I'm going to do a 6.0 PSD engine swap!!!

[vacuumbed]

It's been about a year and a half since I sold my 2005 E450 that I bought new. I miss my van.

Since then, I bought a 1997 Ford E350 Airstream B190. I like it because it reminds me of the 2005 that I used to own. It is however, a gasser. I hinted about swapping a 6.0 PSD in to this van. I wasn't kidding. Member carringB helped me locate the companies that sell retired E450 ambulances. These cutaway vans make a great donor as they have the 6.0, and they are loaded with power options. I will be moving the front clip, dash, front doors ans well as the drivetrain over to my 1997 van.


Well, I just pulled the trigger on a 2008 E450, got it for $1,000! It's super clean. I will post pics soon. It will make a great donor vehicle, it has the newer front clip.

There's just a slight problem. The 6.0 PSD is seized up. :E

It's probably hydro locked from a failed EGR cooler, and the engine is going to come out anyway. I'm excited to get started on this!

[colliehauler]

vacuumbed wrote:
So as you know I've been told the engine is seized in the E450 I bought. I decided to make a few calls to find more info on this vehicle myself.

I spoke with the fleet manager of the ambulances for that city it was in. He said about a year ago they had it towed to their Ford dealer as it was running poorly. After the dealer worked on it, it never ran again. They were told it needed a new long block and it had no oil pressure. This seems a little suspect to me. I'm sure a lot of dealers are just suggesting customers buy a new engine when they don't want to fix it.

I don't know how they came to the conclusion that it was seized.
For all I know it may not be seized. The oil I was told was just below the full mark, and the coolant was low. There was no coolant found in the oil. When I get the van I may just send an oil sample to Blackstone labs.

That sounds good. I bought a 07 6.0 truck but it was pushed after the problem until it was trashed. I bought a used motor with 60k miles from a rolled truck. I had the mod's done before install.

[vacuumbed]

So as you know I've been told the engine is seized in the E450 I bought. I decided to make a few calls to find more info on this vehicle myself.

I spoke with the fleet manager of the ambulances for that city it was in. He said about a year ago they had it towed to their Ford dealer as it was running poorly. After the dealer worked on it, it never ran again. They were told it needed a new long block and it had no oil pressure. This seems a little suspect to me. I'm sure a lot of dealers are just suggesting customers buy a new engine when they don't want to fix it.

I don't know how they came to the conclusion that it was seized.
For all I know it may not be seized. The oil I was told was just below the full mark, and the coolant was low. There was no coolant found in the oil. When I get the van I may just send an oil sample to Blackstone labs.

[vacuumbed]

bound4fl wrote:
Just out of curisoty why not go with a 7.3

I have owned both in vans. I like the way the 6.0 drives, it's a faster reving diesel and I like the 5R100 transmission.

[vacuumbed]

carringb wrote:

vacuumbed wrote:
This is going to be the most complicated swap that I will try to undertake. The instrument cluster for the 6.0 has a digital readout for the miles, while the one for the 97 van is analog. This is going to involve wiring harnesses.

Glad it working out so you can have a rig the way you want it!

Have you though about a partial body swap? I saw one Extended wagon body transplanted onto an E450 158" ambulance chassis. He cut the wagon body midway through the front doors, and grafted that to the ambulance cab. It looked stock almost! it even had an extra pair of half-doors like an extended-cab pickup! I wish I could find a pic.

As for wiring....

You will need the entire engine and dash harness. This is because the dash went to CAN-bus in 2003, and there is a feedback loop from the cluster. Even the radio gets a CAN signal. All the body wiring should be same however, so for the most part, it will be just a matter of unplugging the right connectors.

I remember reading about when CAN was added to the vans. I plan on moving all the harnesses and dash over as well as just about everything under the hood.

[vacuumbed]

carringb wrote:

mudfuel07 wrote:
If you weren't so far away, I would take the rear axle from the E450 off your hands!

I would be willing to come get it. I plan on upgrading mine also, since I run well over the 7800# rating of the current D70. Does it have parking brakes at the axle, or the transmission parking brake?

I'm not sure, its not in my possesion yet. I am hoping to have it here in Salt Lake within 30 days. I have paid for it, I'm just waiting for a transport company to be available to pick it up.

My 2005 E450 had the parking brake on the transmission with rear disc. I will let you know what I find on it as soon as it arrives.

[bound4fl]

Just out of curisoty why not go with a 7.3

[carringb]

mudfuel07 wrote:
If you weren't so far away, I would take the rear axle from the E450 off your hands!

I would be willing to come get it. I plan on upgrading mine also, since I run well over the 7800# rating of the current D70. Does it have parking brakes at the axle, or the transmission parking brake?

[carringb]

vacuumbed wrote:
This is going to be the most complicated swap that I will try to undertake. The instrument cluster for the 6.0 has a digital readout for the miles, while the one for the 97 van is analog. This is going to involve wiring harnesses.

Glad it working out so you can have a rig the way you want it!

Have you though about a partial body swap? I saw one Extended wagon body transplanted onto an E450 158" ambulance chassis. He cut the wagon body midway through the front doors, and grafted that to the ambulance cab. It looked stock almost! it even had an extra pair of half-doors like an extended-cab pickup! I wish I could find a pic.

As for wiring....

You will need the entire engine and dash harness. This is because the dash went to CAN-bus in 2003, and there is a feedback loop from the cluster. Even the radio gets a CAN signal. All the body wiring should be same however, so for the most part, it will be just a matter of unplugging the right connectors.

[vacuumbed]

boogie_4wheel wrote:
I want to watch this build!

Do you plan to ditch the EGR?

Yes, since it's going in to a 1997 van I plan to do a EGR and a CAT delete. I would like to address other known 6.0 issues as well like the oil cooler & EGR cooler. I'm going to use this thread for the build. Thanks for your support!

[boogie_4wheel]

I want to watch this build!

Do you plan to ditch the EGR?

[mudfuel07]

If you weren't so far away, I would take the rear axle from the E450 off your hands!

[Vanished]

Sounds like a fun project given the time, money, skills and resources.. 🙂

Enjoy!

[vacuumbed]

Here is a picture of my 1997 E350 and the 2008 E450 donor vehicle. I am in the process of purchasing the E450.

[vacuumbed]

Hank85713 wrote:
I test drove a couple of B+ with the 6.0. One was kinda doggy, but i think it was due to the original owner not being real careful on his maintenance. The 2d was a good runner and I would have loved to get the setup. Both checked out well with a scan gauge and both got approx 11mpg per the documents in the rv. 2d rv was in terrible shape as the owner evidently lived in it and didn't take care and never cleaned prior to giving to consignment lot and they did not clean either.

Long story short bought a 2012 with the V10, still wish we could have found a diesel! Let folks talk about the engine, they are good but you cannot be a slacker to own one either.

What mileage do you get from your V10?

[shooker99]

My bother-in-law has a 6.0 Around this part of the country a 6.0 is nothing but high priced trouble. Good luck! Hope it works for you. Paul