Cummins conversion

65 CREW · Post by **65 CREW** » January 26, 2009, 1:11 am

Lowell wrote:Nice project! Just wondering what the weight of the cummins engine is compared to the 460 ?

The cummins is heavy. Dressed with the trans and flywheel it's about 1200 pounds. I am not sure what the 460 weighs, but it is defiantly less than that. It was a little sketchy pulling the cummins out of the dodge parts truck. I was able to shorten the arm of the engine hoist when I am working on the 65.

Thanks Brian, I have seen that before but I like it. Mine won't be quite like that though. I don't think you could drive that for very long. The turbo whistle would drive me nuts.

65 CREW · Post by **65 CREW** » January 27, 2009, 1:05 am

I made some more progress today. I am making the transmission crossmember.

Here is the stock Dodge piece. I thought about using it but decided to make one from scratch.

Here is what I have to work with. I am going to use the same poly bushing that I used on the motor mounts.

I used a hole saw and cut a hole that the tuning fits in. I then cut it in half. This gave me two saddles for the tube to sit in.

I made a plate that matches the bolt pattern on the back of the trans.

The I welded it all up.

I used some 2x4 1/8 wall tubing for the crossmember. I made the part that bolts to the transmission first. I made some ears to fit the poly bushing and tacked it on. Here it is bolted up.

I will box 10 inches of the frame and weld the crossmember in.

65 CREW · Post by **65 CREW** » January 28, 2009, 1:58 am

More progress today. I worked on the transmission crossmember.

I boxed in the frame where the crossmember will be going.

I need to know the angle of the side peices so I can make them line up. I use the square and the angle finder. This one was 30 degrees, which makes it easier.

I use a horizontal band saw for this. I am using 2x4 box tubing. Set the fence to cut 30 degree angle on one end.

In order for the tubes to line up when done the angle must be split in half and that half needs to be taken off each tube you want to join. In this case it's 15 degrees.

The 15 degree cut needs to be done on the middle peice as well.

Here it is on the bench.

Tacked in place.

I thought about making is bolt in, but this one should not be in the way when I go to pull the engine out.

I also got my motor mounts boxed in.

Next I need to make the crossmember that goes under the motor. That one I will make it bolt in.

65 CREW · Post by **65 CREW** » January 30, 2009, 1:01 am

More progress today. This is 2 days worth of work. I didn't feel like uploading all my pics yesterday.

I worked on the front engine crossmember. This one will bolt in. I followed the same principles that I used for the transmission crossmember. The difference up front is I had to offset the crossmember to clear the front differential.

Before I could mount the front crossmember I had to weld in motor mounts.

In order to bolt the front crossmember in I had to weld in some tubes for the bolts to run through. If I didn't the frame would colapse when I tightend the mounting bolts. So I drilled a pilot hole. Follwed that with 7/8 hole saw. When using a hole saw to cut metal the key is to go slow and use lots of cutting oil to keeps things cool.

I got some 1/2 schedule 40 pipe and cut it to length. It gets welded in, and the ends ground flush with the frame.

Here it is all bolted in.

I finished the day by finish welding the transmission crossmember.

Next I need to make some corner braces for the transmission crossmember. Then I can put the motor back in and start running fuel lines.

65 CREW · Post by **65 CREW** » February 1, 2009, 12:38 am

Made some more progress.

I got the motor set in on the mounts. It sits a little low in frame. I may change it.

The A/C compressor just fits between the frame rails. I will have to modify the frame if I raise the motor up.

It's a little tight at the back of the head. I may have to trim the flange a little.

The core support is set in, and there is plenty of room for the radiator.

This is what took me so long. The core support was butchered by the previous owner to put a bigger radiator in when the 460 was put in. So I had to rebuild the mounting area.

I started on the radiator mounts.

That's where I stopped for today. Next I need to finish the radiator mounts. Then to the aftercooler.

BackyardRest · Post by **BackyardRest** » February 1, 2009, 1:48 am

Coming along nicely!

Looks like a lot of fabrication.... How long before you think you will have it up and going? Nice to see some progress

65 CREW · Post by **65 CREW** » February 1, 2009, 12:03 pm

BackyardResto wrote:How long before you think you will have it up and going?

That I am not sure about. I may remount the engine, but even if I didn't I am still a month or so out. That could just be starting and driving. I would like to put in an interior and rewire the truck. It will probably be in the shop for the rest of the winter. If I can be done with it by May I will be very pleased.

MadMaxetc · Post by **MadMaxetc** » February 1, 2009, 12:59 pm

That is looking realy good man.

Lots of work, but that makes it all the more fun! Nothing like a good chalenge!

(Thanks for the pictures! We love them!)

65 CREW · Post by **65 CREW** » March 25, 2009, 12:59 am

Well I finally got some time to work on the truck. It has been very busy at work the past couple months.

I decided to remount the engine. When I got done with the fist set of mounts the engine sat too low in the frame. The next set of mounts used the original Dodge motor mounts.

Here is the original Dodge mount bolted on the engine.

