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DURAMAX SWAP?!?!?!?!

K5MONSTERCHEV

K5MONSTERCHEV

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Ok, so im thinking about swapping a Duramax in my '78 maybe next summer. I would like to know what you guys think about it. I know most of the stuff ill need to do like the hydro boost, boxing the frame, deal with fitting the tranny, throttle, stiffer springs, gas tank/lines, ect. I havent thought of ALL the small things yet.

I talked to the GM STC teacher and he said a guy swapped one into an H1 and it was close to 100k hours. I understand that the truck doenst have much electronics to deal with to start off, so thats a plus!

So basically, what so you all think? Input is always apperciated.
 
Sounds like a difficult task. There was an article about a guy swapping in a Dmax into a burb in Fourwheeler a couple months back. He had to use the front half of the frame from the HD donor. Go for it if you think it can be done and you have the time and money.
 
100K hours? That is 11.4 years!

I think it would be an entire winter job. Over at thedieselpage.com they put on in a mid 90s body sytle, tons of work but I think your 78 would be easier.

Aside from the work you already mentioned I think the wiring harness would be the hardest, it would have to be custom made and there are no examples!

You would also have to get the ECM reprogrammed to ignore the VATS system, I don't think there is wiring change to disable that.
 
The Duramax and Allison will bolt right in without hardly any modifications. However, it's the engine's totally computer-controlled aspect of it that is the real obstacle. As was mentioned, Jim Bigley did it on a 90 K10, but he is a professional electronics guru. I would never attempt something like this myself. I subscribe to the KISS way of thinking, and I prefer the totally mechanical aspects of my 6.2L!

Casey
 
Yeah tbut the guy who swapped Duramax's into burbs, took the whole front frame and all, I think it will be too hard to find a frame and all.

I was figuring as long as I got all the harness and computers, basically everything, then that part will be easy.

I think he said 100k hours, that does seem a bit extreme, but who knows, ill double check though.

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The Duramax and Allison will bolt right in without hardly any modifications.

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Really, what do you mean bolt right in? I didnt even check the motor mounts, to see if they are evn close, and ill obviously need to make a crossmember for the tranny.
 
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The Duramax and Allison will bolt right in without hardly any modifications.

[/ QUOTE ]

Really, what do you mean bolt right in? I didnt even check the motor mounts, to see if they are evn close, and ill obviously need to make a crossmember for the tranny.

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The motor will bolt right in, using your existing motor mounts. The Duramax uses the standard Chevy bellhousing pattern, so you could even use a TH400 or any other tranny if you wanted to. The Allison would be cool, but you would have to modify the transmission hump, probably, to accept the larger tranny. So all in all, the Duramax would be the easiest diesel to drop in, besides the 6.2L/6.5L of course. However, it's the electronics that would be the hard part. Not impossible, just very, very difficult.

Casey
 
Yeah I goofed, it was only 1k hours of work for the swap in the H1, dont know why I thought 100k. Which doesnt seem like that big of a deal to me.
 
1000 hours is still 6 months for one guy working on it full time.../forums/images/graemlins/yikes.gif

Rene
 
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1000 hours is still 6 months for one guy working on it full time.../forums/images/graemlins/yikes.gif

Rene

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There will be 2 of us!! /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
How long do you expect it to take? Not hours wise but months wise? A 1000 hour project with me and my buddy working on it in our spare time would be an 18 month project...maybe more. We both have kids and fulltime jobs though.

Rene
 
I honestly do not know. Considering I have considerably less to deal with then a H1 does to start off with, I figure it will be less then 1k hours.

No kids here, Im a fulltime student/part time job now. I plan to finish college in june and work until I transfer. So it would mostly be in the little spare time I have also. Depending to what extent I take it (like if I pull the cab off) I would estimate atleast 3 or 4 months. That is if I were to have EVERYTHING (including all the little things projects get hung up on and all the info, so theres no snags to run into) and just be ready to swap.

Well see though.
 
1000 hours does seem on the high side doesn't it....

When i swapped the 6.2 in my truck I started in late November and had it up and running just after new years. In that time I removed the entire front clip, doors...swapped in the D60 front, the anti wrap bar and rear disc's on the 14 bolt. Also repaired the frame, added the bolt on brace, swapped core supports, swapped to a complete non AC heater system, hand built my exhaust, built my tube doors, swapped the entire engine bay harness as well as most of the under-dash harness and heater controls, diesel specific dash/guage cluster.

There is more...but that's how a weekend project took me and my buddy 6-7 weeks. /forums/images/graemlins/doah.gif

We drank copious amounts of beer too.../forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif

Rene
 
You could save a ton of money and time by just swaping a Diesel Depot 6.5T with mechanical injection. He has complete 300 HP packages that would give you duramax power for about $5000. No computers, no VATS, no hard-core wiring, no frame mods, no $275 injectors (that are located under the valve cover), etc.

But, you also loose the coolness factor!
 
WOW, you sure got A LOT of work done in under 2 months. And that was working on it in your spare time? You guys must really kick a$s if you worked on it full time!
 
[ QUOTE ]
You could save a ton of money and time by just swaping a Diesel Depot 6.5T with mechanical injection. He has complete 300 HP packages that would give you duramax power for about $5000. No computers, no VATS, no hard-core wiring, no frame mods, no $275 injectors (that are located under the valve cover), etc.

But, you also loose the coolness factor!

[/ QUOTE ]

Im really not afraid of the electronics. A few years ago I was, but I have learned, and am still learning, about that stuff in school. Yes its not diesel specific, but the theorys all the same. The biggest thing will be the VATS, but ill get all the diagrams from school, and figure out something. I have seen everything for sale for around $6/6500k. Plus there are plenty of aftermaket parts for the Duramax. Afterall, I plan on racing it!
 
My buddy and I were on it 4 to 5 times a week in the evening and usually pretty long saturday's. He was as motivated as I was...I was using his pick-up to get around while we were doing all the work /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Hell, the guys on Monster garage get 20 times as much done in 6 days... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Rene
 
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Hell, the guys on Monster garage get 20 times as much done in 6 days... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Rene

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Your right. I ll just call up Jesse! Maybe I can borrow the shop too! /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif
 
yeah this has me considering doing this swap into my 85 m1008, hey k5monsterchev, how is the swap going? Where are you at in the project, how long has it taken you to research and get this far. I am very interested and would definitely like a follow up.

Regards,
Remington
 
"Nick04Duramax" on the Dieselplace.com put one in his 87' K30 Crew Cab and put an NV4500/205 behind it. It's a sled pullin' truck. Might check with him.
 
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