I spent $4750 on the FJ80 in spring of 2007. Then sold my FJ62 for $3200 that following fall. The 1991 FJ80 was in excellent shape overall (no rust, clean interior, all original), but the engine had over 270,000 miles on it, which scared away most buyers.
I snatched it up knowing I wanted to do a diesel conversion at some point. I researched engine options, but decided on the Detroit Diesel used in GM trucks and the Humvee. If they're good enough for the U.S. Military, then they're good enough for me!
Within a couple of months I located two used motors that would work for my engine build. I purchased one, which came out of a 1988 V2500 Suburban for $300, which included the motor mounts, and wiring harness. The other was a 1991 out of a pickup for $275, and it cam with the GM turbo on the side. I ended up selling the newer motor for $500, but kept the turbo, and then I rebuilt the 1988 engine (J-type), which set me back about $2500 after having it machined and adding new internals, updated water pump, updated alternator, power steering pump, and AC compressor.
The A440F--used from 1988 to 1992, with the 3FE inline 6--is a better choice than using the A442F because the newer model is electronically controlled. The A440F still uses a detent (kick-down cable) to downshift during acceleration, and it doesn't need to talk to the engine to operate. We'll see how well it holds up the the vibration of the 6.2L diesel.
I spent $1300 dollars for the Marks Adapter, which allowed me to keep the A440F transmission. It's a bit pricey for what you get, but their the only show in town, and Advanced is the only distributor in the US.
Then I spent another $1000 to $1200 on materials and other parts to fabricate frame mounts, a new cross member for the transmission and other bits to make it all happen.
All told, I have about $7325 tied up in the project so far, but that doesn't include any modifications that I plan to do in the future, such as air induction and a suspension upgrade, as well as other mods planned for the future.
However, I am satisfied with the conversion overall. I like to increased performance and fuel economy over the older 3FE. My tired I6 was only generating about 120 HP when I pulled it out, and I now have about 215 HP and a little more torque to play with. I also like the simplicity of this engine, but I am constantly tinkering with it, trying to find out ways to make it a little better.
I snatched it up knowing I wanted to do a diesel conversion at some point. I researched engine options, but decided on the Detroit Diesel used in GM trucks and the Humvee. If they're good enough for the U.S. Military, then they're good enough for me!
Within a couple of months I located two used motors that would work for my engine build. I purchased one, which came out of a 1988 V2500 Suburban for $300, which included the motor mounts, and wiring harness. The other was a 1991 out of a pickup for $275, and it cam with the GM turbo on the side. I ended up selling the newer motor for $500, but kept the turbo, and then I rebuilt the 1988 engine (J-type), which set me back about $2500 after having it machined and adding new internals, updated water pump, updated alternator, power steering pump, and AC compressor.
The A440F--used from 1988 to 1992, with the 3FE inline 6--is a better choice than using the A442F because the newer model is electronically controlled. The A440F still uses a detent (kick-down cable) to downshift during acceleration, and it doesn't need to talk to the engine to operate. We'll see how well it holds up the the vibration of the 6.2L diesel.
I spent $1300 dollars for the Marks Adapter, which allowed me to keep the A440F transmission. It's a bit pricey for what you get, but their the only show in town, and Advanced is the only distributor in the US.
Then I spent another $1000 to $1200 on materials and other parts to fabricate frame mounts, a new cross member for the transmission and other bits to make it all happen.
All told, I have about $7325 tied up in the project so far, but that doesn't include any modifications that I plan to do in the future, such as air induction and a suspension upgrade, as well as other mods planned for the future.
However, I am satisfied with the conversion overall. I like to increased performance and fuel economy over the older 3FE. My tired I6 was only generating about 120 HP when I pulled it out, and I now have about 215 HP and a little more torque to play with. I also like the simplicity of this engine, but I am constantly tinkering with it, trying to find out ways to make it a little better.
