Hi eveyone!

[michigandon]

I've been lurking on these forums for what seems like forever now, but stumbling onto the "conversion" forum is what promted me to join up and start posting.



I've got meself a major untertaking about to begin. This spring I acquired a 1973 Dodge travco 270 motorhome. The coach's original 413 appears to be laying on its back kicking its heels up in the air as we speak, so I am planning on repowering it with the drivetrain out of a wrecked 1993 D250. I was planning on doing this a few years on down the road, but one trip to the UP and back a spittin and a sputterin' and backfirin', 45MPH all the way up and back prompted me to move the time frame up to this winter. All other winter projects have been officially shoved aside! If there's anybody in the Mid-Michigan area who would be willing or able to lend a hand, it would be GREATLY appreciated.



While I am new to projects such as this one, I am not new to CTD-powered Dodge Rams. I previously owned a '92 W250 as well as a '97 3500. I originally bought both with the intentions of keeping them around forever and BOMBing them, but for various reasons that never happened.



I have one technical question to start off with, I'm sure there will be MANY more. I also acquired the donor trucks ECM and wiring harness. I'm wondering if an aftermarket electric speedometer can be driven off of the factory speed sensor? I plan on redoing the entire dash in order to add boost, EGT, tach and all that other good stuff. I got my eye on the Autometer 1488 right now, but if anyone else can suggest something better, I'm all ears!

(The instructions on Autometers website do state that the speedo can be utilized with MOST OEM speed sensors, but I'm mainly curious as to whther or not it can be used with this one. )



Also, If anyone could send me some scans of wiring diagrams for a '93 to kinda 'tide me over' until I can scavenge up an FSM, it would be greatly appreciated.



Thanks and I look forward to picking everyones brains a little, er OK a LOT more in the near future. I'm aready taking pics for your viewing enjoyment. Stay tuned!



Don

 

[cjohnson1]

Another masochist!



You can get speedometer that can be feed of off almost anything. Even the drive shaft. So don't sweat that part. The tac can read off of the alternator pulley of you want to go that way. Those are no biggies.



How big is the Travelco? You may be able to use the donor transmission if it's not too big a rig and I would grab the rear axle, or a dual wheel out of a 1 ton with the right gears.



As you've probably read, My budget for my project was blow away when I found out I couldn't get a axle ratio that would work with my Allison. I found a solution that will work for me but you may not have the room for another transmission in your chassis. But if you use Torqueflite you could get a Gear Vendor for it.



I like the idea of having 12 forward and 3 reverses but it's a little overkill.



I assume you plan on keeping this thing for a long time, as you'll never get your money out of a swap in an old coach like this. And I feel for you. I'm not so sure I would want to start another one, if I had it to do over. But, I may change my mind now that I have chased all the deamons away.



Engine wiring for the 93 engine is really a no brainer. Three wires for the fuel solinoid, (pull, hold and ground). Starter, alt, sending units, tach and speedo. Heck, you can bailing wire the solenoid in the run position and put a battery to the starter and use a screwdriver to start and drive the dang thing to Alaska, if you want to. And you really don't need a battery if you have clutch.

You'll just have to blend your two harnesses together. Me, I built my own harness cause I just couldn't see cutting apart a perfectly good factory harness for what few wires I was going to use.



I'm no expert ,but will try to give you the best advise I have. Post the picswhen you can.



Good Luck!!!!!



C Johnson

 

[michigandon]

Hiya C Johnson!



I've been following the trials and tribulations on your project for a few months now. I originally wanted to go with an Allison too, but decided to go with a 518 instead when I learned that 1) none of them had a "ParK" position, and 2) I really didn't want to change the rear end gears. I've been corresponding with another gentleman who did the same thing to a '69 similar to mine. He used the engine from an '89, and the transmission from a '95. He supposedly had to fab his own transmission crossmember, but I have the one from the donor truck so I am hoping to adapt it instead. He also claimed that the 4. 88 rear axle is perfect with the overdrive trans. He also said the engine turns about 1800 at 60 and the unit tops out at just under 80 mph at 2500. I think I can live with that. Only major difference between his and mine will be that I will be using a non-lockup trans instead. It's essentially a granddaughter of what's in there now, so shouldn't be too difficult.



