05 CR in 08 mega chassis

So my 05 is currently running and driving with an nv5600 behind it. The frame is questionable at best. I was jokingly telling a friend I looking for a mega cab roller. Fast forward two weeks later an 08 6.7 mega cab roller followed me home. It currently has no engine, auto trans, transfer case, tipm, ecm, or engine harness. So I began to start to research on what will be needed to make my 05 engine and trans to work correctly in this chassis. I soon found out that the 03-05 have a totally different communication process verses the 06-07 trucks. I also had an idea to convert my 05 engine to be able to except efi live. So this is what ideas I currently have.

option 1- use all of the 05 wiring, ecm, tipm, gauge cluster, apps sensor. which requires pull the dash out and figuring out the wiring. No efi live.

option 2- use 06-07 wiring, 06-07 ecm, 06-07 tipm. theoretically it should be plug and play at the firewall. Now i would have to have the ecm programmed to the 08 vin number so it would jive during inspection time. I would also have to have the tipm programmed for the truck also. By doing this I would potentially be able to go efi live down the road.

Has anyone conquered this feat before?

 

Just give the old dog a new doghouse

I'd go with the simplest solution your 05 dash, harness, engine, and transmission in the 08 body. Plus I think the 02-05 dash has aged better

 

I'm not so positiv about this project as the 08 is a whole different engine, different drive train and so on.

08 is full CAN based, 08 has injector calibration, 08 has active emission control, and so on..
05 is pretty much old style like in the mid 90th.

Only way would be a full transplant of the 05 harness, dash, mirrors, and ALL its controllers. Only thing left from the 08 would be Chassis, Axles, Body.


Only other thing that comes to mind is an adapter harness and controller that makes the 08 Body computer happy and at the same time let the 05ECM believe that he's still in his doghouse.
For some vehicles, for example BMW, such stuff is available from specialized company's. I had to research that for a buddy that wanted to run a LS engine and GM transmission in his 528 that had blown. It works but is expensive, a couple thousand $ but still cheaper then the BMW long block.

 

So Ozy from some of the info I was given the 07 5.9 communicates very similar to the 6.7. From what I’ve researched and have been told is if I run 5.9 07 ecm, tipm, and 06/07 engine harness it should be for the most part plug and play (with some repinning and rewiring).. Will I have to have the tipm flashed and ecm base file flash absolutely. From the limited eye balling the 06/07 tipm uses the same plugs as the 08. The gauge cluster and apps sensor communicates very similar to the 06/07 5.9 so I’m going to attempt that route. If that doesn’t work. Then all of the 05 wiring, tipm, gauge cluster, APP sensor, and ecm will go in. I’m trying to convert it to efi live during the swap for my tuning adventures. I could be 100% wrong but there is only one way to find out.

 

Thats right! I totally forgot that the break to full CAN was in 06 before the advent of the 6.7.
Keep us updated about this interesting project.

 

I will keep you guys updated when I get working on it. I'm just currently collecting parts for the time being. I work out of town for my job and I'm currently 850 miles away from the truck. When I go back home to visit for 2 weeks around Christmas I will tackle this adventure.

 

Before you start gathering all of the iron for this conversion you may want to consider this first.

What state do you live in and does this state require emission testing? Why? You will be required to meet the emission standards for that truck year IE 2008.
Another item if I remember correctly from reading is the EPA has outlawed the installation of an older engine into a newer chassis and be street legal. This is so, you cannot circumvent the emission rules.

Just a heads up. You may want to google this just to make sure.

 

OP would be much better off selling all the stuff he has collected and go buy a 2015-2016 or newer RAM with an Aisin transmission and enjoy a truck that is 3 or 4 times better than a 2008 RAM.

 

That's true but sometimes a man needs a hobby.
A friend of mine his wife developed Alzheimer's and during that time he converted a BMW 528 with a Chevy engine. The project was totally nonsense but it kept him busy and from thinking to much. And he finished with success but now no one wants to buy it.

 

Thankfully South Carolina isn't strict on E stuff. There's not even an yearly inspection.

 

What @Jim W has stated is that it wouldn't matter which state you're in with the EPA rule. It would just be sooner than later if the state you live in had diesel emissions. EPA just keeps on coming down the food chain for anything that violates the law. Every vehicle since at least 2000 has had a federal emission compliance on the door sill or jamb. It means that the chassis must meet the specs for that model year. Just don't want to see you put in a lot of time and money and then get fined. Just something to consider.

 

For the time being I still plan on putting that 05 motor in. Maybe the prices of 6.7 engine will come down in the next 5-10 years.

 

It won’t technically be street legal, but the best setup would be to use the 05 motor with an 08 ECM, sensors, wiring. Run a custom delete tune and it wont matter that it’s a 5.9.

Personally I wouldn’t tackle this project and use the 05 ECM, sensors, or wiring.

 

I plan on using an 07 5.9 ecm

 

Will that interface with the 08 dash?

You have a unique opportunity to put the 6.7 VGT onto a 5.9 and control it with the ECM. Better turbo and exhaust brake in one, and the dash buttons all work.

 

it should. it uses the same communication as the 08. I'm already running a drop-in style turbo. After seeing the price tag on a reman or drop-in for a 6.7 turbo I will stick with an non vgt. The solenoids aren't cheap to replace either.

 

Just because they are both CAN BUS does not mean they are compatible.

Even if you keep the turbo you have the 08 ECM/wiring is your best bet. With proper tuning the truck won’t know it’s not a 6.7 and you won’t have to pin/depin anything.

 

I talked to a fellow and he did a similar thing in a similar year and was able to use 07 ecm and tipm. He was still able to use the 08+ dash and cluster.