What are you doing with the rest of the motorhome, that's quite a drive but I need all the mechanicals for a box truck conversion.

I ran across this thead the other day in which he mentioned from here: http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?166699-M925a2-Power-Surge-!!!/page4

The 8.9L ISL is a stroked version of the 8.3L. It also consists of several modernizations over the older 8.3L, such as a 24 valve head, variable turbo, roller cam/lifters, high pressure common rail electronic injection (multiple pulses per combustion event), and the motorhome engines typically consist of an engine compression brake (Jake brake), which can be configured to use 1-6 cylinders during activation. The ISL is not as popular as the 8.3L or "C" series engines in the market, as the ISL was typically reserved for higher HP needs of larger and heavy vehicles such as RV's and fire trucks. It is rated for GVW up to 60,000lbs, and has the highest power/weight ratio of Cummins engines, but likely also a much shorter life due to the same reason. But considering how far we drive our hobby MV's, that is not a concern here. The engine has 77,000 miles on it.

It is electronic, and does have an ECM, wiring, all that, but Cummins runs their packages as self contained as possible. You really only need to feed the engine ECM power, ground, ignition command, and convert to an accelerator pedal sensor (drive by wire) vs conventional cable. I will need to devise a good way to still have this pull the transmission modulator cable as long as I retain the automatic trans. I need to see if it would require a different ECM to feed it 24V, and if so, then I would just run the engine as-is off of 12v. She runs about 33lbs of boost across the majority of the RPM sweep thanks to the VGT. Cold starting should be even easier with the intake air grid heater (there goes my ether system) and EFI.

We don't know how the transmission and transfer case will hold up, but I do run empty 99% of the time. If it takes out the trans, then that is the time to switch to a manual gearbox. If it takes out the transfer case, then we will look at maybe an M915 type of t-case or...? I considered grabbing the 6 speed Allison with it since it is rated for the power and likely the same size, but I really want a manual. Engine torque rating is 1200ft-lb @ 1400rpm. The latest ISL can be had as high as 450hp. The 2005 may be reflashable up to 425hp, I need to check by serial number, but the 450hp rating requires a different high pressure fuel pump and injectors, so I don't see that happening. Aftermarket companies can add 52hp to this engine by faking out the fuel rail pressure sensor, which then commands a higher fuel rail pressure than normal (more fuel delivery per spray). So, I could go as high as 450hp, but this module is $500, so we'll hold off for now.

Large benefit of using an ISL is the same external dimensions and pattern as the 8.3L. Absolute worst case is to run an earlier 24 valve ISL cylinder head which used mechanical injectors, and a P-7100 pump can be easily adapted. I will lose the ability to increase RPM over the factory 2100-2200 if I stay with the EFI, but 67mph on the truck is fast enough I guess, considering tire ratings and all that, unless I go 395's. I could crank it higher than 2200rpm if I use the mechanical P-7100 pump with an aftermarket governor spring kit.

I have been watching people turn up their 8.3L fuel, and then battle high EGT's. By going the ISL route, I am hoping to have a factory certified smoke free 400hp, without even needing an EGT gauge. I will need to add a front mounted charge air cooler, but no issue there, already purchased and was going to do anyway.

Below is a picture of an 8.9 ISL that has been converted to a conventional P-7100 mechanical pump. You can see beside the wider 24 valve cylinder head, this is the same as an 8.3L engine. My stock 8.3L engine will be available for sale after the conversion is complete, along with one of the two P-7100 injection pumps I have acquired. I wanted to go big bore engine like a 14L 550hp Series 60 (good guess, red), ISX, or the like, but it was hard to pass up one that bolts right in, especially if I need to move the radiator back 2.5" for the full size Volvo charge air cooler (thanks 4xdesign for your work and photos on this). Plus I like the lighter weight of the smaller engine, along with the modernization of the mechanicals.

 

What are you doing with the rest of the motorhome, that's quite a drive but I need all the mechanicals for a box truck conversion.

