Duramax engine swap

[Sparo2]

I never said I was going to let the engine overheat. If I notice the temps getting too high I’m obviously going to shut it down.

Anyhow, I’m going to be taking the body back off in a couple of weeks for some fresh paint. I was thinking of raising the body mount brackets 3”. This way I don’t have to use any additional spacers to achieve the needed body clearance. The back mounts don’t use brackets but I will make some and weld
them in.

 

[TOBASH]

I never said I was going to let the engine overheat. If I notice the temps getting too high I’m obviously going to shut it down.

Anyhow, I’m going to be taking the body back off in a couple of weeks for some fresh paint. I was thinking of raising the body mount brackets 3”. This way I don’t have to use any additional spacers to achieve the needed body clearance. The back mounts don’t use brackets but I will make some and weld
them in.

By the time you see the high temps it might be all over. That's the point. It's a shame you just don't wanna get it.

 

[springer1981]

I never said I was going to let the engine overheat.

I don't think anyone assumed you were going to intentionally overheat the engine.

Keep in mind we are not attacking you. We are posting to try to HELP you. I don't know what your experience is and although I am new to the HMMWV and Diesel world I am NOT new to mechanics, engine builds, engine swaps, lifts and a bunch more stuff. Just like many of the guys here trying to offer help it is an effort to help you learn from many of our prior mistakes as we built up our experience. Trial and error can be VERY Expensive especially when it comes to Duramax engines.

 

[Sparo2]

I don’t feel attacked by any of your posts. I actually welcome the thoughts and opinions. I will eventually replace the radiator before I start taking it on any drives. I’m just keeping it in place for now so that I can get all the coolant stuff routed and to keep the engine running long enough to diagnose any issues. I don’t want to install a radiator that can easily be damaged by tools or simply removing/reinstalling it.

 

[TOBASH]

I don’t feel attacked by any of your posts. I actually welcome the thoughts and opinions. I will eventually replace the radiator before I start taking it on any drives. I’m just keeping it in place for now so that I can get all the coolant stuff routed and to keep the engine running long enough to diagnose any issues. I don’t want to install a radiator that can easily be damaged by tools or simply removing/reinstalling it.

You're not realizing that a new radiator will route coolant differently, requiring hoses to be moved. You need to buy the radiator NOW to properly set up the system.

All radiators are NOT the same and they ALL route the hoses differently.

I don't want to attack you BUT I don't see you as grasping the larger picture.

I will say that you're dead wrong and you need to revisit your thought processes.

Wrap the new rad in cardboard to protect it during mach up. Buy a new one and a junk one and use the junk one for mach up. Do anything but what you are planning.

To avoid sounding rude I'm not gonna post anymore to this thread.

Happy Trails,

T

 

[Mogman]

I don't mean to hijack this thread but had a Duramax question, not really thinking of a swap but stumbled onto a wrecked truck and was wondering why all the swaps I can find end with the 2010 LMM engine, what would be the issue of using a 2011 up LML?

 

[Lonnie]

Newer engines have to deal with more restrictive emissions requirements... particulate filters, DEF tanks etc. which have been increasingly harder and/or more expensive to program out of the tune.
This is not a matter of just a check engine light, the vehicle will go into limp mode & prevent you from driving it due to certain emissions related failures or deletions.

For that reason, stick with the older engines.... less hassles to do a swap with.

 

[Retiredwarhorses]

Newer engines have to deal with more restrictive emissions requirements... particulate filters, DEF tanks etc. which have been increasingly harder and/or more expensive to program out of the tune.
This is not a matter of just a check engine light, the vehicle will go into limp mode & prevent you from driving it due to certain emissions related failures or deletions.

For that reason, stick with the older engines.... less hassles to do a swap with.

you can do def delete kits, program ECM, but you are correct...the simpler the better.

 

[MidnightDuramax]

Hope this picks back up again. Would love to see a build like this. I am planning on doing the same swap.

 

[ccmf22]

I don't mean to hijack this thread but had a Duramax question, not really thinking of a swap but stumbled onto a wrecked truck and was wondering why all the swaps I can find end with the 2010 LMM engine, what would be the issue of using a 2011 up LML?

The issue with using an LML duramax isn’t necessarily the tuning or emissions because these can be cheaply fixed ie. Tune, egr delete, pcv re route, def delete etc etc, the issue with the LML is your going to have to swap the cp4 pump for a cp3 pump.(500-1600$) since the cp4 likes to grenade itself. I would stick with a lbz or an lmm.

