[cruiseruser]

CruiserUser gets his shot at Rig of the Week.



I want to thank all of you for giving advice and spending the time it takes to help bring people up to speed.

I tell people that I have an online support group for my cruiser addiction.


My name is CruiserUser, I’ve been addicted to Cruisers for 14 years…….

Background:
· I have owned my 80 for about six months.
· Bought it on e-bay for $11,000 and shipped it for $1,000
· When I got it, it had 109k on it and manix brush guards
· It’s locked

When I bought the cruiser I knew that 12-14 mpg would be too low for me. So the plan was to swap a diesel into it as soon as possible.. Initially I was having a hard time tracking down the elusive Toyota diesel. I strongly considered Cummins and thought about Isuzu etc. Then I tried to talk my wife into how cool it would be to have diesel that is as loud as a ups truck and got nowhere with that.

Back to E-bay. I began searching the rest of the world and found a 1hd-ft 24 valve Toyota Diesel (hino) for 800 pounds in England. I asked the seller a couple of questions and placed my bid. I won it and started searching wreckers in England for the tranny and everything else I needed. By the time I had bought what I could find, I had spent $4000usd. Shipping cost me $1000 and took 2 months. I will have spent another $10,000 by the time I’m done finding the last missing bits from Japan and paying the mechanical mastermind of this project (Raymond Fourie.)

I can’t say enough good things about Raymond. If you are considering this swap and are able to get into his schedule, then you will not be disappointed.

At this point I have yet to install a 3” exhaust system, tach, a/c pump, intercooler, and second battery.

In time I would like to upgrade to an arb winch bumper w/ winch, rear bumper w/ tire carrier, sliders, led’s, etc. etc.

So far besides the diesel, the only changes I have made are the shocks (Bilsteins) and the tires (BFG M/T 255-85-16.)

Right now I’m trying to figure out an inexpensive route on exhaust and intercooler piping. After I get that complete, (hopefully in the next couple of weeks since I’m driving to California and back,) I need to figure out a faulty ground that has killed my sunroof and dome lights. Input on these would be greatly appreciated.

I had the exhaust coming out of a down pipe for the first few days after the swap was complete. Man was that a cool sound. It was just like a big eighteen-wheeler! The thing would ROAR then when I shifted, the turbo would whistle. I loved it except at anywhere near WOT it gave me a headache! The wife wouldn’t ride in it anymore so I had to hook up the old stock gas exhaust temporarily. When the exhaust was free I was getting 24mpg, with old hooked back up it’s 19.


I am moving to Boulder CO in a couple of weeks and am a little nervous about emission testing with a ’96 diesel swap. Anybody have any experience with this?

[Junk]

Glad to see you picked a small project to get started on

[tucker74]

Sweet ride man - you're doing what 90% of us 80 owners dream about! What tranny did you go with ... assuming it wasn't roaring with the auto

Tucker

[neowulf]

great stuff

[fzj80kidpen]

Nice,
When I checked in on this forum this morning this is exactly the thread I was looking for.
Look forward to seeing more pics.
Have you thought about hooking up a aux tank and running veggie?

[Biff]

Please post pics of your progress, I've often dreamed of this swap but don't have the brownie points with the wife to even consider it.

[cruiseruser]

More

[cruiseruser]

Thanks for celebrating with me!

Yup, it's the 5-speed.

I wanted to run SVO but I have heard concerns with coking associated with indirect diesel injected motors. Right now I'm running Bio Diesel 100% Virgin source.

As soon as I figure out my attachments I will share more photos. Cheers.

[terry.mc]

Originally Posted by cruiseruser

I am moving to Boulder CO in a couple of weeks and am a little nervous about emission testing with a ’96 diesel swap. Anybody have any experience with this?

Register it somewhere other than Boulder county, there are counties where you don't have to do any emissions testing, most of which are outside of the "metro" areas.

[PKP80]

Sounds nice, Look forward to seeing the pics (more of them)

Sam

[nmostofi]

Very nice, glad someone is paving the way for the rest of us. Please post more pics and good job

[Romer]

What year is your rig? There are a few posts in the wanted section for 80 series 1fZ engines.

