Wow, just Wow!
Builds Diesel Conversion to Isuzu 4BD1T
- Thread starter longbow
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- Thread starter
- #22
Tobyb,
This engine has plenty of power for the highway. It is comparable to a carburated Chevy smallblock as far as that goes. It is a different kind of power though and it takes some getting used to because you have to shift quicker because the diesels wind up at lower rpms. I find myself shifting before I get to 2500 rpm with this engine and with my gas engine I wouldn't shift until I got to about 3300. So its a different experience all together, but it definately has plenty of power for this 60 series. This engine comes out of 15 to 20,000 GVW trucks so this little FJ60 is really not much to pull around. But if you are looking for 10 second quarter miles, this probably wouldn't be my engine choice.
FL Cruiser,
Hey thanks for the comments! It was your build that got me started down this road in the first place. Once you did this conversion I knew that the engine would fit and so I started buying the parts to get this going. And thank you again for your help on 4BTswaps when I was building this engine.
The filter housings are just standard Wix housings that are about $15 a piece. The mount I had to make myself with my own three hands. Somewhere I have all the part #s written down to do this filter setup if anyone wants to do this themselves.
Thanks,
Don
This engine has plenty of power for the highway. It is comparable to a carburated Chevy smallblock as far as that goes. It is a different kind of power though and it takes some getting used to because you have to shift quicker because the diesels wind up at lower rpms. I find myself shifting before I get to 2500 rpm with this engine and with my gas engine I wouldn't shift until I got to about 3300. So its a different experience all together, but it definately has plenty of power for this 60 series. This engine comes out of 15 to 20,000 GVW trucks so this little FJ60 is really not much to pull around. But if you are looking for 10 second quarter miles, this probably wouldn't be my engine choice.
FL Cruiser,
Hey thanks for the comments! It was your build that got me started down this road in the first place. Once you did this conversion I knew that the engine would fit and so I started buying the parts to get this going. And thank you again for your help on 4BTswaps when I was building this engine.
The filter housings are just standard Wix housings that are about $15 a piece. The mount I had to make myself with my own three hands. Somewhere I have all the part #s written down to do this filter setup if anyone wants to do this themselves.
Thanks,
Don
Don,
Well done sir, well done. It has been brutal keeping this thing under wraps and just to emails back and forth. If you ever find yourself on a roadtrip to Alaska please make a stop in Oregon!
Clint
Well done sir, well done. It has been brutal keeping this thing under wraps and just to emails back and forth. If you ever find yourself on a roadtrip to Alaska please make a stop in Oregon!
Clint
Don,
Great work and outstanding results! That is a very clean installation! One of the best I've seen and very, very fast.
I had no doubt you would be happy with the Isuzu as I am with mine. I am a little jealous though...I really wish I had a 4BD1 instead of a 2! I think you get better MPG with the 1. Oh well!
Enjoy and "Good Cruisin" in the oil burner!
Doug
Great work and outstanding results! That is a very clean installation! One of the best I've seen and very, very fast.
I had no doubt you would be happy with the Isuzu as I am with mine. I am a little jealous though...I really wish I had a 4BD1 instead of a 2! I think you get better MPG with the 1. Oh well!
Enjoy and "Good Cruisin" in the oil burner!
Doug
Beautiful work.
I admire this build. Good work for keeping under wraps for so long!
You should take a video from inside the cabin maybe with some high boost occuring
I admire this build. Good work for keeping under wraps for so long!
You should take a video from inside the cabin maybe with some high boost occuring
- Thread starter
- #28
Klinetimes,
Thanks for the comments! I really like your rig and love the history behind it! Nice rebuild thread.
I don't have any boost numbers yet due to lack of funds and no boost gauge yet. I plumbed the manifolds for boost and EGT when I did the rebuild but have yet to get the gauges yet. As soon as I get them installed, I will post up a video.
I have so many things that I want to do to this truck over the next year that I really need to win the lottery. So many great ideas that I have stored in my brain from all of the builders on this site over the years. This is my 4th cruiser over the last 15 years and have lurked here for almost all of those years and have hardly had anything to add to the site until this project. So now I am working on custom front and rear bumpers and a snorkel and gauges and etc, etc. I'll post up more as I get things done. I know how we all love pictures on this site and so I will be sure to post up a bunch more as I get time.
Thanks,
Don
Thanks for the comments! I really like your rig and love the history behind it! Nice rebuild thread.
I don't have any boost numbers yet due to lack of funds and no boost gauge yet. I plumbed the manifolds for boost and EGT when I did the rebuild but have yet to get the gauges yet. As soon as I get them installed, I will post up a video.
I have so many things that I want to do to this truck over the next year that I really need to win the lottery. So many great ideas that I have stored in my brain from all of the builders on this site over the years. This is my 4th cruiser over the last 15 years and have lurked here for almost all of those years and have hardly had anything to add to the site until this project. So now I am working on custom front and rear bumpers and a snorkel and gauges and etc, etc. I'll post up more as I get things done. I know how we all love pictures on this site and so I will be sure to post up a bunch more as I get time.
Thanks,
Don
Glad you are writing this up since it's a great swap. I think the isuzu is finally starting to take off as a good swap candidate. Hopefully the prices will stay down for a while so that more cruisers can get diesels! I look forward to your future mods, gauge readings, and trip reports.
