I am wondering what would be easier to do the Cummins swap in my Ex or just buy a newer Ex with the 6.0 in it. I have both a 12v Cummins and a 24v Cummins. Was thinking of doing the 24v and putting the p-pump on it. Any advise or opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Randy

 

I so want to swap a Cummins in place of my 7.3 EX but don't have a engine laying around. If I had one just hanging out I would be all over it. I think it would be a much more reliable way to go and possibly cheaper than buying an 6 uh oh and having to bulletproof it to make it somewhat reliable.

 

That is kind of what I was thinking also. The 04 Ex has been bulletproofed according to the owner and it has an emblem on the fender stating that it was done. I know that is not reliable information. I guess I will have to price everything out and see which would be a little cheaper. I need to fix some rust on mine also and the 04 claims rust free. I guess i need to just go and look at it.

Randy

 

I helped with a Cummins swap in an F350 that was a V10. With all the parts available, it is a fairly easy swap.

 

There's probably a ton of arguments for or against. For me personally, I'll be doing the swap from a 6.0 to a 12V. With 260,000 on the clock, and a few "issues" cropping up it was either a rebuild from the transfer case forward, or a swap. Cost wise, I can come up with a 12V/NV4500 combo cheaper than I can rebuild the 6.0/5R110 combo. I also don't really like the way the 6.0 tows the camper. My towing experience has been less than stellar from a power standpoint as I've got to stand on it to get on the highway, up hills, etc, etc. I could put a chip in it and get all the power I want to throw at the 6.0, but again the build cost would be astronomical compared to the 12V. Plus I sorely miss a manual transmission...

As far as the truck itself, I'm finding that there are so many upgrades possible and so much information on how to do those upgrades (on this forum alone) that I don't see myself ever getting tired of the X I have, so why go with a newer or different one? Just me though...no matter which way you go, have fun!

 

The money spent on a different Ex will go a long way on fixing the one you have. And you can make it the way you want.

 

Really?
Pretty much all we use our Ex for these days is towing our 11,000lb TT all over the Eastern States and the power and performance from our V-10 (with a few mods to improve the towing performance) is very solid, no complaints here. With upwards of 30K towing miles on this EX I can honestly say that I have never once needed to run it at WOT to get up to speed or pull a big hill. It handles most Interstate Highway grades at 60 MPH in OD with about 55% throttle opening. But your 6.0 requires you to stand on it to get up to speed or up hills? Just doesn't seem to go along with all of the other 6.0 towing reports that I have read.

 

Sorry to sound like a hater but I get a kick out of people who just throw around the swap term like it's no big deal. To be honest swapping a like for like engine is a fairly involved process never mind swapping in a completely different drive train from a different brand. Engine mounts, wiring, exhaust, custom turbo piping, custom AC lines, custom crossmembers, custom drive shafts the list goes on and on. Most of the vehicles I've seen with swapped engines were either done wrong or never fully completed. But to be honest you might be the best mechanic/fabricator ever for all I know and a built cummins under the hood would be pretty cool. But for all that work to gain what? a couple miles per gallon a stick shift and to say it's got a cummins I say no way. A good 6.0 or 7.3 with a few mods can tow any camper and be sooo much easier. Just my opinion.

 

Yep, that's been my experience. I've heard that the V10's will pull like the dickens....

I should expand a bit on my specific situation. I have a completely stock "early" 2003 6.0....that's right, the "worst" one out there. The only thing that's been done to it is EGR delete and a wide open 4" exhaust from the turbo back. Other than that, the only add ons are a coolant filter, amsoil remote filter, and an Edge monitor.

So, when I tow the TT (28', maybe 7000lb loaded), in tow haul mode, I'm having to crank it up to ~3300-3500 RPM while getting on the highway and lucky to hit 50mph by the time I merge from the ramp. It's a daily driver and normal driving, I'm running it up to ~2250 RPM getting on the highway and probably 60-65MPH depending on ramp length. Also, I'm running stock gear ratio. It seems really underpowered.

All this could just be the way I drive. It also could be my particular engine. It doesn't smoke or use oil, so it's not loose. It starts really well (better than most I've heard start), even in the cold. I have one issue that throws a code occasionally. The #5 cylinder throws an out of balance code when it's cold outside. Goes away when it's warm or when I drive it like I stole it. Running a tune would absolutely help matters...it could also hurt me given the mileage and the fact that it hasn't been "bulletproofed" in any way. For sure I'd want to drop a set of head studs in it....

