The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 5.9 cummins

i'm lookin into swaping out my tried 350 out of my 64 chevy for a 5.9 12 valve cummins (88-93 style dodge trucks) i've been lookin around and haven't been finding much cause i want to try and keep my stock drivetrain and i can't really find a bellhousing that will bolt the 5.9 cummins to my SM456 so my main question is does anyone know of places that sell converstion bellhousing? reason being i found a dodge truck that was rolled and can be picked up fairly cheap so....
thanks
Nate

I had/have a similar interest in an eventual diesel re-power of my 50 3600 pickup. I joined the cummins4BT yahoo group . Even though it is mainly for 4BT (3.9) 4-cylinder cummins there is lots of info on the 6BT (5.9) 6-cylinder motor. Your SM-465 4-speed is found behind a lot of 4BT cummins in step/box vans. Frito Lay has auctioned off hundreds of them. The bell housing will work in all/most/some 6BT applications. There is also a guy on the oldgmctrucks.com forums who put a 5.9 cummins in a 49 or 50 Chevy 1-ton pickup. Good Luck! and keep us posted.

This forum is great for the B series Cummins, both 4 and 6 cylinder.
http://www.4btswaps.com/forum/index.php
Seems most people left the Yahoo group and went to the real forum.

You should seriously think about an overdrive transmission, as the Cummins is a relatively slow speed engine. For best economy you want to run down the highway at 1,700 to 1,800 rpm. Use this site to help figure gear ratios.
http://www.drivetraindirect.com/t_gear_calculator.htm

Grigg

You might try these folks...

http://www.advanceadapters.com/

Just a shot in the dark, but they have adapters for all kinds of conversions, maybe they'd have something that would work?

Grigg- i got to thinkin bout that last night that an overdrive would be best then i can have short gears for pullin would a spicer 3053A (i think thats what it is) mate up to the 5.9? also would i need a different t-case or would my NP205 work?

54gmc- thanks for the link i remember being on that web site but i couldn't remember what its called unfortenately i didn't find anything to work, problem with those places that i've found is there mostly for the NV4500

Frank50- thats one thing i seen is that the 4BT had the SM465 behind it but then one guy said something bout the bellhousing put a tilt in the engine so it looks like its a slant 4

thanks
Nate

Go the 4BT forums.
they have all the answers you need, and anything that fits the back of a 4 cylinder also fits the back of the 6.

There is a recent thread about the 3053A http://www.4btswaps.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2168

A 3053a requires a divorced transfer case, I don't think a 205 is? To use the 205 then the NV4500 is the best choice, faster OD than the 3053A, and everything fits with standard dodge tuck parts.

I did not realize that you have a 4X4, and is it only a 1/2 ton?
If so then you probably should start with a stronger frame for the 6BT, and a Dana 60 front axle to stand up to the weight.

If you do have a 1/2 ton I would forget about the 6BT and go for the 4BT.

Again, join the 4BT forums, search the past threads, or read a bunch of them, and ask questions there.

Grigg

OH Boy ! what have i started. . .seem's every body wants a Cummins diesel NOW. . .can't blame ya great engines in good trucks = perfection. . .

Mike D

i started a memebership on the 4BT form early this morning and poked around a bit but yes my truck is a 4x4 1/2 ton i'm thinking i'm going to take the running gear (axles) out of the dodge truck that has the cummins and i'm gona beef up the frame but then the one quick question is the NV4500 as strong as the 3053A?

thanks
Nate

No, but the NV4500 is what came behind the 5.9 Cummins for many years. They are plenty strong, and can be made a little stronger with the right parts. I would use the NV4500 behind the 5.9 in a 1/2 ton truck.

There is really no reason to use the bigger Spicer in a light truck. If it were a 1.5 or 2 ton and you were going to tow with it then the Spicer may be better. The Spicer also complicates things if you want 4X4, as you have to use a divorced transfer case, in a short frame that's impractical.

Grigg

Sorry to dig up an old thread, but yes, you can find divorced NP205's. They were used in Dodge's and GM's in the late 70's and early 80's.