Cummins Swap First Start! Plus Wiring a Computer-Controlled Engine [Part 17] 

Make sure you torque down that Like button until it turns blue! 🔧

After binging this entire project and some other videos of Waldo's, I've come to this conclusion: This guy is one of the most brilliant people on the entire RU-vid platform. Seriously, he's done literally everything for this project all by himself. He fabricated dozens of parts, successfully reinstalled the engine, wired up the whole thing (which looks extremely, extremely complex), and did all the body work. On top of all that, he has the technical knowledge to correctly use all the required tools to do all those listed applications. If that isn't enough for you, he also filmed and edited the entire thing into a cohesive final product. What an absolute genius madlad.

Such a pleasure to watch, good camera, editing... You deserve more subs bro.

Dodge made an easy wiring harness because they knew people would want the engine and not the rest of the truck

Glad I stumbled upon this page. I love seeing people finish nice builds with as little as possible. He’s got a dirt floor, holes in the walls, and his transmission jack is a furniture dolly with some scrap wood nailed to it and he still accomplishes more than I do with a full shop. Thanks for the motivation man and keep up the amazing work!!

Gotta say your attitude about jumping into wiring harnesses and electrical problems makes my wiring issues seem extremely easy lol. So thanks for that.

I’m getting ready to do same/similar swap. I have 94 hd with 6.5. Purchased 2003 Freightliner bus w/Allison 2000(51,000 original miles) I install truck equipment for a living, but still consider it a huge challenge. I want to thank you for the in depth explanations and details you have covered and shared. Thanks much, and good job👍.

I've watched all of your videos up to this point and it's 2-4-2023. So far, I have been VERY impressed by what you have done. But after watching this particular episode and seeing you integrate all of the wiring together, you are a fucking GENIOUS my man!!!! Hot damn!!!!!

Outstanding videos, Waldo! I watched every video on your channel and am VERY impressed with the quality and attention to detail you put into them. Great lighting, camera angles, and work flow. You don’t get bogged down showing the mundane wrench turning, but show enough to instruct. The planning and editing must be monumental! I also appreciate your attention to narration; specifically, your proper English use, excellent grammar, and outstanding enunciation. Lots of small things go into making enjoyable videos, and you’ve got them covered. Like one viewer commented earlier, you deserve WAY more subscribers, keep up the GREAT work!!

Most definitely enjoying your videos. Very clear, understandable, and most of all, realistic. I appreciate you showing your errors as this makes me feel like I'm not completely an idiot compared to many who edit their errors out.

Good job Waldo. Glad to see your are back on the 3500. That wiring was a huge victory for your reasoning skills.

Hey Waldo, this video was well worth the wait! You are the man! "Thats what she said"! I look forward to future vids on this build.

Each episode is even more impressive. You do your research and your intelligence shines

As soon as I saw this truck in my recommended, I subbed and never regretted it. I've probably watched this gmt400 series 3 or 4 times. I'm building a not so special 5.3 swapped k2500 but it's inspiring as hell to watch how you pieced the cummins swap together.

Projects like these was what my father use to do but before the days of computers, he just bought himself a 2020 F150 which he says will be his last as he is 85. Watched from Old Harbour Jamaica.

Great freaking video. Love how you explain things. I have learned a lot from you. I will be watching every video you make! You are one smart dude.

Cant wait to see it with the tow mirrors.

I really like how you work out of an old barn building, not a fancy clean, nice painted, heated and air conditioned garage and you do some serious work out there in it. Same with your trailer build, out in the yard. Thats awesome man.

Thank you once again - that engine sounds great and (with no coolant in it) you shut it down at exactly the same time I started to get fidgety.

Hey, Waldo! I’ve been checking back regularly for more vids and I was pleasantly surprised to find this egg in my basket! What a wonderful accomplishment with huge, well-deserved congratulations! Such a feat made to look not only fun, but also easy (although challenging in reality!) Well done and thank you so much for posting such great content 👍🏼!

This made my night ! Thank you for putting this out .

I just came across your channel, very glad that I did!!! Nice blend of talk and work. Subscribed

Fantastic video my friend . Can’t wait to see this on the road

This is my favorite video so far! Great job!

everything explained simply and clearly and anyone could understand great video as usual

Ahhhh. One of my subscribers sent me this link. I need to taken some time and catch up on this build. Want to put a cummins in my 3500 but a 12valve.

That sounds like a 6.7 Cummins starting up

Cant wait to see this beast on the road waldo!

get er done. great job on working on this truck mate

Awesome video!!! I really enjoy following this project! Keep up the great work/videos

God Waldo you're astoundingly clever. Wow so impressed with all your ingenuity.

