FJ60 Diesel Swap...

[ACPIT]

Hi guys - so a buddy showed me a Youtube this weekend of a MB Diesel that was installed in a '94 Cruiser and they kept the original tranny... It got me thinking about switching out the gas engine in my FJ60 for a diesel and was wondering who has done it or has comments as to which diesel motor works best in the 60 series. The local shop told me it would be about 17k to install a turbo-diesel in my truck but that he would get me 40+ MPG and double the power. Just wondering if this is true, and if I can do this on my own to avoid the 17k...

Any input is appreciated.

 

[saucebox]

You can do it on your own (tons of work, though). Lots of engine swaps around here.

For the MB Diesel—contact 4x4labs.com. They make adapters for MB > Toyota Trans and MB > GM Trans.

I have no idea about the 40MPG. That sounds way too high.

 

[gregnash]

First off.... use the search function, there are TONS of diesel builds out there. Most common are swaps with either the 4BD1T/4BD2T or a 4Bt/6Bt cummins. The thought of you getting 40+mpg is a LONG shot and I would hesitate on using that shop, you will be looking at low to mid 20s at best (very few have reported the high 20s).
The price he is giving you is about right for a decent swap so he is ok in that regard (the 40+mpg worries me). But as towards doing yourself it all depends on your mechanical capability and what engine you use. The two I mentioned (along with the a few toyota diesels, are well documented here).

 

[The Phoenician]

I have a 4btaa cummins in my 62 with a dodge nv4500. I average 17 mpg with the 4.11 gears between city and highway. I've gotten 22.9 mpg on strictly highway driving. Anyone who tells you 40+ is smoking something and you probably don't want to use them. If you're not mechanically savvy, you can still save money by doing research and buying the needed parts yourself.

 

[tclark]

Not to hijack but why is it one can't get better mpg with a small 4cyl diesel like the 4bt? Everybody always brings up the "brick" analogy but these things aren't any less aerodynamic than most pickups--which have bigger, more powerful engines in heavier bodies and get similar mpg.

 

[cholznag]

ACPIT_
I put a 6.2 chevy turbo diesel ('82) in a FJ62- and converted it to a manual too. I get 18 mpg on a good day. I went through marks adaptors, marks4wd in Australia (they know their s***), summit racing and others to get it done. I did the work myself with the help of a kick ass machinest who rebuilt the engine and helped with many other snags in the process. I got mine done for under 6k not including the new tranny, but did all the work myself aside from a few thousand I spent for rebuilding the motor and his labor. I have put 50 k on it and would do it again, although I might start with the 6.5 turbo diesel because they worked out some problems the 6.2 had or Cummins instead.

 

[gregnash]

Not to hijack but why is it one can't get better mpg with a small 4cyl diesel like the 4bt? Everybody always brings up the "brick" analogy but these things aren't any less aerodynamic than most pickups--which have bigger, more powerful engines in heavier bodies and get similar mpg.

It isnt just strictly the lack of aerodynamics but the GVW as well as other factors. Newer vehicles are made to specifically run with the electronic components they have that will compensate where necessary. We arent saying you cant do the same thing with our 60 series land cruisers but with what we have going on it is highly unlikely that we will be able to get anything better than the mid 20s with most things. If you could cut out some weight, regear some, make some other compensations and add a bit of aerodynamics then you could squeeze more mpg's out of our ole girls. But that is just not going to happen.

 

[torfab]

With a 1HZ, you could squeeze low 20's around town and higher on the highway. The person promising you 40mpg has no real world experience with Cruisers and mileage. Perhaps his calculator is broken?

 

[cruiserpilot]

With a 1HZ, you could squeeze low 20's around town and higher on the highway. The person promising you 40mpg has no real world experience with Cruisers and mileage. Perhaps his calculator is broken?

I think his calculator works great, he wants your money....won't guarantee anything/

 

[tclark]

I wouldn't expect more than mid 20's, maybe upper 20's depending on the engine. I just see a lot of high teens/20ish which just makes no sense to me when the same engine in a heavier vehicle got the same.

 

[ACPIT]

Thanks guys. I didn't mention that the mechanic told me I would need to register the truck in Texas or outside CA in order to get the 40mpg due to CA emissions... anyhow, I guess I would need to read the other posts to see what works best. I'm pretty handy and can follow the manual to perform most jobs on my truck, I just never undertook an engine swap. I'm interested in getting the most mpg's while at the same time being able to drive in snow and not worry about power issues. I'm not a rock crawler so don't need a ton of low end power. To go from 10mpg which is what I'm getting now to mid 20 makes me think it's not really worth it. It would take 3yrs just to b/e on the cost. I thought I could drop a MB diesel in the truck w same tranny along with an adapter plate and bingo bango! Gonna have to think about it now...