- Thread starter
- #30
Thanks Boots,
Yeah, I hope they don't get too popular just yet. I have been sorta looking around for one the last couple months because now I want to put one in my 80. If I can ever pry it out of my wife's little hands! I want to use the same auto that you did on yours with the controller. I think this would be a great 80 conversion if I can figure out some way to make the cruise control work.
I'll keep you posted on my progress.
Thanks,
Don
Yeah, I hope they don't get too popular just yet. I have been sorta looking around for one the last couple months because now I want to put one in my 80. If I can ever pry it out of my wife's little hands! I want to use the same auto that you did on yours with the controller. I think this would be a great 80 conversion if I can figure out some way to make the cruise control work.
I'll keep you posted on my progress.
Thanks,
Don
Great work. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the comments about my cruiser Don!
I had a question about which engine to use.
If I were to look for one what year Isuzu NPR should I search for?
Or are there other ways of getting one on the cheap?
I'm mostly curious here
I had a question about which engine to use.
If I were to look for one what year Isuzu NPR should I search for?
Or are there other ways of getting one on the cheap?
I'm mostly curious here
We should get all the Isuzu swapped 60 threads together in a diesel section sticky for easy reference. I think the Isuzu 4BD1/2 engines are turning out to be one of the best diesel's you can use in a 60, cheap (relatively), strong, good power and available in North America! But I may be a little biased...LOL
Doug
Doug
Beautiful work Don!! Great looking filter arrangement too.... for my end I'm trying not to get to rushed getting my Rig just, er, running..... and still take some time here and there to do some moving pieces right...while I have alot of cr***p out & open.
Patience.....
@KlineTime: now your rig would be very sweet with the *small* addition of a diesel in 'Er
Patience.....
@KlineTime: now your rig would be very sweet with the *small* addition of a diesel in 'Er
- Thread starter
- #36
Klinetimes,
You want to look for an NPR between 86' to 98'. The 4BD1T ends in 91' and then goes to the 4BD2T until 98'. I think either engine is great and they are very similar other than the 1T is direct injection and the 2T is indirect. The filter housings are configured a little different and I think you would need a little more lift with the 2T if you don't do a remote oil filter like Doug720 did. The 2T has more horsepower and an intercooler and a better turbo and the 1T is less work due to the lack of intercooler plumbing but the difference between the two is really not much and I would be happy with whichever one you can find for cheap. With your skills you would have very little problem rebuilding one compared to the work you did on your 2F. There are lots of parts out there for both these engines especially on Ebay where I found most of mine and through Rudy's Diesel in CA. He has OEM quality parts at very reasonable prices and ships quick. If I had it to do again, I would buy a complete truck so that I had all the accessories and brackets to go with the engine and then part the rest out on Craigslist to recover most of your money.
Doug,
You're right, there should be a sticky for all the Isuzu swaps so that people can go to one place for all the info to make this swap a breeze for the next guys. Heck, your build thread alone could be the cornerstone for this since most of us have followed what you did. I even bought the same color so that I wouldn't get confused when I was building mine!
Rasta,
Thanks, you take your time and do that thing right! It is so much easier when the fenders and front end are off to get at all that stuff and that thing is going to be a monster when it is all done.
Don
You want to look for an NPR between 86' to 98'. The 4BD1T ends in 91' and then goes to the 4BD2T until 98'. I think either engine is great and they are very similar other than the 1T is direct injection and the 2T is indirect. The filter housings are configured a little different and I think you would need a little more lift with the 2T if you don't do a remote oil filter like Doug720 did. The 2T has more horsepower and an intercooler and a better turbo and the 1T is less work due to the lack of intercooler plumbing but the difference between the two is really not much and I would be happy with whichever one you can find for cheap. With your skills you would have very little problem rebuilding one compared to the work you did on your 2F. There are lots of parts out there for both these engines especially on Ebay where I found most of mine and through Rudy's Diesel in CA. He has OEM quality parts at very reasonable prices and ships quick. If I had it to do again, I would buy a complete truck so that I had all the accessories and brackets to go with the engine and then part the rest out on Craigslist to recover most of your money.
Doug,
You're right, there should be a sticky for all the Isuzu swaps so that people can go to one place for all the info to make this swap a breeze for the next guys. Heck, your build thread alone could be the cornerstone for this since most of us have followed what you did. I even bought the same color so that I wouldn't get confused when I was building mine!
Rasta,
Thanks, you take your time and do that thing right! It is so much easier when the fenders and front end are off to get at all that stuff and that thing is going to be a monster when it is all done.
Don
Thanks for posting the thread! I have been planning on doing this as well, and have seen your videos already on youtube searches. Looks great!
" It is comparable to a carburated Chevy smallblock as far as that goes. It is a different kind of power though and it takes some getting used to because you have to shift quicker because the diesels wind up at lower rpms."
Thanks, that makes perfect sense- I'm thinking long- term for towing, and the diesel torque has
been a proven winner in past...
And once again, that's one darned nice job!
t
Thanks, that makes perfect sense- I'm thinking long- term for towing, and the diesel torque has
been a proven winner in past...
And once again, that's one darned nice job!
t
Don thanks for the info!
My 2F is in pretty good shape. The mileage isn't great but I can't afford a diesel swap right now. Maybe in the future. I will definitely be curious to see more of these swaps.
I thought all turbo engines had to have intercoolers? Am I mistaken?
My 2F is in pretty good shape. The mileage isn't great but I can't afford a diesel swap right now. Maybe in the future. I will definitely be curious to see more of these swaps.
I thought all turbo engines had to have intercoolers? Am I mistaken?
