engine swap
September 5th, 2020, 7:34 PM
#2
CF Veteran
I’m sure there’s plenty of users on this board who know more about inter-make swaps than I do - not everything I bring up may be as problematic as it sounds.
That said... Where there is a will, there is a way.... but a swap of that nature would take a great deal of patience, electrical re-wiring and custom work that may require frame, body and driveline modifications.
I don’t know the exact dimensions of the block, but generally speaking, Ford builds “wide” engines (compare pics of a 6.7 and a GM’s current modular engines) - it’s going to take up a lot more room than the 1994 engine bay was intended for. You’ll most likely have to fabricate engine mounts and cut out portions of the fender wells to make room for the exhaust manifolds. It’s also highly unlikely the transmission is going to work. Even assuming you can make an adapter plate and find the correct starter/flywheel configuration, the transmission and transfer case in the 94 had minimal computer controls which the PCM would be expecting signals from.
Which brings us to the PCM. There’s a lot of signals the PCM expects to see in order to start and run the engine. Although the necessary engine sensors would already be in the engine, you also have to consider security protocols and communication circuits. I haven’t seen a schematic for a 2020 power stroke but off the top of my head it’s probably going to need communication with a TCM, transfer case control module and anti-theft module at the very least. If you want to scrap the factory PCM for an aftermarket controller...well, I’m not sure what’s available for that.
You’d also need to install a new fuel tank, lines, cooler for the fuel return and high pressure supply pump.
It may also require beefing up the front suspension with heavier coil springs to support the weight which might mean replacing the seats.
If you really want to go forward with this, all I could suggest is thoroughly researching and comparing what it takes to just get the engine mounted and properly operate the drive train. If you can get that figured out, getting it to run is a secondary concern.
That said... Where there is a will, there is a way.... but a swap of that nature would take a great deal of patience, electrical re-wiring and custom work that may require frame, body and driveline modifications.
I don’t know the exact dimensions of the block, but generally speaking, Ford builds “wide” engines (compare pics of a 6.7 and a GM’s current modular engines) - it’s going to take up a lot more room than the 1994 engine bay was intended for. You’ll most likely have to fabricate engine mounts and cut out portions of the fender wells to make room for the exhaust manifolds. It’s also highly unlikely the transmission is going to work. Even assuming you can make an adapter plate and find the correct starter/flywheel configuration, the transmission and transfer case in the 94 had minimal computer controls which the PCM would be expecting signals from.
Which brings us to the PCM. There’s a lot of signals the PCM expects to see in order to start and run the engine. Although the necessary engine sensors would already be in the engine, you also have to consider security protocols and communication circuits. I haven’t seen a schematic for a 2020 power stroke but off the top of my head it’s probably going to need communication with a TCM, transfer case control module and anti-theft module at the very least. If you want to scrap the factory PCM for an aftermarket controller...well, I’m not sure what’s available for that.
You’d also need to install a new fuel tank, lines, cooler for the fuel return and high pressure supply pump.
It may also require beefing up the front suspension with heavier coil springs to support the weight which might mean replacing the seats.
If you really want to go forward with this, all I could suggest is thoroughly researching and comparing what it takes to just get the engine mounted and properly operate the drive train. If you can get that figured out, getting it to run is a secondary concern.
September 6th, 2020, 12:15 AM
#3
I’m sure there’s plenty of users on this board who know more about inter-make swaps than I do - not everything I bring up may be as problematic as it sounds.
That said... Where there is a will, there is a way.... but a swap of that nature would take a great deal of patience, electrical re-wiring and custom work that may require frame, body and driveline modifications.
I don’t know the exact dimensions of the block, but generally speaking, Ford builds “wide” engines (compare pics of a 6.7 and a GM’s current modular engines) - it’s going to take up a lot more room than the 1994 engine bay was intended for. You’ll most likely have to fabricate engine mounts and cut out portions of the fender wells to make room for the exhaust manifolds. It’s also highly unlikely the transmission is going to work. Even assuming you can make an adapter plate and find the correct starter/flywheel configuration, the transmission and transfer case in the 94 had minimal computer controls which the PCM would be expecting signals from.
Which brings us to the PCM. There’s a lot of signals the PCM expects to see in order to start and run the engine. Although the necessary engine sensors would already be in the engine, you also have to consider security protocols and communication circuits. I haven’t seen a schematic for a 2020 power stroke but off the top of my head it’s probably going to need communication with a TCM, transfer case control module and anti-theft module at the very least. If you want to scrap the factory PCM for an aftermarket controller...well, I’m not sure what’s available for that.
You’d also need to install a new fuel tank, lines, cooler for the fuel return and high pressure supply pump.
It may also require beefing up the front suspension with heavier coil springs to support the weight which might mean replacing the seats.
If you really want to go forward with this, all I could suggest is thoroughly researching and comparing what it takes to just get the engine mounted and properly operate the drive train. If you can get that figured out, getting it to run is a secondary concern.
That said... Where there is a will, there is a way.... but a swap of that nature would take a great deal of patience, electrical re-wiring and custom work that may require frame, body and driveline modifications.
I don’t know the exact dimensions of the block, but generally speaking, Ford builds “wide” engines (compare pics of a 6.7 and a GM’s current modular engines) - it’s going to take up a lot more room than the 1994 engine bay was intended for. You’ll most likely have to fabricate engine mounts and cut out portions of the fender wells to make room for the exhaust manifolds. It’s also highly unlikely the transmission is going to work. Even assuming you can make an adapter plate and find the correct starter/flywheel configuration, the transmission and transfer case in the 94 had minimal computer controls which the PCM would be expecting signals from.
Which brings us to the PCM. There’s a lot of signals the PCM expects to see in order to start and run the engine. Although the necessary engine sensors would already be in the engine, you also have to consider security protocols and communication circuits. I haven’t seen a schematic for a 2020 power stroke but off the top of my head it’s probably going to need communication with a TCM, transfer case control module and anti-theft module at the very least. If you want to scrap the factory PCM for an aftermarket controller...well, I’m not sure what’s available for that.
You’d also need to install a new fuel tank, lines, cooler for the fuel return and high pressure supply pump.
It may also require beefing up the front suspension with heavier coil springs to support the weight which might mean replacing the seats.
If you really want to go forward with this, all I could suggest is thoroughly researching and comparing what it takes to just get the engine mounted and properly operate the drive train. If you can get that figured out, getting it to run is a secondary concern.
September 6th, 2020, 8:54 AM
#4
CF Veteran
thank you for all that. Do you know if it would it help if I got a k3500? And/or swap basically everything electrical from the diesel into the k? My idea is to find a crashed donor truck and a rolling shell. I'm already planning on replacing the seats with bucket seats, changing a lot of electrical, doing a heavy-duty drive line and suspension.
As far as swapping electrical systems, that would make it easier in terms of PCM functionality, but there’s still a lot of factors to consider. If you’re gonna swap the entire power train (engine, trans and transfer case) there’s not much to worry about; but if you want to mate the engine with a different transmission, you need to look at whether the PCM/TCM is even compatible with that transmission and if not, what it would take to make it work. Same goes with the key side of the ignition system for security reasons.
That would also mean making sure the BCM gets all the data it needs to function.
Like I said, others may have better knowledge than I do, but If I had to guess, I doubt you’ll be able to use anything other than the complete Ford power train because it’s just too new. Even then, programming the axle ratio and wheel size will be needed and adding wheel speed sensors.
A project of this nature needs to be very methodical. I’d start by just making a checklist of everything needed and work through it step by step.
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