New Cummins HMMWV project in the works!

[patracy]

If I could find someone that would trade my Dodge for a hmmwv, I'd have one. But I'd go the other way, four seats and a rig in the center passenger "deck" area for a car seat for all 5 of us. Oh and AC!

I'm thinking now I'll just throw the HT3B under the dodge and bump it up to 600+ rwhp. Maybe make our unlimited wrangler a "hmmwv wannabee".

 

[steelsoldiers]

If I could find someone that would trade my Dodge for a hmmwv, I'd have one. But I'd go the other way, four seats and a rig in the center passenger "deck" area for a car seat for all 5 of us. Oh and AC!

I'm thinking now I'll just throw the HT3B under the dodge and bump it up to 600+ rwhp. Maybe make our unlimited wrangler a "hmmwv wannabee".

I'd have AC if I lived in the deep south too! It's usually not too bad here, especially in an open vehicle with air moving around.

I am pondering what to do about my turbo situation today. My goofy Ford manifold has a crack in it so I will be replacing it. It is similar to the 3rd gen Dodge manifolds so I could use a 2-piece aftermarket manifold. I am thinking about using a 2nd gen manifold instead, but I am worried about it putting the turbo too close to the fuel filter assembly. I am going to go with the he351cw turbo from a 3rd gen, but it may be a little tricky to route my intercooler piping since the compressor output exits towards the front of the vehicle. MY other concern with it is you can't clock the compressor because of the wastegate linkage. Maybe I can use an intake that raises the turbo higher in the engine bay to help clear the oil filter and alternator. I'll take some pics to show you guys what I'm talking about.

 

[patracy]

If you want to go with the HE351cw, do yourself a favor and block of the solenoid to gain a few inches off the front of the turbo. Also build a wastegate actuator mount. That will allow you to clock the compressor outlet out wherever you like. You'll also need a different boot for the output. It's only a 2.75" as I recall. (Instead of 3") I've got a friend I can put you in touch with that makes a lot of neat brackets for turbos. He can also get you an outlet flange for the cw turbo as well. The factory cast elbow probably would be more trouble to use vs. making a custom downpipe.

 

[steelsoldiers]

Cool! I found a take-off unit for around $250. I think I will get it and use it for mock-up. I'm glad to know you can eliminate the solenoid and cross-over linkage. I'll definitely talk to your buddy about the brackets, etc... Thanks.

 

[patracy]

$250 for a runner? If so, that's a great price, grab it!

Just to make sure, it's a HE351CW, and not a HE341CW correct? The 341 was the early 3rd gen turbo and isn't a gain over a HX35. Also there's a HE351vgt with the variable vane from the 6.7's. You'd need a fleece controller if you want to run one of those. But they can be dialed in to spool nicely AND can work as an exhaust brake if you want to get into towing. And if you wanted to upgrade, a ISX series VGT is larger....

 

[steelsoldiers]

The he351cw should be here first of the week. I did some looking today to figure out what the best way will be to mount that sucker up. It looks like I am going to have to go with a 3rd gen aftermarket manifold. I thought a 2nd gen manifold would work, but it looks like that would push the turbo into the coolant reservoir. The exhaust will be a challenge. The 4" down-pipe will be a tight squeeze and there is no way to route the cross-over, muffler and tail pipe like the stock system. I am thinking about just doing a 4" straight pipe from the turbo, down the frame rail, into the right-rear wheel well, over the wheel well and out the back. We'll see... Check out the pics and see if you guys have any other ideas for hanging the turbo.

On a different note, I got the right splash shield mounted. It looks good!

 

[steelsoldiers]

Yay, new turbo! I did some more looking and man, it's going to be a PITA to squeeze a 4" straight pipe exhaust in there, especially under the trans. Should be fun...

 

[patracy]

The downpipe shouldn't be a problem from what I see. The charge air outlet will be an issue...

 

[Oldvw2]

Yay, new turbo! I did some more looking and man, it's going to be a PITA to squeeze a 4" straight pipe exhaust in there, especially under the trans. Should be fun...

Nice turbo! What are you going to have to do with the charge air outlet? It looks like it will come in lower than the current turbo. Maybe a smooth radius s bend?

 

[steelsoldiers]

The downpipe shouldn't be a problem from what I see. The charge air outlet will be an issue...

