Superliner E6 300 to E7 460 Swap

[P.L. Roark]

Hey guys I got a 1988 Superliner with an E6 300 and I’m thinking about swapping it out for an electronic E7 460. Has anyone done this? I know I gotta change the throttle pedal and power the ECM, but are stuff like the motor mounts, fan locations and any other stuff majorly different? 

[JoeH]

Best thing is to have the donor truck on hand with all necessary parts, wiring, computers, etc.

What year E7-460 are you planning to swap in?

Worth mentioning, if it's vmaciii, 1998-2006 or so, the VECU and ABS module gets mounted by the passenger's feet, and the windshield gasket can fail and leak water and destroy VECU. It's not waterproof.  If you're going to do all this headache then replace your windshields/gaskets, and make sure the sheet metal is good.

Hope you have the trans to match the 460, that's a big jump from 300, need to make sure whatever trans you have has the torque rating to handle that engine.  Also driveshaft. I've noticed on our Mack's, 300hp motors get a skinnier driveshaft that 350's and up. So you may want to check that too.

Other than that, as long as you have a donor truck to supply engine mounts and miscellaneous brackets you should be good to go. But it's going to take a good bit of work.

[P.L. Roark]

21 minutes ago, JoeH said:

Best thing is to have the donor truck on hand with all necessary parts, wiring, computers, etc.

What year E7-460 are you planning to swap in?

Worth mentioning, if it's vmaciii, 1998-2006 or so, the VECU and ABS module gets mounted by the passenger's feet, and the windshield gasket can fail and leak water and destroy VECU. It's not waterproof.  If you're going to do all this headache then replace your windshields/gaskets, and make sure the sheet metal is good.

Hope you have the trans to match the 460, that's a big jump from 300, need to make sure whatever trans you have has the torque rating to handle that engine.  Also driveshaft. I've noticed on our Mack's, 300hp motors get a skinnier driveshaft that 350's and up. So you may want to check that too.

Other than that, as long as you have a donor truck to supply engine mounts and miscellaneous brackets you should be good to go. But it's going to take a good bit of work.

Thank you the drive shaft isn’t something I was thinking about as well as protecting the VECU

Getting a donor truck is the way I was thinking about going. It would be a pre-egr motor for sure. My transmission is fine cause the Eaton 13 speed that was in it went down and I put an 18 speed that came out from behind a 550 Cat so it’s a little overkill for the little 300 but will work for a 460. My dad and I swapped a Mercedes MBE 4000 for a C12 Cat in my Classic and that was a project so I’m hoping this would be a little easier just don’t want to go into it blind a run into problems 

[JoeH]

Stay away from highway trucks with the AC ASET motor.  An ASET AI motor is ok, you can delete the internal EGR components and the computer is none the wiser.  Cam has extra bumps on exhaust lobes to suck a little exhaust back in during intake stroke, and exhaust manifold/turbo are a bit restricted to create back pressure. There's a thread on here that goes through this motor very well with part numbers to replace.

1998-2000 the EECU is on the right side of the engine under the heat shields below the turbo. Fuel is pumped through it to keep it cool. If engine mounts are worn or you aren't careful when handling transmission removal/install the EECU can tap the frame and the EECU is junk from a minor dent.

Personally I'd hunt for an E7 mechanical engine from the mid '90's. Fuel, air and you're good to go. No computers, no wiring. No computer gremlins and glitches to bother you. 

[JoeH]

2001 onward the EECU has been moved up on to the intake manifold area on the left side of the engine, a much safer location for it.

[Mark T]

CL is what you want for the donor as far as mounts and all. Gauges ??? seems more like an RD.  Be a nice swap though.  Seems plausable it could work .

[JoeH]

It's entirely doable, but it's a big task.

[P.L. Roark]

Thank you guys I think I’m going to start looking for a donor truck and go from there

[BottleHauler84]

P.L. Roark, have you made any progress on this project? Just curious. 

[P.L. Roark]

On 7/11/2024 at 10:26 AM, BottleHauler84 said:

P.L. Roark, have you made any progress on this project? Just curious. 

No, I haven't. I am still trying to find a suitable donor truck. I still plan on doing the project, but it might end up being a longer-term project than I initially hoped for. I am trying to get everything before I tear into the Superliner so it's not hung up in the shop for longer than necessary.