Anyone seen a Duramax/Allison in one of these trucks?

[HIGHPLAINSDRIFTER]

Been looking around a little and have seen it.  I am sure it's been done somewhere.

[DnStClr]

I've seen a story of a Duramax being retro'd into a 1989 chevy by Jim Bigley at the dieselpage website. It turned out to be an awesome truck. http://www.thedieselpage.com/duramaxconversions.htm
Something in the back of my mind tells me I've seen an older retrofit, but I can't 'member so good where it was.

[VileZambonie]

The Allison transmissions are so problematic and expensive even to fix yourself you'd literally have to have bank, be crazy or have one fall into your lap to make it worth your efforts. I'm rebuilding an Allison right now and you don't even want to know what the parts cost let alone the cracked extension housing that goes along with 90% of these pieces of crap. Now do you even want me to get started with the engine management problems?

[eventhorizon66]

So if one were in the market for a 3/4 ton diesel, you wouldn't be recommending a Chevy?  What then, Dodge?  Surely not Ford.

[VileZambonie]

Hey buy the Chevy (and get an extended warranty)

[choptop]

If i was putting a Duramax of even the 8.1 in one of these trucks, Id go with a 4l80 over the Allison. I worked for Stewart&Stevenson who are Allison dealers, and learned alot about the Allison 1000 thats in the Chevy trucks. For what the Allison costs, and its limits on power input that it cant handle, you can buy a well built 4l80. A good friend of mine gets to rebuild Allisons quite often because someone decided to put a Bullydog programmer, and toasted it. The 1000 is really only rated for 350 horse from the factory

[HIGHPLAINSDRIFTER]

I had an 02 w/ the 8.1 and an Allison.  I put 130k on it and only had one problem.  Some wiring plug on the tranny melted cause a short and then I only had 2 second gear.  I also had an 05 with the 6.6 and an allison.  I put 100k on it and never had any trouble.  Recently sold all my trucks but my old 79 and rebuilt it.  Older is so much cooler!

[SUX2BU99]

With all of the ridiculously easy ways of extracting mondo-torque from modern diesels by way of power programmers and such plus huge tires that guys like to put on, I wonder how well any of the factory automatics are holding up to the abuse? Good to know about that Allison though.

[eventhorizon66]

Yep that's something I didn't know.  Of course I'd never researched it.  The Torq-shift trans is the only thing that hasn't given my stepdad problems in his F250, lol.  I was always kinda partial to the Dodge anyways.  Good thing, because now its seems to be the only option.

[VileZambonie]

I'll take pix of the Allison I am pulling apart monday. Just the broken parts were $1306.20 at my cost.

[malibu795]

stock for stock a MCT1000 will run away form a 4l85E period

built properly the 4l85e will not keep up with a MCT1000 especially in 5th gear/over drive.. it wont happen. i cna tell you these allison have been in to 9.3 @146mph in 5500lb trucks. reguarly.
allison is no more porblematic then the 4l85
both have had NSBU problems
can you mess both up sure can..
allison will hold ~100 more rwhp then stock before it limps in stock form.
plus you need then TCM to control the allison
engine swap is much easier..  bell housing is the stand GM 7 hole and then flex plate is the 11" bolt pattern... will  need a 6 bolt TC or you will break flex plates.
efi live is esecntial for the swap.

vile ECM only tell theTCM what tps and rpm it is at... rest is TCM

if then tail shaft housing it crack... that operators fault not trannys

and duh it will cost more... it bigger stronger and eavier then a 4l85

[DnStClr]

Yeah Vile. You can't mess with our Duramaxes and get away with it   so there..

[VileZambonie]

vile ECM only tell theTCM what tps and rpm it is at... rest is TCM

if then tail shaft housing it crack... that operators fault not trannys

and duh it will cost more... it bigger stronger and eavier then a 4l85

Ok ? 

I have no idea what you are trying to say or what your point is but the slightest driveline vibration cracked thousands of these extension housings with practically no miles on them and ended up with slipping units.

[malibu795]

so a few 1000 tranny have manufactor defects... out of several MILLION sold and in service  mind you thats only a couple 1% points of everything...
deff IMO not worth this labbeling

The Allison transmissions are so problematic and expensive even to fix yourself you'd literally have to have bank, be crazy

there are only 4 wires that acutually run between then TCM and ECM directly... couple 12v a 5v and a couple grounds

if you would like i can dig out my Helms manualy and post the wiring diagragms between then TCM and ECM

[VileZambonie]

Malibu you obviously missed the point I made and I still don't get why you are talking about the TCM.