Would be interested in what your see as the advantages in going deisel?

[snowcruiser]

AWESOME. Nice job. How does the diesel engine compare to the 1FZ in terms of power and acceleration. That MPG is almost double what I get but the idea of running biodiesel is the really attractive part. Could you give a breakdown of the "other" parts you had to aquire or will be aquiring in relation to the swap with estimated prices? This would be most helpful.

I am jealous and will be buggin you a lot for advice once I am able to pull this off.

Cheers

[cruiseruser]

Some more

[cruiseruser]

More

[cruiseruser]

Originally Posted by Romer

What year is your rig? There are a few posts in the wanted section for 80 series 1fZ engines.

Would be interested in what your see as the advantages in going deisel?

Mine is a 96.

[cruiseruser]

Originally Posted by snowcruiser

AWESOME. Nice job. How does the diesel engine compare to the 1FZ in terms of power and acceleration. That MPG is almost double what I get but the idea of running biodiesel is the really attractive part. Could you give a breakdown of the "other" parts you had to aquire or will be aquiring in relation to the swap with estimated prices? This would be most helpful.

I am jealous and will be buggin you a lot for advice once I am able to pull this off.

Cheers

I had to hound the wrecking yards in the U.K. Here is a correspondence with the wrecker I ended up using.


Thanks for your reply Steve. My mechanic tells me my list was shy of some critical bits and pieces. Would the price stand including these additional parts? Regards, Ryan.

engine harness ( unplugged at the firewall, or supply the pigtail loose) ended up paying$175

Starter 12 or 24 volt we can have it converted if needs be £50

Alternator with all mounting brackets £50

Power steering pump £75

Aircon pump with both hoses leading in and out disconnected at the first joint away from pump £75

fan with radiator and cowling. Inc in the £1100

RHS battery box £20

Top of the airfilter can with all hoses £20

Cruisecontrol servo and cable to the engine £40

Glow and start relays £40

diesel fuelfilter with mounting bracket £40

Hand throttle cable (goes between gas pedal and mounts to the right of thesteering wheel below) £20

Complete clutch and brake peddle assembly. Inc in the £1100

Master and clutch cylinders Inc in the £1100

Engine mounts including rear mount with crossmember £20 / mount

Instrument cluster or at least the tach Sold ended up paying $200

Steel plate that goes between the gearbox and engine behind the flywheel £25

Pilot bearing, flywheel, clutch and pressure plate Clutch assembly is inc in the £1100 , Flywheel & bearing £100

clutch fork with release bearing and clips Inc in the £1100

complete gearbox with transfer and wiring harness. Inc in the £1100

Front and rear propshafts £150 the pair

Front section of the exhaust £50

Both gearlevers with knobs Inc in the £1100

Gearbox tunnel coverplate with all rubbers boots around the gearlevers £30

The electronic decelleration sensor which is mounted next to the gearlever under the console ( do you have a picture of this please ?) $50

Thanks Steve Strange + 44 1257 472866 + 44 7801 456 066 steve@douglasvalley.co.uk www.douglasvalley.co.uk

Then I payd another $450 for a missing transmission mount, and shifter consul.

The exhaust needs to be upgraded, in my opinion, to accomadate the increase flow and minimize turbo lag. $500.

I chose to intercool the turbo. $650

Pyro and boost gages $150

[cruiseruser]

Oh yeah, I spent another $900 on getting a vaccuum accumulator fabed up, having a flange on the tranny that was broken welded, heavy battery cables, a relay for the cold start hot box, a second battery box and battery a few swithces, and getting the timing reset.

[cruiseruser]

Originally Posted by Romer

What year is your rig? There are a few posts in the wanted section for 80 series 1fZ engines.

Would be interested in what your see as the advantages in going deisel?

Hey Romer,

That's partly a personal preferance. I have always loved the toque, efficiency, turbo, and "manlyness" of diesels. I ran heavy equipment, grooming the slopes at ski areas for a few years, and fell in love with diesels back then.

