Here Begins Project Cummings (1 Viewer)

[Project FJ80]

Well, After much serching, reading, viewing, and wanting to put a Diesel in my 80, I have come across a deal I couldent pass up.
I got a 1997 2nd generation Intercooled Cummins Turbo Diesel. Comes with everything but the Tranny and air to air cooler.
My plans are to Swapp the cummins in for the I-6 I currentally have.
I decided to move my conversation from Hardcore to 80 series Tech,
Im hoping to get more views and responces. Even more now that I have bought the Engine.
I plan on this being a 1-3 year project, maybe 5. But I wont down my rig untill I have everything I need. then Ill install the engine, tranny, transfercase, drivelines, what be it. I dont want to be down for more than a month.
Im looking for as much support as I can get, Ideas and thoughts too. Good or Bad, Cause Im hoping to prove the bad ones wrong.
Other than that, Im gonna document everything, take lots of pictures, and keep you updated as I keep my Creditors updated.
-Crazy Ron

 

[sc40]

are you going to use a body lift? what tranny? and if you dont mind my asking, what is a "good deal" on that motor? oh yah! GOOD LUCK

 

[tarbe]

What is a Cummings?


Oh, you mean Cummins!

 

[Grease Cruiser]

First off, Learn how to spell CUMMINS. It is not Cummings. GEEZZZZZZZZZZ.

Second. Welcome to the dark side! I have a Cummins 4BT in my FJ60. I absolutely love it. Good Luck.

 

[snowcruiser]

B A D A S S

 

[cruiserdan]

C U M M I N S..................................

 

[Project FJ80]

Ahh...
ON both threads too. Oh well.. now this thread will follow me throuh out. Thats ok.. not the first time Ive miss spelled something before.
Lol,.. Actually I got it from Frybrid.com... they spelled it cummings... so I followed..

Anyways,
I already have slees 6" lift, and 37" BFG's on Allied beadlocks.
and I just got my pictures tonight from walgreens.
I picked up the 1997 Cummins for $2000.00 It includes everything I need all the accessories wiring harness, starter, piping.. all except the intercooler... it was damaged in the wreck. and the Drivers side motor mount was cracked.
I still need to figure out what I want for a transmission, and a transfer case.

Im thinking maybe a 1" body lift.. if I need 2", im gonna just do 3", but Im not sure if I will need it.

 

[ginericLC]

What are you going to do to compensate for the weight. Your 6" lift is going to sink. I bet that motor weighs a good 300lbs more (maybe more). Your body lift will be needed for not only to clear the motor but to clear your tires after your suspension sags. What are you going to run for a front axle? With that much weight, torque, and tire you will be a birfield shredding machine. Actually you might be shredding pinions too. But maybe you have more will power than I would. I couldn't hold back if I had the power. I could do Rice Krispie commercials every time I wheeled with a motor with that much torque because every trip it would be SNAP, KRACKLE, POP! Thinking about this some more you are probably going to have rear axle issues. If folk sare snapping rear axle shafts with 37s and stock motors you will definitely have a problem. The main problem I see is that this torque comes on immediately off of idle in the Cummins. There isn't really a way to hold it back.

Are you going with a 5speed? or what auto?

You would probably have a hard time mounting a stock intercooler in the engine bay anyway. So not having it might be a plus. Because you might need to really tweek how it sits in there.

Neat project. I was planning a 4BT swap in my FJ80 for a long time. I did a lot of research and then I finally decided it wasn't for me. The Isuzu motor became my choice. But they are tough to find. When my 1FZ goes I'll be looking more seriously at the Isuzu motor again. But that will be a few years.

 

[dejablu311]

wow. good luck. being its a 97 will help with the rear axle as opposed to the early models. Thats still a crap load of power. 60's

 

[Project FJ80]

The Cummins is about 300-400lbs heaver wet. (Filled with fluids), But I plan on relocating the batteries, and a few other items that I can to ease up on the weight.. I can also get a few custom parts, to help drop the weight another 100 or so lbs... so I should be right at about where I started as far as weight goes... I currentally work for a scale company, so I can weigh my truck on the scales for free and get front and rear axel weights to compare where I was and will be.
I would like to get a 3" body lift... but that wont be for a year or two... Same with this install,
Im, thinking 2 years before the engine goes in.
The future holds dana 60's, But I dont plan on doing that untill I break the current ones, Or, about a year or two after I drop the engine in... cause you know I wont beable to keep my foot off the pettle 100% of the time...
I think I want to say with an Auto. I dont want to have to change out the pedals and start cutting and modifing the firewall to add the Stick.. Plus. I have one of each.. and on the trail... I enjoy the auto more.. Less lurching. and burning of the clutch.

