cummins diesel conversion on chevy truck

[davbell22602]

I'm looking for information on a cummins 5.9 swap on a 90 chevy truck C2500 8 lug 8600 gross weight.

[camvk91]

I got some pretty valuable information for you.... DONT DO IT! Its a waste of time and money. Cummins are not the reliable engine they are made out to be. you wil be frustrated daily with all the problems you will have. The only perks about them are relatively cheap power and fuel economy (assuming its a 12 valve your talking about getting) but if you dont treat it just right and i mean just right, you will have a have a huge paper weight of an engine on your hands.

[davbell22602]

I think I'm gonna stick with 454 vortec conversion and rebuild it with high torque parts.

[`Green Machine]

I got some pretty valuable information for you.... DONT DO IT! Its a waste of time and money. Cummins are not the reliable engine they are made out to be. you wil be frustrated daily with all the problems you will have. The only perks about them are relatively cheap power and fuel economy (assuming its a 12 valve your talking about getting) but if you dont treat it just right and i mean just right, you will have a have a huge paper weight of an engine on your hands.

I don't know where you are getting your information from, but the Cummins engine is pretty much the most reliable Diesel engine available in light duty pickup trucks.

Also, you can find some Cummins conversion information over on competitiondiesel.com, I'm not sure how much info they have about it, but there should be some.

[camvk91]

Yea a built up vortec 454 would be your best bet. Your gonna get suck mileage but you'll save in the long run since you won't be buying expensive parts monthly for the cummins

[Mark13]

I got some pretty valuable information for you.... DONT DO IT! Its a waste of time and money. Cummins are not the reliable engine they are made out to be. you wil be frustrated daily with all the problems you will have. The only perks about them are relatively cheap power and fuel economy (assuming its a 12 valve your talking about getting) but if you dont treat it just right and i mean just right, you will have a have a huge paper weight of an engine on your hands.


Yea a built up vortec 454 would be your best bet. Your gonna get suck mileage but you'll save in the long run since you won't be buying expensive parts monthly for the cummins

http://i841.photobucket.com/albums/zz333/MarkM13-2/d724a2e6.jpg


I'm not sure where your getting your information, but it's very wrong. The older 12v cummins are what started the diesel revolution where people realized that they arn't slow, noisy, and just good for pure work. Also they are very durable and unpicky about maintenance in stock power form. It's hard to get a much better motor then a 12v in a pickup when it comes down to the basics. Sure the new CR motors with all the electronics are easier to get power out of, but they don't come any simpler and more durable then a 12v while still being able to make stupid power if you want.

As far as swapping a cummins into a Chevy, a 12v is a good fit. It only needs fuel and air to run and power to the starter if your running a mechanical fuel shutoff. Search this site and others like competition diesel and you'll find all the information you'll ever need.

[`Green Machine]

Yea a built up vortec 454 would be your best bet. Your gonna get suck mileage but you'll save in the long run since you won't be buying expensive parts monthly for the cummins
The 454 swap may be cheaper upfront cost (but doubt it, all depends on what you do to each of the engines or transmissions), but the Cummins will get greater mileage (which saves a lot of money compared to the 454) and the Cummins has less maintenance costs then a 454. Under normal circumstances all you need to do with a Cummins is change the oil and put fuel in it. Camvk91, I think you need to get your "facts" straight, because like I said earlier, the Cummins engine is pretty much the most reliable Diesel engine available in the light duty pickup trucks.

[RCpullerdude]

http://i841.photobucket.com/albums/zz333/MarkM13-2/d724a2e6.jpg


I'm not sure where your getting your information, but it's very wrong. The older 12v cummins are what started the diesel revolution where people realized that they arn't slow, noisy, and just good for pure work. Also they are very durable and unpicky about maintenance in stock power form. It's hard to get a much better motor then a 12v in a pickup when it comes down to the basics. Sure the new CR motors with all the electronics are easier to get power out of, but they don't come any simpler and more durable then a 12v while still being able to make stupid power if you want.