What all do you need? I was going to pull the engine, trans, radiator, batteries, etc and probably scrap the rest or trying to sell it for parts or something. Basically all I wanted was the engine/trans and accessories/controls.

Didn't get to go look at it last weekend but the ad is still up.... I need another project like I need a hole in my head, but the price is right ($1500 obo) if they still have it. Biggest thing was how much of a pain in the rear it would be to haul. My best guess is it's ~40' long, 11-12' tall and something on the order of 25-30k lb. I'd have to make it fit on a 25+5 10 ton trailer.... Likely be 5000+lb over what I feel comfortable with on the trailer, have 10' or so hanging off the back of the trailer and would be at least 6"-1' over legal height. I've got enough truck to pull it safely but would hate to fawk up the trailer overloading it that much and with my luck I'd find the power line strung at 14'2"..... Was thinking I'd probably have to back it on, likely pull tires and set it down on blocks and it would just generally suck. It's only about 30 miles, half on a minor highway and the rest on backroads, so I could handle the overload and just go slow, but being overheight worries me, especially on backroads where low hanging stuff is likely.

No specific questions yet, just playing with ideas. In theory this is for a pickup motor swap, but at the moment I'm just keeping my eyes open for stuff that looks useful.

 

I have an '04 in my garage, waiting to go into something. I can take measurements/pictures if you would like. It's also a 400 HP unit from a motorhome. I need to do my monthly startup on it anyways...

The CAPS pumps are complex. No experience with them, but like you say they have a lot of negative press. I chose mine for the common rail. There is no emissions anything on them. That didn't start until '05. Cummins used credits from the sales of the 5.9's, which met the new standard early, to continue production of the ISC and ISL's for two more years without all the crap on them. That made them cheaper than the competition. Not a whole lot of issues with these motors from what I have found.

Gages are easy: Get some CAN bus takeoff gage panels from a modern tractor from ebay and hook them up. The ECU will speak J1589 and J1939, so any CAN gage for an OTR truck should work.

ECU connection plug is from AMP, I forget what the P/N is for it. Can be had without too much issue. Cummins sells premade deutch pins with gold plated contacts and a heat-shrink butsplice on the other end for field repairs, so you can wire up the plug without any costly crimp tools.

Probably forgetting a bunch. Let me know specifics and I will try to dust off the mental cobwebs.

 

Well he still has it, but when I asked him what it would take to get running to make sure the engine is still ok he replied that the lift pump is out but it will start then die with ether. Not a good thing to hear! I'm guessing it's a CAPS system and the injection pump is kaput. Lift pump alone looks pricey enough, but then the obvious question is how long has it been that way and how bad it buggered the injection pump. Further, I don't think it would start at all on ether unless it's getting some fuel.... so I have to assume the pump is kaput.

May go fiddle with it a bit, but between difficulty in getting it home and probably engine issue I expect I'll pass on it.

 

tow it with a chain?

 

Have to go about 30 miles, some of which is 2 lane highway. RV is going to have air brakes, which aren't going to be good for anything unless it runs. Maybe could cobble as gas powered compressor up to supply air, but not sure how well that would work, difficultly and how reliable it would be. Without brakes it's 30,000 lb of dead weight and there's some pretty decent hills to go up/down. Gf really isn't skilled enough to want driving a pickup pulling something like this and don't really know anyone else in this area yet.

Putting it on the trailer and managing that problem would be easier I think.

Bottom line is not worth it for a motor that probably need $3,000+ worth of repairs to even know if there's anything else wrong and even with a new pump the reliability may or may not be great.

 

I don't know how the caps lifespan is in truck or rv motors. :Case IH used it in tractors at that point in time. They don't start as good as the common rail cummins motors. A good injection pump seems to last 2-3000 hours. A reman pump from Case is around five grand. A lot of the pump shops dont work on them either.

 

Well, this thing popped back up again this week. And I'm getting a 20 ton lowbed trailer here shortly which will help fix the hauling problem.........

Wife says I have to get her another pony though if I want to bring home a burned rv.....