I have a 1984 F250 6.9 Diesel 4x4, my dad is a professional diesel mechanic and he was telling me that the 6.9 Diesel engine was not necessarily made for what i want to do. I want to get the most possible power out of it and pull it, and i said to him about doing a Cummins Conversion after a couple more years of running it now. He said its alot of work but it would probally be worth every penny. What do u guys think? Have any of u done it before? I have the time and money to do it.

 

Everyone kept telling me how impossible it was going to be to put a Cummins in my 1985 F-350.

I payed no mind to the nay-sayers and boldly forged ahead.

I should have done it in 1985.

My old 6.9 served me well, making my living, pulling big loads of high-dollar cattle across 41 states, for over half-a-million miles; but, on it's best day, Hypermax, fuel turned up, and all, it is hardly a good boat anchor, compared to the Cummins.

By simply swapping engines, I DOUBLED my fuel mileage.

I can easily sail up big grades, loaded, in fifth/overdrive, that had the 6.9 down to second and lugging.

It ain't near the chore that some would have one believe to swap engines, nor is it nearly so expensive, either.

 

A cummins swap is definitely on the list of mods I have planned for my truck.

 

LongRider, what trans did u use? Any major modifications u had to do to make the engine fit? Could u sent me some pics to zigzkidz@zoominternet.net?

 

I used the Getrag 5-speed that was bolted to the Cummins.

The only thing I did to help the fit was to install a two-inch body-lift, before pulling the original engine.

The lift is not absolutely necessary, it just makes everything you ever do to the truck again so much simpler.

I highly recommend a body-lift to any truck, regardless of future plans; jobs that used to be an act in acrobatics are now a breeze; it's amazing how much difference in working room a mere two inches makes.

I scooted the transmission cross-member rearward one bolt-hole and used the Ford mount with an adapter of my own making.

Cut and welded a Dodge yoke on the forward end of the driveshaft.

Spliced the Dodge speedometer cable to the Ford cable, piece of cake.

Made brackets and kept the Ford A/C, alternator, and trailer-brake vacuum-pump.

Spliced the Dodge power-steering hose-ends into the Ford hoses.

Searched through the hose selection, at the autoparts, until I found upper and lower hoses to fit.

Used pipe-thread adapters and screwed in the Ford gauge senders.

Every bit of wiring on the engine, alternator, gauges, A/C, etc. is the same wiring that was on the International 6.9.

The absolute most important part of one of these engine swaps is to buy the engine mounts from none other than Randy at Reliable Diesel of Mesa, AZ; they fit the first try and are bull stout.

I eased the Cummins down in the engine-bay only one time and bolted it down.

I did not pull it out and back in a dozen times, I just set it in there for good.

The only thing I would have done different is to remove the plastic A/C evaporator box, when no engine is in the truck, and replace the side toward the engine with sheet-aluminum, cutting away the plastic.

I already had the engine in there, when I saw this was necessary, and had to pull the turbo, in order to access the A/C airbox.

 

It's about time some people got some sense. Finally you will have a real good truck. If you have to go diesel then go with the BEST. Ford + Cummins = THE BEST IN ALL WAYS.
Let us know how it goes.