 

[flintknapper]

A What?

What is a Cummings?

Tim, "Cummings" are a group of Lemmings doing "the wild thing" I think?

 

[stayalert]

Did it come with a frybrid kit? If so sell it to me for cheap and you can spell cummins however you want....How much heavier (if at all) is the oil burner? Sounds like an awesome undertaking.

 

[jcj_78FJ40]

What year is your FJ80 and are you planning to keep the stock transmission?

 

[Project FJ80]

I have a 1996 80,
has 150K on the clock, But after the lift and tires.. I get somewhere in the neighborhood of 6-10 MPG
So, the Cummins will take me to 16-28MPG, some where in between, depending on how shes tuned.
Shes not set up to take fryoil yet. Im also going to add cng or lpg so I can get a Alt. Fuel plates and run in the car pool lane we have out here in Phoenix, Az. That will save a ton of fuel in its self.
I dont think Im gonna use the tranny. Im going to look into the allison tranny thats in the Izzu trucks, (or so im told), so ... after everything is all installed... I dont think I am going to use the Engine, Tranny, transfercase, .... and a year or two later,,, Ill switch out the axles. get some 35-40 spline monsters.....
Maybe I should just buy a 3/4 ton truck frame... and just mount my landruiser body on it... might be cheaper.,,,

 

[Gumby]

Frame is one of the worst parts of the Dodges. Aside from the pile of crap sitting on tip of it.
Nobody seems to be able to make a light truck auto trans hold up. Maybe the MB medium duty autos they plan to put in the new ones, but they will be pretty spendy for a while.

 

[jcj_78FJ40]

I dont think I am going to use the Engine, Tranny, transfercase, .... and a year or two later,,, Ill switch out the axles. get some 35-40 spline monsters.....
Maybe I should just buy a 3/4 ton truck frame... and just mount my landruiser body on it... might be cheaper.,,,

Have you given any thought to which TC case you might use? I would like to do a similar swap in my 91 FJ80 using something like the NP205. But my FJ80 has the off set rear T/C output. I think if I swapped in a TC with a centered output, I would have to relocate the gas tank, not to mention the rear axel mods.

I know that the 93 and newer FJ80 are full floating but are the diffs centered or offset?

 

[Project FJ80]

Well, Ive made a few calls, and im told that alls I have to do is pick me out a tranny, let em know what it is.. and they will get me a flywheel housing and flex plate if needed. So, im looking at about 500-1000 for that. But that openes up my choices for trannys.
I think the MBs might be a bit pricy, unless i go to a pick and pull place and drag one out.
Im also looking for something with no computer in it. maybe the allison 2000. seems they can make that pretty bullit proof.

 

[Project FJ80]

What do you all think about the NP273 Transfercase?
Is that anything like the one We have in our 80's, push button activated?
If so, Maybe ill have to think about going with the NV5600 tranny,... Though I think id rather have the auto.
By the way ... how can I post picts?
Thanks, -Ron

 

[Lars]

Have you given any thought to which TC case you might use? I would like to do a similar swap in my 91 FJ80 using something like the NP205. But my FJ80 has the off set rear T/C output. I think if I swapped in a TC with a centered output, I would have to relocate the gas tank, not to mention the rear axel mods.

I know that the 93 and newer FJ80 are full floating but are the diffs centered or offset?

93 and newer has offset diff as well.

Are you saying that using a centered output tcase with the offset diff will cause driveline inteference issues with the gas tank?

 

[jcj_78FJ40]

93 and newer has offset diff as well.

Are you saying that using a centered output tcase with the offset diff will cause driveline inteference issues with the gas tank?

I think it might. I was hoping someone had actually done or investigated this. On my 91, the tank is on the driver’s side and seems to take up about half the width of the truck. Then the driveshaft runs along the passenger side of the tank and then the muffler/tailpipe (After the crossover) is on the outer passenger side.
So if the TC is centered, there might be a clearance issue with the front of the driveshaft and the front of the tank.

I’m doing a little exhaust work this weekend, I will give it a closer look.

Also if your rear driveshaft went from a centered TC to the offset rear diff, would the lateral driveline angles be undesirable?