The 1999 Ford F-250 Super Duty is an iconic workhorse. As the first year of Ford’s now legendary Super Duty lineup these trucks came packed with a solid chassis and a fantastic-for-its-time 7.3-liter Power Stroke V8. A quarter-century later, though, this powerplant often leaves some enthusiasts wanting more.

Many owners find themselves chasing reliability or performance upgrades as these trucks age. One of the most sought-after transformations is a common-rail Cummins diesel swap. And using components from Diesel Conversion Specialists (DCS) takes a lot of the guesswork out of the equation.

Why A Common-Rail Cummins Swap?

Much like the early Ford Super Duty pickups, the 5.9L Cummins engine has earned legendary status in the diesel community. Known for its simple mechanical design, immense torque potential, and aftermarket support, it’s the go-to swap candidate for enthusiasts who want to breathe new life into their Ford chassis. Benefits include improved reliability, greater aftermarket support, a simpler platform, and of course more power.

This all comes at a cost, however. Finding the donor engine can be a task in and of itself. A Cummins engine in good, running, condition can easily cost from $3,000 to $6,000 (or more.) Additionally, the parts needed for the swap can tally up to between $6,000 and $10,000 depending on which engine you choose and the options desired. Then there’s labor. The task of swapping a Cummins engine into a Ford chassis can take a competent enthusiast upwards of 60 hours, start to finish. Having a shop handle the swap can come with a cost upwards of $7,000. All-in a Cummins swap could carry a price tag of between $12,000 and $20,000. Those are breath taking figures no doubt. However, when considering that a new heavy-duty diesel pickup could run north of six figures, maybe breathing new life into an old chassis isn’t such a bad play.

A Prime Common-Rail Cummins Swap Example

This 1999 Ford F-250 Super Duty is a prime example of the potential that lies beneath these old bodies. It also doesn’t hurt that this extended-cab four-wheel-drive pickup is living out its days as a shop truck at Diesel Conversion Specialists, the undisputed experts of swapping all things diesel. For this swap the team used a common rail 5.9-liter Cummins engine out of a 2006 Dodge Ram pickup. In stock form these engines produce 325 horsepower with 610 lb-ft of torque, which is quite a bit better than the 235 hp and 500 lb-ft the factory 7.3-liter would have been churning out.

Diesel Conversion Specialists offers a kit specifically for swapping a 2003 to 2009 common rail Cummins into a formerly 7.3-liter Power Stroke-powered 1999 to 2003 Ford Super Duty. The kit includes nearly all the difficult-to-find parts needed to complete the swap. These include the E4OD/4R100 transmission to engine adapter plate, a custom SFI 29.3 certified flex plate, triple disc torque converter, engine mounts, engine wire harness modification services, a US Shift Quick 4 transmission controller, alternator bracket, radiator hose kit, air intake kit, sensor adapters, intercooler tubes, a complete A/C line kit, power steering lines, and a starter. Of course, there’s always more that can be added, but these basics will go a long way toward preventing the dreaded “parts chasing.”

Utilizing the Diesel Conversion Specialists swap kit, this Super Duty was able to retain its original 4R100 transmission, NP273 transfer case, Dana 50 front axle, and Dana 60 rear along with both drive shafts.

Final Thoughts

Swapping a Cummins into your 1999 Ford F-250 Super Duty, or any truck for that matter, is more than a matter of bragging rights. It is a practical upgrade that brings reliability, torque, and serviceability while extending the useful life of your trusty workhorse. With Diesel Conversion Specialists’ kits, what once required expensive custom fabrication is now a near bolt-in project.