# making a chevy gas to diesel



## Reliable Snow and Ice (Dec 22, 2009)

I have a 99 chevy suburban 4x4 with the 5.7L gas and I'm thinking of putting in a 5.7L diesel in it 
that was out of an 80's caddy and I'm wondering if the trans bolt patterns were and are the same?
and again with the toque converts 

it's a project that I would like to do only cause I make Bio Diesel and I make it for cheep...

but not going to try if it won't fit......


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## lilweeds (Aug 3, 2007)

You'd be better off looking for a 6.2 or a 6.5. Lot's of those around with mechanical pumps. A Cummins 4bt would also be an excellent choice, but a bit more work.


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## Reliable Snow and Ice (Dec 22, 2009)

lilweeds;1082787 said:


> You'd be better off looking for a 6.2 or a 6.5. Lot's of those around with mechanical pumps. A Cummins 4bt would also be an excellent choice, but a bit more work.


now would those just bolt up to the trans i have in the truck now


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## AIMscapes (Jul 29, 2009)

The 5.7 diesel motor is basically a converted gas motor that GM built in the late 70's early 80's due to astronomical fuel prices. My dad had one in an Oldsmobile and it made poor power and never ran correctly. I would go with a 6.2 or 6.5 diesel. Either of these should bolt up to your 700R4 transmission. A 5.9 Cummins 12V would be the transplant of choice due to the power and tuneability. I don't know if that motor will bolt up to your transmission. Good luck.


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## Reliable Snow and Ice (Dec 22, 2009)

AIMscapes;1082815 said:


> The 5.7 diesel motor is basically a converted gas motor that GM built in the late 70's early 80's due to astronomical fuel prices. My dad had one in an Oldsmobile and it made poor power and never ran correctly. I would go with a 6.2 or 6.5 diesel. Either of these should bolt up to your 700R4 transmission. A 5.9 Cummins 12V would be the transplant of choice due to the power and tuneability. I don't know if that motor will bolt up to your transmission. Good luck.


awesome thank's :bluebounc


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

Reliable Snow and Ice;1082785 said:


> I have a 99 chevy suburban 4x4 with the 5.9L gas


 No such thing as a GM 5.9 gas in a Sub. Must be a typo. 



Reliable Snow and Ice;1082785 said:


> thinking of putting in a 5.7L diesel in it
> that was out of an 80's caddy and I'm wondering if the trans bolt patterns were and are the same? But not going to try if it won't fit......


Don't even waste your time on the old 5.7 Olds based Diesel, you'll have no electronics to run the 4L60E trans without considerable expense and it won't fit the bell housing anyway. You would have to purchase a great deal of gas before it would even come close to paying for itself.


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## Reliable Snow and Ice (Dec 22, 2009)

yeah typo just fixed it

and the trans i have in the burban is the 4L80e


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## mayhem (Aug 25, 2006)

Different number, same problem.


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## B&B (Nov 4, 2006)

mayhem;1082833 said:


> Different number, same problem.


Yep.......


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## matzke3 (Oct 15, 2008)

If its the old body style the pattern should be the same, BUT with the electronic trans you would need an ecm and im thinking it would have to interface with the engine.


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## USMCMP5811 (Aug 31, 2008)

Reliable Snow and Ice;1082764 said:


> I have a 99 chevy suburban 4x4 with the 5.9L gas and I'm thinking of putting in a 5.7L diesel in it
> that was out of an 80's caddy and I'm wondering if the trans bolt patterns were and are the same?
> and again with the toque converts
> 
> ...


Back in the 80's GM's diesels were nothing more than a 5.7L 350 CID block with different heads and intake on them. They were real dogs of a motor and most people tended to swap them out with a gas motor.

If you realy want to do do a diesel conversion, I suggest swaping in a 12 valve mechanical Cummins motor with the NV4500 standard 5 speed trans from a 2nd generation dodge ram (94 - 98.5)


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## Reliable Snow and Ice (Dec 22, 2009)

well at this point i guess i should look into trading my gas burban for a diesel one


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## theplowmeister (Nov 14, 2006)

OR put the suburban body on a 2500 diesel pickup


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## Reliable Snow and Ice (Dec 22, 2009)

theplowmeister;1083237 said:


> OR put the suburban body on a 2500 diesel pickup


oh i would love to to do that but there are not many out there


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## JoeCool (Oct 29, 2009)

USMCMP5811;1083182 said:


> Back in the 80's GM's diesels were nothing more than a 5.7L 350 CID block with different heads and intake on them. They were real dogs of a motor and most people tended to swap them out with a gas motor.
> 
> If you realy want to do do a diesel conversion, I suggest swaping in a 12 valve mechanical Cummins motor with the NV4500 standard 5 speed trans from a 2nd generation dodge ram (94 - 98.5)


But they were an Olds/Buick trans bolt pattern. I know of one 5.7 diesel that was replaced with a gas and it had to be an Olds to bolt up so he put in a 403? I think it was. Drove for many more years after that. They may have actually been the Olds/Buick 350. I even know of one cutlass that was diesel (factory).


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## 496 BB (Feb 11, 2010)

Yea you wouldnt really want an older diesel. The power rating in unreal and by that I mean its low. As said previously put a Cummins in it or swap to a Duramax. Either way its going to be a project and cost more than anticipated. But it would be cool also. Plenty of people that have done it. Older Cummins 12V would probably be the easiest swap.


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## Reliable Snow and Ice (Dec 22, 2009)

496 BB;1083262 said:


> Yea you wouldnt really want an older diesel. The power rating in unreal and by that I mean its low. As said previously put a Cummins in it or swap to a Duramax. Either way its going to be a project and cost more than anticipated. But it would be cool also. Plenty of people that have done it. Older Cummins 12V would probably be the easiest swap.


well i'm now looking for a duramax so we'll see what i find


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## NorthernPlowman (Sep 2, 2010)

If I were you, I'd sell what you have a buy a diesel and save myself a ton of hassle and aggervation cause you'll spend more time making parts to work and trying to hunt stuff down to find out you'll have to make something. I delivered to a guy about 3 years ago he was putting a mercedes diesel in a tahoe guess what 3 years later it's still sitting in his garage not running.


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