I used 3 inch box tubing with 1/4 inch wall. I cut it at 45 degree angle to match the motor mount.

I plated the end and drilled a hole for the stud on the mount.

I used a hole saw to make a large enough hole to get access to the nut for the mounting stud. There is even enough room for a wrench.

I set the mount in place and tacked it in.

Here is the left side.

And the right side.

Now the engine sits much better. Previously 1/3 of the fan was below the level of the radiator. This should work better.

I will try and work on it a little more tomorrow. I need to get the transmission mount reworked to match the front.

ICEMAN6166 · Post by **ICEMAN6166** » March 25, 2009, 10:36 am

nice work.

not sure what its been like up in Fbks. but here it has been in the mid to upper 30s past several days and starting to do outside truck work again.

Post by **Greg D** » March 25, 2009, 2:01 pm

This is cool, I like the aluminum wheels on it too. Dually?

65 CREW · Post by **65 CREW** » March 25, 2009, 3:31 pm

ICEMAN

It has been pretty cold here all last week. It is finally warming up a little. It got into the 20s yesterday. I saw you were working outside again. It is not quite that warm here yet.

Greg

Yeas it is a dually. It has a 8 foot flatbed on it too. The wheels were on it when I bought it. I like them a lot too.

I should have some more pictures this evening.

deviant1 · Post by **deviant1** » March 25, 2009, 7:18 pm

Nothing "sissy" about that truck!

65 CREW · Post by **65 CREW** » March 26, 2009, 12:14 am

Well I made some more progress today. I got the motor mounts welded in and fabricated a new transmission mount.

65 CREW · Post by **65 CREW** » March 27, 2009, 12:45 am

I made some more progress today.

I got the engine back in. The radiator mounts are all in and welded up.

I also started work on the fuel lines. No real good pictures of that since I still need some more fittings. I will be using 300 psi hose with push-lock JIC fittings. The supply will be 3/8 and the return will be 1/4. There will be bulk head fittings going through the cab floor and frame.

65 CREW · Post by **65 CREW** » March 28, 2009, 2:02 am

Made some more progress today.

I ran the fuel lines from the tank in the cab to the engine.

I used 300 psi fuel hose with JIC push-lock connectors.

Here is the setup for the supply side,

And the return side.

To make the dip tube for the tank I used 3/8 steel brake tubing. A drilled out a compression to pipe adapter so the tube would fit through the fitting.

I got a fitting at the hose shop that goes from a compression right to a JIC. The tube goes in the bottom and the there is a feral that the JIC flare pushes against.

For the return side I had to modify the fittings coming off the engine. Dodge had a quick connect fitting there.
I cut off the bell for the quick connect and installed a 3/16 compression to 1/8 pipe. From the 1/8 pipe it goes to #4 JIC.

To go in the tank I made up a plate with a 3/8 pipe and 1/4 pipe hole. I mounted it to the top of the tank and matched two holes for the supply and return lines.

Here it is all plumbed up.

I used bulkhead fittings through the floor and frame.

Here is the engine side.

I finished off the day by remaking the mount for my hydra-boost and master cylinder. I need to put some new ends on my hoses to match up with the Dodge power steering pump. I will also have to tee into the return line to return the oil from the hydra-boost. The Ford power steering pump had two returns while the Dodge unit only has one.

Tomorrow I plan on finishing the power steering lines and then starting on the wiring.

65 CREW · Post by **65 CREW** » March 28, 2009, 11:57 pm

More progress today.

I got the lines all worked out and hooked up for the hydra-boost.

I got the throttle cable and pedal assembly mounted up. There was a hole within a 1/4 inch of where the cable needed to go through the firewall. I drilled it out and filed it square. After that everything just snapped into place.

I need to get my gauges sorted out before I can do much wiring so that's what I worked on today.

I came up with an idea and made a mock-up. I don't think it will work out like I thought. So I cam up with a new idea.

I will use my original speedo cluster and make filler panels for the side of the bezel. Then I will put my extra gauges in the filler pieces.

36truck · Post by **36truck** » March 29, 2009, 8:31 am

I like your gauge set up looks like it will work out nice.

65 CREW · Post by **65 CREW** » May 23, 2009, 12:50 pm

Here are the filler peices for the gauge panel. I made them out of an old road sign. I drilled the gauge mounting holes with a hole saw.

Here it is all put together. These are just some gauges I had around. Although the ones I am going to use don't match either.

65 CREW · Post by **65 CREW** » May 23, 2009, 12:51 pm

I was finally able to make some progress on the conversion.

Since I had no room for an intercooler I am running an aftercooler. But my grid heater would not work with the aftercooler. Cummins makes a grid heater that goes between the intake and aftercooler, but they want almost $500 for it. I decided I could make my own for a lot less.

I was looking to make it out of aluminum but could not find any around here that was thick enough. I picked up a piece of 1 inch thick bar stock 6 inches wide. I had it cut on a water jet to the dimension of the aftercooler base. When I got it home I drilled the mounting holes.

I will put the heater grid elements in the plate later.

Here it is all put together.