 

For sure a swap is no cake walk. Even with the right tools, the know how, and the money, it can be a challenge. Lucky for me, I have the ability to do it. By no means is it simple though. I'll use your driveshaft example. If you can't weld really well, you either have a guy who can or pay for it. Custom driveshafts aren't cheap from a shop and breaking one down, welding in a piece, and getting it right is not something your average guy with a welder can do. I certainly can't. Good thing I got a guy that'll do it for $25 a shaft.

I've been planning for this and doing research for 3 months now, with the plan of starting the swap at the end of summer. All told, I'll have 9 months in the planning phase, a minimum of $7K in it and an entire summer of collecting parts. It's a process.

Now, the 6.0 has NOT done me wrong. I've gotten great mileage and general driveability from it with little to no additional cost for parts going bad or breaking. I've put ~60K miles on it in the last 18 months and it's been a pretty good setup, just not ideal (or my idea of ideal).

Like I said, there are all sorts of arguments for and against. I think the best way to put it for me, is it's just what I want to do to my truck.

 

I swapped a 1st gen 12V into my 2000 V10 ex. I had a guy who has done several swaps into fords and excursions do a lot of it.
I kept the 4r100, so I had to have the rear driveshaft shortened. Local shop did it for around $150. That included new U joints, cleaning and painting.
Wiring wasn't much of an issue.
Didn't need custom crossmembers. But did have to make custom turbo pipes. Guy that did it is really good at fabbing them up.
Best way to do the AC lines is to make your own. Spent quite a bit learning that lesson. Not cheap but get the Eaton Aeroquip E-Z Clip stuff, using GH134 hose.

Everything works great, but need some work on my VE pump. But that has nothing to do with the swap, just should have rebuilt pump while engine was on ground.

A lot of my expense was putting lots of new stuff on.
And it all looks factory if you didn't know any better.

 

I'd think if you have a good running 6.0 now either sell it and buy a rust free v10 Excursion with bad motor and do the Cumming swap or wait until your 6.0 fails (may never happen) to do the swap. BUT, it's your Excursion and your $ do what you want with them!

 

This ^. If my 6.0 was running decent, I'd sell it and look for a donor vehicle with a bad motor/trans etc to do the swap.

I would 100% say do the swap if you have the parts, everyone who has done one that I've talked to have said it was the best money they spent, especially if going from a v10 or a 6.0.

It may not be "easy" but it certainly isn't complex stuff, there is a lot of literature and resources available and fummins are fairly common/done fairly often. So it certainly isn't "hard". I'm not the most expert mechanic in the world, and if not for the fact I don't have a second set of hands for some of the big stuff, I would do it without hesitation in a truck.

 

Do it, we need an in-depth how-to with photos for the Tech Sticky.

 

I went from a V10 to a cummins/nv4500. Only complaint is the gaps on the 4500 are a little annoying with the larger tires I have on the Ex.

My Ex drove in with the V10 and out with the Cummins after a month, having never done a cummins swap before. Half that time was waiting for parts.

Engine mounts - stock 1st gen dodge mounts, 2 new holes in the engine crossmember. Done.
exhaust - bought a 7.3 Ex exhaust kit and made a new downpipe. Flipped the manifold for clearance (used an he351cw)
custom turbo piping - This was all done from scratch. I used a 2nd gen intake elbow just because it looked better. Pipes are mild steel.
custom AC lines - Used the stock Ex compressor mounted high on the engine, no new lines. Didn't even open the system.
custom crossmembers - all stock, slight mods to the trans crossmember for clearance
custom drive shafts - shortened the front myself. Needed a slightly longer rear, which I pulled from a ECSB superduty with a 7.3/auto/4x4
wiring - a/c was the only real gotcha I had. A relay fixed it. Put the v10 oil/coolant senders in the cummins with adapters. Made a tone wheel to mimic the v10's. Cruise doesn't work as I haven't hooked it up since the cable is too short.
Battey tray - flipped from the pass. side to the drivers, had to drill 2 holes in the tray.
Throttle cable - stock Ex cable. Modded the cummins bracket to fit it
Clutch pedal - Super duty pedal bolts in
Clutch master - stock super duty
Clutch slave - Jeep cherokee (has a bleeder on it, the cummins one didn't)
Clutch line - Russel 640281 and a -3AN line.



I have more pics if anybody wants/needs to see something.