7.3 into a suburban

[bump it]

I am new to this forum and new to the deisel engine craze. I have searched but found nothing.

My current rockcrawler hauler is an 89 gmc suburban 350/350 3/4 ton 4:11 gears.

Outside my shop I have a 95 7.3 turbo diesel/5sp/xfer.

You see where this is going?

My current thoughts are this:

-swap in the motor/tranny
-ditch the xfer case and run a divorced 205 w/passenger drop so I can keep the chevy running gear/ steering etc.
-build/buy new springs for the xtra weight
-custom d/shafts of course

Other considerations

-I have a 3 speed brownie box that I could put in front of the 205

This rig would need to be able to cruise all day long at freeway speeds.
I have other vehicles so I can take my time and do this right.

I own both a mig and tig machine, plasma cutter, full shop, etc. Custom fab is not a problem.

Do you know of anyone that has done a similar swap?
Do you see any redflags with this idea?
I know a cummins is popular............but I have both the suburban and the 7.3 on hand. both were free.

I appreciate any input you have.

 

[Diesel JD]

If you have a 95 7.3 that is a 94-97 Powerstroke not a 7.3 IDI. Its a great motor and it would serve a purpose here, pretty well I think. The problem you will have is that the PSD is computerized and its a given you'd have to swap all the wiring from your donor 95 truck to the Suburban, that's no mean feat even within the Ford family, it may be harder on a Chevy/Ford. A 6.9 or 7.3 IDI might be easier and a 6.2 or a 6.5 GM would be very easy. If you're dead set on the PSD, you want to get ALL the goodies from the donor truck right down to the computers, sensors and dash and gut the Chevy. Fabricating adapters for someone with your skill level shouldn't be a problem, the NP205 and Brownie are bullet proof, but make sure that the Chevy transmission can handle the kind of power a PSD can put down, these things make 215 HP from the factory and loads of torque. If you make some simple mods it will be more than that. I think the swap will not be a problem since you can take your time to do it right and you have the tools and skills to do it, but the electronics may have you wanting to kill yourself.

 

[seawalkersee]

Matter of fact, there are two on here that i can think of off the top of my head that have swapped in the IH for a GM. One used a 7.3 in a 3500 Dually and an e40d with a bauman shift controller. The other is working on a body swap of the Burb onto the F-250 frame.

SWS

 

[hesutton]

GenLightening is the guy with the IDI in the 3500. However, like stated above, if it is a '95 diesel, it is a PSD. A different and computer controlled animal. The mechanical IDI is much easier to swap as you don't have to screw around with the electronic controls of the PSD. Either way, it sounds like a very cool project. Keep up posted on the progress.

Heath

 

[bump it]

If you have a 95 7.3 that is a 94-97 Powerstroke not a 7.3 IDI. Its a great motor and it would serve a purpose here, pretty well I think. The problem you will have is that the PSD is computerized and its a given you'd have to swap all the wiring from your donor 95 truck to the Suburban, that's no mean feat even within the Ford family, it may be harder on a Chevy/Ford. A 6.9 or 7.3 IDI might be easier and a 6.2 or a 6.5 GM would be very easy. If you're dead set on the PSD, you want to get ALL the goodies from the donor truck right down to the computers, sensors and dash and gut the Chevy. Fabricating adapters for someone with your skill level shouldn't be a problem, the NP205 and Brownie are bullet proof, but make sure that the Chevy transmission can handle the kind of power a PSD can put down, these things make 215 HP from the factory and loads of torque. If you make some simple mods it will be more than that. I think the swap will not be a problem since you can take your time to do it right and you have the tools and skills to do it, but the electronics may have you wanting to kill yourself.

I may have the yr incorrect.............the truck did not have the Power stroke badge on it. I need to go look at the old truck in the junkyard today.............I have the motor..........it's been under a tarp for almost 3 yrs. I am just trying to put this all together................

By the way..........I would be using the Ford transmission.......I know the electronics will be the hardest part.

 

[towcat]

I may have the yr incorrect.............the truck did not have the Power stroke badge on it. I need to go look at the old truck in the junkyard today.............I have the motor..........it's been under a tarp for almost 3 yrs. I am just trying to put this all together................

By the way..........I would be using the Ford transmission.......I know the electronics will be the hardest part.

post a pic of what you got.

 

[LCAM-01XA]

By the way..........I would be using the Ford transmission.......I know the electronics will be the hardest part.

Well, if you do indeed have an IDI engine, and not a PSD, there aren't any electronics at all - that's the abuty of this engine, it is purely mechanical, to make it run you only need one wire (for the fuel shutoff solenoid, aka FSS, in the injection pump) and as a matter of fact there a quite a few of us here who carry a jumper wire for just that purpose, so even in case of total electric system failure, we can still make it home just fine. Also, using the Ford transmission is a good decision, as the IDI engines have a proprietary bellhousing bolt pattern, and no other transmission will bolt up (even most Ford trans are no go) without adapters and what not. You will need to address the rear of the trans, however, as the 4x4 transmissions use a different output shaft than the 2wd, so you will probably need to disassemble the trans to swap in the 2wd shaft and tail housing... Or find an old F-Superduty driveline e-brake, which would be pretty sweet actually cause then you can do rear discs on that 14-bolt without using those retarded integrated-brake calipers.

But yah, like Towcat said, take a pic of that diesel engine and post it here. If you can't, then just see if you can see device in the top front center area of the engine, with spider-like fuel lines coming off its rear - this is our injection pump and the lines go to each of the 8 cylinders, the PSD engine has no such thing and really you can't see much if the engine itself as everything is under the valve covers or hidden by plastic pieces.

 

[GenLightening]

I PMed you. The only thing I would add is to use a 6.9 instead of the 7.3 to avoid any issues with cavitation. Hopefully you're looking at the IDI and not the stroke.

 

[bump it]

I PMed you. The only thing I would add is to use a 6.9 instead of the 7.3 to avoid any issues with cavitation. Hopefully you're looking at the IDI and not the stroke.

I pm'ed you. I definatly have the IDI. And I do have the 7.3 which I paid nothing for, so I have to go with it. What is this "cavitation" you are referring to. Things that I know of that cavitate are pumps and props etc. Things in water. Is there a cure for this "cavitation".

I will do a search.

 

[Agnem]

Read the tech articles section at the top of this forum.

 

[ameristar1]

I PMed you. The only thing I would add is to use a 6.9 instead of the 7.3 to avoid any issues with cavitation. Hopefully you're looking at the IDI and not the stroke.

How hard is it to do the swap? Did you just use the motor mounts and such from a F series and transfer it all over or did you have to fab up mounts and brackets?

 

[hesutton]

All you ever wanted to know about CAVITATION.

Heath

 

[GenLightening]

How hard is it to do the swap? Did you just use the motor mounts and such from a F series and transfer it all over or did you have to fab up mounts and brackets?

I made up my own motor mounts out of 1/4" plate and modified the trans mount to fit the Chevy frame. The hardest thing was making enough clearance for the turbo downpipe.

Here's my thread on it (it needs some updated pics).

http://www.oilburners.net/forums/showthread.php?t=22812