2001 F-350 Cummins Commonrail

[GPSFlyer]

This truck is finished, and is has been my daily driver for awhile now, but I figured I'd post it up here incase anyone had questions, or needs pictures.

The truck is a 2001 F-350 4x4

The engine is a 2005 commonrail cummins - 325HP. 13,250 miles on the engine.
The drivetrain is completely ford, ZF6 6 speed manual, and stock transfercase.

Ford-cummins.com adapter was used to mate the engine/trans. After seeing both adapters, I would have used the destroked.com adapter instead though. The Ford-cummins.com adapter required quite a bit of material to be removed from inside the transmisssion bellhousing. The destroked adapter does not require this.

All factory gauges work perfectly, and the signal wires to the OBDII port have been connected, so the scan port works. The dodge engine harness was used, and spliced into the ford harness. I still need to figure out the battery temp sensors, as I don't have them hooked up, and they throw a code.

Since the engine is an 05, there is no APPS on the engine, its on the pedal, so a bracket was fabricated to use the dodge gas pedal in the ford truck.

Ive only got a couple of issues left to figure out, the cruise and A/C. I took the truck by the local Air conditioning place, and they told me if I drop it off, they can make me custom lines for $250 or so, but I'll have to hook the electronics up myself. No big deal. But the cruise is a bigger issue, I don't think the ford cruise buttons will work with the dodge software, so I'll have to figure something out with that.

I've installed a Bullydog PMT, and the extra power is great along with the added gauges.

Other than that, its been great, I've driven the truck from colorado springs to detroit and back twice since its been finished.

If anyone is thinking about doing this swap, and needs pictures or info let me know!

[dillenger1]

whats the blure line?Is that an oiling line?

[GPSFlyer]

whats the blure line?Is that an oiling line?

Yes, thats a Racor bypass oil filter, Im kinda weird about clean fluids...

The truck also has a 2 micron Racor fuel filter too.

[BobS]

From another members previous problem; any starter problems yet?

[GPSFlyer]

No starter issues, still using the factory dodge starter. What was the reason for his starter problems?

[BobS]

There was a past adapter that required hogging out the bellhousing and it used a Ford light duty starter. It usually lasted about a month before requiring a replacement. Yours must be a different version.

[dealwithit]

thats a nice looking "new school" conversion

[khaoskustoms]

nice swap. I like how you got the electronics all working.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

cool... i like these dually american pickups... brazilian f350 is offered only with single rear wheels (but the 4bt is factory-fitted)...

[DieselSchlepper]

Nice, how does it compare to the old engine? As if we can't predict.

[GPSFlyer]

Thanks guys.

I can't compare the commonrail with the original powerstroke as I bought the truck as a project with the engine bolted in already. I had to do most of the finish work, and find a clutch that worked, but the engine was bolted in when I bought the truck. They had used the wrong pressure plate, which wore thru the clutch fork, and destroyed the hydraulics. I ended up using a dodge NV5600 pressure plate, and a ZF6 clutch disk, and it works great!

Im still wondering what the story was with the previous owner, as this truck rolled thru an auto auction in Denver with the swap partially completed. I bought it, and finished up the rest of the conversion. I took the truck up to Destroked.com up in Denver to see if they knew anything about it, but they looked it over and said the motor mounts and adapter were not theirs.

I borrowed a chrysler DRBIII scantool from a buddy at chrysler, and it displayed the original VIN# from the donor truck. I then carfaxed the VIN#, and it came up as a 2005 dodge 3500 6spd, that was totalled at 7000 miles in texas. So the engine is still pretty fresh.

Hopefully someday I can find out who decided to build it, and why it ended up at a used car auction....?

[dillenger1]

most likely a divorce.women always seem to throw a wrench in the gears.So you added the oil bypass then?Is the goal here engine longevity or oil longevity.have you done tests with oil analysis?

[GPSFlyer]

most likely a divorce.women always seem to throw a wrench in the gears.So you added the oil bypass then?Is the goal here engine longevity or oil longevity.have you done tests with oil analysis?

I added the bypass, because Ive run the same unit on my other diesels for years with great results. Im looking for oil, and engine longevity. My dad is a maintenance manager for a large steel/aggregate company, and they use this same setup on all of their diesels. Since switching to bypass filtration, their maintenance schedules have drastically changed, as well as engine longevity.

