Ford Mustang With 12-Valve Cummins Diesel Makes 2,200 LB-FT at the Wheels
“Why build a diesel-swapped Mustang? More like—why not?” – YouTuber, probably.
Over its storied history, the Ford Mustang has shipped with a variety of four-, six-, and eight-cylinder engines. All of them thus far have run on gasoline. YouTuber Westen Champlin's SmokeStang, however, set out to change that. That's why it boasts a big, dirty diesel donk up front.
Champlin first built the SmokeStang a few years ago with a 5.9-liter Cummins six-cylinder diesel out of an old, 300,000-mile truck. Fitted with a big turbo, as is tradition, it managed to deliver 612 horsepower on the dyno despite prodigious blowby. With the engine worn and leaking all over, it was time to fit a new engine.
For the new powerplant, Champlin went to Power Driven Diesel in Utah. If that name sounds familiar, it's because they're well-known for pushing the limits of diesel performance, sometimes explosively. The performance shop assembled a 6.1-liter 12-valve Cummins for Champlin's build, capable of delivering a mighty 1,500 horsepower.
Much of that power is down to the two mighty turbos that, along with the engine, are far too large to fit beneath the Mustang's original hood. The larger of the two was so heavy it required an engine crane to aid with the installation. Overall, the new engine is like jewelry compared to the old oily truck motor, wearing a shiny valve cover engraved with SmokeStang on it.
On the first dyno pull, the new engine came hard out of the blocks with a hefty 900 hp at the rear wheels. With some further tuning and boost levels at 110 psi, it laid down 1,264 hp and a prodigious 2200 lb-ft of torque.
The new engine proved more than enough to make short work of the Mustang's rear tires. Dropping a burnout, they turned to smoke just as readily as the diesel burning in the engine. It's a car that generates more pollution than the average city in the early Industrial Era. As is the way with diesel swaps, the smoke, fire, and brimstone are all a part of the show.
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