As far as swapping a cummins into a Chevy, a 12v is a good fit. It only needs fuel and air to run and power to the starter if your running a mechanical fuel shutoff. Search this site and others like competition diesel and you'll find all the information you'll ever need.


The 454 swap may be cheaper upfront cost (but doubt it, all depends on what you do to each of the engines or transmissions), but the Cummins will get greater mileage (which saves a lot of money compared to the 454) and the Cummins has less maintenance costs then a 454. Under normal circumstances all you need to do with a Cummins is change the oil and put fuel in it. Camvk91, I think you need to get your "facts" straight, because like I said earlier, the Cummins engine is pretty much the most reliable Diesel engine available in the light duty pickup trucks.


Pretty much sums it up. Not many other engines in pickups will make it a million miles with only maintenance, fuel, and occasional minor repairs.

[davbell22602]

Whatever engine I go with will be one the steps to convert my to a 2wd truck pull contest.

[camvk91]

Umm I'm actually getting my information from real world experience not by reading what magazines say and what people claim on websites. Yea the cummins 12 valve is a pretty good light duty diesel engine but it is overrated due to lots of people jumping on the cummins bandwagon. As far as power, fuel economy, and design simplicity, you can't get any better but for reliability your better of getting a fuel injected big block.

[Mark13]

You must have had real world experience with a bad truck(s). I know quite a few people with cummins powered trucks, all the way from higher milage 12v's to the new 6.7s and the motor is the best part of the whole dodge truck. Sure the 98.5-02 trucks with the VP44 IJ and possible 53 blocks were looked down upon but with an aftermarket lift pump and a fuel pressure guage your doing pretty good, and very few of the 53 blocks actually cracked, you only hear about the ones that broke, not the thousands of others that are perfectly fine. Even the 12v's had the KDP that was a downfall but its not to bad to fix. The 6.7 is an animal with good tuning and the emissions crap gone, and the CR 5.9 is very happy to see power mods. I won't go into dodge transmissions since that isn't what this is about.

And I still fail to see how a fuel injected big block is more reliable then a motor that takes only fuel and air to run. No computers, no wiring, no sensors, no spark, nothing. There's a reason that pump stations, generators, heavy equipment, light and medium duty trucks, etc were outfitted with a cummins (or other mechanically injected small diesel from proven companies). Its a very simple motor that takes abuse well and requires very little maintenance. How many pump stations, generators, heavy equipment, have you seen with a fuel injected big block in it? Sure you can get pickups and medium duty trucks with big block's in them all day long.

[XLR8N]

Umm I'm actually getting my information from real world experience not by reading what magazines say and what people claim on websites. Yea the cummins 12 valve is a pretty good light duty diesel engine but it is overrated due to lots of people jumping on the cummins bandwagon. As far as power, fuel economy, and design simplicity, you can't get any better but for reliability your better of getting a fuel injected big block.

There is a reason why people "jump on the Cummins bandwagon", people like simplicity and power. Those two usually do not go together well. But when you find it. People follow the trend.

[2005_Sierra]

i cant believe no one has said this yet but the 5.9 and 6.7 are MEDIUM DUTY motors in a LIGHT DUTY truck. it is a 500,000 mile motor, the only issue with them is being in a 50,000 mile truck from the factory

look here - http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=279711

[davbell22602]

Does anybody know anything on the hydro assist brake conversion? Someone recommended it with using the cummins engine.

[XLR8N]

Start searching and reading man. I think your best bet would be to look at the diesel forums posted above.

[davbell22602]

Start searching and reading man. I think your best bet would be to look at the diesel forums posted above.

If I found what I was looking in a search then I wouldn't be coming here for help period, XLR8N.

[K Berg]

The hydraboost is a good idea because it runs off the power steering pump and eliminates the vacuum booster. it takes up less room and doesnt need a vacuum pump to run on. Diesels don't produce vacuum although you may need a small pump and can to run your HVAC controls

[Mark13]

If I found what I was looking in a search then I wouldn't be coming here for help period, XLR8N.

