89 GMC Cummins conversion

[COS399]

Originally Posted by COS399

Well I made some progress with the build, but I am still waiting on my Transmission Cooler. I was given an expected delivery date of 1/20 and when I called them on the 24th I was told that the new expected delivery date is now 1/30.

Well I am no longer waiting on JEGS to send me my transmission cooler. Here is what has transpired in the last 18 days. I ordered the cooler on-line on 1/12 after the web site lead me to believe that the item was in stock and indicating that it would be shipped the next day. On 1/13, I was notified by e-mail that the item was out of stock but the vendor, B D, had an expected shipping date of 1/20. On 1/24, I called up Customer Service for JEGS and they "called the vendor" and was told that the cooler was still being built and the expected shipping date would now be 1/30. Today, I called the CS for JEGS and they again "called the vendor" and were told that it was still being built. So I decided to cancel my order and call Ken Kraus at Autoworld Conversions who was able to track one down right away and it should be up here the first part of next week. I should have just ordered it from Autoworld to begin with since the owners, Ken and Dawna, as well as their staff have been extremely helpful and willing to help me see this project through. Autoworld is where I bought the cross member, motor mounts, transmission controller, adapter plate, flex plate, starter, down pipe and other miscellaneous parts that go along with this type of conversion.

Here is Autoworld Conversions' internet site address in case anyone is interested. www.cumminsdieselrepowers.com

[COS399]

This past week I: 1.) built a bracket to mount the PCS Transmission Controller to the emergency brake pedal assembly under the dash (2.) a bracket the keep the wiring coming out of the controller secure (3.) finished wiring the transmission controller (4.) painted the inner fenders and battery trays (5.) modified and mounted the cover for the transmission torque converter (6.) ran the wire for the transmission temperature gauge (7.) mounted the left fender and inner fender (8.) built some front axle bumper stop extensions.

Attached are a few pictures.

[COS399]

WOO HOO!! Ken at AutoWorld came through. I got a call today that my transmission cooler was at his shop and somebody I know just happen to be in the neighborhood to pick it up and bring it to me. I will start installing it tomorrow and I am still shooting to have it running this weekend. I will post some pics. later this week.

[Pullin81]

Nice truck man I was curious how the 4l80e would hold up to the cummins... Be interested to see how it works for you... The more I think about it the more I wish I would have gone with an automatic transmission... I see your from north mt I ride down threw Montana when I head south on the bike in the summer... Keep up the good work

[COS399]

Pullin81 - thanks for the compliment. I was in Great Falls the other day and Ken drove me around in a 12 valve 4l80 that he was working on for a customer. He was still tweaking it a little bit but it seemed like a good set up. I still have the donor truck and a 47RE if I decide it was a bad ideal.

[1774btcrew]

Curious what you are doing about mounting the TPS and what you are using. On my 4l80e Cummins conversion I first used a GM TPS that came with the Compushift controller. It was a constant problem and I was replacing them often. I ended up switching to a Ford TPS that I mounted on top of the pump. Seems to work well but need a little more dialing in.

[COS399]

Originally Posted by 1774btcrew

Curious what you are doing about mounting the TPS and what you are using. On my 4l80e Cummins conversion I first used a GM TPS that came with the Compushift controller. It was a constant problem and I was replacing them often. I ended up switching to a Ford TPS that I mounted on top of the pump. Seems to work well but need a little more dialing in.

I just tapped into the TPS on the IP, I was told it was all I needed to do since I have the 24 Valve.

[Dieselwrencher]

Very nice work and cool project! Ken and Dawna definitely are great people and will help you out no problem. Those 24v's are easier to wire up than most think. It's just more work is all. I bet you'll like the 4L80E once it's set up right. A good TC and VB and it should be great. Can you just tap into the APPS on the 24v for the PCS for the TPS input? That's what I was able to do on a 5R110 set up I did. If you get bored, we have a diesel conversion section in the engine forum with a lot of great builds in there. Anyhow, keep up the great work!

[COS399]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Very nice work and cool project! Ken and Dawna definitely are great people and will help you out no problem. Those 24v's are easier to wire up than most think. It's just more work is all. I bet you'll like the 4L80E once it's set up right. A good TC and VB and it should be great. Can you just tap into the APPS on the 24v for the PCS for the TPS input? That's what I was able to do on a 5R110 set up I did. If you get bored, we have a diesel conversion section in the engine forum with a lot of great builds in there. Anyhow, keep up the great work!

