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Big Block or Diesel ??????

crzybil87

crzybil87

C.R.A.Z.Y.B.I.L.L
371
3
Merrimack, NH
Ok so my 351 is getting to the end of its long life.. so im faced with a dilemma, Do i go with a 460 big block or a cummins 12v turbo diesel? now i have a 12v sittin in my garage and i recently picked up a 460 for helpin clean someones yard.. So i need to know what you guys think on it..
 
Lost

Lost

PA Chapter leader
3,288
33
central PA
Well the 460 will be about a drop engine /trans in and drive . If you don't hop it up . Will be good puller and bad MPG. Not a pro former by any means .

Cummings Lots and wiring and fab work for engine to fit truck and trans . But once your r done . Way Fun lots o torque . Will cost way more for adapters but should get 2x MPG of a 460.
 
nobodyspecial

nobodyspecial

Fire in the hole...
5,756
366
ND
Well, there isn't a ton of wiring and fabwork for a Cummins. Once it is bolted in (not difficult from what I have read (need to take a hammer to the firewall a bit, nothing major) hook up fuel, and run a wire from the battery and you are good to go.

Since you have the Cummins, you have the big part out of the way. If you choose to run the Dodge drivetrain its easier, or you can get an adapter plate to mate up to a ford transmission.

I would pick the Cummins over a 460 any day.
 
F 150Cobra

F 150Cobra

"Wild HoRsE" Got Torque?
3,642
104
Aruba
cummins could be fun ! :)

id say the cummins
 
F 150Cobra

F 150Cobra

"Wild HoRsE" Got Torque?
3,642
104
Aruba
may i add ALLOT OF FUN :)





fordcummins.com and google search is a good place to start for some help
 
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crzybil87

crzybil87

C.R.A.Z.Y.B.I.L.L
371
3
Merrimack, NH
im leaning more towards the cummins, due to the fact i can get thepower i want out of it and get really good mileage. But i love the sound of a big block that has a rough idle, but i think the black smoke would more than make up for that, im well aware of the work i would need to do to get the cummins in the truck soi think im gonna go with the cummins
 
countryboytn

countryboytn

'78 Bronco owner
4,371
204
Cincinnati, Ohio
TexasRho83 said:
Being the die hard Blue Oval fan that I am, I'd never swap a Mopar or Bowtie motor in my Ford. You take the heart of a Ford out and it's nothing but a shell :(
Click to expand...

but if it has a 12v Cummins in it, it's a very cool sounding, fast, powerful, shell of a Ford.

smilieeatndrink


(BTW, I'm for him putting a Cummins in it, I failed to mention that in my previous post)
 
nobodyspecial

nobodyspecial

Fire in the hole...
5,756
366
ND
crzybil87 said:
im leaning more towards the cummins, due to the fact i can get thepower i want out of it and get really good mileage. But i love the sound of a big block that has a rough idle, but i think the black smoke would more than make up for that, im well aware of the work i would need to do to get the cummins in the truck soi think im gonna go with the cummins
Click to expand...
Black smoke just means an inefficient burn and wasted fuel, not to mention decreased power, increased turbo lag and higher EGTs... Yeah, thats something to strive for... I thought you said you wanted the Cummins for the mileage... :rolleyes:
 
Fellro

Fellro

Moderator
Staff member
7,953
361
Iowa County, Iowa
few questions here... Which 12V is it? VE pump or P pump? Next is the trans and transfer case, with a 4wd, you either have to stick with the Ford trans (I would suggest going with a 460 or diesel trans, not the small bell housing internal slave cylinder manual, definitely not the small bell auto) or get a Dodge trans and transfer case. If you stick with Ford driveline, then you need an adapter plate at about $700. Motor mounts can be bought or built, depending on your fab skills. Typically, the transmission moves back an inch or so at least, so both driveshafts have to be reworked. So there is the financial an project downsides. Power wise, they will pull very well. I personally would not suggest an auto behind them, especially if you choose the Dodge auto, you won't be happy, and they tend to fail unless you build them well or don't really actually work them. The 12v VE pump in the 92 350 was kind of poochy until we went to the manual, now it just pretty much drags anything it hooks to. My 6.9 NA could pretty much keep up with it with the auto, so I did a few tweaks to get a bit more, but still wasn't as good as I would have liked. Now with the manual, there is no comparison.

My experience: I will do a 12V swap any day on a 2wd, but the 4wd I am a bit more hesitant to just because of the complications. Doable, been done, just not necessarily my choice for the most part. Might do one eventually, but not right now. (Don't really have the time to even pull off a 2wd right now...)

So on the sacrilege angle, (empty shell) would it make you feel better if the Cummins came from a medium duty Ford or a Ford bus? Those are factory Ford issue...


Black smoke largely means more fuel delivered than is burned... not necessarily less power, but certainly won't help fuel mileage any... One other thing that many don't think about with the heavy black smoke is that all the haters are using that to point to why diesels are dirty and polluting the air. Most diesels are not, but they use that as a visual representation. I like going to the pulls and seeing the hardcore black smoking pullers there, but don't think as well of it on the street. Main thing it will do is bring more regulation on us to where we have to have certain settings. Laws already exist on this for certain in Cali, can only smoke for so long and only so dark... Don't think it can't make it out into the rest of the country.
 
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LEB Ben

LEB Ben

Arrogant A-hole At-Large
34,919
1,124
outside your house
I'm a purist and prefer keeping what was in the truck, in the truck...or at least what was available to that truck in the truck. But that's just me, so I'd keep the blue oval in there. However, the Cummins is going to be much easier to build and attain what you want. Might be a little more up front costs in adapters and what not, but after a few thousand miles those will be negated.


And as stated, but just reminding...black smoke is nothing more than inefficiencies rearing their ugly head.
 

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