Cummins 4Bt in a Dodge Van

[creationode]

Yes, an engine swap from a petrol engine to a diesel engine.<br><br>I really want to do this.<br><br>Apparently, there are at least four people on some Dodge and Diesel forums actually shelling out the cash and time to perform this swap.<br><br>The gas mileage and torque increase would be phenomenal.&nbsp; I firmly prefer the *older* diesel motors that do not have the problems with scrubbers (which I can install to pass emissions if needed).&nbsp; Since my 1995 is old enough, many things are waived for it anyways...the newer big diesel trucks are getting absurd MPG.&nbsp; I never knew this because of the mis-information campaign in the USA to disuade diesel gasoline use...I am now hipper to the truth!<br><br>The 4BT, and the bigger 6BT diesel motors are used in tons of bread and step trucks.<br><br>The amount of work required does not scare me at all, as my van is a five year project, at the least.<br><br>Anybody ever driven a vehicle with a 4BT engine in it?<br><br>

 

[wagoneer]

Bullet proof, gassers will not like the noise expect 700K miles running DELO

 

[David]

Check out expo forum in the 4x4 van topic.. skip toward the end of the Ujoint build thread. (he sponsors that sub forum}. He is doing a cummings swap into a 4x4 Ford van for a guy now and has posted a few posts in that topic.<br><br>edit..<br><br>here is a link.. &nbsp;scroll a bit..it's one of the post on it.. was a post or two on that build a page or two back as well..<br><br><a href="http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/55074-UJOR-Build-Thread/page149" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/55074-UJOR-Build-Thread/page149</a>

 

[creationode]

Oh joy for you all! I am very happy to see I am not alone on this awesome forum.&nbsp; I get ragged on for wanting diesel all the time.&nbsp; 50 cents more a gallon is nothing.&nbsp; Checking the link right now.

 

[Guest]

Running 20 ft Step Van with 4BT and getting 15 Mpg w 65 gal fresh,35 grey,12 batterys,inverter,charger,full shower, and 2k-3k misc tools etc. I love the motor and the step van is perfect with alum floors that were insulated at factory with foam,square walls and 6'5" celing after 4 inches of foam!!!. Loud in cab and van is slower than a 50 cc moped but im moving a house!!!

 

[creationode]

Oh man, that is better gas mileage than I am getting at the moment, with a whole lot less weight in my vessel too.<br><br>Absolutely positively have to convert to diesel.<br><br>Show your pictures DonutRoller!<br><br>12 batteries!?!?!?<br><br>You must get some solar on that roof!<br><br>65 gallons of usable water!?!?!?!?<br><br>Where do you live and how do you cope with parking etc?<br><br>Not many users on here run box trucks...and those that do, tend to travel for work, or live on a land...

 

[MrNoodly]

It's doubtful the increased fuel mileage will recoup the cost of the engine swap. (Remember, Diesel fuel costs more.) Do it for the torque and for the joy of having done something unusual, even if it doesn't necessarily make economic sense.

 

[creationode]

In Texas ATM diesel is only 50 cents more per gallon.&nbsp; I have 35 gallon tank.<br><br>If I even get 5 more miles per gallon, that would be an extra 175 miles per tank, and an extra $17.50 per full tank.<br><br>Right now I am getting almost 11 MPG, so about 385 per tank, all the way into the reserve gallons.<br><br>The economy works out, but recouping the cost of the diesel?<br><br>I agree about that Noodly.&nbsp; I see the swap idea as an investment in parts availability, dependability, fuel economy, torque, and the ability to run biodiesel and other grades of diesel and oils.<br><br>When I was in WA state, there were some gas stations that had %100 gasoline, no ethanol, at all.<br><br>My Jeep absolutely ran better on this gas, and I made the detour before work just to get it.<br><br><br>I really want to be a diesel mechanic, and if I get on the oil field, I will make enough money in my first two years to pay outright, without loans, for an entire associates from UTI or some other school.<br><br>I plan to get smarter and smarter and from what I keep reading, diesel is better all around.

 

[adi]

One additional point is most swaps are done with zero thoughts to NVH (noise, vibration, harshness), so you won't be able to have a conversation while driving, and it will shake and rattle the entire vehicle, unless you spend the time and money to take care of it.

I'm getting about 18-19mpg in my '97 E350 with the 7.3 diesel, so I can definitely vouch for the enjoyment about owning a diesel van, but I would never put up with a 4BT swap in a vehicle that I drove regularly. Unfortunately most of the better options would probably struggle with a heavier van (6.2/6.5 GM, Mercedes, Toyota disel, etc).

 

[creationode]

I do not know what engine swap I will end up doing.&nbsp; It will be diesel, unless I find a worth-saving diesel van in the future.&nbsp; Then I will happily own two vans!<br><br>As for the NVH, yeah, I would pay plenty of attention to that.&nbsp; Rubber and plastic components are our friends.

 

[Guest]

Try- http://www.4btswaps.com/forum/forum.php &nbsp; &nbsp;Mpg to 40+ with 4bt in pickups just remember the stock motor is 130 hp at 400# torque. I have had to learn to relax and not be in such a hurry. Im running 20,000 pounds and have gotten up to 23 mpg at slower speeds with little stoppage. I would buy a &nbsp;bread truck, frito lay truck with the 4bt already in there.<br><br>

 

[creationode]

Ah Donut, that is an excellent forum!<br><br>I really do want a bread truck setup...I just would not be able to fit it into my work cities ATM.&nbsp; If I go north, now...the possibilities expand.<br><br>40 MPG sounds like a dream.<br><br>I like driving slowly and letting the gears shift smoothly, so a low HP, high torque setup works for me.&nbsp; I am usually the one still rolling when the light turns back to green...<br><br>My problem is that I do not have a solid *money making system*...so I am very limited in WHERE I can live and what jobs I can do nearby.&nbsp; It is super frustrating, and I wish I had never quit school.&nbsp; I would live in a bread truck, rent a super cheap lot in a big city, and just use a little motorcycle to get around the cities.<br><br>Living in the van is all about simplicity for me now.&nbsp; But I would rather have a step van - bread truck.