Cummins 6bt in an S-10

[JLEONARD]

I'm helping my son put an 89 Cummins from a D350 into a 2 wd S-10.

He's using the 5 sp Getrag. Going ok so far.

Any suggestions for an rear end and axle that may handle the load without too much modification?

Thanks.

Jay

 

[vssman]

How about some really skinny tires??? :-laf

 

[TORQUE THIS]

I hope we get to see this on a coffee night...

 

[JLEONARD]

I hope I get the nerve to get behind the wheel!!! Oo.

 

[WyattEarp]

I would say BEEF UP that front suspension and maybe add some weight to the rear, im not really sure on that one except i know the front end is going to be way heavy, im sure others will chime in that have done Cummins conversions.

 

[JLEONARD]

Will have the front end covered... he has a buddy who installs snowplows for a living that is helping him also.

Yes she does drop a might with all that iron up front!

Right now the bed is completely full... there's darn near a complete D350 and S-10 in there!

 

[1stgen4evr]

Cummins/S10

Jay, I have had this on my mind since back in the winter when you first mentioned that it might happen. Something I am doing right now might be applicable. My nephew and I have just put a ring and pinion in a 9. 25 Chrysler rear end from a 3500 van. If there is any case where this axle is used in a narrower configuration, the ring and pinion set is large enough to handle the cummins with the weight involved with the s10. There might be a wheel or a custom made wheel that would give a reasonable width as well. This axle has ratio availability from 2:76 to 4:ll. You could match the ratio to anything you want to accomplish. It has pretty good brakes as well. I think you will need them.



Also, does the axle you have (D350) by any chance have the 3:07. I serious bad, intensely, steal, kill for, want a dually rear with 3:07. I have a 250 that I would rob the gears from if I had the axle housing.



Good luck on the project.

James

 

[JLEONARD]

James,

Thanks for the input.

The dually rear was a 4. 10 with brand new leaf springs and unfortunately that along with a myriad of now very scarce parts was scrapped.

K ids.

Jay

 

[HoleshotHolset]

Cool! I knew you and your son were planning such a feat a while back...



How much of the firewall did you have to cave in to make it fit? Or... how much did you have to extend the nose?



I blew up 2 rear ends in my old S10... one was the 8-5/8" (OEM) and the other one was a 8-1/2". Neither of them held up to my heavy right foot and a warmed over 4. 3L V6 gasser.



Matt

 

[JLEONARD]

How much of the firewall did you have to cave in to make it fit

Matt... a better question would be... how much of the firewall is left?

I think he was trying to make up for the extra weight of the Cummins by removing firewall!!

We're trying to figure out how to make a cupholder out of the bellhousing! :-laf

Nose of the truck is standard length. But a custom radiator is being fabricated as we type... to be used with the stock fan.



The rest of the project promises to be "interesting".

Jay

 

[HoleshotHolset]

That's awesome... I can't wait to see pictures/video of it.



Too late now, but... . (I don't remember the manufacturer) some company makes a bolt-in radiator for the folks that stuff V8's into S-series trucks/SUVs. One of them ought to be plenty big for a 6BT.



Matt



On edit: Found it! They like to use 'Vette radiators...



http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/Parts_S10-V8-Radiator.html



That page has TONS of info about the radiators they like to use with the V8 gasser swaps... although they are biased towards radiators that work best with an engine driven fan.

 

[RabidRam]

This sounds like an awesome project and I can't wait to see some pics! One quick question, though. Are you going to even bother with a driveshaft, or are you going to just hook the transmission straight to the rear diff?



Okay, I lied. I thought of some more questions. Are you building this to be a daily driver, for drag racing, sled pulling, or a little bit of everything? Anybody speculating on 1/4 mile times yet? How much BoMB-ing are you planning on doing to this engine? I'm guessing it'll be a handful just in stock form. And now for the real question... are you gonna STACK IT?!



Be sure to post some pics as soon as you can.



Dave

 

[BV]

A Cummins powered S10 sounds sweet but man that's a lot of weight on them tiny wheel bearings. And to think I'm worried about how well the Dana 60 will hold up in my Pherd

 

[JLEONARD]

Matt,

Thanks for the link... but the radiator was already being constructed when I was at his shop helping out on tuesday.

There will be a driveshaft... obviously custom.

Engine will be stock at the start untill the engine is up and running, gages are working, and the drivetrain has at least a few revolutions on it.

Then it will get some upgrades, a few of them being injectors, smaller turbo housing or possibly an upgraded turbo, maybe an intercooler if we feel like running piping to the bed and back.

Oh yea, pump will be tweaked up an rch also!

Trucks function you ask?

F U N! He has plenty of used tires that need recycling!! :-laf :-laf :-laf

My guess is that if it holds together it will see the track.

Jay

 

[therabbittree]

cool man your getting me excited. . amd to think im getting a complete 6b and auto overdrive transmission this weekend for spares. . and my dads 95 s10 is still sitting in their drive way with a bad engine but mint body mummnnnnnnnn... ... ... . haha i'd like to back half it, and with fiberglass nose would be sweet a 9" ford with spool and 3. 00 or 2. 75s would hold for drags if you don't brake stand it ... mmmmm might have to price some parts out and get the measuring tape out... i wonder if 10s would be do able if you could get it down to like 3500lbs or so???... what year and model is your sons?. . my dads is a new body 2wd short bed... .

later

Deo

\x/ hillfolk!

ps my twins are on. . already blew my old head gasket . . finishing that up as i type . . hope to be bebopping with next week. . then i'll have to drive out to a coffee night soon... fun fun

 

[HoleshotHolset]

Deo: You better use an Eaton rear diff out of a class-8 truck. Your Dad is aweful rough on parts.



Don't you have a Ford 9" laying around? How about using the one out of the race truck?



I drove a 3500+lb. truck that dynoed right around 630hp at the wheels... it went 10. 97@125 the day before I drove it. It was an AWD GMC Syclone, though... and the only reason he finally ran a 10 was his all-time best 60' time... which I think was a 1. 65 or so.



I can't wait to see the finished product...



Matt

 

[1stgen4evr]

2.76 ratio

Did a bit more checking and the 2. 76 for the 9 and 1/4 Chrysler is apparently like the 3. 07 for the Dana. It is listed but not available. You might find one somewhere but chances are slim to none. This may be irrelevant to the project but thought I would follow up.



1stgen4evr

James

 

[bgilbert]

Wasn't Brandon in Indiana building a S-10 with a 24V p-pumped Cummins? Can't remember what rearend he was gonna use... . Might read up on his thread. Anyone know if he's still a member and or doing the conversion? Could get ahold of him and pick at his brain...

 

[sewman]

Here's a couple of axles to find a 8. 8 from a T'bird or Mustang or a Dana 44 from a IH Scout they all were posi's. The only problem is the bolts patterns are different & you have to measure the width.

I made a 350 powered 71Datsun P?U years ago & put a 10 bolt from a Monte Carlo in it w/some newer Blazer wheels that were offset,they didn't stick out too far.

HTH

Bob

 

[HoleshotHolset]

sewman said: "... 10 bolt from a Monte Carlo... "



That's a good point... the Buick Grand Nationals use a 10-bolt and you can typically make it deep into the 10's (with a 3200+ pound car) with the OEM rear-end. Most folks usually put in some sort of aftermarket locking differential, though...



Matt