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Old 10-29-2012, 11:27 PM   #1
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What would it take to put a Durmax/Allison or Cummins 5.9+L in an F53 chassis.

Aside from my Pension and life savings, would it be feasible or too expensive to put a Durmax/Allison or 5.9L or bigger Cummins in my 32' National Sea Breeze with the F53 chassis and a V10. Has anybody already done this? It looks like there would be enough room for a Diramax and mavbe for a Cummings. The ECU could be mounted just about anyplace. As long as the sensors matched the ECU, it should work. There might be gear ratios that would have be matched either physically or electronically, but it seems like it could be done. It would not be a Powerstroke. Sorry.

And then, it would have to meet emissions for the year engine and be either a reconstruction special or registered for the year of the engine. Headers might have to be made along with some type of intake and maybe some linkage.

I squeezed a 301 Chevy with a 4 speed into a `58 Ford Escort wagon, a 389 Pontiac into a 60 Falcon and a 327 in a Lil' Hoss style Anglia, and a Chevy bed on a Dodge Ram, all on a budget, so I know it can be done. Other than maybe being a one of a kind, it might get better fuel mileage and pull harder.



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Old 10-30-2012, 12:58 AM   #2
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Anything is possible ! I would go Cummins rather than Duramax!
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Old 10-30-2012, 03:55 AM   #3
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I would too, but without taking a tape to it, I don't know it it would fit.



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Old 10-30-2012, 06:19 AM   #4
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The only thing I would wonder about is the front axle weight. The diesel is a lot heavier than the V10 but then I have always believed that the F53 front end was way too strong and needed more weight to ride good. Also would take a lot of money.
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Old 10-30-2012, 07:06 AM   #5
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2004 National Sea Breeze.

Front Gross Axle Weight Rating 7,000 lbs.
Fully loaded Front Axle Weight 5,600 lbs

1400 to spare, minus a V10 and the difference in tranny weight.

It would be foolish to spend that kind of money when I have a brand new V10 in it.
One can always dream and think of "What ifs".
Maybe Stacy David of GearZ on the speed channel would like a new project.
What got me thinking is a recent show or repeat where he took a perfectly good engine out of some sort of chassis cab and stuck a Duramax/Allison in it.



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Old 10-30-2012, 07:22 AM   #6
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I'm not sure if the there's that much difference in the weight so I don't think that would be that much of an issue but I think the diesel is a taller engine and that would probably be.

I've always wondered why they don't make all these gassers with diesel engines instead (I can't believe they couldn't get the cutaway chassis from Ford and Workhorse with diesels instead - both companies make diesel cube vans, buses, etc) but I think for someone to do the conversion would be astronomical costs. I can see it easily being more than your motor home is worth and that's using used parts. Brand new crate engine and transmission alone would be more than your motor home is worth not to mention the hours and hours of labour and custom fabrication involved. In the end you'd end up with a slightly better mh than you started off. You'd be MUCH, MUCH better off simply selling yours and buying a FRED or DP.
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Old 10-30-2012, 08:02 AM   #7
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The transmission in my LS1 Corvette powered sand rail cost over $11k. I only bought it for the fun factor of a sequential shift 4 speed. I could go paddle shift, but my ECU doesn't provide an ignition interrupt and one that does would cost me an additional $1300.



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Old 10-30-2012, 08:12 AM   #8
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Start at about 3:00. 600/1300. Drool!!!!





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Old 10-30-2012, 08:14 AM   #9
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Like michelb said, way too costly. Lets say you did do it, I think it would take a very long time to work out the bugs associated with such a swap. Lots of aggravation piled in there too.
However, good call on the Powerstroke. That's a problem waiting to happen....
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Old 10-30-2012, 08:19 AM   #10
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See Youtube videos.



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Old 10-30-2012, 09:15 AM   #11
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Here's a fellow that put a 5.9 Cummins and Allison AT 542 into a Ford Class C that had a 7.5 gasser and a 3 speed AT transmission.

Build your own diesel RV - ADVrider
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Old 10-30-2012, 09:42 AM   #12
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Cool! My friend's son put a 5.9L diesel in a Bronco. Don't know if he ever finished it, but I machined some transmission adapters for it.



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Old 10-30-2012, 10:27 AM   #13
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I don't see the cost effectiveness of doing so for your coach. I think that era F53 still had the 4spd (5spd auto I think was in the 2005-2006 models, depending on what was in stock at the coach manufacturers.). A Gear Vendor would provide you a cost effective way to better utilize the power band of the V10. Banks were not as effective on the 3 valve and up V10's, but a good set of less exensive headers could be cost effective way up squeaking out a bit more power. I also think Brazel's sells a Ultrapower upgrade for that vintage V10.

All three of those, especially the Gear Vendors, would be much less $$, and provide incremental improvements of putting more power to the rear wheels.

Now, if you are just looking for a fun project - yep, a 5.9 would be a fun one to take on!

Best of luck, and have fun on whatever you end up doing,
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Old 10-30-2012, 10:59 AM   #14
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A pre 1998 12 valve Cummins would be the best setup as it has no or very little computer hardware to fool with. Also BEWARE some 5.9 Cummins had bad blocks, I think they ranged in the 99-2000 or 2001 year range.
Might want to check your local emissions laws, they may not allow you to do a swap.
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