I admire your patience with all that wiring. I'm currently swapping a p-pumped 12 valve into my 78 ford F250. I'm starting almost from scratch with the wiring, but I'm aiming to need as little wiring as possible. As far as the engine running, it will just need a circuit to power the starter. Obviously i still need wiring for lights, accessories, gauges, battery charging, etc. But no computers whatsoever, and none of the electronics will actually prevent the engine from running.

Wow! You are a brave young man to go into those harnesses like that…good luck dude. What a gas to watch.

Much respect for figuring out the wiring harness

Well that was eppic ! Any thing could have gone wrong , well worth waiting for ! Great filming , it was to me complicated but as it's Waldo and he just does it ! Well done an inspiration !

Love the videos bud. When i did my first start on my common rail rebuild i made sure to keep the intake off just in case it ran away, so i could block off the air and kill it.

Awesome man can't wait to see running up an down the road

Love your swap. I have a 87 Squarebody Army truck M1028 with 1 ton Axles, I pulled the Diesel out and added a 6.0 LS. If I was going to add a diesel into anything, it will defenetly be a Cummins.

I know this video is very old but I would like to say a few things about wiring.. 1. The correct way to join two wires together is actually with a crimp. OEMs/motorsport applications will almost always use open barrel crimps with a proper crimper but an uninsulated butt splice connector with adhesive lined shrink tubing will generally do the job and its less of a hassle. Just maje sure you're sizing the crimp to the gauge of wire that you're working with. 2. To minimize issues with wiring you should TECHNICALLY always use "home runs" where you run new wiring from one fuse box to the next fuse box/connector. This is done by crimping new terminals on to each end. This is a giant PITA but does minimize issues down the road as each connection is a potential point of failure. 3. Soldering presents a few issues - mainly making the wires brittle and the solder wicking further up in to the wire than you think it does (which just makes it brittle). Vibrations are also more likely to destroy a soldered joint than a properly crimped connection. A lot of people will say that they've never had issues with a soldered joint and while that may be true it is technically survivorship bias. Other people have had issues with soldered joints and there is a reason you'll never see a soldered joint on OEM wiring unless it's on a PCB. Good job on the wiring!

Coming along nicely!

Woohoo Waldo! She runs! I’m comfortable with wiring, and I would have attacked it the same as you did, on the bench out of the truck. Lovin those soldered and heat-shrunk connections. One trick for twisted wire; clamp one end, as you did, then chuck the other end in a drill. Spin the wire until the twists tighten up, and it will never self-unwind. However, the wire will lose some length doing this.

Been waiting along time for this part of the build, enjoying this build alot thanks!!

Hi Waldo, Great series. Very ambitious project but so far, it's looking great! I have a tip for twisting wires that has worked well for me. Tighten one side of the 2 wires to be twisted into a drill chuck. Attach the other end of the wires to something solid like the edge of a table or workbench with a clamp or vise grips. Run the drill and the wires will twist neatly and uniformly. This also works to twist 3 or 4 wires together. There is a bit of spring back so run them up a little tighter than you really want them. Thanks for the video! -mike

Great work. And i thought i did things " the right way". I'll take some tips from you, thanks Waldo.

Nice! I've always soldered my wire connections together that way

I didn't know Eaton Fuller made a 5 speed transmission. That's a lot of work, Waldo but you're doin' a great job! 👍 🇺🇲

Yes!!!! A new vid! Luv that turbo whistle!!!

You are a genius engineer

I think this truck is going to be as good if not better than Weston's Smoke-Stang in my mind. Nice work!

Really liked the whole interview vibe.

Pleasure to watch as always. Thanks for the video.

Waldo I want your truck 😃

Unreal content in this video. I'd love to see more videos about electrical components; can bus signals, custom wiring circuits. Specifically, how you determined the cruise control signal from both vehicles and created that circuit board.

Video is perfect for me(kind of) I’m basically doing the same thing except I’m putting a 6.5 in place of a 454 into a C3500HD DRW(I know keep the 454 blah blah lol) and one thing that’s intimidated me is the wiring situation hopefully when the time comes this video will come in handy !

First start how awesome 😎

Sounds so good!

keep the great work man

good work waldo i was waiting for this

Nice job👏🏼

Excellent work

Clear, concise and informative! Gotta love videos like this! And if you don't like Cummins, are you really even a truck guy? I think not 😏

The patience of "JOB " comes to mind !

WOW! Cudos on that maze of wiring.

You hands do have the best diy videos on you tube man incredible editing man!