I'll be able to do the downpipe, but it'll be tight. It was tough getting a 3" pipe between the frame and the trans without hitting either one of them. The really goofy thing is that the adapter plate that I used to mate the TH400 puts the starter on the passenger side so I have to deal with that too. That won't be an issue if I switch to the 47RH.

Nice turbo! What are you going to have to do with the charge air outlet? It looks like it will come in lower than the current turbo. Maybe a smooth radius s bend?

Good question. I may reroute it altogether and go along between the oil filter and the body and then up to the intercooler. I can also ditch the current wastegate setup, remove the locating pins on the compressor housing and clock the compressor, which will give me some more options.

The current turbo really has me mystified. It should be pushing 18-20 PSI once that monster 21cm2 gets spooled up, but I have held it to the floor going up a huge grade and only mustered 14 psi. That he351cw will make a big difference, especially with the star wheel cranked and the #100 plate in the pump.

 

[steelsoldiers]

I just found this cat-back system online: H1 HUMMER 4 Inch Aluminized Cat-Back Exhaust System from SSDPro-Exhaust

It would save me a lot of fab work on the back end. I would just need to make a downpipe and a cross-over pipe. No muffler of course It's either use something like that or remake the fording exhaust out of 4". I'm not sure if I want a stack as they are pretty good at snagging trees and ripping a hole in the body when off-roading.

 

[steelsoldiers]

Got some more work done on the truck over the weekend. I finished ripping the last of the nasty, rotten, filthy insulation pads out and vacuumed the whole truck. Then, I installed a couple of 10.3k A2 half shafts that I got from Ted. I didn't realize how bad the old A0 shafts were until I got them out. The boots were dry, cracked and leaking grease. The joints were were loose and floppy. I noticed an immediate improvement when I bolted the new shafts up. The popping in the front end when braking and turning was gone and the whole truck felt tighter.

My next project is going to be re-sealing the vacuum pump/power steering pump. It is dripping oil on the front drive shaft, which promptly slings it all over the engine and frame. No rust problems here!

 

[steelsoldiers]

No updates for a while because other projects have been taking priority, but I have been accumulating some goodies for the next work session.

I picked up that used he351cw turbo on eBay a while back and recently got a 2-piece manifold to hang it from, plus a whole box of 4" bends ($30 on eBay!) for fabbing my 4" straight pipe exhaust.

I also picked up an A2 turbo doghouse cover to give me a little protection from the heat and noise. It fits pretty well and just needs a little work to clear the valve cover.

I got a heavy-duty rear airlift bumper, a complete set of brackets and all new hardware to mount it. That will give that aluminum a little protection from the soccer moms in their Tahoes.

Finally, I am in the planning and purchasing phase of a NV4500/NP241DHD swap. The TH400/NP218 won't survive the next round of engine upgrades so I am going to upgrade before I destroy one or both of them. It will definitely throw some people off to see a stick shift in a HMMWV! The 2WD option will come in handy. I'm going to add the diff cover with the built-in cooler later on to help with the heat in the rear diff.

 

[onewoodsrider]

Take lots of pictures of how you build that linkage for that 5 speed. What happened to the 47 rh option.

 

[steelsoldiers]

Take lots of pictures of how you build that linkage for that 5 speed. What happened to the 47 rh option.

The 47RH is my fall back plan if I can't make the NV4500 work. I would love to have the whole vehicle work without electricity, just in case. My fuel shut-off is cable operated so the Cummins will still run even with the batteries or alternator dead. A stick shift would let me bump start it too.

I'm a little concerned about making the clutch master and slave work. I'll have to do some careful measuring on the firewall. I will probably use the stock shift tower on the NV4500 with a BD short shift kit. Then, I'll do some very creative work with a torch on the shift lever to make it easier to row through the gears.

I finally got some work done on the truck yesterday, but it wasn't my idea of fun. One of the boots split on the driver's front 10.3K axle that I installed a while back and it started slinging grease everywhere. I had to get it replaced yesterday so I could drive the truck to work today to pick up my high-back seat kits.

I swung by the Advanced Auto after work and got a couple of their boot kits. I could have ordered the real deal from AMG, but I wanted to give the aftermarket stuff a try first. Too bad they are made in red china. Removing the CV shaft took no time at all. I'm getting pretty good at it. I cut the boots off with a utility knife and commenced to wiping all of the dang grease off of everything. What a mess!