 

[Mogman]

The issue with using an LML duramax isn’t necessarily the tuning or emissions because these can be cheaply fixed ie. Tune, egr delete, pcv re route, def delete etc etc, the issue with the LML is your going to have to swap the cp4 pump for a cp3 pump.(500-1600$) since the cp4 likes to grenade itself. I would stick with a lbz or an lmm.

Thanks! I picked up a 2008 2500HD that was rolled, as soon as I can cut away enough of what is left of the body I can test run it and see if I got a good deal or not, it has a Cheetah turbo (MAX 650HP), aftermarket intake and a 4" exhaust, today I got the driver door open and found a 5 pos rotary switch in the dash so I think it was set up for DSP-5 would have much rather it been a stock "only driven on Sunday" truck but none of this could be seen (except the exhaust) until I started to peal away the body, will be tuning back to factory power levels for sure.

 

[TOBASH]

Mogman, I might consider using the engine and tranny as one unit. I would just cut off the hood, fenders and door to start the vehicle.

 

[Mogman]

I do plan on using the motor, transmission, transfer case as most conversions do.
I have the bed off, right front fender cut off and the front stripped all the way back to the fan, the radiator was broken by a lose battery flying around, the ECM has a decent dent in it and the battery was laying on it upside down, so I am going to open it up and look to make sure the cover is not impinging on any electronics.
The driver door believe it or not opened after I reached in and unlocked it, never again to close though.
So basically I am just waiting until I finish building the 4L60 for the other M998 and clear my shop so I can get it inside before cutting the left fender off which will necessitate removing what is left of the hood so I do not have to tarp it, boy that thing is a mess!!
Those AMP motorized running boards are going to be pretty cool! Too bad those 20" rims don't have the correct offset!

 

[TOBASH]

Cover her with a tarp or you will be farked.

Sell the wheels on EBay and then buy what you want.

 

[Mogman]

Cover her with a tarp or you will be farked.

Sell the wheels on EBay and then buy what you want.

I wish there were better choices for wheels, the ones most pick look like crap IMHO with the three sets of bolt patterns two of which are fake, fake is for pimp mobiles, nothing needs to be fake about a HMMWV

 

[Mogman]

Cover her with a tarp or you will be farked.

Sell the wheels on EBay and then buy what you want.

You need to get out of my head TOBASH! we had a big storm roll through at 3AM this morning and I had already removed the inter cooler/intake pipe and only had a rag stuffed into the intake, I almost ran out there during the hail portion of the storm to try and save my precious engine.
Turns out the hood protected it fine and the top of the engine including the rag stuffed into the intake was dry as a bone, shame on you!

 

[TOBASH]

You need to get out of my head TOBASH! we had a big storm roll through at 3AM this morning and I had already removed the inter cooler/intake pipe and only had a rag stuffed into the intake, I almost ran out there during the hail portion of the storm to try and save my precious engine.
Turns out the hood protected it fine and the top of the engine including the rag stuffed into the intake was dry as a bone, shame on you!

I might have been wrenching for a while, so I can predict the devastating and damaging forces of Nature.

Whenever a vehicle is outside, and whenever I open up things that like to stay closed, I cover with duct tape or painters' tape and then plastic and then a tarp held in place with either weights or straps or both. Caution bred from prior mistakes on my part.

Just looking out for you friend. But you might want to wear an Aluminum foil helmet from now on to keep me out of your head

 

[Mogman]

Gosh I did not know, this is the first vehicle I have ever worked on..............

 

[TOBASH]

Gosh I did not know, this is the first vehicle I have ever worked on..............

Next time you consider running out during a lightning and hail storm, go to your golf bag and grab your 1 iron and hold your 1 iron over your head.

I hear tell that not even God can hit a 1 iron.

LOL

If this is the first vehicle you've worked on, I'd like to introduce you to my nephew. He's a monkey.

 

[Mogman]

Got in the shop today and on the lift, turns out it has an AirDog II DF=165 4G lift pump filter setup, between the AMP motorized running boards, the Cheetah turbo and the AirDog I have more add on acc. than I paid for the truck by far, not even counting the 4" exhaust and the high flow intake which I will only be able to use very little of, also confirmed it was set up for DSP-5 which means it has probably been run really hard, the top of the fuel tank was pretty clean so it ptobaly did not see much off road activity