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Project Frankenstein has begun..

89K views 605 replies 106 participants last post by  armyguy209 
#1 · (Edited)
Well after WAY too many problems with the 6.0, as well as being left stranded on the road at least4 times a year(thank God for AAA), I have finally decided to take the leap to the dark side.

I found a local place that is very knowledgeable who is going to do the cummins swap into my truck. I already bought the motor today(07 CR 5.9l cummins with only 66k miles) complete with everything. It is still in the donor truck and will be getting pulled out monday, then shipped to my shop. I will probably keep it stock for now until I can get everything to pass smog which I'm sure is going to be a headache.

I will keep you all posted of the progress as we go along. I am still trying to figure out which tranny I am going to go with so I can get all of the parts ordered. What do you guys think? I can either go with a built 47re, an Allison, or the 5r110/4r100. If I stay with the ford tranny, Brian from BTS and John from JWT both said I should go with a built 4r100 as they are a lot easier to program and can handle way more power than the 5r110. I have already looked into it price wise and found that the price across the board is not a whole lot different for any one I go with. I will need a stand alone controller with any of them which varies from 850 for the ford trannys, to 1500 for the Allison tranny, and 1800 for the 47re. The only thing with the 47re is that I won't need the flex plates and adapters so it evens the price a little. I talked to Auto World and they like to run the Allison trannys behind theirs. Problem is none of the shops including destroked have actually done a swap using the dodge tranny. What tranny would you guys go with?

And thoughts, suggestions or comments are welcomed.


EDIT 02/01/13: Well she is finally up and running after many months. Still have a few bugs to work out which are currently getting dealt with. I posted a video of it running which is on page 24, or you can click the link in my sig which will take you to the video. Pictures are kind of scattered throughout the thread. I will post a page with everything on it when it is completely done. Thanks
 
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#2 ·
Well, I've read a lot of stuff on here and seen a couple of your threads and I've got to say, I don't blame you. It looks like you've put thousands into your truck and gone the whole nine yards even doing the BPD oil cooler. I like this engine as much as the next guy, but I guess sometimes you've got to know when to call it. Good luck with the conversion
 
#3 ·
Just to throw my two cents out there, I would go Allison. I know many Cummins fans out there and they all seem to say Cummins/Allison should be the combo not Duramax. Legendary engine with a legendary transmission.
 
#4 ·
I have been contimplating an Allison behind my 7.3 for some time now. My research has led me to the fact that in stock form they cant handle the tq from a modded motor and are onlg good for about 100HP over what a dmax puts out. I love the idea of a 6spd BUT being able to handle the power is always going to be a concern. If you build it its a diff story ofcourse as it would be with any tranny.

IMO for the $$ you plan on spending you only want to do it once. I would go with a BTS. The only builder out there that offers an unlimited mileage warranty no matter what you do with your truck. Drag it, pull it, tow with it... If it breaks its covered and Brian dosent care what you use it for. That in itself is worth its weight in gold imo. Not to mention the guy really knows how to build a transmission.


Sent from my Galaxy S2 while my wife is yelling at me for being on my phone...
 
#5 ·
Cummins/allison and all tuck away in a ford 05 t0 07 body style is the ultimate combo most people say. I didn't say all people just most people.
 
#6 ·
Thanks guys. Yeah everyone says that the Ford with a cummins and and Allison is the perfect truck, believe it or not even the Dodge guys. I have been contemplating this swap for a LONG time now. I did not want to have to and dumped THOUSANDS of dollars(probably 8K) into my motor to try to have a RELIABLE 6.0. At this point I honestly dont believe there is such a thing. I think some guys get lucky and can put 2-300k miles on their 6.0 and never have a hiccup, while others can't make it to 60k without having FICM's, turbos, headgaskets, SCT fittings, ICP sensors, the list goes on, failing on them. I just spent 50k on a boat that I can't even take to the lake because my truck wants to break down everytime I drive it. I even lost the tranny which was supposed to be stout. This is what I have came down to. They wanted to tear my motor apart to "check" if my headgaskets were blown. I said no way..been there done that TWICE...never again.

I will say this though, when my 6.0 ran good, damn did she run like a raped ape. I know I won't get the same kind of power out of inline 6, but I can say that I drove a few Dodge's with a cummins and the torque makes the 6.0 feel gutless. The cummins was a slug compared to my 6.0 though. I can't really compare though because the cummins were stock and I have alot of cash on mods in my 6.0.

If I can get 5k out of my motor by selling all of the parts or even whole, I will only be out of pocket about 10k total for the swap and a built tranny. That is not too bad.
 
#8 ·
Why don't you just use the tranny you have? Build it if you have to :dunno:
 
#12 ·
I was thinking of going that route but both Brian at BTS and John at John woods said that the 5R110 doesn't hold up well with more than 600 HP, even their built tranny's. The both suggested I go with the 4R100 if I was going to put a cummins in because it could hold whatever I could throw at it.

Then I talked with Auto World MT and they run the Allison behind their drag truck without issue. Them as well as Destroked both said that they have not done any swaps using the dodge tranny.
 
#10 ·
Personally, I would stay away from the Allison. In stock form, they are really nothing, they sell them on their name alone. Even built, they are not the strongest transmission out there. If you get a TRUE Allison out of a medium duty truck or motorhome, that is a different story, but performance parts are limited for them.

IMHO, you should get the dodge tranny and build it, they shift faster than the 5r110. Or you could get a 4r100. A built 4r100 is one of the strongest and most reliable trannys you can get.
 
