Cummins swap into a 97 Ford

[fordtruckman]

So I have a 97 F-350 with a worn out powerstroke. I think the transmission is fine but I'm not sure. I have a lot of options here, or atleast ideas... Just not sure what I want to do... I was told oil is getting past the rings and burning. It burns A LOT of oil in a week... Like 6 quarts if I drive it a moderate amount everyday. Here are my ideas.

1. Swap out motor for a rebuilt powerstroke- Est. cost $5000-8000

2. Swap in used Cummins using mounts and parts from the sites below and a used engine ($2500)- Est. cost $3000-5500

3. Swap in used Cummins with a matching Allison transmission from say.... a F-650- Est. cost $6000-9000

4. Trade truck in for used, newer powerstroke and hope I can get what I paid for the truck- Est. cost- $6000-15000

5. Sell truck and don't bother with anything for now until I get married in a year, give wife my car, trade in her car for a new or slightly used diesel truck and don't ever try to DD anything but a truck again... (b/c I'm def missing a truck already driving this Edge everyday)- Est. cost ????

Here are some sites I found, and I'm just not sure at this point if I want to do this... If I was going to spend all this money on a Cummins swap I think I'd rather do it on a superduty or atleast a nicer model truck. This in a crew cab XL dually with a flat bed...

Check out these links and let me know what you think, I wonder if I can link to this from FSB... Might be against the rules but I need/want a lot of input!

http://www.fordcummins.com/80-ford-conversion-overview.html

http://www.partingoutdieselmotors.com/

http://www.supermotors.net/registry/23669

[Traveler]

Are you sure it is not injector o-rings? That was a common problem for large oil consumption issues.
Anyway, if you have checked that out the rest is entirely your preference.
Cummins is fairly easy swap now and easy to make power out of. Plus the cool factor.

I would read on 4btswaps.com. They have a lot of different conversions on there maybe those guys will have more insight to what you want to do and give you some different perspectives on how it would go with what the end result might be like.

We have considered the swap many times but we had a '99 24 valve that was chipped and comparing that to the '95 PSD chipped the PSD was a lot quieter and more fun to drive on a daily basis. The cummins still seemed slow.
They both tow great and get about the same mileage.

That is a tough choice. We have 3 95 PSDs now, so it doesn't make much sense for us to go an add 1 cummins anymore.

What do you really want? That is what it comes down to, you will be happy with any path you choose.

[fordtruckman]

I'm not 100% certain it's not the o-rings. That is the next step. I'm going to take it to the guy who did the work on my 6.0 before I sold it and have him look it over for a second opinion. But the other guy was pretty sure it was the piston rings...

I'll def check out that site and maybe sign up and make a post. I am not against the psd in any way, I just figured the cool factor might be worth it and the cost seems to be less... Maybe if it goes well then one day I can do another swap into a little nicer truck. Maybe a super duty. I guess for now the best bet would be to keep the truck I have... I'm not going to lie to someone and make it seem like the engine doesn't have problems.

and what I really want is a cummins with an automatic allison behind it. Too bad the last one I saw on craigslist, from an F-650, was $4500 for the engine and $2500 for the allison....

[Traveler]

You certainly don't have to explain the coolness factor as you know the wife and I have 7 four door broncos and 2 Mark VII lincolns with the bmw diesel in them. LOL

Life is short you have to enjoy the little things if you want a Superduty with an allison, get cracking.
Yeah the part are expensive, but do the engine now, adapt it to the E4OD, when you get the allison you can sell the E4OD and adapter to cover half the cost of the allison.
Your PSD core is worth something too including all of the electronics that go with it.

[fordtruckman]

That's not a bad idea to use the E4OD and then sell with the adapter... I'll def check into it.

My problem is I want multiple trucks, all totally different plans/ideas for them. I know you understand that completely! Maybe one day, for now, might as well make a start with the truck I got. Seems like a Cummins swap is a good idea, sell the PSD with all the electronics and use the E4OD for the time being until either it goes out or I stumble upon an Allison.

Thanks for the help and any more is appreciated. If you find a Cummins for sale at some point, let me know! I'll be looking as well... Now to get the money together... Stock market needs to turn around a bit first....

[fordtruckman]

Ok well I found out what was wrong and got it fixed. After new injectors (the injector o rings were causing the oil consumption), oil cooler, water pump, glow plugs, glow plug harness, and a starter, the engine runs great!!! Now to make the truck look better, still like a pig with lipstick.... trying to make it look a little nicer but she runs great now! I have the bug though and some day I will own a Ford truck with a cummins swapped into it!

[Traveler]

That is great news. They are awful nice once you get bugs worked out. Now all you have to do is maintain it.
The cummins swap is awesome we will probably do a swap on a gas truck in a couple years.

[fordtruckman]

That is great news. They are awful nice once you get bugs worked out. Now all you have to do is maintain it.
The cummins swap is awesome we will probably do a swap on a gas truck in a couple years.

Yeah it is nice to have it back! Got some stuff in the works to make it "mine" and then you are right, just maintain... Any suggestions or tricks on what to focus on to maintain it?

[Traveler]

I really don't. Change the filters and oil. We have had great luck with ours. Never left us stranded or broken down. Always keep going.
Best I can say is when something is not right, fix it. If you don't take care of it now, next thing you know 10 things need fixed and the bill is huge and you are cussing the truck again.

I am OCD when it comes to maintenance stuff so I am not the best person to ask.

[fordtruckman]

haha I'm kinda the same way, like when my truck wouldn't start I just felt I needed to replace the starter and the solenoid not just one or the other. I'm generally the type where if I'm going to do some work I might as well do it all and do it right, so just replace both otherwise I feel I'm gonna be stranded because of something else I should have replaced when I had the chance...

[Mike4xdriver]

Make sure your using a good quality diesel fuel treatment. With the new ULSD it doesnt have the Lubricating properties of the LSD your truck was made for. I treat my Cummins every other tank. This will help keep Fuel pumps properly lubricated and helps with injectors too.

[fordtruckman]

Yeah that's a good idea, I need to get some. I guess the Lucas Oil stuff is as good as any? Having two fuel tanks is gonna be annoying to fill them both though.... Oh well...