Builds '91 Pickup diesel conversion

[Combat Chuck]

If money were no object, I'd really like to see if a 1PZ would fit in one of these. Since the 1PZ is fitted to an R151, half of the battle is already done getting the power to the wheels.

Dan

sounds familiar....
That would be a fun swap. If a 2JZGE can fit under a first-gen's hood then I'm beginning to suspect a 1PZ should fit under the same hood, or the hood of a 4Runner.

Oh, and hey, Dan, thanks for the info of my Computers thread in diesel tech, it was some good information, and encouragement. I'm sorry my reply got swallowed up by talking to Crushers, and various computer glitches, but I did appreciate what you wrote, and thought it over. Thanks again!

 

[Chamba]

Given you took this rig to CM, I was certain this thread would come alive again.... Am I right?

Cheers,

Josh

 

[TheMAN]

so what was the verdict on the cracking head problem on the 2L-T/2L-TE? I know on the 3C-T/3C-TE on Estima Emina/Lucidas (JDM narrow body Previa), they are prone to blown head gaskets and/or cracking due to overheating. People have modified their stock temperature gauge with an additional alarm or installed an aftermarket temperature gauge to help prevent this issue.

So is overheating the cause of this? If so, upgraded cooling and better monitoring could help prevent this costly damage

man, I wish I have the money for a diesel yota now...

 

[Grouseman]

Diesel Conversion

Dan,

This is an extremely interesting thread. Please check your pm's.

Thanks
Gman

 

[DanS HJ-45]

Grouseman:

You should have a PM back.

Josh: you're spot on, here's three pictures from CM11...






Overall, I LOVE MY TRUCK!!!! The suspension is quite limiting, that's for sure, but really not as much as an IFS truck with 31" tires seems like it should be. I did Fins and Things, Sevenmile Rim, and Elephant Hill. I had to be tugged up one obstacle on Fins, and on a very steep hill (the picture from inside the cab, looking outside was taken on it) I tried to crawl up and give it no gas. Turns out the turbo unspooled and the engine pooped out at the top, so we got a winch from above to be on the safe side. I'd try it again, and give it gas next time. The trail leader wasn't real familiar with how turbo diesels work, and with rock that sticky it was simply not enough for the engine to keep going at that angle. Interestingly enough, that's the first time I've had that problem.

Other than that, no problems whatsoever. And of course my fuel consumption was WELL below most other trucks on the trails, but all three days there were HDJ-81s on the trail, who were more in line with my fuel useage.

Someday, I'll lift it somehow (either a simple lift, or SAS), but for now, I'm pretty happy to get that kind of mileage in a truck that can do as much as it does.

Dan

 

[Chamba]

So shall I send over a solid front axle setup from an 89-93 Hilux? I can get as many of those as you'd want here...

Josh

 

[DanS HJ-45]

So, a funny thing happened on my way to the junkyard this week....

I got rear ended. I will say that the lady's Blazer didn't fare so well. I know I saw damage to her front frame crossmember, not to mention pretty much all of the sheet metal on the front end of her truck. Serves her right though, I do have the world's brightest tail/stop lights in my bumper (and they were on).

Mostly it just pushed my bumper down (I designed it so that a collision like this should protect the frame and instead break/bend the bolts and maybe the bumper brackets). But it also bent the bumper tube too. Pushed it in maybe 1/4" at the point between the backup light and the brake light.





And here's the deformation of the bumper bracket.



Anyone know a good way to make sure the frame didn't get bent? I don't want to skip the insurance claim if it might have hurt my frame, but my bumper I figure I'd just as soon get some money to replace it instead of having to buy an off the shelf bumper from someone (I like mine).

I've never had a claim in my life, so lots of questions here.

Either way, I love the fact that my bumper appears to have done exactly what it is supposed to do: protect the truck.

Dan

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

Wow! Well done on the bumper build! I hope the frame's ok!

 

[Bogo]

Check the frame tips for straightness. The stock bumper mounts also provide a similar service in hopefully bending before the frame gets damaged. I had mine bent a couple times by rear enders. They can be cut off and new ones welded in to replace them. Note the tail ends of the frame tips also support the bed. If they got pulled down, it may be evident in the bolts holding up the rear end of the bed. Both times my frame tips ended being pulled down the place where the bolts attach to the bed was damaged.

