diesel swap: anybody actually completed?

[87 Big Wood]

Does anybody on here have a link to an FSJ that has actually completed a swap over to a diesel engine and done it correctly?

My dad's 2003 F250 with a PowerStroke was just totaled, but the engine and tranny have absoluelty no damage so we were thinking of trying to buy the truck back from the insurance company on the cheap and looking into putting into my 87 Grand Waggy if it would fit.

Yes, we are prepared for lots of work and for this to take lots of time if this were to actually occur. But I was just curious if anybody out there has any info on one that's actually been completed.

[Mikel]

Lee Alessi has a 4BT cummins in his M715. If you do a search for "4BT" you'll find all kinds of pictures and videos of him pulling multiple vehicles out of mudholes smile.gif

[Rogue]

i'd rather do it with a non electronic diesel myself, also be prepared for core support modification cause you'll need a larger radiator

[joe]

Dsl swaps I dream about...but Rogue has a point with the computer/wiring thing. The motor/suspension/trans swap is for sure doable especially if you already have a donor rig but the electro/computer stuff is way beyond me.
I do keep side glancing at my 86 6.9(no computer, nor turbo blah blah) Ferd F250 for a swap ino my J4000 but the Ferd is just too clean to dissect it...
Sorry not much help here at all(ok none) but I'll watch this thread cause I like oil burners. smile.gif The motor which you already have is the spendy part and if you're willing to do the work, not be in a hurry...I'd go for it. smile.gif Good luck. Keep us updted.

[Brad W.]

go for it. I'm in the process of tracking down the two cummins 6bt's i'll need for my M-715 and my K-30 chevy. powerstroke's are great diesels too. i would try to simplify things as much as possible... wire up the jeep as if it were the ford. use ford switches, splice your lights into the ford wiring, etc.

too bad you are on the other side of the country, otherwise id' come help you.

[Rogue]

guess the best question would be to ask if the wiring harness was damage during the wreck and also if ain't seen it check out the "Rides" episode where Rod Millen ( desert truck driver that has been modding toyos for 20+ years ) put a Lexus V8 into a little IS car

the point being not that it can't be done but even these professionals spent days getting the computer sytem worked out tweaking out on an oscilloscope trying to find that elusive bug that just keeps it from being right

this would be an awesome swap - just prepare for the worst

[Brad W.]

the other thing to consider is frames and axles... use the superduty's t-case and if the rear end is OK, use it and just shorten the superduty driveshaft. With a diesel that powerful, you need all the beef you can get. you may want to look into a one-ton frame, or using the superduty frame if it isn't smashed or bent. How was the truck totaled? rollover? fire? head-on?

[War Wagon]

Is it a 7.3 or a 6.0. The 6.0 is heavier than the 7.3 coming in at 1065 lbs.. 325 hp and 560 ft/lb would be great in a FSJ.

Jim

[Brad W.]

yes, but keep in mind that diesel is DOUBLE the weight of the AMC v-8 that the wag was designed for. it's also two or three times the power and torque. then if you upgrade it at all, you continue to upgrade the juice. Banks is just one of the manufacturers coming out with performance parts for the diesel. even in stock form, i'd bet this motor is WAY too much for a stock waggy frame.

[keej]

What about a GM 6.2 or 6.5 diesel mated to an NV4500??? I know there's probably better diesels out there, but it seems that you can probably get these cheap and it would be a relatively easy swap since you could use standard Chevy motor mounts and stuff, right???

Jeremy
http://www.iowa4wd.com/
or
http://www.jeepinrocks.com/

[jimcat22000]

i'm getting ready to do a '92 cummins 5.9 into a '86 GW...i bought the donor truck, a dodge ram 3500 for $1200... mechanical engine and auto/overdrive ... after talking to a knowledgeable convertor, i'm seriously considering a divorced 205 for a transfer case...instead of trying to convert my chrysler tranny to a 4wd application...on the other hand, there's a guy here in victoria texas thats driving a GW with a 6.5 chevy in it as a daily driver....i used to see him around town all the time....i wanted to put a 5.7 olds diesel in a '77 WT cherokee.... even went as far as having a turbo 400 made with the BOP case....never got around to it...

[Brad W.]

jim, does that dodge have a trans? it should be an NV-4500 if it's a manual. Is it 2x4 or 4x4. if 4x4 it will have the front Dana 60 and it *should* bolt into a FSJ (same perch location)

[Brad W.]

Keej, you could use a GM diesel. I would go with the 6.5 though... Olds diesels are a joke and 6.2's are junk. FYI- if you use a TH-400 auto, you have to get the convertor and valve-body/other-internals for the diesel specific version. the valve body is different because it has different line pressures and shifts at different times because of the different RPM's and Red-lines in the diesel engine's powerband.

[CowKiller]

i want to do the same as -joe here. i want to takew my 6.9 no turbo and put it in a j20

[FSJeeper]

Originally posted by jimcat22000:
i'm getting ready to do a '92 cummins 5.9 into a '86 GW...i bought the donor truck, a dodge ram 3500 for $1200... mechanical engine and auto/overdrive ... after talking to a knowledgeable convertor, i'm seriously considering a divorced 205 for a transfer case...instead of trying to convert my chrysler tranny to a 4wd application...on the other hand, there's a guy here in victoria texas thats driving a GW with a 6.5 chevy in it as a daily driver....i used to see him around town all the time....i wanted to put a 5.7 olds diesel in a '77 WT cherokee.... even went as far as having a turbo 400 made with the BOP case....never got around to it...JimCat, there are several of us FSJ diesel conversion guys in Victoria. One guy has an awsome M715 with a very modified Cummins 6BT and I have a seriously moded 6.5 in my project now but am replacing it with an LT1. Fairly regulary other Texas FSJeeprs come down to Victoria to mess around at my place. Lets get in touch.

BTW,I'll buy all the $1,200 Dodge Cummins trucks you can find.

[snyiper]

Dont forget the fuel tank swap as well for the diesel.

[keej]

I'm probably overlooking something, but why would you need to swap a different fuel tank in???

[FSJeeper]

Originally posted by keej:
I'm probably overlooking something, but why would you need to swap a different fuel tank in???You don't. All of the diesel conversion guys, wether civilian or M715, are using the stock tanks. To clear up some room around my drivetrain, I am going to use an Aero 29 gallon aux tank as my main and get rid of the stock tank, but it is not necessary.

[jimcat22000]

just sent you a pm FSJeeper....

[ohioj20]

Hey, I put a 6.2 Diesel in my J20 and it works great. I get 22 MPG and I even used the same tank, plus put the donor van's fuel tank where the spare tire goes. 48 gallons of fuel!!