"Cummin on Strong" 98 Chevy Cummins

I started with a 98 Chevy K3500 Silverado, I bought the truck at 133,000 miles in August of 05 and the thing held together by a miracle for 10,000 miles exhaust valve broke on the #3 cylinder took out the piston. After being down for 3 months I got a used motor in it in the Fall of 06, the new engine got me through college and a new job for another 20,000 hard miles. The clutch was going out on it and finally it died in May of 08, fuel shut-off soleniod, I beleive but no matter I had already decided I was going to put a 12v in it and I was planning on cutting it up the following weekend.

The truck started with intentions of being a daily driver/puller, but I found a steal on a 05 Duramax that got priced wrong as a 6.0 gasser, during the progress of the swap and decided it would be a dedicated puller instead. Changed my mind a million times on what the final set-up will be with the motor and I'll prolly change it again. But right now, it will be a 2.6" or 2.8" puller, with the capability of changing it back to a daily driver someday with a turbo change should I decide to sell it or get out of pulling.

The motor is out of a 96 Dodge Cummins, it has a 180 p-pump on it. I retained the original GM NV4500/borg warner combo to back up the motor. Up front the original 9.25 IFS will be retained with the steering beefed up. Out back there will be a 11.5" AAM out of a 03 Dodge Cummins. I also have converted it from a DRW set-up to a SRW.

Its been along time going, and had plans of getting it going this year, but prolly wont happen been putting away money for a house, so most of the stuff I do or buy lately has been from good deals on the net I find and other budget stuff. But no excuses "Cummin on Strong" will be ready for next year.

Before the swap, and the load that nearly ripped my clutch out.

Picture of the motor in the truck after I got back from a 12 hour trip to Findlay, Ohio thanks Randall (Dieseljeep52)



I had to remove the powersteering/vacuum pump from the 96 and I sourced a hyrdoboost pump off a 24 valve cummins and mated it to the vacuum pump to run the brakes on my Chevy. I have no need for the vacuum pump and have the ports plugged but the way dodge has it set-up you have both or none.



Last picture of the 6.5 in the truck



I installed 3" body lift in my truck to make fitment better. Its not nessacary but I prefer the advantage of the body lift in the GMT-400 platform, it really makes the swap alot easier though.



Motor out of the truck.

Motor and trans out. Plenty of room for the big 5.9 to fit.



Test fitting the new motor.



Fabbing up my own motor mount brackets. I decided to make my own bracket as it allowed me to put the motor where I wanted it. I wanted it as low as I could put it, and as far back as I could get it, so I would have the option to run a mechanical fan should I ever decided to daily drive it. The mounts from autoworld would not allow for this.



How the 1st generation Dodge motor mounts are intalled iin the frame.



Picture of the piece of frame I had to clearence to allow the motor to fit.

Every time I would slide the motor in and out I kept getting hung up on the pinch weld between the cab and firewall I got sick of it and pounded it out of the way.



Close-up of the custom motor mounts. You can see how they bolt up to the motor and allow them to just slide over the protruding bolts on the motor mounts.



Picture of how the mounts fit and the clearence. Passenger and Drivers side.

Picture of the motor sitting in the mounts and bolted it.



Lots of room for a mechanical fan.



And I can still fit my whole hand between the motor and firewall.

To run a GM nv4500 you need a 96 + newer one. And a Dodge/nv4500 bellhousing. Other than the mainshafts they are very similar. I swapped in a 1-3/8" SBC billet input shaft that dwarfs the 1-1/8 stock shaft. I went with a SBC Dual Disk 3850 12 button Feramic plate clutch. I got all of that from Cody at Flirtn With Disaster Performance, probably the best SBC prices around. I also had to purchase a SBC upgraded hydrualic unit. It was close to perfect fit. The line was a little tight, but it worked. The main issue was that the clutch linkage from the master cylinder to the pedal was to short to engage the clutch, so we cut it and brazed a 1" piece to get te clutch to work properly.

Comparison of the inputs and the $25 a quart transmission fluid



Bad ass Rebuildable SBC flywheel with removable inserts



Picture of the Clutches



Everything installed and torqued

I removed the box and stripped the frame down to bare metal from the cab back (planning on doing the cab forward in the winter). A knotted wire wheel, milwaukee grinder and alot of time. POR-15 2 coats, and then painted flat black to protect the POR-15. The POR adhered to the metal great where the was rust. But where it had been painted of virgin bare steel the results were less than impressive. Even following all of there techniques and using the product the recommend to use on bare metal it still didnt adhere well. But other wise I was happy with it.

Very nice, looking forward to seeing more pics and vid!

Nice. Those tires and wheels really look good on there.

Sweet build. I've been waiting for a build thread from you!! Too bad you weren't able to keep the drw. I think the reg cab duallys look so stocky and bad ass.

C-ya

:rockwoot:nice progress looks like its gonna be a good build good luck!!:rockwoot:

NCOVEY said:

Nice. Those tires and wheels really look good on there.

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Thanks I thought so too, but we'll have to see what the new wheels and tires look like next week. I got a trade worked out for some new wheels and 33" BFG all-terrains, I'd love to keep the combo I got, the tires are just to agressive. Hoping to find a set of H2's/and 35" A/Ts in the future though.

SmokeShow said:

Sweet build. I've been waiting for a build thread from you!! Too bad you weren't able to keep the drw. I think the reg cab duallys look so stocky and bad ass.

C-ya

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I love that look too, I searched for almost 2 year to find this specific regular cab/ dually 4x4 with a manual too, but dually boxes are such a pain to keep in good shape, between all the critters on the road and fiberglass flares warping. Not to mention Badger forbids them.

Truck looks bada$$!! Very clean looking swap, keep the pics coming!!

That thing looks awesome with those wheels and tires:rockwoot:

Keep them if you are going to pull. Build the drivetrain to handle it!

Keep us updated. This makes me want to do a project like this some day. Hmmm, me and dad have a wrecked 96 powerstrokeoke:

Eric

Nice work!!! Love it..

Sweet conversion Very cool .
If you like the dually look and they wont allow duallys will they alow these?


I really like the rims. Rich

looks nice with the h2 setup..

Looks nice, and nice progress. Will you have to pull in a mod class or does Badger allow conversions?

rs359 said:

Sweet conversion Very cool .
If you like the dually look and they wont allow duallys will they alow these?

I really like the rims. Rich

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They'd allow it but I've never been a big fan of super singles and my dually box was pretty nasty when you looked at it close. I picked up a completely rust free fleetside box for $300 and a AAM 11.5 out of a SRW Dodge for $350 and I just needed a change up.

DieselWrencher said:

Looks nice, and nice progress. Will you have to pull in a mod class or does Badger allow conversions?

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Badger changed there rules this past year to allow conversions, thankfully once they realized how stupid a rule it was, the rule now reads
Engine block must have been available on one-ton or smaller pickup trucks retain the OEM heads, maximum of 460 CI. Engine need not be brand specific. The front of engine block can be no farther forward than 17” of the centerline of the front axle.

I've got 17" from the centerline to the balancer so I'm Badger legal:rockwoot: They've only got a Super Street class this year, and I dont forsee the addition of a 2.6" class anytime soon, so what happens with the classes this winter will most likely decide my turbo choice.

Geez with all the compliments the H2's are getting, its almost making me regret agreeing to trade them...We'll have to see though

They do look pretty sweet on there.