I did some analysis with this system on my other 24V truck, and I feel comfortable going 25k miles on an oil change. I can probably go much longer, but at those miles, it becomes a once a year deal to change the oil. I still change my full flow spin on every 10K or so, but leave the oil in the engine. I change the Racor filter when I change the oil. The other benefit I like, is the fact that it adds a few more quarts of oil to the system, and keeps 2-3 quarts of oil outside the engine for a few minutes, allowing that oil to cool before returning to the engine.


I did get to sit thru a filter demonstration at A&L Systems in redford MI, that totally sold me on better filtration methods. They have a machine that simulates hot oil flow thru normal spin on filters. They add particulates into the oil, and show how much gets trapped, and how much actually gets pumped through your engine again. They started with some "good" full flow spin ons, like donaldson, and mobil 1. These filters got down into the 15-19 micron range, pretty good for a full flow filter. Then I was surprised by some of the filters I've been using over the years, such as wix, & fram. Both of these filters had internal failures almost immediately at normal operating temps and pressures. The internal failures can't be seen normally, but it was amazing to see that a brand new filter was basically doing nothing. After seeing all of the results, I only use donaldson full flow filters, along with a 2 micron bypass.

Probably overkill on a daily driver, but it makes me sleep better at night!

[DieselSchlepper]

Give us some idea how much this swap cost? What does a good wreck go for? We like the idea that you've upgraded to a lower pollution/more power combo.

[GPSFlyer]

Since I didn't have to purchase the engine, I can't comment on cost for a used one.

But the other required stuff off the top of my head...

Engine mounts- $375
Trans adapter plate- $800
Custom downpipe- $homemade
Aluminum radiator expansion tank- $110
Aftermarket lift pump- $400
Clutch- $800 (high performance)
Gas pedal- $200 (only required for '04.5 & newer engines)
Hose & fittings for the hydroboost- $30


Many homemade bits, including battery trays, hoses, and some wiring to complete the gauges, grid heater, charging system, & HVAC.

Just about everything that could be reused from the ford was saved, this includes the entire drivetrain, cooling system, fuel lines, exhaust, & most of the electrical system.

[CR_Magruder]

After seeing all of the results, I only use donaldson full flow filters, along with a 2 micron bypass.

Probably overkill on a daily driver, but it makes me sleep better at night!

Could you explain a little more about how this by-pass system works or point me to a web site that has a flow diagram? I have never seen one of these, but it looks like you get great results with other industrial equipment. Does your Racor filter run in series with the normal spin-on filter? Or is there some sort of relief valve that allows flow to the Racor when / if the main spin-on filter is restricted?

I looked at the literature on the A&L web site for the 5.9 engine. It looks like the fittings that are supplied connect to the passages in the block. Does the Racor take a slipstream of oil or the full flow?

Thanks in advance.

[GPSFlyer]

Sorry so long on the reply...

The bypass systems only filter a small amount of oil, but 100% of the time. The factory spin on, or "full-flow" filter pulls all of the pressurised oil into the filter, but it isn't filtered nearly as fine. Full-flow filters also have an internal check valve, for cold starts, and for when the filter gets plugged. When this check valve is open, no filtering occurs.

The bypass system taps into any pressurised oil galley on the block, I used the fitting on top of the filter head, next to the oil line to the turbo. The filter media is wound so tightly, that even with the full pressure of the oil pump to the filter, it filters very slowly. In the pics you can see the return line to the valve cover, if you disconnect that line from the valve cover, and start the engine, you'll only see a slow stream/drip of oil returning to the engine, as its very difficult for the oil to make it thru the bypass media. If you need any more info, or pics, let me know!

Could you explain a little more about how this by-pass system works or point me to a web site that has a flow diagram? I have never seen one of these, but it looks like you get great results with other industrial equipment. Does your Racor filter run in series with the normal spin-on filter? Or is there some sort of relief valve that allows flow to the Racor when / if the main spin-on filter is restricted?

I looked at the literature on the A&L web site for the 5.9 engine. It looks like the fittings that are supplied connect to the passages in the block. Does the Racor take a slipstream of oil or the full flow?

Thanks in advance.

[CR_Magruder]

Thanks-- That explains it perfectly!

CR

[dieselcruiserhead]

Very cool...