Swap/Conversion 5.9
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Senior User
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 395
Likes: 1
From: Central Coast, California
Swap/Conversion 5.9
Well I cannot bring myself to spend 50K on a new diesel. I bought a 94 F250 turbo 7.3 to satisfy my interest. The single cab has been fun but I want more power so I ordered a 5.9 Cummins conversion manual into Ford trucks. My theory is to buy a 5.9 and transmission instead of a new truck. Anyone have the swap experience they want to share?
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 4,086
Likes: 1
From: Malahat/Cowichan Valley
yeah but they will understand one day, haha. An engine that was designed to last longer, be more powerful and outperform 8 cylinder diesels. That and it is cheap as hell to do mods, parts are more accessible etc etc. Doing a stroke swap into an idi is like getting another wife, all you get is more complaining and it costs you twice as much. hahah
Methanoholic
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 6,442
Likes: 8
From: Maine (NorCal Native)
Not much better then the sound of a properly tuned and piped Diesel i6, bigger the bore the better!
I prefer De-Stroked over Ford Cummins if I was going to buy a kit.
Though thats just from reading ...
However, I ain't wasting no money on a kit or book!
-Enjoy
fh : )_~
I prefer De-Stroked over Ford Cummins if I was going to buy a kit.
Though thats just from reading ...
However, I ain't wasting no money on a kit or book!
-Enjoy
fh : )_~
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 854
Likes: 0
From: Salisbury NC
haha i think im gunna do one real different instead of a cummins or powerstroke if i do any swap a allison and a dirtymax will go in what u guys think it would be way unusual but im hoping this idi engine lives long enough to see being built with nos twins and makin huge hp even for stroker standards thts a ways off though if it lives till then it will though
Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 4,319
Likes: 4
From: Elk City, OK
if you go with a isuzu engine, get the newest one you can find. the 2011 has extreme power. you can find a complete truck from some knucklehead who rolled it.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,627
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From: West Valley Utah
Only problem I have with a 5.9 swap is the gearing. The cummins has loads of bottom end torque. Unless you mess with the IP and crank the rpm's up, factory rpm's is at 2500.
If you have 4:10 gears and a direct drive tranny, it's pretty much topped out less than 60 mph. The ideal combo would be 3:08 gears with 10 speed trans and double overdrive. In a 4x4, low range would be plenty low enough for anything you wanted to do. In high range, floating down the highway 75 mph at 1500 rpm would give some outstanding fuel mileage.
If you have 4:10 gears and a direct drive tranny, it's pretty much topped out less than 60 mph. The ideal combo would be 3:08 gears with 10 speed trans and double overdrive. In a 4x4, low range would be plenty low enough for anything you wanted to do. In high range, floating down the highway 75 mph at 1500 rpm would give some outstanding fuel mileage.
I agree with you ha ha ha
i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 65,443
Likes: 5,516
From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
if you are serious about wasting money putting a cummapart in your ford, you should consider the international DT360.
it is a better engine, has much more power stock, and much easier swap into a ford that a cummins is..
it is a better engine, has much more power stock, and much easier swap into a ford that a cummins is..
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,330
Likes: 13
From: Eaton, CO
So what's so great about that motor? I always heard they were all noise w/ no punch, rattling detroit pieces of boat anchor.
Methanoholic
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 6,442
Likes: 8
From: Maine (NorCal Native)
The DT360 is a International (Navistar) motor, not a Detroit, The DT series is an inline 6 wet sleeved motor available in 360 to 570 ci models!
They are good motors, unfortunately they don't have the after market support like the Cummins.
Gearing is exactly why I have yet to stick a Cummins in my 86 ... Else it would be done already.
IMO Wet sleeved motors are far superior to a cast sleeve motor!
-Enjoy
fh : )_~
They are good motors, unfortunately they don't have the after market support like the Cummins.
Gearing is exactly why I have yet to stick a Cummins in my 86 ... Else it would be done already.
IMO Wet sleeved motors are far superior to a cast sleeve motor!
-Enjoy
fh : )_~