I see more and more people swapping the 1FZ-FE for a diesel (usually with a manual trans) and I am just wondering why?
I live in a place where probably 80% of vehicles are diesels and the 80-series is no exception. I am sure that even more than 80% are 1hd-t or 1hd-ft. The same with the 100 series with the 1hd-fte.
So here are my observations from a land of diesel (Europe) but I will try to narrow it down to the 80 series.
- the diesel stinks when compared to the 1-fz-fe for obvious reasons.
- there is no gain in performance. The 1FZ has torque of a diesel and this torque is available from low rpms, but an advantage of the 1FZ is power and instant reaction when you press the pedal to the floor.
- you can push the gssoline engine to the redline all day and the truck is happy. Gasoline engines are not afraid of redline.
- gasoline engine has low vibrations and a much nicer sound than the clunk of a diesel
- in many countries. for example Germany, you can drive in the cities if you have a green sticker. Otherwise cameras catch you, check the plate number, check the vehicle model and you get a fine. Gasoline engines get a green sticker hands down and even the 1fz does conform with emissions standards. Most, if not all, old diesels are banned. New diesels have DPF filters and other stuff but they are unreliable as hell, that's another story.
- the 1fz is overbuilt like a diesel and I am sure it will achieve high mileage. An engine as fat as a diesel with a low compression (around 10:1) equals high reliability, high MTBF
- the 1fz is as simple as an engine can get. No turbo, easy access to all the components, chain-driven timing, low pressures everywhere.
- the 1fz parts are cheap and available everywhere round the corner, not the case with diesels.
So that's as far as engine goes, now the tranny.
- an auto is simple and easy to use. Much nicer than a manual
- a few hours behind the steering wheel let you get a feel of the auto tranny so you can shift gears with your foot. You simply learn when the truck will downshift and upshift
- if you are a control freak, you can buy a simple electronic device (I have a source for them, $200) which lets you ovverride the tranny ECU and manually shift gears, lock the torque converter, use some half-automatic shifting patterns etc.
- the auto tranny is easier for the components during off road as there is no 1:1 direct power output so when your spinning wheels suddenly gains traction the impact is dampened by the tranny. On manual transmissions birf and axles break much more often and on rigs with relatively small wheels (33-35").
OK I see some advantages of the diesel+manual swap:
- better mileage. But does the mileage difference (20-30%) justify such an expense?
- better control for control freaks, though IMHO there is no advantage
- owning something special, being proud of being different. Feeling like a guru because all the crowd has gas+auto and I have diesel+manual.
I am aware that subjective preferences and dreams are an important factor and we like when our dreams come true, but are there any realistic, scientific, objective reasons to ditch the 1fz for a diesel? Mileage is one, but hardly justifiable. Am I missing something?
I live in a place where probably 80% of vehicles are diesels and the 80-series is no exception. I am sure that even more than 80% are 1hd-t or 1hd-ft. The same with the 100 series with the 1hd-fte.
So here are my observations from a land of diesel (Europe) but I will try to narrow it down to the 80 series.
- the diesel stinks when compared to the 1-fz-fe for obvious reasons.
- there is no gain in performance. The 1FZ has torque of a diesel and this torque is available from low rpms, but an advantage of the 1FZ is power and instant reaction when you press the pedal to the floor.
- you can push the gssoline engine to the redline all day and the truck is happy. Gasoline engines are not afraid of redline.
- gasoline engine has low vibrations and a much nicer sound than the clunk of a diesel
- in many countries. for example Germany, you can drive in the cities if you have a green sticker. Otherwise cameras catch you, check the plate number, check the vehicle model and you get a fine. Gasoline engines get a green sticker hands down and even the 1fz does conform with emissions standards. Most, if not all, old diesels are banned. New diesels have DPF filters and other stuff but they are unreliable as hell, that's another story.
- the 1fz is overbuilt like a diesel and I am sure it will achieve high mileage. An engine as fat as a diesel with a low compression (around 10:1) equals high reliability, high MTBF
- the 1fz is as simple as an engine can get. No turbo, easy access to all the components, chain-driven timing, low pressures everywhere.
- the 1fz parts are cheap and available everywhere round the corner, not the case with diesels.
So that's as far as engine goes, now the tranny.
- an auto is simple and easy to use. Much nicer than a manual
- a few hours behind the steering wheel let you get a feel of the auto tranny so you can shift gears with your foot. You simply learn when the truck will downshift and upshift
- if you are a control freak, you can buy a simple electronic device (I have a source for them, $200) which lets you ovverride the tranny ECU and manually shift gears, lock the torque converter, use some half-automatic shifting patterns etc.
- the auto tranny is easier for the components during off road as there is no 1:1 direct power output so when your spinning wheels suddenly gains traction the impact is dampened by the tranny. On manual transmissions birf and axles break much more often and on rigs with relatively small wheels (33-35").
OK I see some advantages of the diesel+manual swap:
- better mileage. But does the mileage difference (20-30%) justify such an expense?
- better control for control freaks, though IMHO there is no advantage
- owning something special, being proud of being different. Feeling like a guru because all the crowd has gas+auto and I have diesel+manual.
I am aware that subjective preferences and dreams are an important factor and we like when our dreams come true, but are there any realistic, scientific, objective reasons to ditch the 1fz for a diesel? Mileage is one, but hardly justifiable. Am I missing something?
(and this was not my only experience wheeling with diesels 
