V10 to 7.3L Excursion

[powerlifter405]

neat build :thumbsup:

 

[Mahdeys]

subscribed. I have a 7.3 excursion I want to swap bodies with a 5.4 excursion with not rust.

 

[DEEZUZ]

I've always wanted a excursion. I'm a big SUV fan, but when it came time to buy a truck, every single one was $20k+ with popsicle sticks and kool-aid stains....

The gassers can be had CHEAP nowadays.... I might have found a home for my spare 7.3...

good luck

 

[Copracr]

I've always wanted a excursion. I'm a big SUV fan, but when it came time to buy a truck, every single one was $20k+ with popsicle sticks and kool-aid stains....

The gassers can be had CHEAP nowadays.... I might have found a home for my spare 7.3...

good luck

Yea, everyone will post up "just buy the diesel" if you ask about it but the gassers are going for 6-10K in near mint condition. Diesels are easy double that. If I didn't have a 7.3l truck to scavenge from I would prolly have done a 12v cummins though, but that's just because the 7.3 idi is just too low on power for my taste.
I would NOT have considered an electronic 24v cummins though. Hooking up all the options and electronics would have made it cost prohibitive. The 7.3l is working with the same electronics as the 5.4/6.8 though so swapping is just a matter of re-pinning. Things like cruise control, speedo/abs, or a/c just get wired up and you are done.

 

[Copracr]

Two more days off this week and this project is just about wrapped up.
I got the cooler re-sealed, them motor is in the truck, and everything but the turbo and one heater line is hooked up
Here is why the turbo isn't on:

I'm waiting on my buddy to weld this up, I should have been working on this a month ago when I took it off.
The other side I JB welded:

And here is the engine in there:

I have to post up a pic of the fuel sender I modded too.

I didn't get pics of the tranny going in but it's in there and hooked up. When I put the transfer case on I confirmed the T-case is sitting back about +2" rear of where the gas motor had it. The front driveshaft stretches but I don't trust it, it will get replaced. The rear shaft would have to be completely collapsed to bolt up.
I hooked up the scanner and ran KOEO tests and everything checked out there.

Side note - I went to NAPA and bought coolant, oil, and trans fluid and spent $200. Ouch

 

[Wayne]

If you haven't already done it, when you remove the warm up valve from the turbine outlet flange all you need to do is press a couple freeze plugs in it. You can even re-use the snap rings. That way you don't have to weld on the cast piece. good luck with the build. Kinda getting me excited for when I do my diesel conversion on the wife's ex.

 

[Copracr]

If you haven't already done it, when you remove the warm up valve from the turbine outlet flange all you need to do is press a couple freeze plugs in it. You can even re-use the snap rings. That way you don't have to weld on the cast piece. good luck with the build. Kinda getting me excited for when I do my diesel conversion on the wife's ex.

Thanks for the advice wayne. I was gonna wire tie it open but now I might have time to do it right since the pedestal isn't ready. I eliminated it because of the oil leak, but I know a lot of people feel that flapper valve would slow the exhaust flow. After seeing how big that valve is I can agree that it would likely impede flow and should be pulled out.

 

[dstryr]

Do you still have the v10 motor / trans? What kind of shape is it in? I'm interested... My dad's v10 is burning oil and the trans is about to take a ****. 150k miles on 35" tires hauling pallets full of parts and he won't upgrade because he loves his excursion.

 

[Copracr]

http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/pts/3125256856.html

Here you go. Its just put on craigslist today. the trans is available too if you want it

 

[dstryr]

http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/pts/3125256856.html

Here you go. Its just put on craigslist today. the trans is available too if you want it

How much you think it would cost to ship it here? 95037 comercial

The current engine has taken abuse. My dad is ...well lets say not good about maintenance. Thing goes like 12-15k between oil changes. I'm surprised it has lasted 150,000+ miles.

 

[Copracr]

Last night my buddy tig'ed this pedestal up for me:

I got so excited to hear it run I wired the ebp valve open and installed everything. The o-ring between the turbo and spider was a newer style one but I didn't care. I put it together without the o-ring. It can run without it for now.

By the time I got fluids in it and ran to the gas station for diesel it was 1030 last night. I tried cranking it a few times before the wife noticed my wide open exhaust points at the neighbors bedroom window. I shut it down for the night and went out today after work. Cranked for a long time then all the sudden it fired right up. I went through the gears with it, checked out the fluids and generally smiled a bunch.

I get my rear driveshaft back tomorrow and then its time for test drive. I still have some bugs to work out with my oil pressure gause not working, tach doesn't work, alt doesn't charge, and the brake light switch for the PCM, but they are little bugs and I'm just grinning to hear this thing breathe again.

