Duramax in older truck

[ssx]

Since the search is down, I can't check if this has been covered before. Anybody ever put a Duramax and Allison in an older body style? I am thinking about this for my 86' Crewcab. What about any links for info on doing it? I see them selling on ebay for $5-8K. Any opinions on this swap?

[plumbcut]

Ive been thinking about this setup for a long time. Not so much for myself- but waiting for someone to do it! I have not seen anything about it on this board before... I think its an awesome setup. the duramax and allison is an awesome, powerful combo..

good luck

[GMC1tondually4dr]

Geez...,, read my mind will ya!!!....

If you guys find anything on a Duramax and Allison swap for an older truck,PLEASE post.

I've thought about this exact swap for a couple of years, the prices of the Duramax and Allison are coming down.

Check www.carpart.com
1999 3500 Truck, engine and trans.

For the price of a brand new truck,
(1 Ton CC dually, 2WD, loaded =$50.000+)
you could really have a neat truck.

If someone wants to foot the bill for parts I will do the swap and document the process with how too's and pictures on my truck!!

I have an '86 1ton CC Dually that I just tow with.

Just my .02

CCDually

[Russell]

In all honesty, a Duramax is a good daily driver motor too. They get phenominal milage, and are extremely powerful, even in their stock form.

If a guy could simply pull the engine harness / computer and run it independantly from the truck, I'm sure it'd be a much more popular swap. I am fairly sure that all the different computers work together on these different types of things.

It'd be fun setting up the shifter too, I do believe it is an electronic column switch, rather than a mechanical linkage like these olders trucks...

Someday, after someone else does the trailblazing, and gas is so rediculously expensive that its worth it to put a diesel in, I'll put a higher performance diesel into my truck.

[ElGracho]

I'm really interested in this swap too. It would be work about 10k to me to be able to put a Duramax in my 83. So far the difficulties are all in the computer. I've only seen one successful swap and it was into a boat. The person used the instrument cluster and everything out of the donor vehicle to make the body control module and powertrain control module all work together.

[arveetek]

Jim Bigley, administrator for www.thedieselpage.com , has swapped a Duramax/Allison combo into a 1990 K1500 pickup. He's building it as a hotrod. Most of the web articles about the truck are for members only, but I think ya'll should be able to read this one:

http://www.thedieselpage.com/features/project2-16.htm

Jim worked on this rig for a couple of years. The engine and tranny are pretty much a straight-forward bolt in. It's the electronics that cause the headaches. The Duramax computer system works with every single aspect of the truck, from engine and tranny control, to a/c and door lock systems. To keep the truck as factory-like as possible, Jim swapped in the entire dash from a newer Duramax equipped truck. He also swapped in all the body control systems to make the computer think it was still in a later model truck. He was successful in fooling the computer, and the only CEL he ever got was one regarding the transfer case. He was able to have the dealership reprogram the computer, and all has been fine since.

There's also an article on the Diesel Page about a guy who swapped a Duramax/Allison into a 1976 FMC motorhome. He used the original dash and swapped in the guages, like the guy with the boat EL Gracho mentioned did.

I also know of a few Duramax-converted Suburbans running around.

I've read of a guy swapping a Duramax into one of our older style trucks, but I don't know of any completed projects as yet.

I'm a fan of mechanical engines myself, so a computer-controlled Duramax doesn't appeal to me much. However, the stock 300 HP of a Duramax does! It's also extremely easy to get over 450 HP and 800 lbs. torque with just a few simple plug-in boxes....now that's impressive!

Casey

[ssx]

My 67' Nova SS is having a LS1 and 6spd trans put in from a 99' Camaro. The shop doing the swap bought a computer for this swap, I wonder if any companies will put out a computer to make the swap easier? That would be the way to go. BTW a friend of mine just got an 04' Duramax 4X4, put in a full exhaust system with a chip and said you wouldn't believe how much more power it is putting out! He told me it's putting down about 450hp with just those upgrades!

[James670X]

I'm contemplating putting the 6spd., Duramax, rear diff., dash and interior into my truck,.....just wondering what's involved/how hard it is to do.

[Greenlee]

Originally Posted by arveetek

I'm a fan of mechanical engines myself, so a computer-controlled Duramax doesn't appeal to me much. However, the stock 300 HP of a Duramax does! It's also extremely easy to get over 450 HP and 800 lbs. torque with just a few simple plug-in boxes....now that's impressive!

Casey

I have a friend who is putting a Cummins/NV4500?? out of an early model Dodge into an 87' Suburban. I don't remember the year models, but he told me the older Dodge diesels did not have computers. This is another option, although its probably not as cool as having a Duramax.

[1969 GMC]

Originally Posted by Greenlee

I have a friend who is putting a Cummins/NV4500?? out of an early model Dodge into an 87' Suburban. I don't remember the year models, but he told me the older Dodge diesels did not have computers. This is another option, although its probably not as cool as having a Duramax.

A Cummins would be a lot better than a DuraJap. Board member charlieo (sp?) is putting a Cummins 4bt into his swb 4x4. Should be pretty sweet.

[EricS76]

I know chevy guys don't really wanna hear about putting a cummins in instead of a duramax, but the 5.9 cummins for the most part is all mechanical up to 1998.5. That alone should make a much easier swap. There's a article in the new 4wheel & offroad with a early 90's chevy truck with a cummins. It puts out 1000ft/lbs torque. Not too bad. A little better than the duramax i think.