I am going Cummins nuts...Please give advice.

[IsaacCarlson]

My brother just offered me a 12v cummins......and I don't know what to do!
I want to put it in the truck, but is it worth the money?

I keep jumping back and forth trying to decide, but I can't. I would love more torque, plain and simple.

I think the price is pretty much a wash, since I have to fix some things on the truck anyway and want to do a teardown/rebuild on my 300-6. That will cost me a bunch right there and I will end up with what I have now.

OR....I can spend a little more on putting the cummins in and have an even better motor and a LOT more power. NO need to worry about spark plugs/wires, etc..., no more electric fuel pump, no more wires cluttering up the engine bay, more power, possible mileage boost, I can dump my waste oil in the tank once filtered instead of taking it in, less maintenance all around.

I need new springs anyway, so that is a wash. I have to rebuild the tranny soon, so that would be a wash too.

Am I going nuts trying to talk myself out of the cummins? I would do a teardown on it just to make sure everything is ok anyway. It came out of a fedex truck.

HELP!

[Gealii]

i would take him up on the Cummins it would give power boost all around allow you to switch it over to biodiesel and have a diesel in the 1st place. Diesels up the value on trucks especially putting a Cummins in a ford, don't get me wrong the ford 300s are great motors but any Cummins diesel is the equivalent and could give you a mpg increase

[redpoint5]

+1 on the Cummins. I get 18MPG loaded or unloaded on my 2500 with a bad tranny.

[user removed]

I think I would like the FedEx truck.

regards
Mech

[slowmover]

Engine changes are never as simple as they seem. The 12V will have more torque and higher compression, so transmission [clutch], driveshaft and drive axle may need to be changed. (I think I'd want 1T components).

The engine weight is higher, so that means a new set of springs/shocks all around. Implicit in this is new body-to-frame bushings.

Steering gear is the usual challenge, mainly one of potential interference. Same for firewall versus radiator (which also needs to be new).

Fuel tank & fuel filtration & etc.

Wiring up the same accessories as before can be a challenge . . I'd want to start with new harnesses at any rate given the current engine is due for rebuild.

If those were answered satisfactorily (within my range of skill and $$$) then, yes, the change to diesel would seem "practical".

"Practical" is more about how I'm going to use the pickup (time & miles and money-making ability) far over any increase in mpg. The I6-300 Ford engine is about bulletproof after all. The oil burner has no real advantage, here, IMO. Time/miles to recoup money spent favors the gasoline sixer with no headaches or potential problems about fuel access and fuel quality.

It's a fun change for the heck of it, but I'd rather spend money after a drivetrain re-fresh on a change to 4-whl disc brakes and very best MICHELIN or BRIDGESTONE tires. LEER bedtopper, PULLRITE hitch, etc. New windshield and new interior. Finish out the truck to do the most work versus a heart transplant and below-average road performance (instead of getting closer to todays pickups).

Brakes & tires count for more, IMO.

The right truck with the right trailer is where I want to be with any pickup as the insurable value of that combination (stated value) tells me the most about all the work imagined.

.

[IsaacCarlson]

It has a p-pump on it, so that is a plus. It is not a 53 casting, another plus.
It does need a flywheel and some other parts, but a flywheel is not terribly expensive. Here are some pics.

[Gealii]

if you got the tranny comin with it and need new front suspension as well i would start researching how hard it would be to do the switch

[IsaacCarlson]

I am looking around for a manual transmission that will bolt up to the cummins.

I have a 10.25 sterling rear so I am not too worried about that. The driveshaft is pretty heavy as well.

I already need new springs on the front. I will just get the next step up in weight, as they are very stout to begin with. (the front only drops 3/4" when I lift the plow)

I can work my way around the steering.

I can use the same fuel tank. The pump is going out, but that is fine if I am going to switch to diesel.

The only part of the harness that will be reused is the in-cab portion and the lights. The in-cab harness will run the windows, wipers, dash, and blower. I am not sure how I will deal with the cruise control. I can deal with that later.

I have the ability to swap the motors. That is not a problem. I just need the money to do it. It will cost me ABOUT the same amount to do the swap as it would to rebuild the motor, tranny, replace the fuel pump and a bunch of sensors.

This truck works HARD. It gets loaded past the roof with firewood and hauls gravel, lumber, scrap, and other stuff on a part time basis. It also serves as a run around truck right now, until the car gets done. It has payed for itself many times over.

I am going to install air springs in the rear of the truck to help with the heavy loads. This truck needs some $$$$ stuck into it either way, and I want to get as much improvement as I can for the money. The ability to burn used engine oil also appeals to me. I change oil for people and this would be free fuel once filtered.

[slowmover]

The NV-4500 5-speed is the choice from that era (problems and solutions are known). The NV-5600 6-speed is better, but out of production and parts harder to find I'm told. The G-56 is the current manual and maybe the best choice (except price). There shouldn't be any problem with clutches (SOUTH BEND, and consult STANDARD TRANSMISSION for all else).

[Daox]

How much do you really use the 'wood hauler'? If that is in fact what it is I doubt the time, money, and effort will be worth it. If you're looking to do it for fun then that is your call.