Oh yeah did I mention efficiency?!

I hope when I finish tuning up this engine and the honeymoon period where my foot is so heavy is over to be getting between 25 and 28 miles to the gallon. THAT turns me on.

The ability to disconnect from the whole system that brings us our fuel sounds really good. (home-brewed biodiesel.)


That's a start.

[topend yobbo]

thats a lot of hard work but i recken would go good in the bush. Please tell me you will use it in the bush . Couldent import entire car from somewhere . whatever happens be proud you built it . cheers.

[TX_TLC]

Very cool project...but imho $15,000 can buy you a lot of gas. How long do you figure you will have to drive it at your new efficiency to actually start "saving" you money?

[Biff]

I'm thinking at this point(cost wise) you are doing it more for a labor of love. I wouldn't spend that much money to save a few bucks in gas. Once the gas savings start kicking in, then its iceing on the cake. Very sweet rig, congrats.

[cruiseruser]

Thanks Biff,

I'm not trying to convince anybody to do this to save money.

For me, it's all the things I love about diesels. I reckon that the rest of the world uses them in cruisers for a good reason too.

In terms of saving mony, it's a lot like investing to me. I'm confident in a few years I'll be very happy with the financial investment. In the meantime I get a rig I love and can burn something grown in this country.

Yes Topend Yobbo, I love the bush, (both types) It does seem really hard and expensive to import the entire car to the states.

[stayalert]

As stated the cost of the fuel isn't the only issue...Its where the fuel comes from....Two thumbs up for your efforts!! My wife and I were talking vehicles and future last night....We've got a VW golf TDI Daily driver and a 300D mercedes that I'm resurecting in hopes of replacing the Golf with it.....The'94 is the camping road tripping towing hauling (stuff/people) rig and she said "I'd like to eventually replace the cruiser with somehting diesel" We talked briefly about your efforts and I for one will be "staying tuned"

I've burned b-100 in the golf with no problems but am leery of biofuels, there affinity for water and the issues associated with the sophisticated injection pump in the TDI. The Mercedes seems to be ideally suited to SVO/WVO and that's my current target for that car.

[sethro]

Sweet rig! I'm with ya on all of the diesel 'reasons'.
The idea of being able to double my fuel range is the most appealing reason for me...I try not to think about conversion cost vs. cost of gas. For me, it's all those trips I've taken down the Baja peninsula, going from Pemex station to Pemex station, watching my fuel gauge succumb to gravity-very quickly.
In my last cruiser (74 FJ55 w/ Vortec/NV4500) I installed a 50 gallon fuel tank. It helped extend my range, but is that really the right way to do it? I'd like to make my cruiser more efficient, not just carry more gas. More gas=more weight. More weight=more work for the motor. More work=lowered fuel mileage. It's a vicious circle that always ends at the gas pump.
As for the cost of reg. diesel...now, I'm not a rocket scientist, but if I'm getting 12mpg avg in my 80 series (mostly city driving here in Oakland) @ $3.00/gallon with gas- and I could avg. 24 mpg (I picked 24 because it would make the math easier) with a TD motor @$3.50 a gallon...umm..doesn't that mean that I'm paying $6.00 to go 24 miles with gas, and only $3.50 to go 24 miles with diesel? That seems like a better deal, and more importantly, more efficient. Now, if you throw biodiesel into the mix...bingo! we have a winner.

Anyway, I'm going to go the same route- toyo TD motor in an expedition style built 80. Hopefully, late next year, you'll find me out exploring the surf breaks of remote Baja, not at the Pemex pump...

Not quite sure how to say 'biodiesel' in spanish....



Nice rig cruiseruser- I'll be watching ya!

cool,




seth

[Cattledog]

Would importing a front clip from a diesel cruiser been cheaper? Did you think of going that route? I look forward to seeing your fuel logs if you keep them.

[cruiseruser]

I think that would be the best option if you could find it. I didn't have any luck when I looked. I also didn't want to pay someone to bring it in for me. I will keep track of how the fuel consumption goes.

[reffug]

Very nice.

Should last a long time.