Not to be an @ss. But we are the last place your going to find the info you need. Our diesel section isn't very great compared to sites like Dieselplace, Comp D, DTR, etc. This is a Chevy site with a small sub forum for diesels, not a diesel site with a sub forum for chevy pickups.

[XLR8N]

If I found what I was looking in a search then I wouldn't be coming here for help period, XLR8N.

I wasn't being rude, personally i think you are wasting your time on this forum because i have yet to see one chevy with a cummins in it on this forum. But since you feel the need to make the remark you did, let me search for you, no problem.

http://www.fordcummins.com/chevrolet-cummins-conversion.html
http://www.gmfullsize.com/forum/showthread.php?t=183199

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=853123

[XLR8N]

Actually vortecz did a 4bt swap into his 05, anyways, here are some more, sweetheart.

http://www.fullsizechevy.com/showthread.php?400447-12-Valve-Cummins-Swap-inot-1986-3-4-Ton-Chevy&highlight=cummins+swap
http://www.fullsizechevy.com/showthread.php?374390-4BT-Cummins-Turbo-Diesel-in-an-05-Silverado-(with-pictures!)&highlight=cummins

[fastlt1]

What are the better years for cummins engines to make big power?

[XLR8N]

5.9 12 valves 1st gen- All mechanical no electronics.
5.9 24 valve 2nd gen- Electronics not bad on emissions
6.7 - Powerful but electronic based with emissions, some people dont understand you can make big power if you delete a few things.

With Cummins you can make power with all of them.

Just depends on how much ya got in your pocket book.

[davbell22602]

Can I use the hydro boost assist with a 454 vortec? Or does it only work with diesel?

[davbell22602]

http://www.gmfullsize.com/forum/showthread.php?t=183199

Isnt any help on locating the booster brake system parts.

[cancritter]

love my cummins...belive theres a few folks in here in FSC running a cummins in a chev...are a few over on my other site as well
http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/general-diesel-discussion/

[billywilly92]

4btswaps.com has many people on there doing 12v swaps. That website will give you all the information you'll need.

[davbell22602]

Ok, thanks. I already asked on both of those sites on where to get the booster system conversion kits? Let wait see what I get in response.

[`Green Machine]

5.9 12 valves 1st gen- All mechanical no electronics.
5.9 24 valve 2nd gen- Electronics not bad on emissions
6.7 - Powerful but electronic based with emissions, some people dont understand you can make big power if you delete a few things.

With Cummins you can make power with all of them.

Just depends on how much ya got in your pocket book.

To go with what he said...

1st Gen - 5.9 12v - (1989-93) VE pump. Mechanical, not as powerful as 2nd gen.
2nd Gen - 5.9 12v - (1994-98) Ppump. Mechanical, seen on a lot of powerful trucks/pull trucks etc... Very popular
3rd Gen - 5.9 24v - (1998.5-02) VP44 pump. Electronic pump. Not as reliable as a p-pump... kind of reminds me of the DS4 on the 6.5Ls lol. You can have a VP44 pump last a year... or 10+ years, all depends on how it is taken care of. Also, some had weak blocks.
4th Gen - 5.9 24v - (2003-07) - Common Rail fuel system. Decent power, more to hook up as everything is electronic and each injector is computer controlled individually.
5th Gen - 6.7 - (07.5+) - Decent power. Has DPF, but can still make decent power with/without the DPF. Not quite recommended for a swap...


So.... The best recommendation I could give you is a 2nd gen Cummins, or a 1st gen Cummins converted to P-pump.

[nauticstar87]

I'm just gonna throw out there... A few of my friends have 90-93 Dodge Cummins. The motors are all above 400,000Miles, and run great. But they are all also on at least their 3rd transmission. Ones on the 12th for his truck.

