i have a 99 durango......is it possible to put the cummins in her? has anybody done this?i have a 24 valve diesel engine with 62k miles with trans and trasnfer case.....i have no need for them and got this crazy idea to diesel my durango.....

 

Measure the height and length and see if you have enough space for the motor in the engine bay. I assume that the tranny any t case should be ok, but the shafts and linkiges might have to be changed. It would be super cool though! Where are you located?

 

It would be a tight fit... There would have to be some fabbing of the motor mounts, maybe frame cross members, and the front of the frame and the front suspension would have to be beefed up to handle the weight of the engine.

You would most likely have to have a custom radiator and intercooler made to fit behind the Durango grille, and the batteries could be moved to the rear to make a little more room.

It would be very possible, just take some work and thinking.

 

It will not fit without some serious firewall clearancing. It's been done in a Dakota a few times but the radiator is usually mounted in the rear and the firewall is cut out and replaced with a fabbed sheet metal version. Also, consider the nearly 1100 lb weight......suspension modifications will be required. And if the engine is bombed and/or you tow with the truck, don't expect the factory rear axle to last long. It would be a very costly and labour intensive project to do it right. It is not a good idea, IMO.

 

Sell the 24 and get the 4bt.

 

I forgot how much longer the ISB is than the 318

 

I second that!

 

everythings possible, but at what cost? Lets just say that when I bought my 6bt the shipping weight was 1400lbs. My nv5600 and t-case was about 500-600lbs. Your powertrain in your durango would weigh 2000lbs. Thats the first problem.

Secondly. In a F350 with the engine as low and as far back as possible its JUST off the firewall (with enough room for potential movement), and the fan is about 1/4" away from the radiator which has been moved forward from its stock position enough so I had to custom fab a radiator support.

The engine is massive. The amount of fabrication to make it work would be insane.

EDIT: I didnt read CTD Nuts post, so mine is redundant! He is right. haha. Also the 4bt while shorter is still heavy. If you really wanted a diesel look for something out of a nissan.

 

thanks for all the info....sounds like more work than i want...just thought it would be one hell of a rig.....

 

I'd like to put the 4BT in a Durango. Prefer 4X2 though and they are rare.
I would look at a 5 speed rather than an auto. Dakota's have everything need for the swap.
I'd guess the 4BT weighs in around 600 lbs.

 

Close.....a tubocharged 4BT weighs nearly 700 lbs.

 

Making a 4x4 durango a 4x2 is as easy as removing the front diff, axles and driveshaft. It would be easier since you would have just made a bunch of free space to put that giant engine.

 

This Dakota had a 12 valve in it with the intercooler mounted in the bed. That was the only give-away that it wasn't stock. It was 2 wheel drive and didn't take that much fabbing according to the owner Jeff Garmon. DavidTD is a member on this site who drove it on the street and raced it and might be able to answer any questions that you might have.
One thing for sure,,,,, It was a ROCKET! ,,,,,,,,,,, which sadly led to its end. The truck was rolled and totalled in a WOT excursion on the street. Luckily no one was hurt, but that was the end of the 12 second Street Dakota.