Dodge Cummins Automatic??

I'm looking for engine donors for the bus. Anything Cummins powered and reasonably priced, is a Dodge truck with a automatic.

I would like to stay away from the electronic diesels. Any of you gents familiar with Dodges automatics from the first gen diesel trucks? Will it survive toting 15000 pounds of bus?

Will a Allison auto bolt up to the same engine if I have to upgrade at a later date?

That's a lot of bus. I doubt it would do it stock, but they can be built to be pretty stinkin' stout. It's a derivative of the 727, the only good trans they made for decades.

the adapter alone for the Cummins -> allison is almost $1k

Do you need overdrive? If not you can get an early 90's 6bt with an allison already from busses and medium trucks.

In reply to patgizz:

With the axle gearing in the bus, overdrive is going to be a necessity. That or regearing the rear end.

what about a gearvendors overdrive, that would open up alot more options.

You could get the Cummins/Allison ready to rock in a school bus but its not the same as the Chevy Allison. You could also get a 5.9 Cummins with an SAE bell housing and have your pick of medium duty transmissions that would be right at home.

Front engine cummins poweres school bus. But I note single axle garbage trucks go really cheap and can be had with cat and mercedes power.

You could also watch for yard tractors.

Those are typically powered by a Cummins 5.9 ISB with an auto behind it.

How is the durability of the auto trans in the heavy duty Ram's?

2002 model 1 ton 2wd dually with a Cummins and auto trans

I didn't mean to hi-jack your thread, but I was thinking of looking at this truck with only 70K on the odometer

I don't really trust any mopar automatics, to be honest. There should be all kinds of medium duty 5.9s and 6.7s of various ratings out there with SAE flywheel housings. The FH options just bolt on, so you may be able to adapt one to fit. Cummins makes dozens of flywheels and flywheel housings for that platform, which you may be able to get ahold of through the service network.

As an owner of a truck with a 5.9 Cummins and a 727, Do not put this combo in that bus. I vote for the medium duty truck/bus donor option. Also I seem to recall some(possibly most) rear engine buses still have normal engines/transmissions, just mounted backwards with an "upside down" axle. Might not be a problem if you are keeping your axle.

https://www.bcauction.ca/open.dll/showDisplayDocument?sessionID=1180041008&disID=7163530&docType=Tender&dis_version_nos=0&doc_search_by=Tend&docTypeQual=TN

The 5.9 will be fine with the right gearing. I'm a huge fan of finding a working combination in something that mimics your duty cycle and swapping that in.

Garbage trucks, buses or other would work. The international equivalent of the 7.3 would be plenty stout. A school bus engine and combo would be great, just make sure you can hit 65 and climb hills with your two speed rear end.

http://savannah.craigslist.org/hvo/5751499748.html

It might be possible to beef up the pickup auto enough to handle it, but a SAE backplate and a used medium duty manual would probably be cheaper and devoid of the problem of relying on modified stuff.

In reply to Fueled by Caffeine:

While I would love a DT466, it's huge. I would have to cut the fire wall out and rebuild it 8" back. I still think about doing it anyways, it would be a awesome powerplant and move the bus down the road with authority.

In reply to Toyman01:

Sorry got my engines confused. I meant to say a t444e.

http://savannah.craigslist.org/cto/5753848835.html

Job done.

Think outside the box. Go 6.0 Powerstroke or the IH version VT366?. Cheap. V8 packaging makes the install easier. Easy to bulletproof since you'll have it out anyway. They can make gobbilty gobbs of power.

If it's any consolation, the manual transmission Dodge put behind the 12V Cummins was no better, if not worse. At least the automatics can be upgraded to improve reliability. The manual upgrade is to convert to a newer 6 spd, which is pricey and also of questionable reliability.

ToyMan:I don't know if I'm being helpful or not, but with the best of intentions, here's some brainstorming:

I Have a Cummins auto truck. "93 model, so it is the evolved 727 plus overdrive. It seems like it would do as well as anything from a non-CDL type vehicle. This truck has been abused for 200K+ miles. I have towed lots of stuff with all the modern diesels of at least the weight of Sanford(admittedly, not the same thing, but HEAVY). Always auto,4X4, loaded trucks with AC, and the lot, always caned to within an inch of their lives. The Cummins was by far my favorite. Transmissions did crap out on all of them, but I always ended up back at Dodge as the leader. My belief, for what it is worth, is that that's your best bet from a one ton or thereabouts donor. Didn't the 727 see mobile home use? Maybe find a really good rebuild shop, and spend the dough on that? I hear they can be built strong.The later sticks behind Cummins were stronger than the earlier. Maybe a NV4500 and adapter bellhousing? The 4X4 guys do that one.

Please refresh my memory, Does Sanford have a two speed rear end? Would that, along with the aforementioned combo work. Tricky, I know, as it gets pricey quick. I had considered a stick conversion for my truck, but have(for the moment) talked myself into keeping what I've got, and having it built in the event of explosion.

Again, Probably nothing you haven't already gone in some circles on, but maybe knowing others feel your pain helps. Your builds are the most! Thanks for sharing.