I currently have a 1994 f-350 crew cab diesel and am considering changing engines in the future. I am considering a 7.3 Powerstroke or maybe even a Cummins. Are these swaps practical and can anyone supply a good source for either engine. I am in the research phase right now and would appreciate any input. Thanks alot for a great forum!

 

honestly i hate to say it but cummins would be your best option they are a better motor than the powerstroke and cheaper plus its a smaller framed engine so you would have more room to do the swap.you will have or be able to get way more power and durability out of a cummins as well.i probably irritated someone by saying all this but from being around them if i ever swap mine out it will be a 24v cummins if you look on youtube they have some videos that would be interesting or do a search for "fummins" on there you may be able to get in contact with someone through there to help you.you can actually order a guide on how to swap and maybe find a motor here fordcummins.com - Increase Horsepower with Ford Cummins Diesel conversion kits it has some good info. keep us updated

 

I agree with rupejosh... I've done allot of research my self and I decided on the cummins conversion. The cummins 12v is a mechanical engine that only needs 2 or 3 wires to make it run, and the powerstroke is a computer controlled engine that requires a pcm and sensors... = too many wires! lol.

Destoked.com seems to have the favorable adapter plates... and Autoworld has a good rep for motor mounts. you can also checkout cummins-conversion.com for some good info. As for places to find either engines you can try ebay or car-part.com or craigslist, or buy a truck thats been wrecked and use it for the doner ( best if you want to go with a powerstroke) .

I would have to honestly say that neither swap is practical... You can rebuild a fully sleaved 7.3 and be ahead or rebuild a 6.9 and save even more money. I figure it'll cost me allmost 3 grand plus the price of the engine plus an estimated 100 hrs of labor ( that'll be me!). but I really like my truck and I think it'll be a prety cool project with the added benifit of the cummins engine....
good luck and keep us updated.

http://destroked.com/
http://www.autoworldmt.com/index.html
http://www.cummins-conversion.com/phpBB3/
http://www.car-part.com/index.htm

 

check out this link... he's in the middle of doing a swap to a 94 crew cab...dam thats going to be a nice truck!

Oilburners.net

 

I'd rebuild a 6.9L and turbo it if it's not already, and this is from a Cummins guy!
I don't think the hassle would be worth it.
The Cummins does have a serious advantage in the amount of power it is CAPABLE of but a turbo IDI will do antything that NEEDS done.
I also have almost NEVER had to work on my Dodge with a Cummins in it. The few things I have worked on have been the truck not the engine.
I did check and set the valves as recommended but the last two times my Dad did it they hadn't "seated" anymore so that chore is even a thing of the past.
I firmly believe the 12V 5.9L Cummins is THE most durable, fool-proof motor EVER put in a pick up. Plus they USUALLY don't nickel-and-dime you to death and have to be constantly tinkered with to keep running.
However I love my IDI turbo.
My Power Stroke? I don't hate it but I would NEVER, NEVER, NEVER swap one into anything else. Since it's in the truck I can live with it but if I had a truck I was going to keep and the Power Stroke went bad I'd swap in a turbo 6.9L and sell the PS for a core.

 

On the flip side a 7.3 Power Stroke is a bolt in trouble free engine a Cummin is long tall and doesn’t fit well.
I fully intend to up date to a Power Stroke some day but the 6.9-7.3 IDI are so cheap to play with there's just no need to invite the
Computer controlled potential for problems in to My play time I don't race I don't pull sled so a 6.9-7.3IDI can make more power then I need.
So practical no. Stick with You have rebuild up grade some parts.

 

Regarding the option of building a 6.9, which years were considered the best years for this ? I remember early ones had problems with metal thickness around the block heater. When was this changed ? Anything else to look for, good or bad ?

 

Thanks to all for so much for all the valuable information. With this information and way the economy is, I am leaning toward just adding some performance mods to the IDI I have. It only has 111,000 on it and I`m sure a Banks kit would wake it up just fine. Thanks again for all the responses!

 

At 111,000 it is just getting broke in well.

My main thing about a Cummins swap into a Ford.
If you break a mount or adapter, how long is the truck going to be parked waiting on parts.

Between 2 Advance Auto stores, 3 NAPA stores, Autozone, Fisher Auto, a Ford dealer
and 4 salvage yards within 10 miles of my house I can replace anything I break within 2 hours plus the time to change the part.

As soon as you go non factory, that usually goes out the door.

 

I wouldn't say "trouble-free bolt-in" at all. There's A LOT of work there. The engine and truck are "packaged" for each other though.

For ME the Cummins would be easier because I would rather do the mechanical/adapter work than all of the wiring and sensors.
You also have to convert from a throttle cable to a drive-by-wire set-up.
And I MUCH prefer the IDI to the Power Stroke so building an IDI would be the BEST way for ME.
I guess it all depends on what you prefer.

 

The mid-'85 and up were the "GOOD" ones.
There are ways to tell if it's the newer 6.9L Dave S. knows.
Obviously if you get an '86 or '87 it'll be the new style.

I'd keep your SCAs/PH balance right in your motor and upgrade it with a turbo etc.
With the low miles you have on it you should be driving it a LONG time.
If it ever goes bad find a 6.9L donor motor rebuild it, swap in your 7.3L valve train, turbo, pump, injectors etc. that you've upgraded into it.

BTW my '94 7.3L turbo has 372K miles on it and it will still run circles around my Power Stroke.

 

Good point and I agree... I've seen some crazy customization and mods done to squeeze a cummins into our trucks( they don't really fit! lol). But with some thought and planning you can do the swap with over the shelf parts that can be had at any autopart's store and keep your stock drive line (no custom d/s)... well everything but the adapter plate! that'll be a three week wait if it broke!

The bigest drawback I think is the cost... I've tried to be realistic with my budget... but I still have some things that I've guessed ... you can never really tell what it'll cost till you get into it.

 

goodBoy,
Sorry to hijack the thread, but what lift kit is on your pickup? How much lift in front and back?

It sits nice. Thanks.

 

thanxs... It's got a king-pin D60 upfront and 10.25 posi in the rear with 1-ton springs with an added leaf in the front and a 2 inch body lift... guess I should change my sig too F350...

 

Well, I have a 6.9 NA in my 86, and a Cummins in a 92. The Cummins got put in place of a 460 that was worn out. My 6.9 will pull about as heavy a load, just maybe not as fast. I also am restricted by no overdrive on the 86, and factory overdrive and a Gear Vendors overdrive on the 92, so it isn't totally a fair comparison. Realistically, if you have something like 4.10 gears in your truck, it will be too low for the Cummins, they don't like to spin too fast. The 92 has 4.10's in it, and if it didn't have the Gear Vendors on top of the factory overdrive, it wouldn't go down the road as well as it does. I made my own motor mounts, and kept things as close to factory as possible, mainly for the reasons Dave mentioned, I wanted to keep it to where you could just walk in to a parts store and get what you need. Only custom pieces are the alternator mount, motor mounts, and trans bracket. Well, driveshafts too, but they will be custom with the gear vendors, but I got lucky, and only the front shaft is custom, the rear is factory.
Other than road speed, the two trucks are pretty comparative in performance. I want to add a turbo, just hasn't been in the budget to do it yet, so it waits. Reliability wise, the trucks are also comparable. Been having trouble with the oil cooler leaking on the Cummins recently, plus the trans gave out, so had to swap that.