 

[jestersv]

sub'd......... may look for a clean (Gas) ex for when this one is worn out then just swap the bodies

 

[Copracr]

I couldn't wait for the rear driveshaft so I drove it up to the gas station in fwd. New problem I found: the gas and diesel pumps look about the same size but the diesel pump will not fit into the gas fill neck. I'll have to swap that out too.

I have to find out how to wire the 3 prong plug on the alternator to get it charging, any help is appreciated. I have battery power at the far passenger side wire, the other 2 are dead. It is a 1999 alternator.

I fixed the brake light switch. It wasn't plugged in all the way.

I wired up my new trans, boost and pyro gauges. I went with mounting them left of the ashtray. I like it and it was easier to wire. I tapped into the radio for power and lighting that way.

The rear shaft will be done monday, but does anyone see any problems with running FWD for now?

 

[Copracr]

I've been running around in FWD and loving it. The 430 gears are a little steep but otherwise I'm really loving it. I guess its time to upgrade to 37's

edit: It's prolly wishful thinking, but the overhead trip thing no longer says 10mpg. Now it says 16. I can think of 5 different things that would throw this off but I can hope

 

[Wayne]

Hopefully this helps. If you're putting around in front wheel drive it's probably not too bad, but putting down much power can hurt stuff in front wheel drive only. On your gas filler neck you could just order the diesel one, or do like I did on my '84 7.3L bronco conversion where no diesel version filler neck is available; just grab a die grinder, and open it up all the way. Of course you'll need to remove it from the vehicle to keep it clean, but do a good job, and you should have no problem. Maybe the down time waiting for your rear drive line will give you a chance to properly address your warm up valve. No reason you shouldn't be pulling in mid to high teens though. baby it when properly running, and you should be looking at high teens.

 

[Copracr]

Hopefully this helps. If you're putting around in front wheel drive it's probably not too bad, but putting down much power can hurt stuff in front wheel drive only. On your gas filler neck you could just order the diesel one, or do like I did on my '84 7.3L bronco conversion where no diesel version filler neck is available; just grab a die grinder, and open it up all the way. Of course you'll need to remove it from the vehicle to keep it clean, but do a good job, and you should have no problem. Maybe the down time waiting for your rear drive line will give you a chance to properly address your warm up valve. No reason you shouldn't be pulling in mid to high teens though. baby it when properly running, and you should be looking at high teens.

FWD held up good and the rear driveshaft was finished this AM. Everything is running great except cyl 1 is intermittently dropping out on me at idle. What sucks about that is I replaced #1 injector 30k miles ago. I'm hoping it's just an air bubble working its way out but I've put about 100 miles o n the truck so we'll see.

Things left to do:
get a/c compressor and line
figure out oil pressure, temp, and tach (might be the sensors dont want to play with the v10 dash or I miss wired something)
Re do the heater lines so they dont rub the CAC pipe
Figure out why the other CAC pipe is rubbing the PS line.

 

[Wayne]

I'm fairly certain you'll need the gauge cluster from a 7.3 to keep things happy. No glow plug indicator lamp, and tach is off. I had to do that when I did a v-10 to 12 valve conversion because of how the signal was sent on the Gasser couldn't be easily converted to the diesel signal. Let me know if you need more help with it.

 

[Copracr]

I'm fairly certain you'll need the gauge cluster from a 7.3 to keep things happy. No glow plug indicator lamp, and tach is off. I had to do that when I did a v-10 to 12 valve conversion because of how the signal was sent on the Gasser couldn't be easily converted to the diesel signal. Let me know if you need more help with it.

Thanks, I have the cluster from my other truck that I think i'm gonna have to try. I didnt do it already cause the odo is 80k higher and I didnt want to add the miles. Its also from a 6 speed truck so i'd lose my prndl indicator. But, I might get my alt back - right now its running off the glow plug relay

 

[Wayne]

If I remember right, the manuals have a dummy plug in the gauge cluster that can be popped out so the prndl display can be popped in.

 

[Copracr]

If I remember right, the manuals have a dummy plug in the gauge cluster that can be popped out so the prndl display can be popped in.

Not only does that plug pop out real easy but it makes pulling the cluster easy cause I didn't have to mess with the prndl line. When I put the gauge in I still didn't have oil, temp, or tach.

A little staring at the cluster wiring diagram showed a ground on the temp circuit that wasn't shown on the powertrain diagram. And I saw where the tach has a ground for 5.4 or 6.8 but none for diesel. I didn't get a chance to do the tach but I do have temp now.

When I moved on to the a/c I ran into a bit of a snag. The lines for the compressor weren't available for 7.3 with rear a/c. I had to get one for front a/c only and block the rear line. I would have ordered the right line but it was time for a test drive...

We took it 13 hours down the highway to n Carolina and it did great. No problems at all. No oil or tach but I'll work on those when I get home