with cummins swaps so most of the bugs should be worked out by now.

You have enough bugs to work out in other places so keep it as simple as possible. Removing the necessity to divorce the t case, relocate it, figure out instrumentation for speed, etc etc etc.....will give you the best chance of seeing it through to completion in less than a decade.

 

I am totally agreeing, the only 1 bad part about the 5r110 is that I don't know how long it will last with the kind of tourque a DT will have with bigger injectors and turbos.

Maybe the happy medium should just be to aim for 450 hp instead of 500-600, and hope it lives.

 

If the lighter trans breaks down the road you can replace it, and meanwhile you get to drive the truck.

Neat project. Please post lots of pics!

 

Well I am told by a professional that the 5r110 standalone controller tuning is still not ideal, and likely I wouldn't like it.
The 4r100 could work, but that won't be a direct swap like the 5r110, so not really saving any trouble.

Back at square 1 lol.

 

well ideally you'd check to see if you could find a e40d/4r100 adapter plate for this engine cus these have a massive aftermarket.those can be built to handle some big power.you'll have to pay though.several thousand for a built trans to handle what your after (not something you'd buy from ford.) for a controller and wire harness;
The US Shift Transmission Control System

 

Yeah a built auto trans is likely 5000$ or more, plus adapter plate, plus controller.
Maybe the manual trans and new driveshafts are not as expensive as I thought? lol

 

It's looking more and more like the auto trans thats in the truck will get built up, and run with a stand alone controller.

Wheres gonna be the best place to get a 5r110 built up to hold some crazy power?

Hopefully something that will hold 1500 ft/ lbs of TQ and last for several years just daily driving, with the odd romp or race down the highway.