I do plan on keeping this around for a long time (famous last words!). I look at it this way: rebuilding/repairing the original 413 will probably extend the life of this coach by 3-5 years, repowering it should extend its lifespan by 10-15, if not more. When the smoke clears, I should have a helluva nice diesel powered coach for under $10K. Certainly not going to buy anything turnkey for that!



Indeed, the plan is to merge the two wiring harnesses together.

The wrecking yard more or less just unplugged everything under the hood and laid it on top of the engine when they pulled it. Would like have the automatic OD shifting, cruise control, etc all operating when finished (that is NOT manditory, though). Also want the more modern alternator and what not.



I do fear that I might be getting in over my head though.

:--)

Don

 

[michigandon]

The "donor":



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The "patient":



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[cjohnson1]

Originally posted by michigandon

Hiya C Johnson!





I do plan on keeping this around for a long time (famous last words!). I look at it this way: rebuilding/repairing the original 413 will probably extend the life of this coach by 3-5 years, re-powering it should extend its lifespan by 10-15, if not more. When the smoke clears, I should have a helluva nice diesel powered coach for under $10K. Certainly not going to buy anything turnkey for that!



I do fear that I might be getting in over my head though.

:--)

Don

That's exactly how I rationalized my conversion.



I found a Diesel Pusher at the RV show I would have liked to replace mine with before I started this project. Only problem was when I did the math on the payoff and new payments and added length of new payments I decided I was could be just as happy with my Fleetwood if it had more power for the mountains. And the Fleetwood is almost paid for. So since I like to build stuff, I dove in. I took what would have been my down payment for a new one and went parts shopping. The biggest mistake I made was not checking with a rear end shop before I calculated my gear ratio. I just looked at what the ratios listed on the Spicer Web site and took off. The gear ratio I was counting on putting in, turned out to not be available anymore. The solution put me a little over budget, but I think it'll make all the difference in the world.



As for getting over your head! Just think of it as a character builder. But, if you have the propensity of not finishing things you you start, you may want to enlist some one to kick your butt when you start loosing interest. HA!

I get bored easy, so I usually have three projects going at one time. So as I lose interest in one I slide over to another until I bore with it. And so on. My wife hates it, but it works for me. Takes a little longer, but once the end is in site I marathon a project until it's done. Like now. Oh, and if your wondering, I'm remodeling my house in town at the same time, The MH is parked there, so I can work on one or the other as my mood suits me. The house hasn't gotten a lot of attention lately.

Project# three is a little Turbo charged 4WD Trooper I'm building for the wife's as a grocery getter. It's ready for the new motor and transmission (they're already rebuilt)and it'll be finished. I'm hoping to drag it behind the MH on the more sedate trips.



Best of luck, sounds like you've got a good start.



Curtis J

 

[michigandon]

I usually have more than one thing on my plate at once too. My house also needed a LOT of work done to it when I first took posession. It still needs a lot of things done, but the important stuff is all taken care of moslty. I was a first time buyer as of last year. I'm not so sure if I like this being a homeowner stuff or not. Then again, I like being a tenant even less. My old van is always in dire need of TLC and I have another car that is going up for sale soon to help payoff the bills on this project. I also have a Tokhiem 39 gas pump that is in need of some TLC that I bought home over a yaer ago and haven't gotten around to doing anything with it yet.



As it stands right now, I will be happy to just get the engine and trans set in place before the snow flies. Then I can work on all the other stuff off and on as time/enthusiasm/money and weather conditions permit. I know there will be several days/weeks coming up where it will be too cold to do too much on it, so that in itself will be a good excuse not to attempt to burn myself out on it too fast.



