6bt swap into half ton
 

Hey guys new to this forum but not to trucks. I am the shop manager for a truck outfitters here in San Marcos, Tx. My family also owns a salvage yard in Austin so I grew up working on vehicles and tearing them apart. Just wanted to pick everybody's brains here to see what else I should think about during my swap.

The story and plan.

I have a 1990 12 valve mechanical cummins with an automatic trans and I'm going to swap it into a 2007 ram 1500. I'm a very good fabricator so building the motor mounts, suspension crossmember and Trans crossmember are not my worries. I've been researching quite a bit at others experience and problems. Im going to leave the fuse box in the 1500 to make all the interior electronics work properly. I will use the 1500 pcm sensor wires and tap them into the cummins to make the cluster gauges work properly. I will need to get adapters for the ac lines and power steering lines. I will use the brakes already on the truck and should be able to block the hydro boost lines off. Heater hose connection is straight foward and I can use an external regulator for the battery charger off the alternator. I bought a fasspro fuel system and a sump pump so that I can use the same plastic fuel tank already on the truck.

Here is what I have bought so far besides the d250 with a cummins...

Radiator hoses
12 quarts of oil
Oil fiter
Hx35w turbo
Adjustable turbo elbow
Xs power intercooler
3" intake horn
4" turbo back MagnaFlow exhaust
6" hex tip powder coated royal blue
New motor mounts
Rear performance freeze plug
Glowshift gauges- Boost, egt, fuel pressure, and Trans temp
Autometer overhead console 4 pod holder
Beans diesel sump pump
Fasspro fuel pump
Fuel filter
2005 3500 trans cooler

Still have to buy intercooler piping and have the valve Covers, piping and turbo ceramic coated royal blue. The heater lines and the injector lines will be candy red. The motor will be gloss black.

I will need a driveshaft built when it is done. I rebuilt the rear end a couple of thousand miles ago and it is built to handle the torque and horsepower of a built hemi. The truck is a 2wd and has a 7" maxtrac spindle and coil lift on it so it had bigger coils already in it. I've called the company and they are confident their lift will hold the weight.


What else should I think about?

Here is pictures of the 2 trucks...

Oh man, so much yes! :rocking:

::following::

Motor and Trans are out of the d250. Now to go through them both and pretty them up.

Been at it lately. Painted motor black. Billet freeze plugs, billet tappet cover, billet intake plenum, billet lift pump block off plate, kdp kit, 94-98 12 valve water neck, new 180 thermostat, new heater hose elbows, new front seal, new gaskets on everything except the head and rear main seal. I'm about to start painting accessories royal blue. Have to buy a new banjo bolt for between the fuel line and ve pump cap, managed to break that yesterday.

I am on the lookout for a good 47rh Trans to swap with the 727. I'm going to run the 727 for a bit but I'm pretty sure I'm going to hate not going over 70 and not having overdrive. When I swap the Trans I'll do the rear seal. All I'm buying for the Trans is a deep pan with a sensor port, new filter, and a new dipstick o ring. I think I'm going to paint it purple to mimic a built trans. Lol

Color.

Anybody have any comments, questions, or suggestions? Give me some feedback guys, I'm starting the physical swap this weekend. Would love to hear from yall on what you think. :c:

Got the last of the small parts in. Motor is completely reafy. Just filled her up with oil also. Gas motor comes out tomorrow.

Old motor out yesterday. Cummins in today. Motor mounts and Trans are bolted.

She lives! I should be driving her soon...

Exhaust video...

Well....she's moving now.

Engine bay

Video. Please ignore the squealing...

Been gathering parts for my ac the last week or so. I have a 3rd Gen compressor and ac lines off of a 2007 3500 with a 6.7. I only had to get the one line from the compressor to the condenser extended. The compressor bracket on the 6.7 does not work as well so I got the bracket off of an 03 5.9 core motor. Should all bolt up. The 3rd Gen compressor and lines are perfect because the plugs are all the same and the evaporators are the same.

Man, almost 1200 views and not a single comment since november. Would really like some input guys...

I've dreamed about doing a swap like this in case the missus needs to upgrade from her 4dr Jeep. That $50-70k stuff on the dealer lot isn't my cup of tea. :s:

Nice work! :rocking: :yeah:

That's would be awesome in a jeep. I won't ever buy a new truck, it's just not worth it for me. I think people do it just because they don't know how to work on their own stuff or just don't want to learn. Plus with all the new electronics they are being set up to end up breaking or being faulty. Thats why I went in reverse, ditched the electronic aluminum motor and went all steel and mechanical. Lol

Hah! It wouldn't look like Jeep Liberty anymore if a 6BT went in it. (An OM617 though... hmmm :rocking:) I meant converting a shorty crew like yours. She's admitted she'd depart from an SUV for that.

I'm on your page with newer vehicles. They're not meant to last. The price isn't even relevant (like an iphone) it about what you qualify to finance. My old Dodges are going to last me the rest of my life. Young people today don't get the exposure, opportunity, or encouragement to get their hands dirty for their own self-benefit. Whether that be vehicle maintenance, home repairs, or even chopping firewood. Highschool 'shop' programs have nearly disappeared, and everything's supposed to be left to a 'professional' or risk a lawsuit. :argh: :s:

...stepping off my soapbox now. :w2:

Yep. Most people that see my truck or talk to me about it have no idea what they are looking at. They either think it's cool or ask me why I didn't just go out and buy a diesel truck already together. My answer is always the same, I wasn't raised that way. Im 26 and there aren't too many people my age and even less that are younger than me that like this kind of stuff. They will never know the satisfaction of building it themselves and they will never know how to work on it themselves. They will continuously time and time again get taken advantage of by mechanics because they refuse to educate themselves and get their hands dirty. I really dislike my generation.

Got her dirty and cleaned her up.

Fun.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.die...7cd3b03421.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.die...e6a81104f5.jpg

Nice work! A couple of questions, how does your front suspension like the heavier engine? Did you have to modfy the front crossmember to clear the balancer? We did a 12 valve into a Suburban and ended up fabbing a new front xmember. Beyond that it was pretty straight forward.
As to rolling your own vehicles, Ive been doing that my whole life. To put it into perspective, youre two years older than my oldest grandchild. Be prepared it is an addiction. I plan to keep doing it for a long time. Remember batteries not included some assembly required

One of the best things you did to your engine was to install those billet soft plugs and tappet cover! Looks like a winner and sounds great! I'm just finishing up a 12V conversion in my 1997 Ram1500 4X4 ! I replaced the axles and installed a NV4500 behind my 12V as the old platform was a gas with and auto !