#13 ·
Like i said... For the money a BTS 4R100 is the way to go. Unlimited warranty can not be beat. Just take a look at the 6.4 on the cover of the latest DP... 1100HP and he stuck a BTS 4R100 behind it. Get a BTS and be done with it...
 
#15 ·
Haha yeah they said they are good if you stay at the 500 mark. They just said that the 4R100 can hold WAY more power and better for the massive torque the cummins puts out.
 
#19 ·
They have also built their name and reputation on building the 4R100... Quite a few of the 1,000HP rigs (6.0 and 6.4) have 5R110's built by NADP. It IS a viable option, although I would take a built 6 speed over a built 5 speed any day...
 
#17 ·
Yup still having issues after "full bulletproofing"..its a love hate relationship..love the truck, hate the motor:hehe:
 
#18 ·
Interesting to hear issues with a built 5R110, figured it would be a stronger transmission for what you want to do. The other side of that coin is they have had a few more years getting the 4R100 built to the specs that they can now. I agree to keep the project with either of the Ford transmissions, and not an Allison or Dodge auto. If you keep the 5R110, that is one less thing your truck isn't having to relearn how to communicate with.

What is your power goals with this swap? I like watching these take form.

I will offer a word of caution, you are having a shop to the work on the swap. There will be few places that will be effective in troubleshooting issues down the road when you swap the Cummins into a Ford. (As neither dealership will be knowledgeable in what was done.) If you can do the corrective work yourself, and get yourself all the technical documents you can (including the shops instructions/materials for the swap), it may not me too bad.

As to smog, being as you are in Cali, you need to check with the DMV if you can even make this swap and register it on the road. An '06 truck, with the '07 motor isn't an issue, however that Cummins didn't come from the factory with an EGR cooler, to the best of my knowledge, and that may cause an issue with smog. - I'm not very familiar with smog laws here, making the observation based on required emissions gear for a 6.0L and what was on the 5.9L
 
#20 ·
I think that the biggest problems with running the 5r110 at high horsepower levels is not the strength of the components. There are super strong billet components available and good clutch packs etc. The issue is actually controlling it. Because the 4r100 operates using a valve body the way old school auto trannys do, like the turbo 400 or C6, it will behave the exact same way every time. The 5r110 on the other hand relies on a myriad of inputs from multipe sensors in the engine and drivetrain to operate several different solenoids (there is only one valve in the whol transmission). This makes it great for a stock to moderately modified ttruck for towing or racing or whatever, but it can get confused at large horsepower numbers.

This is my relatively limited understanding of the torqshift.
 
#21 ·
Wait, u live in Communist Republic of California? Forget it buddy the d.o.t. Fines aren't worth the 12v.
 
#22 ·
Yeah I live in crappy Cali. I'm not putting in a 12v though. I am putting in a 24v 5.9 common rail out of a 2007 truck. I will be able to get it registered but it is probably going to take a few trips to the smog referee.
 
#23 ·
Ok so I found the stuff I got when I went to talk to the smog referee. He gave me a sheet with all of the emission stuff that originally comes on the cummins. Not sure what they are but it says the following is included in emission control systems and devices:

AIH,OC,MIL, AIH-TS, CB-VC

I know that the MIL is malfunction indicator light(check engine light) . Not sure about the rest.
 
#24 ·
It'll be awwesome when it's done, I just can't imaging (with all the money/quality parts in your motor) it will be worht the money to do the swap... Even if it's a HG again, you can use OEM gaskets, replace all the fittings and properly machine the heads for a few thousand dollars.
 
#25 ·
Problem is that I have already done that twice, used OEM gaskets, the best parts made and here we are again. There won't be a third. You have to draw the line somewhere.
 
#26 ·
Well after speaking with Aiden at GOS performance, I have decided to go with the Allison transmission. I can tell you that out of everyone I have spoke with so far who actually do these swaps on a daily basis, he has been the most knowledgeable by far. The other places have been knowledgable as well and very helpful so not knocking anyone. The parts cost a little more than I had planned but I went ahead and ordered them anyway. I'm getting pretty pumped up and can't wait to start.

I pretty much have most of the motor sold which helps absorb about 5k of the costs of the swap. I will keep updating as we go.
 
#29 ·
Well all three places that do these all the time seem to all recommend the Allison for the swap. Auto World even has Allison's in the 1000 hp drag truck and have not had one problem. I have to agree a stock Allison will not last, but a built Allison is a whole different story. Look at the stock f-650's..that is one of fords super heavy duty trucks. They run a cummins and an Allison and work great together.

GOS has two conversion trucks. They have used the 5R110, ZF6, 4R100, and then switched out to the Allison. He said it was the best by far and that he wished he would have done it 6 years ago. He also said the 4r100 is a good tranny to run behind the cummins.

I was actually gonna try to put the 47re in since I wouldn't need all of the adapter plate but no one has figured out how to make it work, electronics wise and wiring. Destroked and Auto World won't even do the conversion with the dodge tranny.
 
#35 ·
The Allison in the F650 is quite a bit different than the Allison behind the dmax. I would think a built one would work, but like you said controlling it will be pretty complicated.

A member here, kdogg, is using the dodge tranny behind a 5.9 CR in his truck. He said it wasn't terribly difficult and said it shifts super fast. So, it can be done.

Whatever direction you go, it will be one heck of a truck
 
#31 ·
From what I have been told, PCS does not make one for the dodge tranny. They only make them for the Ford tranny's.
 
#33 ·
Ok yeah I did call ATS. They want 1,800 just for that. I wasn't aware that was made by PCS though. Only problem is that no one knows how to wire it up in the ford using that combo.
 
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