M1008 Conversion

[PKirby]

Finally it is roadworthy with a lot more power than the old 6. 2 diesel. I installed a . 040 over 1995 6BTA from a burned UPS truck. Stock plate slid forward for now, #5 plate will be added later. I used a Duramax radiator and intercooler, hockey puck body lift to clear the intercooler. 4" fabricated exhaust with a Walker muffler. Dodge NV4500 with Chevy output shaft and tail housing. 1st gen. Dodge engine mounts, fan and shroud.

Later will come body, paint and interior work. I will probably paint it Canteen Green which is a Nissan Titan color and dark saddle for the interior.

 

[GOLIATHGMC]

Awesome!!!

Oo.

All I can say is wow. Top Notch job! I am currently prepping my '85 GMC CREW for a similar changeover, and your 1008 is definately fuel for the fire. It is ALWAYS nice to see a professional looking conversion - I just wish you were located a little further north so I might get a peek at it in person. Any chance you might share a glimpse of the motor mounts with all of us?? Thanks for sharing!

GOLIATHGMC

 

[PKirby]

I used the stock frame mounts in the stock location, I slotted the lower holes on the frame mount about 1/4" and tightened those bolts after the engine was in to lower the engine as much as possible. I added slots on the frame mounts for the studs of the Dodge rubber mounts. I trimmed the Dodge U brackets and redrilled the mounting holes to move the mount closer to the engine. I did some grinding on the cast iron engine bracket below the lower bolt that runs parallel with the block for additional clearance.

With this setup I have about 1/4" clearance between the engine and firewall. I had to dimple the trans tunnel slightly around the bellhousing to engine bolt heads.

 

[bgilbert]

Very nice. What paint color is that on the engine? I've seen it before on industrial 5. 9's. Looks good.

 

[PKirby]

The paint is a PPG single stage urethane, Cummins Beige. My local PPG store called their tech. number for the formula.

 

[GOLIATHGMC]

About those Motor Mounts...

Thanks for those CLEAR and BRIGHT pics of your motor mounts... . that definately looks like that way to go. One question though; where (or maybe what year Cummins) did those mounts come from? I have been closely following another conversion on here being done by Timo in Finland on an '87 Suburban. I LOVE his mounts, but they are done on a 2WD frame, and the engine side of the mounts use large Hockey-Puck like isolators. Before seeing yours, I was under the impression that they all looked like that (and all the donor engines I have looked at were similar). The way you did yours looks like a much simpler way to adapt to the current configuration of my GMC frame pads. Anything to make my conversion go more smoothly... ...

GOLIATHGMC

 

[dcamilleri]

Nice job! Keep a close eye on your gm output shaft. My first one only lasted 5,000 miles until the splines stripped, 2nd one made it 9,000 with the transmission over filled with oil to keep the splines lubed. Since the gm output is longer than the dodge, I think the splines starve for oil and disintegrate themselves.

 

[MMeier]

Nice looking conversion!! But are those mounts designed for a diesel application or are they gasser units? If they are indeed gasser units, will they hold up to the torque of the mighty Cummins, just wondering, thats all.

 

[PKirby]

I traded for the engine mount brackets so I don't know what year they are. They definitely are 1st gen 89-93 Dodge Cummins parts. The rubber mounts are for a 92 Dodge Cummins 4x4 and I bought them a Oreilly Auto Parts. I am sure these are not as strong as the second gen mounts like most people use on their conversions but they were easy to adapt.



I ran the GM NV4500 behind the 6. 2 in this truck for a year and the splines looked like they had lube on them when I pulled the transfer case back off for the Cummins conversion. My transmission only had over 60k miles and the NP208 only had 46k. But I did keep the Dodge output and tail housing just in case the GM stuff fails.

 

[dcamilleri]

I never had any problems at all with my output shaft behind my 300 hp 6. 5, but it didn't fare well with over 350 rwhp on my cummins. The 29 spline dodge shaft has been without incedent however. Expensive learning curve, and I hope yours lasts, however there was no warning when mine grenaded, it just spun the splines :{

 

[RHancock]

congrats looks good. . I am thinking of doing something similar. A few questions. did you change the gears or are you still running the 4. 56 and what size tires are you running. . Have you driven it enough to see what the fuel mileage is like . . ??



Overall what do you think of the conversion and would you do it again.

 

[PKirby]

I am very happy with the conversion. First tank I got 20 mpg and second tank 19 mpg mixed driving. My truck has 33x12. 5x16. 5 tires and 4. 10 gears. It had a Dana 44 front and a 10. 5" 14 bolt rear when I bought it and I traded for a Dana 60 front. I have been told the Dana 44 and Corporate GM front axles have problems supporting the weight of a Cummins. A huge improvement came from installing a seat from a '98 Chevy.

 

[CumminsBurban]

Very nice job. My brother did a 1987 Chevy 4x4 that looks similar to yours. He is very happy with it.



Shane

 

[BAnsley]

Any way you could post pics of you exhaust around your t case and mounts of your intercooler?? please!! awsome truck!!!



thanks Brian

 

[PKirby]

Any way you could post pics of you exhaust around your t case and mounts of your intercooler?? please!! awsome truck!!!



thanks Brian

I will try to take some photos and post them this weekend.



Thanks, Perry.

 

[BAnsley]

how did you get the nippindenso alt to charge without the dodge computer??



Thanks Brian

 

[PKirby]

I replied to your other post about the alternator wiring a couple of minutes before you posted this one.

 

[PKirby]

Any way you could post pics of you exhaust around your t case and mounts of your intercooler?? please!! awsome truck!!!



thanks Brian

I used a 2003 Duramax radiator and intercooler. Flipped the intercooler upside down and had the left nipple cut off and welded at an angle so the radiator would fit back between the nipples. I cut the old extended mounts from the intercooler. I welded 3/8 studs to the bottom of the rad support and used rubber bushings in the intercooler mount holes. I cut holes in the upper rad support for the intercooler studs to protrude through. The intercooler has mid mount holes that I used by cutting holes in the rad support and used rubber bushing with a bolt and flat washer.



I slotted one side of all the mount holes to allow for intercooler expansion.



Since the intercooler hung below the rad support I had to use hockey pucks for a body lift and had to rig up a new brace to the upper hood latch area.

 

[Jed]

PKirby

great looking truck!

would you care to comment on a 4b conversion in a cucv?

It would be easy to match the 6. 2's power level with a p-pumped motor and would probably get in the 25 mpg range with an overdrive and the bread truck transmission should bolt up to the transfer case. The weight is about the same as the 6. 2 so it should work as is. Or have I missed something?

 

[PKirby]

PKirby

great looking truck!

would you care to comment on a 4b conversion in a cucv?

It would be easy to match the 6. 2's power level with a p-pumped motor and would probably get in the 25 mpg range with an overdrive and the bread truck transmission should bolt up to the transfer case. The weight is about the same as the 6. 2 so it should work as is. Or have I missed something?

Thanks for the comments.



I think the 4B would be a great conversion if not used for heavy towing.



The GM NV4500 will bolt directly to the CUCV NP208 transfer, I used one behind the 6. 2 for a while. While towing a trailer with that combo the truck would slow down when it saw a hill up ahead!