8.3 Cummins

DISTURBED said:
:welcome::lolly:



I've been tossing it around for a while. Have thought of a twined 5.9 at 600ish hp. Only other option is to swap the chassis. So if anyone knows where there is a 338" single axle truck cheap sitting let me know
Click to expand...

I took out a 3126E and swapped in a 5.9L...VP pump, mach 4's, TS MVP, S360/65/14...It flat out EATS the 3126E, obviously, gets better mileage, and has plenty of power up to about 60K lbs.

In an FL80 with a 9 speed.


L10 won't fit in a small truck. I would have had to move the radiator forward 6", move the trans back 6", and still run electric fans. Just no room. Had an M11 sitting here.

Chris
 
Signature600 said:
I took out a 3126E and swapped in a 5.9L...VP pump, mach 4's, TS MVP, S360/65/14...It flat out EATS the 3126E, obviously, gets better mileage, and has plenty of power up to about 60K lbs.

In an FL80 with a 9 speed.


L10 won't fit in a small truck. I would have had to move the radiator forward 6", move the trans back 6", and still run electric fans. Just no room. Had an M11 sitting here.

Chris
Click to expand...

That's interesting! Ive got a couple good 12v cores sitting here. Where did you find the trans adapter, motor mounts and get the gauges to work with no computer? This is in a topkick with the 3126E at 210hp
 
DISTURBED said:
That's interesting! Ive got a couple good 12v cores sitting here. Where did you find the trans adapter, motor mounts and get the gauges to work with no computer? This is in a topkick with the 3126E at 210hp
Click to expand...

You figure it out and build two of them, one for a C7000. ;)
 
4x4dually said:
You figure it out and build two of them, one for a C7000. ;)
Click to expand...

I can get the engine part done easily. The rest has me held up, trying to figure out how to get it done. Can't really pull the cat and test fit everything while im using itLOL
 
I hear ya. Mine is just setting blowed up. My biggest fear is the new engine mount/cross-member. Don't know if I need to swap the whole member or fab up a new one. I'm not into "chassis modification" as of yet.
 
DISTURBED said:
:welcome::lolly:



I've been tossing it around for a while. Have thought of a twined 5.9 at 600ish hp. Only other option is to swap the chassis. So if anyone knows where there is a 338" single axle truck cheap sitting let me know
Click to expand...

I am not sure what the wheelbase is on the R&L trucks we buy but they sell single axle tractors for dirt cheap. Retired pup haulers. Everything we have gotten has been pretty dam decent. They are by Belbrook (sp?) Ohio.
 
DISTURBED said:
That's interesting! Ive got a couple good 12v cores sitting here. Where did you find the trans adapter, motor mounts and get the gauges to work with no computer? This is in a topkick with the 3126E at 210hp
Click to expand...

That's why I went with the VP engine...I found a wrecked FL70 that had just had a new long block put in, then rolled. Swapped all harnesses out, and everything works...except the speedo. Still can't figure that out, but Dad doesn't care.

I had to buy a new bellhousing, since the old one was cracked. Jeff Mumau has an extensive list of Cummins engine serials we were able to find one to get the right list of parts for the Flywheel for the right clutch. With the 9 speed the mounts are on the transmission, so that was easy. Front mount was the same.


The Topkick gauges are all computer controlled? I would have figured they were mechanical...the FL80 all are mechanical except for tach and speedo.


9724VF350 said:
A lot bigger. Not much interchangeability. Cummins effed the 8.3 up in my opinion. They should have carbon copied a 5.9 at 150%.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that would make tractor work a LOT easier.

Chris
 
Signature600 said:
The Topkick gauges are all computer controlled? I would have figured they were mechanical...the FL80 all are mechanical except for tach and speedo.






Chris
Click to expand...

Not sure. But I would think it would all have to come out of the CAT computer at some point. I guess I could swap out the dash for a older gm mechanical dash if this one wouldn't work. like from a early 6.5 truck

I'm kinda pondering finding a FL80. I like them better then this topkick. Find one blown up cheap and build it like I want
 
Last edited:
Does the Topkick rattle and squeak over every bump? Is the dash about to fall out of the dash? Do the HVAC controls function for more than a year at a time before needing replaced again?

If so, keep it, and stay away from Freightliner....just like Ford, they circled the problem.

I have a 99 FL80 that runs awesome....that's it. I can't stand to drive it more than 30 miles at road speed. We have a 2007 M2 rollback...better, but the headliner is coming apart, and it squeaks and shakes like you wouldn't believe on freeway bumps. I can stand to drive it farther, but at 100,560 miles, I would have thought it would hold up a TON better.

The FL80 has about 150K on it.

We've decided the next truck we replace these with will be a Pete or Kenworth. The interior and cabs seem to hold up a lot better....but you pay for it.

Chris
 
Signature600 said:
Does the Topkick rattle and squeak over every bump? Is the dash about to fall out of the dash? Do the HVAC controls function for more than a year at a time before needing replaced again?

If so, keep it, and stay away from Freightliner....just like Ford, they circled the problem.

I have a 99 FL80 that runs awesome....that's it. I can't stand to drive it more than 30 miles at road speed. We have a 2007 M2 rollback...better, but the headliner is coming apart, and it squeaks and shakes like you wouldn't believe on freeway bumps. I can stand to drive it farther, but at 100,560 miles, I would have thought it would hold up a TON better.

The FL80 has about 150K on it.

We've decided the next truck we replace these with will be a Pete or Kenworth. The interior and cabs seem to hold up a lot better....but you pay for it.

Chris
Click to expand...

No its pretty sound other then it doesn't have ac and that's really starting to suck. I need to find a retro ac kit for it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top