Well I have another thread about a project of building an idi and the machine shop seems to be having issues. I believe they messed up my block somehow because it’s been over 9 weeks and every time I call they say it’ll be ready next day or two. And they originally told me 4 weeks.
So with all this frustration going on I am considering doing a 12v swap and wanted to see if anyone on here has done it and is it worth it? What are things you found to make it easier? Did any of you buy a diesel conversion specialist kit? I am greatly looking into it that kit but I just don’t know the quality of it.

 

There's one conversion kit that's got a good reputation on the IDI forums for being complete and high quality. Not sure, but I think its site is Ford-Cummins.com. I have a friend that used it and he was really pleased with it, but I really didn't get to pick his brain as much as I wanted to. You might go to Google, click on some conversion kits and read their reviews. Sorry I'm not more help.

 

Doubt youre going to find much here. If you buy an outright kit, i think the average cost is around 10k. Personally speaking, id own a 6.0 before a cummins. Not that theyre a bad engine, a V8 just has a way better powerband. Unless youre into breaking dynos, i fail to see the reason for the swap.

 

x2

The Cummins diesel is missing 2 cylinders!

 

Nothing is going to top the reliability of the 6bt without a computer. As far as putting it into a ford, well, I've been doing months of reading now and DCS's kit loves to get crapped on online. Destroked is apparently the best out of the few conversion kit companies left.

I am trying to get the rest of my truck ready for shoving in that motor. Let me know how it goes for you!

 

Call around to a few diesel shops and tell me what they work on the most.

 

Well for as much as this whole endeavor is going to cost to have a roughly 400hp idi I could buy 5.9 maling the same and than still have room to grow. I think it be also cheaper to just wait and find a deal on a dodge and than even have a more upgradable manual transmission. As far as reliability yeah nothing beats a 5.9 p pump. I just had a thing for ford body’s they look awesome

 

Well, to be fair, the B series engines were in a vast array of industrial and commercial applications. When you have that many of them, there are going to be more of them that need repair. Same with the F-series trucks. There are so many of them compared to GM and Dodge's offerings, of course they need more repairs. The fleet itself is larger.

 

Obviously you have never driven a modified Cummins, or maybe you have but it wasn't set up right. They pull a lot harder than a V8 on the low end, and can still make good power all the way up to 4K or more if you need them to. A 6.0 isn't even a comparison.

 

All of the emissions equipment that fails on the new trucks.

 

I have, a few. P pumps specifically they either pull hard low to around 2500ish, or you advance the hell out of em, make em even noisier, and have a slow *** smoke show till 2k or better then it pulls like a freight train up top. Best way ive been able to explain it is like comparing a 2 stroke bike to a 4 stroke.

5.9 p pump and vp44 engines because every 16-24 year old that owns them thinks theyre "indestrucible bruh" and burns the ****er down. A mechanic might work on the emission stuff, dunno, all 3 diesel machine shops around here all say they work on cummins the most because of a torched cylinder most the time. I have no further interest in arguing opinions. The 5.9 is a hell of an engine, the rest of em are pretty damn good too (except the duramax, youd have thought they wouldve learned to build a crank after the 6.5). You want reliable, get a 7.3 psd. I happen to have a 400hp IDI, ive grossed 26k with it so far, i have fun trolling the common rails with my "non-turbo powerstroke". To each their own, but have a realistic expectation.

 

Yep, our shop foreman and myself got sent to a factory school on the original 5.9 because they were coming out in some front end loaders we'd be maintaining. We tore two down to bare blocks then reassembled, a very simple engine requiring a minimum of tools for teardown (PRE-SMOG version). Years later I was with a friend of mine who has a Dodge Cummins towing a heavy gooseneck and that thing was pulling grades in high gear where I'd of had to drop 2 gears in my turboed 7.3 and even then I think he'd of out pulled me.

 

As far as reliability there is not many to top a 5.9 Cummins and they have plenty of power to boot, however cummins swaps are way overdone and because of their recent burst of popularity they are hilariously overpriced. I sold one back in 2012 with a p pump and a twin turbo setup for $3500 and it didnt run and had coolant in the oil probably would have brought double that had it been running and in good condition. Of course i have thought about doing a dt360 or a c5/c7 cat swap on one which would probably cost just as much or more. Just my 2 measly cents!

 

A friend of mine had to replace his Cummins in his Dodge and he paid $4000 for a guaranteed good condition one from a reputable wrecking yard. I think he said the 4K also covered installation at the local Cummins shop.

 

My experience is... it will cost you more than you think in the end... and you still end up with a used engine lol...

My guess is I'm going to end up about 8 to 10k into my swap... but keep in mind I'll have new EVERYTHING except the engine.

I'm hoping to be 400 to 450 to the ground but getting there isn't cheap.

I bet I would be about 10k into an idi rebuild done right.

So: is it
Economical? Probably not...
More Reliable? Probably not at the hp I'm going for.
Easy? Not at all.
Fun? Yes! But I'm one of those who enjoys a challenge... and my swap has been all of that lol.

I got a whole truck as the donor in the thought it would save me money...

I still needed to buy a fuel pump 1000 bucks.

I needed a clutch to hold the power 1500 bucks

My fuel lines and tank replaced (you can't run two tanks anymore and fuel lines need upgrading)

Found out my rad was rotten 500

Probably going to be a grand into driveshaft work. (upgraded ujoints ect)

Head studs at 700

Injectors and turbo couple grand.

It add up quickly Haha.

I agree this probably isn't the forum to ask lol

Google Cummins swap and you will get a ton of information.

There's no one way to do it

I got my stuff from dcs... good guys and reasonably priced