Good work !👍

really nice truck

G'day Waldo great video mate

Waldo, great job

Hell ya brother! Killing it

great video. I know I'm 6 months late but if you want to twist wires together like for the vss you can take a few wires and put them in a drill chuck and tape the other end to a table or put them in a vise, then pull the cables taught and pull the trigger on the drill to quickly twist them. just be careful and don't go full speed or you can damage the cables, but its way faster than doing it by hand

Nice job

Thx for the videos 🙂

First of all, excellent project, fantastic work, and superior video production skills Waldo. Applause all around! You've obviously got a high attention to detail, and a real desire to build a first class project that will last. Which makes me wonder why, with obvious rust damage, you didn't at least refinish if not replace your inner fenders. From the look of the truck, you clearly live in a salty road environment, and that inner fender is just going to keep rusting. Just a guy with OCD here. :)

It’s probably too late but one possible way to solve the cruise control issue may be to use a cruise control unit from a 93 and earlier 6.5 diesel truck that used a cable to control throttle position with the mechanical injection pump a gas truck unit may work also. I believe it uses signal from the vehicle speed sensor buffer to function. Good luck with the project!

Waldo’s channel is awesome! Why isn’t it at 1million subs?!

you are good i would never try any thing like this one wire wrong could burn up some thing. take care be safe and well. have a merry chritsmas and happy new year

LOL, love the "that's what she said jokes".

Waldo you do great work, you might want to consider getting a P touch label maker They are cheap on Amazon and you can roll the label up inside the black corrugated wire looms and have a future reference if you ever have a problem. Also a soldering Gun make short work of joining the wires a soldering iron is so slow...Your build quality is A number one...

Very, very impressive.

i have the same torque wrench....it has worked just fine for years.

Killing it man

Excellent work on this build so basically if I wanna Cummins swap something I'll just bring it to you haha I couldn't ever figure out that wiring nor the math you came up with for the shifter linkage id be sitting in the corner with a headache 😀

you can use a drill to twist the wires, it's like super easy and super pro looking, just sayin... love your stuff. keep being you!

Dudes never had his hands dirty

Here's a tip for you at Waldo's world I would have done is I would have bought a deep pinning tool or a pic at least and would depend the wires I was keeping from the plugs and then I would swap the plugs out on the wire so that way you didn't have to do any actual cutting you could have removed each wire from the plug itself and then put the new plug on the wires that are you're keeping in the right spots go

Waldo this is super exciting to see. You really tackled a big job here, especially with the wiring. That can get tricky. Will you be putting all of the wires in a loom? For twisting wires get a pair of safety wire pliers. Makes a perfect twist and handy if you need to safety wire anything. I had a cool thought. You should put an aluminum Hurst shifter handle on the shifter. Old school big time. I really like your gauge pod. That’s awesome. Thanks for sharing your hard work with us. Great videos!! Stay well!

Waldo your videos are great. lots of information and detail. I have a mechanical 12V Cummins VE pump out of a 1992 RAM to swap in my 1995 C3500HD. I was wondering how this would work with the chev ECM & PCM to the Cummins that does not have a computer?. would it be easier or harder then what you did?

A 'next-level' trick is to get a 4 x 8 (or suitable size) board and lay out the harness just like the schematic harness drawing. This makes it very easy to separate each run, splice, and heat shrink each line. Working on a bench or in the garage is almost impossible.

Congratulations

You did such a good job on the trailer maybe you should start building tiny houses$$$$$

Man, what a great video. Sucks that you lost the footage of the new gauge cluster being built though. Maybe there will be another one in the future on another build.

Impressive work especially the wiring and making it work with the GM system. I have a 95 dodge and after working on the head lights yea , I found out about the way Dodge controls there system . I installed a set of relays to reduce the load on the head lights and yea the relays are wired in a normal method for me of controlling the positive side not the ground . So the relays are a good way to make that wiring work out . After thinking about it for a min yea the fuel pressure is important on the vp44 pump . That will save you some money down the road . If you ever wanted to you could use your experience here on doing custom wiring conversion just as you did nice work.

You could use the crankshaft sensor to get your tag on a reading on top of the GM one

i wish you did more with the wiring between the 2 harnesses to get it all to work together

I have a couple question doing a 24v cp44 Cummins swap into a 2004 Duramax gmc Sierra wondering if you have any info on how the data is translated or what data my gmc instrument cluster will read from the engine ecm. I just would really like to run the instrument cluster from the gmc and not put the dodge cluster into the cab. Thanks, your video is an awesome video.

Lot of work there, but came out all good

Hell Yeah!

Hello, Is this your first time doing this kind of work, if it is, it's hard to tell. Love the video's keep up the good work and god bless and stay safe.

"its not always easy to be a super genius" Wile E Coyote

This is coming along great man! Can't wait to see this all buttoned up. What are you gonna use to sleeve the wiring harness?