I believe that is what I tapped into. To be honest there was already a wire tap on the harness coming from the IP. As for the diesel conversion section, I found that after posting this build where I did. I am not sure whether I can move it or if I need to. I love this site and all the projects and information that everyone shares.

[brimc]

Awesome job man. Can't wait to see how it turns out!

[COS399]

Thanks guys. I am working on mounting the trans cooler and should have it fired up this weekend.

[COS399]

My transmission cooler showed up and after planning on mounting behind the grill, I read the instruction sheet and read that it was a "puller" and not a "pusher." I therefore had to come up with a new game plan on where to mount it. I think in the end this is a better location anyway. I built the cooler holder, wired it up, heat wrapped the exhaust down pipe and mounted the right front fender. The inner fender would not bolt up because it was fighting with the intercooler tube for the space. After getting out a hammer and dolly the inner fender decided to play nice.

[Dieselwrencher]

Nice work on mounting your trans cooler! When I did the 89 burn I did, I put it right there too.

[COS399]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Nice work on mounting your trans cooler! When I did the 89 burn I did, I put it right there too.

Dieselwrencher, I mounted mine to the drop sway bar brackets with a 1/4" plate that had previously been bent for a different project. Of course the mount/box was a thinner sheet we bent into the box shape. Did you have any issues with it being between the frame rails behind the bumper? It isn't mounted to the radiator shroud so there shouldn't be an issue with the frame flexing.

[COS399]

Good News! It's alive!! She wouldn't start at first due to two bad batteries that had a date of November of 2006 and air in the fuel lines. I need to buy two new batteries and then I will hook up to the PCS transmission controller and then see if it moves. Here are a few pictures

To get it running today we built the new battery cables, new intake heater cables from the battery to the relay and then from the relay to the heater itself.

I was filling the transmission and realized that there was a crack in the funnel down by the bottom and since there wasn't another one available we found a new use for heat shrink tubing. I still got more to do but getting it started up today was important.

[collect t/as]

Looks fantastic!

[carboncrew]

Dang...you don't mess around!

Very nice

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by COS399

Dieselwrencher, I mounted mine to the drop sway bar brackets with a 1/4" plate that had previously been bent for a different project. Of course the mount/box was a thinner sheet we bent into the box shape. Did you have any issues with it being between the frame rails behind the bumper? It isn't mounted to the radiator shroud so there shouldn't be an issue with the frame flexing.

The only issue was the cooler didn't have a fan on it at first. The owner has since added a fan and there have been no issues with it. The owner also added a pretty big aluminum skid plate with holes drilled in it and I'm guessing that was the air flow issue.

[COS399]

Thanks for the positive feedback. I'm going through a learning curve with the PCS transmission controller and I think that whoever tapped into the IP tapped into the wrong wire and therefore my TPS isn't reading properly on the computer. I should have it figured out by this time tomorrow.

CarbonCrew - I should be going to Conrad in the next couple of days and I will try and find MRC.

[fluffyfreak]

Nice build, im all in! Im interested in seeing how the 4l80 holds up to the torque, shouldnt be a problem tho, drag racers put em behind big torque big blocks

[COS399]

I got my TPS wiring issue figured out and took it for a spin around the shop a few times. It was a great feeling to get it to go and stop. Of course it was short lived because the power steering is really firm and I need to determine how to fix it. I also wired the up the Intake Heater relays and got the "Glow Plug" indicator lamp on the dash to come on during the heat cycle. I am going to try and replace the "Glow Plug" insert with a "Wait to Start" or the heater looking symbol.

[y5mgisi]

Nice!

[v-man]

Nice truck! Gotta love those 89 Jimmy's. The dieselwrencher is right. My tranny was heating up with similar cooler placement and it was apparent my skid plate was restricting air flow so I added a fan on a toggle switch which helped. But when towing heavy my tranny temps where still on the hot side so I squeezed another cooler between the grill and the innercooler and hooked them together in a series loop. Now my tranny temps are awesome and I rarely use the fan. Keep up the nice work.

[brimc]

That's great. Got any video of the first start?

[6BT 56]

Yep that is a great job you are doing. Im looking forward to hearing more abt the 4l80 and how the controller works . I have a 2002 burb that i was thinking abt a cummins swap . I would need the same trans controller I guess. Oil pan is a issue on these IFS trucks I hear as well. I have had my eyes open for a truck like yours for some time now to do just as you are doing . Keep up the good work .