Right now the goal is to have it running and driving by June 1st. Feel free to get a pool going if you want.



Hey, here's a question for ya C. It looks like the lift pump on the engine has to draw the fuel a lonnnnnnng ways on that rig. Did you install a secondary electric fuel pump in your system? Extra filters? What size lines did you run? Howabout the returns?



The existing engine has an electric fuel pump in place, but I suspect that neither it nor the lines are going to be adequate. Just one of many things that's helping to prevent a good nights sleep... ... .....



Don

 

[cjohnson1]

Originally posted by michigandon

I

Hey, here's a question for ya C. It looks like the lift pump on the engine has to draw the fuel a lonnnnnnng ways on that rig. Did you install a secondary electric fuel pump in your system? Extra filters? What size lines did you run? Howabout the returns?



The existing engine has an electric fuel pump in place, but I suspect that neither it nor the lines are going to be adequate. Just one of many things that's helping to prevent a good nights sleep... ... .....



Don

I left the electric fuel pump in place in the tank and wired it with a switch in the engine compartment to energize it for primimg. This worked well for flushing out the gasoline out of the lines. The Cummins lift pump will draw fuel a long way. And it'll pull thru the electric too. So I left it. Since the old motor was an EFI, it had a return line already there. I just replaced the in line gas filter with a new one. And, since there is one on the Cummins, it's double protection. The fuel lines arn't real big , not sure off the top of my head what size. I'll measure them next time under. I think the return is a 1/4 inch and the main line is the next size up.



If you have a generator that draws out of the main tank you could use it for a return. Rather than dropping the tank to install another line. You probably will add another small gasoline tank for the generator. Or just "T" into the vent line at the fuel filler neck.



Gotta run to work.



Later Don and all!

 

[michigandon]

Sounds as though the lines don't need to be quite as large as I initially thought. Please do let me know what size they are. I think I might just eliminate that Carter electric fuel pump. Maybe put a small Racor spin-on fuel filter in place between the tank and the lift pump?



There is a place where the genrator draws its fuel from the main tank, so yes the plan was to make that into the return. My rig has a 70 gallon main tank and [I think] a 15 gallon auxilliary tank. The aux tank is currently not hooked up to anything, so the plan was to route the generator gas over to it and make it strictly the genset gas tank.

 

[backroad]

You kids are making me feel a whole bunch better about my project(s). My ton ford has been in the garage under construction for the last year and a half. Between no time, no energy, working on the Willy's flatfender, and starting to build a 2wd jeep for the sand dunes, the wife is getting (really has been) VERY aggrevated with her hubby. I actually managed to fire up the Cummins for the first time last week and plan on driving it out of the shop this weekend. I know, I've said this before. Just keep pushing towards the goal and "never give up"...

 

[cjohnson1]

BacKroad, My Grandchildren will get a kick out me being called a "Kid".





Don, Fuel lines are 3/8's and 5/16th.



I've been busy and computerless for the last 6 days. But I'm back now. The MH rearend is in place and ready to go. Just a few minor issues left, but, I can at least drive it now. THe Brownie will be a little bit later. Gotta harvest the money tree beforeChristmas.





Curtis Johnson.

 

[michigandon]

More pics, for your viewing enjoyment.

Here's the new engine and transmission, freshly offloaded in my garage:



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[cjohnson1]

Boy , that brings back memories. Not sure if they're good or bad!

Looks like your seriously in for it now.



Anything I can do to help you sort it out give me a shout!

Curtis J

 

[michigandon]

Yesterday the transmission went to Jims Performance Transmissions up in Eaton Rapids to have a Transgo shift kit installed, and to be checked out and (hopefully!) given a clean bill of health. I'm also replacing the old converter with a Mojave Green unit and probably going to go with the updated flexplate. Got the stuff to fix the KDP and turn the oil pan around too.



Seems to be a quite a few "might as well while it's already aparts" popping up.



Don