I now consider the frame tips a sacrificial part. Just a bit more of a pain to replace than most.

 

[NorCalBorn]

^ That plus look from the back of the truck across the top surface of the tailgate and see if it is even with the bed's front top surface and the sides run parallel. If the frame got bent the bed will show it as a twist through the sides and corner.

 

[Bogo]

^ That plus look from the back of the truck across the top surface of the tailgate and see if it is even with the bed's front top surface and the sides run parallel. If the frame got bent the bed will show it as a twist through the sides and corner.

Thinking about that, one of the times I was rear ended the whole frame flexed enough that the front end if the bed minorly dented the cab. The main part of the frame was still within spec. after that, but the frame tips were replaced. My bumper was bent down to around a 45 degree angle.

 

[DanS HJ-45]

Good idea on the bed being a good indicator.

Super pleased with my bumper after that collision, I should get home tomorrow to get a good look at it again....

Thanks guys!

Dan

 

[Combat Chuck]

Awesome Toyota truck with home-made bumper: 1
Chevy Minivan pretending to be a 4X4: 0

I'll be here hoping for the best!

 

[DanS HJ-45]

I'm such a tease.



That's it for now. Let your imagination run wild. NO idea when I'll have time to put 2 and 2 together, but I picked it up for a reason, obviously.

Dan

 

[EVILSPOTTER]

What did that axle come out of? It seems that for a live axle mini, the J arm & panhard link are on the wrong side.

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

You doing a right hand drive conversion??????

 

[DanS HJ-45]

What did that axle come out of? It seems that for a live axle mini, the J arm & panhard link are on the wrong side.

Good eye. I will replace the arm and panhard link...

You doing a right hand drive conversion??????

For certain not. I have to use a key card to get in and out of the parking lot every time I go to work. Otherwise, I'd have an RHD vehicle I'm sure.

Dan

 

[DanS HJ-45]

Man, NOBODY here figured it out, eh? Josh, you don't count! You guys spotted one potentially identifying feature on it... I'll give you another hint: it's got a 4.88 in it.

It slowly gets cooler. I pulled the bumper off and put in an M8000 last week.

Couple of notes, I couldn't get the Warn fairlead to fit the stock holes. Well, the fairlead fit them just fine, but the cable was pinched between the upper roller and the metal of the bumper on the bottom.

I originally figured to drill another hole in the bumper to mount he fairlead higher, but (after I drilled, of course) that the winch mounting bolts and fairlead bolts are the same--so the easy solution is just to drill a new hole in the fairlead to allow it to mount higher.

With a little help lifting the whole thing back onto the truck, we have a winch! I mounted the solenoid where I did because A) it fits, using two holes drilled in the bull bar support, B) the cables from the solenoid box to the winch are only so long, and C) I would rather block a little of my headlight than block airflow through my radiator. Turns out, it's not a problem anyway. I can't see any difference in the light pattern at all.





And for $25 at 4wheelparts I picked up a license plate bracket that clips onto the fairlead. I could have kept using zip ties, but that would have eaten me out of house and home, or I could have purchased flashlight clips and made my own, but for $25.....



I've been using the winch quite a bit in the last week since I installed it tugging some logs around my property so that next summer I can use them to build a shed.

Dan

 

[Couso]

3L duel cab in OZ

Excellent thread Dan,

It's such a shame the USA didn't get deisels or duel cabs... my daily driver is a 1995 LN106 duel cab, 3L, g52, 4.3 diffs, leaf sprung front etc mostly stock. These are everywhere in Australia and although they are slow they are solid reliable trucks. Its common to see turbo kits added to these engines but I understand they overheat easily when towing or pushed hard up hill. I live in Alice Springs where it gets bloody hot in summer so I have resisted the urge to turbo this one.
Just thought i would give you some comparisons regarding this truck for tose thinking of a conversion to the dark side.... first of all some rough specs.
- 1995 duel cab with ute body
- roughly 2000 kg with me in it (= 4400lb)
- 2.8l N/A Deisel - 3L
- g52 gearbox - gear drive transfer case
- 4.3:1 diffs LSD in rear
- 30in bridgestones on 15x7 steel wheels

