qamorgan

I have a '98 Ram 1500 with a blown engine and want to convert to diesel. What options do I have??

Oilguy

4BT.........

qamorgan

What I am thinking of is using a 5.9, has anyone done this or something similar before.

XLR8R

Yes - almost always quite unsuccessfully...

wcbcruzer

You'll like the 4bt. Still a diesel and gets better gas mileage. Just do a few mods to it and it will drive like your gasser w/ twice the torque. Doubt you tow heavy since you have a 1500 to start with.

jughead

i consider my 1/2 ton quite successful thank you. i dont tow but would not hesitate to tow 1/2 ton rating. runs 8.6 1/8th mi. gets 18 mpg in town. been driving it for 4 years plus. only problem i have had i cant get it to heat up in cold weather. cummins tech doesnt have answer either.

1-2-3

The suspension of a 1/2 ton truck is not built to carry the weight of the 5.9.

jughead

so i have been told.BUT i aint broke anything yet including the 9.25 rear. frame is still solid even using 9 in. slicks. guess time will tell.

dieselrob

http://www.pavementsucks.com/forums/...784&start=1200 superhawk2002 did it. There alot of reading there for you to check out. He went a little farther than just a conversion, his is 4 feet in the air. But its a very good read. I suggest checking out.

JD730

The 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton trucks of those years had the same size frame in them. I had 2 87's, one a 1/2 ton the other 3/4 ton, same frame, crossmember locations, etc. Even my 91 3/4 CTD parts truck has the same size frame as the 87's. Was even thinking of transplanting the cummins into it for a fun truck, was even going to use the A518 I had. Sold it to my uncle, now looking for a crew cab.

96_12V

Given what the last post mentioned, if it was an earier 1st gen, this may well work. But a 4bt weighs more than a 360 V-8, and a 6bt even more than that. The suspension, axles, etc all need to be uprated to handle this load.

The 4bt would work well.

jughead

if one does their homework one would look at gross front axle weight. if one does not tow one would see that even with the 6bt weight it would still be under the gross axle weight. granted it is nose heavy but they all are. mine has worked flawlessly for over 4 years as a daily driver. the fun facter is out of this world with this truck. so this old man is going to bow out on this one.

JKM

But we can hang aftermarket bumpers , and 1000 lb snowlows off of the front no problem?

mouseguy

And at one point one could buy a 1500 with the V10 and it ain't a light engine either. I'd have no problems putting a 5.9 in a 1500.

qamorgan

Ok, the 4bt is the choice ......... will beef up the suspension. What about the transmission which is also going to be rreplaced