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duramax in a K5?? can it be done

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parablazer

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I have searched the forum and i think this is a new post. I am wondering if it is possible to stuff the new duramax engine( and possible the tranny and T case) in a 90 K5 blazer 4x4.
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ps this site roxors tha big one!!!1111
 
if you got the $$$ anything can be stuffed in
wouldnt ya rather have a Cummins B-5.9 though?
cheaper and better then an Isuzu
 
im sure you could, you will prolly have to fab up mounts and things like that but the engine bay is big enough for just about any engine /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
Anything can be done, but the question is how much time and money are you willing to invest in doing it.

I am sure you would need the motor itself and also the Allison tranny. The transfer case would probably also be required and I am not sure if it is driver or passenger side drop. If it was driver side drop you would have to swap in a new front axle that is driver side drop to match it.

With the weight of a deisel motor like that (I imagine a Dmax is a heavy motor) you would probably want to use a Dana 60 front axle which are expensive ($1000 for a beat up one, $2000+ for one in good shape and rebuilt). You would also want to add a 14bff rear axle to deal with the torque of the engine.

You will also need all the electical harnesses and figure what all is involved in that aspect of the swap.

Custom motor mounts would also probably be required along with reinfocing the stock frame to deal with the heavy torque that the Dmax will apply to the frame rails.

With new axles and a new drivetrain you will also be looking at the cost of new driveshafts. I imagine the Allison is a long tranny and the tcase is beefy too so probably big. This will shorten the rear driveshaft making it necessary to use a CV style rear driveshaft and custom front shaft. That is about $1000 or more for a beefy front and rear Dshaft.

When all is said and done you are probably going to have half the price or more of a brand new Dmax truck invested in a K5.

Harley
 
It almost sounds easier tobuy a whole wrecked Duramax , shorten the frame , SFA it , and drop a K5 body on it /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif
 
Oh ya, I forgot suspension. You will need to beef that up too otherwise the torque of the Dmax is going to cause you an insane amount of axlewrap. The wiring and electrical by far would probably be the hardest part though.

Harley
 
[ QUOTE ]
It almost sounds easier tobuy a whole wrecked Duramax , shorten the frame , SFA it , and drop a K5 body on it /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

This is the way that I would do it too.
 
The big question is why do You want a Duramax in a Blazer? To Me it sounds like a waste of time. The Duramax engine was ment for towing and a Blazer was never ment to be a tow rig. A small block or 6.2 deisel will do just fine in a Blazer with the right gearing and the money You save can go twords a lot of other things.
 
Thank you guys for all the help. That helped a lot, and gave me some realy good ideas i just love deisel and didn't know weather it would pay to put one in. sounds like it wouldn't so i think i'll pass on that idea. Not like i'm worried though i still have the good ol 350 tbi.
 
May not be the most efficent, or modern, but I've always liked the old Detroit Deisel engine. Both supercharged and turbocharged. Would probley fit in a K5 too. But I think I'd have too do a Cummings Turbo Deisel.
 
I saw a K30 4x4 that the owner installed a Perkins diesel from a farm tractor into it--he said it pulls very strong,and will get over 20mpg--said he is looking for another similar diesel for a step van he is making into a camper--if he doesent buy one that has the cummings diesel factory first.I also saw an ultra rare 63 GMC with a factory Detroit Diesel in it--I think it was a 3 or 4 cylinder one--still looked pretty big and heavy--it sounded like a two stroke diesel,like the big trash trucks use--it sounded cool!. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
The big question is why do You want a Duramax in a Blazer? To Me it sounds like a waste of time. The Duramax engine was ment for towing and a Blazer was never ment to be a tow rig. A small block or 6.2 deisel will do just fine in a Blazer with the right gearing and the money You save can go twords a lot of other things.

[/ QUOTE ]

This quote just doesnt make senese.
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A 6.5L Chevy deisel with a turbo would motivate a K5 pretty well I imagine. It would be alot more straight forward of a swap then something exotic like a Dmax.

A 6.5L would bolt to a Chevy tranny. I don't know if they are computerized (i think some may not be) Motor mounts might need some attention along with some other components to handle the torque but that swap would seem to me to be pretty feesable.

Harley
 
From what I've learned the turbo'd 6.5's in trucks have some sort of computer as they are throttle by wire. I think this was done to prevent excessively high EGT's while towing.
Those 6.5's put in boats and Hummers have no computer and are throttle by cable.
 
[ QUOTE ]
May not be the most efficent, or modern, but I've always liked the old Detroit Deisel engine. Both supercharged and turbocharged. Would probley fit in a K5 too. But I think I'd have too do a Cummings Turbo Deisel.

[/ QUOTE ]

Two stroke Diesel? I think that's a little obnoxious for a road vehicle. They are not designed to be operated that way anyway.


[ QUOTE ]
if you got the $$$ anything can be stuffed in
wouldnt ya rather have a Cummins B-5.9 though?
cheaper and better then an Isuzu

[/ QUOTE ]

#1 yes
#2 Duramax is manufactured in Ohio by Dmax, Inc. Even if it was Isuzu manufactured though--Isuzu is the #1 producer of light/medium duty Diesels in the world.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
May not be the most efficent, or modern, but I've always liked the old Detroit Deisel engine. Both supercharged and turbocharged. Would probley fit in a K5 too. But I think I'd have too do a Cummings Turbo Deisel.

[/ QUOTE ]

Two stroke Diesel? I think that's a little obnoxious for a road vehicle. They are not designed to be operated that way anyway.

[/ QUOTE ] Yeah, they wern't designed too be put in the big truck too haul whatever cross country back in the day.
 
You might want to post in the Diesel forum. I am looking into putting one in my '78 2wd.

Youd need everyhting engine, tranny, t case, harness, comp, intercooler, hydro boost, build a tranny x member, fitting the tranny, throttle, stiffer springs, tank/ lines, box the frame, motor mounts, guages, ect.

A guy swapped one into a H1 and it took 1k hours.

Where were you going to get it from?
 
[ QUOTE ]
A 6.5L Chevy deisel with a turbo would motivate a K5 pretty well I imagine. It would be alot more straight forward of a swap then something exotic like a Dmax.

A 6.5L would bolt to a Chevy tranny. I don't know if they are computerized (i think some may not be) Motor mounts might need some attention along with some other components to handle the torque but that swap would seem to me to be pretty feesable.

Harley

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6.5's came with computerized injector pumps in the late 90's
but can be swaped to the none computerized pump /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif
 
I do not care how many small diesels that Isuzu produces
Is there a particular one that you feel is worthy of stuffing into a K5?
they are in the cabovers that GM sells, go try a few on test drives
having driven a few of them I can't see wanting to own one
I will take the German designed Cummins B-5.9 that has a ready aftermarket to pump it up
a C would be even better as it has replaceable liners like a real diesel

If I ever get one I am going to develop a Jacob style engine brake for it.
I think I have figured out the theory of what needs to be done to make it work, just the installation and machine shop time to actually build it need to be done
 
To my knowledge, no part of the B series was designed in Germany except the fuel system. Where did you get this information? Real Jakes on a C series would be very hard since there is no injector lobe to use to actuate the exhaust valves. Does your design use oil pressure and some sort of actuator, electrical, or..? Email me if I can help you with your ideas, I have quite a bit of knowledge when it comes to engine brakes.
 
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