 

[gregnash]

Thanks guys. I didn't mention that the mechanic told me I would need to register the truck in Texas or outside CA in order to get the 40mpg due to CA emissions...

So very confused by this and makes me think that this person is INCREDIBLY shady!

anyhow, I guess I would need to read the other posts to see what works best. I'm pretty handy and can follow the manual to perform most jobs on my truck, I just never undertook an engine swap. I'm interested in getting the most mpg's while at the same time being able to drive in snow and not worry about power issues. I'm not a rock crawler so don't need a ton of low end power. To go from 10mpg which is what I'm getting now to mid 20 makes me think it's not really worth it. It would take 3yrs just to b/e on the cost.

Multiple guys on here have proven that if you are doing the conversion strictly for a cost savings (on fuel) then you are grossly mistaken. It will take you much more than 3yrs to break even on the cost and time/effort involved in the swap.

I thought I could drop a MB diesel in the truck w same tranny along with an adapter plate and bingo bango! Gonna have to think about it now...

Unfortunately, there is no straight drop in measure that will happen with these older vehicles. Your EASIEST swap would be to use a Toyota Diesel of the same era (i.e. 3B, 2H, 12H-T) and drop that in. The modifications would then be limited to stuff like engine mount relocation, new components to accomodate the diesel needs, and possible electric modifications (such as conversion from the US 12v system to the Canadian 24v, etc.).

Now don't get me wrong, we all secretly lust after a diesel conversion.
But some of us have the realistic expectations going into the conversion that we will never truly see the monetary return on it but that is just fine with us because the is well worth it!

 

[langsen]

If you're after mpg you also need to consider the cost difference in gas vs diesel. I get 19 - 20 mpg in my HJ60, but after you figure that gas costs about 80% of diesel, my fuel costs are the same as getting 15 - 16 mpg on gas.

 

[gregnash]

If you're after mpg you also need to consider the cost difference in gas vs diesel. I get 19 - 20 mpg in my HJ60, but after you figure that gas costs about 80% of diesel, my fuel costs are the same as getting 15 - 16 mpg on gas.

Very true.
Here is a good story that relates.
My BIL and I were talking about our new truck purchases (we both got new vehicles in our families within days of one another without knowing) and we were discussing why we picked out particular vehicles.

He and his wife got a new BMW X5 Diesel (think the 35D with xdrive) and we started talking about why they picked the diesel over the sport V8 X5. His rational was they had borrowed our FILs new X5 with the V8 and took some friends over the hill (Reno to the Bay Area). With a carload of people (well 4 adults) they found that the V8 really lagged while trying to climb and when they checked the mpg they got something like 15mpg avg.

After doing some research they found that the diesel X5 had close to the same amount of power (slightly more) and would average better on the mpg when "loaded." Now with BMWs you have to put Premium (recommended at least) in the tank and the cost of Premium has normally been within 10-25c of the cost of diesel per gallon. With the added mpg, power, and slight increase in cost of gas per gallon they decided to find the X5 diesel.

We went to see family in the Bay Area again and he calculated their avg mpgs and found that not only did the diesel have better grunt climbing over the hill but also they avg about 24mpg vs. the 15mpg with the V8. So in the end the costs ended up paying more in their favor for the diesel.


So if you are like me and run your cruiser on low or mid grade, the increase in cost to diesel plus the cost of the conversion would be substantial. This would make the ROI extend WAAAAY out. However, if you are looking at it from the aspect of the "cool" factor and the additional power, negating anything with cost savings on gas or whatever, well then you are in luck!!!

 

[Elbert]

big difference in the transmissions used in the swaps vs what the 3/4 ton trucks use...from most of the swaps Iv've seen. I would not chase mpg with an engine swap...do it for fun and if you get decent mpg then fine.

Many of the claims of mpg both on gas trucks and diesels seem to me to be crazy high numbers around "here".

 

[ACPIT]

Not only that but my engine is running pretty close to what I would think her best would be... I would want to wait for her to breakdown before considering any kind of swap and that may take another 5-10 years... damn Toyota and their great engineering....

 

[TheCuiserAbuser]

I think your guy is thinking of the Cummins 2.8 swap with an 8 speed transmission. That is the only way I have heard of getting gas mileage like that out of a landcruiser. Many guys are swearing by it. I mean it makes total sense if you think about it. You are cruising on the highway at less that 1k rpm in a 2.8L engine. Its totally possible. I just would want something with a little more spice like a hot rodded LS or a big turbo duramax etc.

 

[sark]

@TheCuiserAbuser the guy you're replying to posted this 10 years ago and hasn't been seen on mud in 5 years, just FYI