Cummins 5.0L V8 - Thoughts from the diesel swap gurus

[GLTHFJ60]

I spoke briefly to Georg @orangefj45 about doing a Duramax swap in my 62, and he says it's next to impossible to shoehorn one in because of the large intercooler that it requires. I think a 6BT would require some modification to the engine bay, and both the 6BT and 4BT require an SOA. I haven't asked about the smaller Duramax that's been in production for a couple years now. IIRC it has just a bit more power and economy than a tuned 4BT, but if it also requires a large intercooler, that might be out of the running also.

I have an intercooler from a 6.0 powerstroke in my 60. Intercooler size isn't the limiting factor, it's the size and angle of the heads.

 

[jakerudy]

I spoke briefly to Georg @orangefj45 about doing a Duramax swap in my 62, and he says it's next to impossible to shoehorn one in because of the large intercooler that it requires. I think a 6BT would require some modification to the engine bay, and both the 6BT and 4BT require an SOA. I haven't asked about the smaller Duramax that's been in production for a couple years now. IIRC it has just a bit more power and economy than a tuned 4BT, but if it also requires a large intercooler, that might be out of the running also.

The only modification in the engine bay for my 6BT is to a fender well to rotate the battery 90 degrees. SOA is needed due to engine height. Maybe a custom oil pan would reduce the lift? The intercooler is stock Dodge with minor trimming to make it fit.

 

[Zjohnsonua]

In a previous life I was frequently around the Frontier that Cummins used as a 2.8 test bed. I can't remember what all had to be done to fit the engine, but I do recall that all the engine bay looked OE even as a test truck and this was way before the SEMA release happened. It was also one of the most, if not THE most, requested trucks in the test fleet due to it's drive-ability and fun factor. If not for all the odds and ends that would be needed to make the swap happen (Torfab's install ran north of $20k), the 2.8 feels like a natural fit to me.

As for the 5.0L V8...it's huge. It's height was staggering considering the displacement. Gotta remember that she's DOHC with piezo injectors. Piezo's are most always pretty long because of the internal quartz stacks. The heads have to house both of those systems and are proportionally huge. She also runs a pretty size-able (and complex) turbocharger set-up. All-in, it's more than I would reach for when thinking of engine swaps.

 

[Spook50]

I have an intercooler from a 6.0 powerstroke in my 60. Intercooler size isn't the limiting factor, it's the size and angle of the heads.

I think what Georg was pointing out is the combination of the Duramax along with its intercooler. My understanding is that Duramax intercoolers are humongous.

 

[Hojack]

I think what Georg was pointing out is the combination of the Duramax along with its intercooler. My understanding is that Duramax intercoolers are humongous.

I’m running the Freightliner Stepvan intercooler on my 4BT swap.

 

[Spook50]

I’m running the Freightliner Stepvan intercooler on my 4BT swap.

That a big'n?

 

[Hojack]

That a big'n?

16”Hx29”W