Has anyone swapped the 5.7 for a diesel?

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

SSG

Joined
Jul 10, 2018
Threads
16
Messages
207
Location
North
Just curious if anyone has done a diesel swap on a U.S. 200 LC.

I know most love and swear by the 5.7 but was curious. I love and prefer diesel engines and can't wait to see the new Ram Rebel 2500 with the Cummins that is coming soon, so I hear.

I like my 200 but I would love it if it had a diesel lol.

I am not hating on the 5.7 but it's no diesel haha, all in good fun.
 
Lots of diesel 200 series in other countries. Never imported to the US the 200 series, as far as I know. I've seen adapters to put different engines in land cruisers, but not one to put a cummins diesel in a 200. Where there's a will (and enough money), there's a way. I'd love to see you post about it it if you do the swap.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SSG
Yeah many other markets get the 200 diesel but not the US. I have seen many swaps done in older Land Cruiser like 80 Series. I also saw someone on YT swap a VW diesel into their FJ Cruiser.

Oh yeah I am sure it would be expensive, I think with the older vehicles like 80 Series it is less complicated and cheaper to do.

I may do it but in the long term.
 
If you’ve got $40k for it, it looks like these guys will do it. I suspect they haven’t done many, since an actual completed product hasn’t showed up here, but maybe the folks with $40k plus for a conversion aren’t hanging out on mud.
 
It’s fun to talk about but honestly why swap? I don’t think it’s worth it.
If you want better range upgrade the fuel tank/ aux fuel tank. Power? Supercharge it. MPG- stupid argument as you will never recoup your money from engine swap to justify it.
 
This may be one of those things that's possibly better imagined than in reality. While the diesel can make more power off idle, by 3500 rpm, the 5.7L is gone with 30% more power.

1662958042085.webp
 
All that and you end up with an engine that you can’t get parts for in the states.
 
It’s fun to talk about but honestly why swap? I don’t think it’s worth it.
If you want better range upgrade the fuel tank/ aux fuel tank. Power? Supercharge it. MPG- stupid argument as you will never recoup your money from engine swap to justify it.
It is fun to talk about yes. And if you don't have the skills to do it right (which many do not including myself), you will be paying lots of change to have a shop do it.

I was curious if anyone has done it because I have not heard of one. Many 80 series have done diesel swaps.

I do have an aux tank. Supercharger sounds like something fun for sure.

If I did it, it would be after my 5.7 died or gernaded, and would be with an American diesel engine. Since I only have 25K miles, I think by then diesel engines will be banned for non-commercial use, IMO.

Here is an FJ Cruiser with a VW diesel swap:

 
My Jeep with the Merc. Benz 3.0 Diesel had a 1200+ range with the LRA tank. (Merc Benz put Diesels in Jeeps for a couple years).
 
Here is an FJ Cruiser with a VW diesel swap:



Depending on year FJCruisers made 240-260 horsepower stock.

That engine? 100. Even if it has a big turbo, injectors, and tune, that thing won’t get out of its own way on the interstate.

Which American diesel engine were you thinking? All of the 3/4 & 1-ton options are far too heavy for our front end, if they can even be shoehorned in between the hood and front diff. Chrysler’s 3.0 options were Italian or German. The turn-key Cummins options would be the 200-series equivalent of the above FJC (no power)
 
  • Like
Reactions: SSG
The 1VD keeps a friend's brother in business in QLD (mobile mechanic servicing cattle stations). Lots of VGT replacements apparently.

Swaps are always neat discussions, but not in 200s which need inspections and registrations. Their systems are too deeply integrated.
 
Depending on year FJCruisers made 240-260 horsepower stock.

That engine? 100. Even if it has a big turbo, injectors, and tune, that thing won’t get out of its own way on the interstate.

Which American diesel engine were you thinking? All of the 3/4 & 1-ton options are far too heavy for our front end, if they can even be shoehorned in between the hood and front diff. Chrysler’s 3.0 options were Italian or German. The turn-key Cummins options would be the 200-series equivalent of the above FJC (no power)

"That thing won't even get out of its own way on the interstate." You made me spit out my coffee lol

I do not have an engine in mind as this is a long term idea I was thinking for when my 5.7 dies.
 
In the past two days I have read up so much on the 3UR-FE 5.7 that I have now grown fond of it and have a new found respect and interest for it. Crazy how my love of diesel engines has grown my love for the 5.7 :-)
 
My Jeep with the Merc. Benz 3.0 Diesel had a 1200+ range with the LRA tank. (Merc Benz put Diesels in Jeeps for a couple years).
Uh, do you know which years?
 
In the past two days I have read up so much on the 3UR-FE 5.7 that I have now grown fond of it and have a new found respect and interest for it. Crazy how my love of diesel engines has grown my love for the 5.7 :)

If it makes you feel any better, part of what people relish with diesel drivetrains surely is bottom end torque, but part of what they are enjoying is torque at the wheels. You can somewhat get that experience with more gearing.

As an example, comparing the LC200 diesel to 3UR-FE gasser driveline. As the 1VD-FTV diesel and 3UR-FE gasser share the same AB60F transmission and differential ratios (3.909), overall gearing in 1st gear 3.333 * 3.909 = 13.029.

Diesel 1VD-FTV peak torque is 479 lb⋅ft. Max torque at the wheels is 479 lb⋅ft * 13.029 = 6241 lb⋅ft wheel torque
Gasser 3UR-FE peak torque is 401 lb⋅ft. Max torque at the wheels is 401 lb⋅ft * 13.029 = 5225 lb⋅ft wheel torque

Diesel is the clear winner with almost 20% more of that great off-the-line feel.

Here's where gearing comes in.

Re-gear the 6-speed to 4.88s, or 16.265 total gearing in 1st. Off the line wheel torque is now on par with the diesel
401 lb⋅ft * 14.332 = 6522 lb⋅ft

Or compare the 2016+ 8-speed with a lower first gear, or 15.857 total gearing.
401 lb⋅ft * 15.857 = 6359 lb⋅ft

What can't be created is HP, where the 5.7L gasser easily outpunches the 4.5L diesel. Great for those all-american open highways.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SSG
Uh, do you know which years?
07-09 IIRC. It's the Mercedes-Benz OM642 if you want to do any research. Pretty great engine, other than the oil cooler o-rings filling the lifter valley with oil. That engine was put into a couple E-class benzes that did 140mph for 100k miles each on a test track, stopping only for fuel and maintenance.

In ~2011 they got another 3.0 diesel but I think that one was made by VM Motori, an italian company. That's the engine that was in the Ram EcoDiesels, and had it's fair share of issues.
 
Last edited:
My wife's Cayenne diesel regularly gets 600+ miles a tank. On a pure freeway cruise its range is over 800 miles
 
Back
Top Bottom