I spent the next 2 hours trying to get the outer joint off of the shaft. Everything I read said that you can whack the outer joint with a brass hammer and it will pop right off. I knocked the crap out of that thing and it never popped off. I think I could have beat it until tomorrow with a mini-sledge and would have only succeeded in destroying the joint. Finally, I read a tip on a Hummer site about taking the inner joint apart one piece at a time. That turned out to be pretty easy. I got the new boots slid on, filled the joints with grease, secured the boots with the new clamps and ta-da, rebuilt CV shaft.

My commute to work this morning didn't cause the boots to explode so I guess I will be OK. Only think I don't like is the outer boot is light gray. We'll see how long the Chinese silicone and clamps hold up. I'll let you guys know the verdict.

 

[readyman]

Chris, As long as you're getting good at it, keep up the fun. I tried one of the Dorman split boots last week, not being in the mood for half-shafts in the heat wave we had here in Chicago. Squirt glue in the groove, squish together, let dry and clamp. A temporary fix just for experimentation, and the blue.

The 47RH is my fall back plan if I can't make the NV4500 work. I would love to have the whole vehicle work without electricity, just in case. My fuel shut-off is cable operated so the Cummins will still run even with the batteries or alternator dead. A stick shift would let me bump start it too.

I'm a little concerned about making the clutch master and slave work. I'll have to do some careful measuring on the firewall. I will probably use the stock shift tower on the NV4500 with a BD short shift kit. Then, I'll do some very creative work with a torch on the shift lever to make it easier to row through the gears.

I finally got some work done on the truck yesterday, but it wasn't my idea of fun. One of the boots split on the driver's front 10.3K axle that I installed a while back and it started slinging grease everywhere. I had to get it replaced yesterday so I could drive the truck to work today to pick up my high-back seat kits.

I swung by the Advanced Auto after work and got a couple of their boot kits. I could have ordered the real deal from AMG, but I wanted to give the aftermarket stuff a try first. Too bad they are made in red china. Removing the CV shaft took no time at all. I'm getting pretty good at it. I cut the boots off with a utility knife and commenced to wiping all of the dang grease off of everything. What a mess!

I spent the next 2 hours trying to get the outer joint off of the shaft. Everything I read said that you can whack the outer joint with a brass hammer and it will pop right off. I knocked the crap out of that thing and it never popped off. I think I could have beat it until tomorrow with a mini-sledge and would have only succeeded in destroying the joint. Finally, I read a tip on a Hummer site about taking the inner joint apart one piece at a time. That turned out to be pretty easy. I got the new boots slid on, filled the joints with grease, secured the boots with the new clamps and ta-da, rebuilt CV shaft.

My commute to work this morning didn't cause the boots to explode so I guess I will be OK. Only think I don't like is the outer boot is light gray. We'll see how long the Chinese silicone and clamps hold up. I'll let you guys know the verdict.

 

[steelsoldiers]

Chris, As long as you're getting good at it, keep up the fun. I tried one of the Dorman split boots last week, not being in the mood for half-shafts in the heat wave we had here in Chicago. Squirt glue in the groove, squish together, let dry and clamp. A temporary fix just for experimentation, and the blue.

That is a nice blue, LOL. Let me know how the split boots hold up. Might be worthwhile to keep a few on hand in case of a busted boot away from home or when I'm short on time.

 

[steelsoldiers]

Thought you guys might like to see a few pics of my truck with it's new tagalong, the M1101. It pulls really well and it made the HMMWV ride better to boot. Just need to take off the top brackets and get it painted black. I'll pick up a tan soft top kit for it at some point. It would make a nice little camper for deer camp with the addition of a tent stove LOL.

 

[TedG]

Those are nice usable trailers. How come your seats are in the back of the hmmwv and not installed?! lol Also, you need to get rear half doors on your truck.

 

[steelsoldiers]

Yeah, yeah, I know LOL. I've been really short on time lately so
I'm still riding around in the old seat. I need to get the seats in, plus the rest of the 3-point belts, the C-pillar, the 4-man top rails and the 4-man top. I like the pickup style, but it's not going to work for the wife and kids. When are you going to ship me my half doors, Ted?