[Racerdude15]

haha yea i have a friend that got a new trans for his 01 about every other month for about a year..of course he has outrageous tunes that make about 550 whp lol.
I agree the cummins is the best engine, hands down, now if chevy would start putting them in their trucks, with the allison i think it just might last forever.

[JoshTheCanadian]

Umm I'm actually getting my information from real world experience not by reading what magazines say and what people claim on websites. Yea the cummins 12 valve is a pretty good light duty diesel engine but it is overrated due to lots of people jumping on the cummins bandwagon. As far as power, fuel economy, and design simplicity, you can't get any better but for reliability your better of getting a fuel injected big block.Ummmm, i have no flipping clue where your getting your info, but a FI BBC is never gonna get better MPG then a diesel.

[XLR8N]

To go with what he said...

1st Gen - 5.9 12v - (1989-93) VE pump. Mechanical, not as powerful as 2nd gen.
2nd Gen - 5.9 12v - (1994-98) Ppump. Mechanical, seen on a lot of powerful trucks/pull trucks etc... Very popular
3rd Gen - 5.9 24v - (1998.5-02) VP44 pump. Electronic pump. Not as reliable as a p-pump... kind of reminds me of the DS4 on the 6.5Ls lol. You can have a VP44 pump last a year... or 10+ years, all depends on how it is taken care of. Also, some had weak blocks.
4th Gen - 5.9 24v - (2003-07) - Common Rail fuel system. Decent power, more to hook up as everything is electronic and each injector is computer controlled individually.
5th Gen - 6.7 - (07.5+) - Decent power. Has DPF, but can still make decent power with/without the DPF. Not quite recommended for a swap...


So.... The best recommendation I could give you is a 2nd gen Cummins, or a 1st gen Cummins converted to P-pump.

Good you broke it down the right way lol.

[nickl011]

I know there is a guy swapping in a 6BT into a 3/4 OBS burb *ahem* and getting rid of the 454 vortec over on Pirate 4x4. I think its under the Chevrolet sub forum.


Other than the killer dowel pin, them cummins are some fine engines. Anybody disagreeing with that, is just plain wrong.

[crossy's son]

Theres a 1st gen 93 sitting in my driveway with 352,000 on the odometer, its never had the head pulled, turbo replaced or anything. We got it off the original owner. Its the factory intercooled model which was 91.5-93 only. I personally like the Non-intercooled engines better for having fun because they have huge injectors in them stock and are basicly factory hotrods waiting to be unleashed :)

I did FREE pump tweaks and the 3200 rpm governor spring ($13), custom air intake ($48), 4" exhaust ($150 custom) and it runs like a raped ape. Just ordered a 400/800 rated clutch for it due to the cheap aftermarket one in it starting to slip.

The respect i have for the 89-93 dodge rams w/cummins is unbelievable. in the last 2 years we've had about 5 and they all had over 200k, one had over 200k on the original A-518 auto trans! This truck we have now even has the original 5 speed getrag G360 transmission with 352k on it... The previous owner was SMART and did the overfill trick every 40,000 miles. Instead of the factory underated 3.5 quarts in the trans, he put in 5 quarts and after 352k and about 5k of abuse with my Dad. It shifts smooth and makes no noise at all.

The only thing i hate about the 94-98 P-pump engines is the P-pump is simply a PITA to work on, the governor spring replacement, adjusting timing, rebuilding it. etc. My dad had a 400hp 95 dodge with a built auto and it was fun but the special tool kit required to do your own pump tweaking sucks. But man they are animals of power if you're looking for over 400hp. The VE pumps are easily capable of 400hp. The most expensive thing you're gonna have to do is Clutch or torque converter, and upgraded turbo to safely cool all your fuel.

How anyone can say a FI BBC is better than a cummins, beats me.

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk170/cumminsredneck19/Odometer005.jpg

And yes thats the rare factory tach option, I moved it from on top the dash to on the column for racing etc. It put down a 15.4 in the 1/4 with tire spin due to an open rear end LOL