List of Modifcations:
- ARB which bar - no winch
- Hella 4000 spot lights
- Pedders Heavy duty springs all round
- Pedders foam cell shocks all round
- Safari Snorkel
- 140 litre fuel tank (LRA) = 37 gallons
- small lukey muffler in stock exhaust
- steel cage on ute tub
- tow bar

I bought the car in 2003 with 80,00 km's on the clock = 50,000m The only mods I've done are the springs, shocks and wheels. I had to get rid of the nasty split rims and decided to run 30in tyres due to the lack of power. I hate the springs - long story. Everyone who owns one of these is always chasing more power. Big tyres and more weight compound the issue. Running a snorkel, headers, electric radiator fan and a free flowing exhaust is an option for a little extra power or running a turbo. I've chosen to keep this one near stock and run 30in tyres as where I live is hot and flat. Im tempted to run 31in tyres (looks better) but believe it or not it will knock about 7 kph off the top speed and the extra load makes the engine struggle in normal driving conditions...I've tried. Of course I could change the diff ratios to compensate, maybe one day...

Top speed - 125 kph = 77 mph @ 3400 rpm in 5th gear
Crusing speed - 110 kph = 68 mph @ 3000 rpm
Max revs - 4000 rpm

This truck currently has just over 200,000 km's = 124,000 miles and is going strong, In fact now that i live out of town and it gets driven hard it seems to run better and better. Deisels love to work hard. The low down torque of this engine is brillant, with a 22:1 compression ratio it will walk up anything.

What has gone wrong???
This truck has been mostly trouble free. I'm a mechanic so I look after this old girl myself and am willing to put up with a few issues along the way. Most issues have been normal stuff.

- Radiator's been replaced - leaking top tank
- Steering box seals replaced
- Front axle seals leaked - full front end rebuild
- Cam belt and bearings changed - due again soon
- Engine front crank seal blew out. that was messy
- Idler bearings for drive belts changed
- Alternator vacuum pump noisy - still works though
- one glow plug replaced
- Toyota thermostats don't close fully - I'll live with that
- engine mounts broke - common problem
- Chassis cracked along weld behind right front shock tower
- no high beam - combination switch issue - spotties ok though??
- Gearbox cluster shaft bearings failed - reco gearbox at 198,000 km's and new clucth etc
- Output seals on transfer case leaked - needed new front flange
- Metal sparkles in oil from transfer case? - not noisy yet
- Centre bearing in rear drive shaft is floopy - will get to that
- a few body cracks, nothing major

The gearbox failure is partly my fault. After getting extra muddy one day I cleaned underneath with a high pressure cleaner and blew s*** into the gearbox as the rubber boot for the shifter was broken. That was an expensive lesson to learn.

One thing to note, the engine mounts for this 3L are definately different and not interchangable with a 22R. They do look similar though. I was suprised to hear the 2LT-E and R150 combo bolted up to the original mounts - well done there... I believe the 3L and 2LT blocks are considerable different.
One thing to note with the 3L. They are very dirty engines which produce lots of carbon which will contaminate the engine oil. The oil galleries in the crank are tiny so they need regular oil changes to keep the galleries clear and the genuine toyota oil filters are definately better...

I hope I haven't bored you all and apoligise for the lack of photo's but once again well done on your truck Dan, I look forward to seeing the SAS get done..

Couso

 

[redsonja]

Awesome build thread. Great write up on the conversion.

I will totally agree on how awesome the diesel is. I used to own a 3.0 v6 4runner. It was a pig on gas and gutless. I now own a ln130 surf with a 2lte. It blows the doors off the v6 as well as the 4cyl gas.

I have a winch and lightforce 170s on the arb front bumper. No change in cooling issues. So don't worry there.

Cpl things I'd highly recommend. Egt gauge and water temp gauge. Than from the turbo back go 3 inch exhaust. Add an inter cooler. I hate the idea if a body lift so I added the inter cooler to where the stock air box sits and than added a hood scoop. I also added a second cowl scoop to even further lower temps. With those mods gas mileage has increased huge and so has power. The water temps almost never reach 180 degrees even when towing a 14ft camper. Best part is the egt at most hits 1000 deg but usually hovers around 900. Plus it sounds friggin cool.

I'm new to this forum so ill post pics of my engine bay when I'm allowed to.

I am still in stock head at 162kms. I really think lowering egt is key to making the engine more durable.