Builds Isuzu 4BD1T Lexus LX450 (Land Cruiser) Build (1 Viewer)

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Thanks! Still working on that part, hope to have a prototype soon had a plan for months just been waiting on machine time.
Hey just wanted to say thanks for doing such a thorough job on your documentation. It really helps those of us trying to figure out what diesel makes sense for us. Can't wait to hear what you think of driving it around!
 
Jeremy-

I've been pouring over your build...awesome write up. I'm in parts acquisition mode for mine and am curious about your trans. I plan to get an A440 from a 91-92 to swap into my 94 with an A442F. My question is about your VB mods...who is doing those? Would they be open to doing another you think?

Also is that and the torque converter stall down the only trans mods you are doing now?

Thanks!
 
adapter makers are threeyedbandit(new manufacture) and inexpensive,also i think 69rambler makes them. tc rebuilder is roadrunner converters ( with a couple personal proven results ) inexpensive too. v/b is a one off i think built by longbow. hopefully to be made public, but yet to be tested . longbow is the goods i believe im sure it will be a winner once it finally gets tried. if i could get one of those it would be in for sure ,ive got a good feeling about longbows knowledge ,but i think he has been waiting for feed back from wheeling nobb when he gets his truck on the road.
 
Jeremy-

I've been pouring over your build...awesome write up. I'm in parts acquisition mode for mine and am curious about your trans. I plan to get an A440 from a 91-92 to swap into my 94 with an A442F. My question is about your VB mods...who is doing those? Would they be open to doing another you think?

Also is that and the torque converter stall down the only trans mods you are doing now?

Thanks!



Thanks for following along! Sorry for the delay, I now work out of town and long hours so am very rarely on here anymore. The forum change seemed to delete my subscribed threads list too so no notification.

The VB and converter rebuild and stall down are the only two mods I have done to the transmission. The VB is a beta tester and once its been tested there will be a thread on the mods and much more detail. As Wrongway pointed out the converter was done at Roadrunner in AZ.

Ill also have my take on adapters as well, mine is made specifically for the 4BD to A440. Just working on the last bits of it before I release any further details.

Lots of little things have been getting done on my weekends home but I have not had any time to catalog them.

This weekend I started on the wiring and all that initials most the time is going to be spent removing the unneeded EFI parts and adapting the early trans wiring to the late model truck.


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Thanks Jeremy! I really appreciate all your documentation. I just picked up an A440 this evening so I'm starting to get all the pieces in place. All your posts have been really helpful and I'm sure will continue to be so.
 
Thanks Jeremy! I really appreciate all your documentation. I just picked up an A440 this evening so I'm starting to get all the pieces in place. All your posts have been really helpful and I'm sure will continue to be so.


Glad its been helpful. That's one great thing about the A440 its cheap and relativity easy to find. Best part is with the mechanical diesel having a tranny that is sans ECU is fitting.

Good luck!


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Quick update, I dropped off my injection pump monday for a rebuild. Got a call today that they had got it rebuilt and found that plunger #2 was sticking open at 2000pump RPM causing my poor running and white smoke miss. They also found that the rack was only moving 6mm (speck is 12mm) they got it freed up and made it so when fuel is maxed out so is available rack movemnt. Hopfully this will allow me to get all availble fuel out of the pump. Nice part is it only cost me a little over $700.
 
Quick update, I dropped off my injection pump monday for a rebuild. Got a call today that they had got it rebuilt and found that plunger #2 was sticking open at 2000pump RPM causing my poor running and white smoke miss. They also found that the rack was only moving 6mm (speck is 12mm) they got it freed up and made it so when fuel is maxed out so is available rack movemnt. Hopfully this will allow me to get all availble fuel out of the pump. Nice part is it only cost me a little over $700.

Good news. Shame they didn't test max flow while they had it.
 
Good news. Shame they didn't test max flow while they had it.

If I had known they were so far under the $1500 quote I would have had them test it. I was under the impression that at max rack travel they where in the 170-180cc/1000shots. I guess its all guessing till there is hard flow numbers.
 
Sorry to thread jack for a moment, but this seems to be where the most knowledge on this topic is!

I see a lot of Isuzu 4BD1/4BD2 swap info, why is this the Isuzu engine of choice? I can't seem to locate any screaming deals on them in my neck of the woods.... What I can locate is the Isuzu 4JG2 - slightly smaller displacement (3.1L) but seems to be similar, though slightly lower in HP (can always add more boost!) I can also find this as a package deal, turbocharged, inter-cooled, AC compressor and PS already mounted, ECU and harness included, with manual trans and 4x4 transfer case attached, which would seem to me to save a lot of headaches in fabrication... Line it up, weld up some mounting points and then spend the hours of headaches of making all the connections and adaptors for everything to fit... Bad idea?

Any regrets in choosing to go with an Isuzu? Should I stay away from their transmission?

One more question for those of you who have swapped... How does your insurance deal with this? According to my insurance co. I can swap in any engine that was available from the factory - for that year, with no impact on cost. If I swap any other engine in, it becomes a "special case" - I read that as "you pay big". With the difference in cost of getting a Toyota vs an Isuzu engine, it could still be more cost effective, even if it doubles my insurance rate, it would take 10 years to even out...

