[EVguy]

Many of you have followed my ISB170 / 08 Dakota build for the last 7 years. Its been a great truck for towing our small 5th wheel all over the US and Canada from coast to coast.
Its time to build my "old man" truck and concede to an automatic transmission.
It still has to be unique so it will have the ISB 170 and an Allison 5 or 6 speed.
I just pulled the motor/trans from the donor van today and will completely rebuild it so I have a reliable base to work from.
I'm currently cleaning up loose ends on the Dakota before selling it to finance the new truck.
Here is a list of what I plan for the engine at this point.

Holset Super HX30, a bit more turbo than the regular HX30 that I have been running on the Dakota and love.
33% over on the injectors which is the same as the Dakota.
Steed Speed exhaust manifold like the Dakota.
Colt Cams does a stage 2 grind for these engines that is supposed to really "wake them up"
ECU tune to raise the RPM to 3200 and a bit more fuel like my Dakota.

This would be pretty much the same engine as the Dakota but with the larger turbo and cam regrind.
I think it should make a reliable and economical tow vehicle engine.

 

[Overkill]

When you mention "wake up" does Colt give you any numbers for the combination you're proposing?

 

[EVguy]

He just said it was the same restrictive cam profile as one of the 5.9's. The new grind let it flow better for lower EGT's and better mileage.

 

[Crainium88]

Who is tuning the motor for you? I’m putting an old kenworth cab on the bread van frame and wanting a little more power to push the bigger tires

 

[EVguy]

Nice to have you on the Forum. I hope you post some info about your build on the "roll call" thread.
Member jr2185 on this forum did the programing. The 5.9 (33% over) injectors and super HX30 are also good upgrades.

 

[Crainium88]

I will do my best to make a build thread on the truck. Thanks for the info. I have been a diesel mechanic for 10 years now and have done plenty of Cummins swaps but this is my first common rail 4bt

 

[Climer97007]

Many of you have followed my ISB170 / 08 Dakota build for the last 7 years. Its been a great truck for towing our small 5th wheel all over the US and Canada from coast to coast.
Its time to build my "old man" truck and concede to an automatic transmission.
It still has to be unique so it will have the ISB 170 and an Allison 5 or 6 speed.
I just pulled the motor/trans from the donor van today and will completely rebuild it so I have a reliable base to work from.
I'm currently cleaning up loose ends on the Dakota before selling it to finance the new truck.
Here is a list of what I plan for the engine at this point.

Holset Super HX30, a bit more turbo than the regular HX30 that I have been running on the Dakota and love.
33% over on the injectors which is the same as the Dakota.
Steed Speed exhaust manifold like the Dakota.
Colt Cams does a stage 2 grind for these engines that is supposed to really "wake them up"
ECU tune to raise the RPM to 3200 and a bit more fuel like my Dakota.

This would be pretty much the same engine as the Dakota but with the larger turbo and cam regrind.
I think it should make a reliable and economical tow vehicle engine.

View attachment 126931

I'd love to get ahold of whatever I need to get 3200rpm from my ISB170. Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
Gene in Oregon

 

[edpruss]

3200 is going to use a lot of fuel, is that a cruise RPM or just for shifting overrun?

Ed in CO.

 

[Climer97007]

3200 is going to use a lot of fuel, is that a cruise RPM or just for shifting overrun?

Ed in CO.

Cruise RPM? LOL
No, just allows higher HP and better gear splits when shifting. I'm a stick guy, and I like rpm flexibility and head room.
Gene

 

[EVguy]

Me to, just for shifting. With the NV4500 trans I would shift twice just crossing and intersection with the 2600 RPM limit.
I now have a 3200 limit but I don't think I have ever gone that high, usually shift in the 2400 - 3000 range just those few hundred RPM's make a big difference for driveability.
John ( jr2185 ) on this forum can tune your ECU to get you more RPM and more power. I just went with the 3200 and a bit more power in the 1800 - 3200 range. Could do with a bit more at the lower RPM's while towing.

 

[EVguy]

I know a few guys are running the stock Allison 1000 5 speed that came behind most of these engines. Has anyone found a way to get the later 6 speeds to work with the 170's ECU??

 

[Fxsu]

I know a few guys are running the stock Allison 1000 5 speed that came behind most of these engines. Has anyone found a way to get the later 6 speeds to work with the 170's ECU??

I think the 5 speed can be changed to a 6 speed with a valve body change and a ecm tune. You may want to call ECMcustoms.com

 

[Fxsu]

W

Nice to have you on the Forum. I hope you post some info about your build on the "roll call" thread.
Member jr2185 on this forum did the programing. The 5.9 (33% over) injectors and super HX30 are also good upgrades.

Will a super HX30 turbo bolt to the stock ISB170 manifold or will it need an adapter or use the steed speed manifold. From what I can find, the stock manifold is T28 for the HY30W. The super hx30 turbo is T3. Just try trying to confirm. Also appreciate all this common rail conversations, get more of these on the road. Hopefully build some aftermarket support.

 

[EVguy]

I think the 5 speed can be changed to a 6 speed with a valve body change and a ecm tune. You may want to call ECMcustoms.com

Just tried them.
"You have a non-factory, custom integration, I can't be any help with that, sorry."
ECMCustoms Customer Support

 

[Fxsu]

Just tried them.
"You have a non-factory, custom integration, I can't be any help with that, sorry."
ECMCustoms Customer Support

Well that’s to bad.
I wonder if you can change the throttle position sensor to the cable sensor on the gm 2500 trucks. Or adapt a second Williams TPS to your existing throttle pedal and in your TCM change the throttle from J1939 to TPS. Seems like you can have a shop with the Allison DOC software change this possibly. Sun Coast and Pacific Performance Engineering make a 5 to 6 speed conversion kit also.

 

[EVguy]

I was just going to use the Throttel that came out of the van like I did with my Dakota swap so nothing should have to change in the software.

 

[EVguy]

W

Will a super HX30 turbo bolt to the stock ISB170 manifold or will it need an adapter or use the steed speed manifold. From what I can find, the stock manifold is T28 for the HY30W. The super hx30 turbo is T3. Just try trying to confirm. Also appreciate all this common rail conversations, get more of these on the road. Hopefully build some aftermarket support.

I didnt remeber this issue but went and looked at my old turbo and it does have an adapter plate bolted to it.

 

[EVguy]

Painted it Cummins red and almost ready to slip back into the Dakota.

 

[Fxsu]

Any progress? Hope everything is working out.

 

[EVguy]

Dakota is back together and running much better. I found I had a bit of a low spot in my turbo drain before it went down to the pan, sort of like a P-trap in plumbing. This was causing the return oil to back up into the turbo and blowing out the exhaust. I built a new drain hose and its fixed the problem. No new progress on the new engine rebuild, just been too busy. I did pick up an Alison 6 speed and will buy a reprogramed controller and harness for it.