I am a total noob to diesel engine swaps. However I really want to swap a 6.6 Duramax Turbo Diesel into a fj60 cruiser. I am looking for answers and kind of a guideline to work off of. Is there and adaptor to use the existing trans ? Also what are the requirements gonna be for the wiring harness? Another thing, would it be possible to use a gm trans? How hard would it be to convert the linkages over? This is going to be the family ride if I can work it out.
FJ80 Duramax Swap
- Thread starter Perschino
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A guy in Australia is doing this at the moment
https://forum.ih8mud.com/expedition-builds/498138-duramax-fzj80-project-begins.html
Havent had an update in a while, not sure if the project has stalled or not
https://forum.ih8mud.com/expedition-builds/498138-duramax-fzj80-project-begins.html
Havent had an update in a while, not sure if the project has stalled or not
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that kind of a swap is undiscovered territory.
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Brad S' build is the only that I know of. It looks like it can be done, but it will take alot of work.
It's really the great unknown because it's a GM V8 that's unique (read: actually good, and not just piston slap in a box).
It'll be a really involved build, especially on the electrical side.
It's really the great unknown because it's a GM V8 that's unique (read: actually good, and not just piston slap in a box).
It'll be a really involved build, especially on the electrical side.
There is a guy on truckstop(dot)us that put a DMax in his Suburban. He goes by the handle of THEFERMANATOR. He used the allison tranny. If my memory is correct he says the hardest part was the electronics and that it was a real job as everything is interconnected through the computor.
Don
Don
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It would be cool to build your own conversion harness for the engine.
I think, more than anything, it would be a precaution against GM's lousy wiring.
I think, more than anything, it would be a precaution against GM's lousy wiring.
The TCM is heavily interfaced with the ECM for controlling defuel during shifts etc. among many other parameters. Making that work without the ECM will be very challenging to say the least.
I have a very hard time to imagine that any normal toyota transmission will survive behind a dmax engine since the torque is approx. 3 times higher than what a 1HD-T engine is able to produce.
The wiring is not that bad, GM has come a long way in recent years, bolts and all measurements are now metric etc.
I would be very interested in that kind of project as well - if only the engine with allison could somehow fit into the cruiser - it doesn't fit into a bigger Suburban or Hummer...
I have a very hard time to imagine that any normal toyota transmission will survive behind a dmax engine since the torque is approx. 3 times higher than what a 1HD-T engine is able to produce.
The wiring is not that bad, GM has come a long way in recent years, bolts and all measurements are now metric etc.
I would be very interested in that kind of project as well - if only the engine with allison could somehow fit into the cruiser - it doesn't fit into a bigger Suburban or Hummer...
there are a few duramax powered nissan patrol's getting around australia if you have a look on Patrol 4x4 - Nissan Patrol Forum. heathgu was the guy who has done the work. killalux is the guy who should be able to take care of the wiring harness. brad s got the transmission to transfercase adaptor from heath i think. the only thing is that he has to now run a patrol transfer.
The TCM is heavily interfaced with the ECM for controlling defuel during shifts etc. among many other parameters. Making that work without the ECM will be very challenging to say the least.
I have a very hard time to imagine that any normal toyota transmission will survive behind a dmax engine since the torque is approx. 3 times higher than what a 1HD-T engine is able to produce.
The wiring is not that bad, GM has come a long way in recent years, bolts and all measurements are now metric etc.
I would be very interested in that kind of project as well - if only the engine with allison could somehow fit into the cruiser - it doesn't fit into a bigger Suburban or Hummer...
I didn't realize the duramax puts out 750-800 ftlbs! Maybe three times is a little much? There are a few 1hd-t's in the 500ftlbs range (search 80 series VXR)
Just like there are some tweaked Duramaxes putting out 1500 ft - 2000 ft lbs 
I was not really referring to stock versus stock: dmax LBZ= 881 Nm, 1HD-T = 361 Nm, which means the dmax puts only out 2.44 times as much torque - obviously little less than 3 times...
BUT the dmax has much higher potential to be modded via a few cheap parts and efi-live tuning among others...IMHO of course!
To get 676 Nm out of that small 4.2 ltr Toyota Diesel sounds more like a miracle to me - but it seems nothing is ever impossible...
Have you considered using a toyota diesel?
More dollars,easier conversion and will probably give more satisfaction and resale value if you ever want to sell.
I don't exactly understand what you are trying to say: more dollars? Which one the Toyota Diesel or the Isuzu/GM product?
More satisfaction? Satisfaction to have a stock great Toyota engine or what? Have you ever driven a duramax diesel truck? That is NOT comparing apples to apples! I had 4 different Landcruisers, 2 with gas engine and 2 diesels, none of them made any power compared to a modern Isuzu/GM product - that is driving a rocket compared to a snail... Toyota makes great products and I love them, they are VERY reliable, undestructable but the old Toyota Diesel or any ever developed Toyota Diesel is light years behind the dmax engine. If that swap can be done for a reasonable amount of money and it fits (I have my doubts, not in stock form for sure) than I will do it also! To give you an idea:
a properly equipped dmax pickup truck with more than 7.000 lbs of weight (empty) will challange a new V8 Camaro in the quartermile but still can tow a 12.000 lbs trailer up a steep hill with ease... put that engine into a 80 Series Landcruiser and that thing will fly...
I don't exactly understand what you are trying to say: more dollars? Which one the Toyota Diesel or the Isuzu/GM product?
More satisfaction? Satisfaction to have a stock great Toyota engine or what? Have you ever driven a duramax diesel truck? That is NOT comparing apples to apples! I had 4 different Landcruisers, 2 with gas engine and 2 diesels, none of them made any power compared to a modern Isuzu/GM product - that is driving a rocket compared to a snail... Toyota makes great products and I love them, they are VERY reliable, undestructable but the old Toyota Diesel or any ever developed Toyota Diesel is light years behind the dmax engine. If that swap can be done for a reasonable amount of money and it fits (I have my doubts, not in stock form for sure) than I will do it also! To give you an idea:
a properly equipped dmax pickup truck with more than 7.000 lbs of weight (empty) will challange a new V8 Camaro in the quartermile but still can tow a 12.000 lbs trailer up a steep hill with ease... put that engine into a 80 Series Landcruiser and that thing will fly...
Obviously the Toyota turbo diesel 6 cyl will be more $$$ to purchase in the US compared to a Duramax
I wasnt sure what you are doing it with it,but if you want to tow 12000lbs,why not just use a Dmax?
The landcruiser drivetrain wont take the torque unless you use a bigger gearbox and diffs,even more reason to use the whole DMAX