All input greatly appreciated! - feel free to PM me so as not to clog up the thread, but I feel that this thread is a wealth of knowledge so maybe it would help others with the same question?
 
Reason for the Isuzu is its availability. Locally I can find NPR's running for $1500-2000 and could get $1000 in scrap out of it if I wanted. I was able to get my engine for $500 from down south. I have about $3000 into it now after a full rebuild, new injectors and rebuild pump. Did I need to do it all? Nope but I just want to do it once.

I would not go any smaller in displacement than the 3.9L personally. Yes boost can help off set it but it will never overcome that off idle torque. Personally if I did not go Isuzu it would have been a Mitsubishi 3.9L, nice thing with those is the A440 bolts onto those from what I have heard.

I like the idea of keeping the toyota transmission. No real reason for it other than limiting the work needed to integrate a new one.

Thanks for the compliment on the thread info, trying my best to keep track.


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So I got my injection pump back all cleaned up and overhauled. The pump guy went above and beyond with this. He did flow test it, but also removed the HAC rod as he said that is the one thing that effects max fuel on this pump more than anything else. He also removed the start quantity limit screw as again that limits travel. Both are easy for myself to put back in at a later date if I wish.

He then flow tested the pump on there bench adjusting the max fuel screw on the side and here is the results.




Dougel I hope this is what you where looking for? Feel free to use this info as you please.


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I also got 70% of the wiring done today. The largest amount of wiring work is adapting the early trans to the late trans wire harness. So far so good. Ill take some pictures so others can follow along and do theres next weekend. I also reinstalled the injection pump and replaced the leaking timing case seal. Use OEM this time way better quality.


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So I got my injection pump back all cleaned up and overhauled. The pump guy went above and beyond with this. He did flow test it, but also removed the HAC rod as he said that is the one thing that effects max fuel on this pump more than anything else. He also removed the start quantity limit screw as again that limits travel. Both are easy for myself to put back in at a later date if I wish.

He then flow tested the pump on there bench adjusting the max fuel screw on the side and here is the results.




Dougel I hope this is what you where looking for? Feel free to use this info as you please.


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That's brillant thanks, proof of the 180cc/1000 shots delivery.
 
Hey There. I know it's a ways back in the build but do you happen to remember the year cut off for the Volvo turbo you got with the better turbine housing? Also on the turbo did you decide machining the compressor housing was cheaper than buying the 19t housing or is there another reason for machining the Volvo housing? Would I need to find a turbo shop to do the machining or is it basic lathe work?

I did my best at scaling a stock td4hl-16t map (the higher pressure Volvo turbo) and found that in stock form it looked like it might be in surge on our motors. I was hoping I could find a stocker to run and set up my piping on then modify later with minimal fuss.

Hunting around eBay for a turbo today I found a Hyundai genesis td4hl that appears to be a 19t compressor housing but an integral manifold to the turbine...I wonder if one could take the compressor housing off it though...




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Hey There. I know it's a ways back in the build but do you happen to remember the year cut off for the Volvo turbo you got with the better turbine housing? Also on the turbo did you decide machining the compressor housing was cheaper than buying the 19t housing or is there another reason for machining the Volvo housing? Would I need to find a turbo shop to do the machining or is it basic lathe work?

I did my best at scaling a stock td4hl-16t map (the higher pressure Volvo turbo) and found that in stock form it looked like it might be in surge on our motors. I was hoping I could find a stocker to run and set up my piping on then modify later with minimal fuss.

Hunting around eBay for a turbo today I found a Hyundai genesis td4hl that appears to be a 19t compressor housing but an integral manifold to the turbine...I wonder if one could take the compressor housing off it though...




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No specific year I just studied the pictures to make sure it had the turbine housing I needed.

Its not a volvo compressor cover any more. The volvo one has in BOV in the compressor cover that is useless in our application. I got a compressor wheel and cover 19T kit. The CHRA needs a bit of machining to accept the larger diameter of the 19T wheel. Its simple lathe work though.



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Spent today working on the wiring and fuel lines. Was able to knock out the fuel lines in a couple hours. Just need to get into the fuel tank now to remove the pump and put in a bypass tube.

Also got the engine all back together after removing the injection pump. i got OEM timing cover gasket and pump gasket this time after seeing how poor the Felpro ones had sealed.....had a leak after just 20min maybe total run time. All sealed up now I hope.

Rest of the day was spent working on the wiring and the rats nest that always ends up being. In my case its worst that most since I am adapting the early trans. I am also trying to maintain every OEM function so the swap is seamless A/C, Cruise, dash shift indicator ect. I have about 6 hours into it now and am feeling good about where I am at. I have maybe 2-3 left. I am not going to loom it till I have the engine back and can test all systems to make sure there working as needed first.

Pictures do not do this part of the swap justice. The harness has gone from over 1" diameter to about 1/2".







The only plugs left when done will be the two white ones. There is also a ECU plug under the dash that needs to be connected to a few wires.











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Any progress? I have been stuck on wiring. More just trying to avoid it. Into the last bit that takes most of the time.

Keep in it. your wiring hanging over the side of the fender looks all to similar.
 

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