Hilux 2-L to 3-L swap

[withoutremorse42]

my 92 Hilux threw a rod through the 2-L block a couple days ago. A friend offered his low mileage 3-L from an '89 hilux for free (cost of shipping Florida to Oregon only).

I've heard the swap is easy since the blocks should be the same externally. Has anyone done this swap? Any pitfalls I need to be aware of?

 

[withoutremorse42]

Pics of truck and oil pan

 

[4Ruster]

Yep should bolt right in

 

[4Ruster]

Just make sure you grab the wiring harness if its and electronic IP

 

[BigNJpn]

How did the swap going, working on doing the same. What wiring harness should I be looking for?

 

[Elbee]

How did the swap going, working on doing the same. What wiring harness should I be looking for?

Should be no issues. The L series are simple engines with little electronics. If I was in your position and looking to put in another L series, I would do a 3L or 5L. 5L preferred, just the more mature engine and lots of turbo support
For it, if you choose that route.

 

[GreenPump]

Any 5L or 3L will drop right in, as others have said.

As for the engine 'wiring harness', the beauty of these engines is that there is about half a dozen wires on the entire block. There is no ECU, no giant bundle of wires, it is almost entirely mechanical.

You have:

1) Coolant temp sensor, used for superglow system, intake side of block.

2) Coolant temp sensor, goes to dash cluster - located on thermostat housing

3) Oil pressure sensor, goes to dash cluster - located under oil cooler on exhaust side of the block

4) Block ground - back of engine block

5) Fuel pump cutoff solenoid & tachometer pickup- rear of fuel pump

6) Glow plug bus connector - if superglow, also have a glow plug resistor. Adjacent to intake manifold.

For the engine to run, that is it. You have your alternator, starter, and if you have A/C, a plug for that too. It would be very easy to splice all these into the 2L truck, I think the plugs will be the same, but even if they are not, just splice the original plugs from your 2L onto the 3L A/C comp and alternator. Not complicated.

 

[BigNJpn]

Any 5L or 3L will drop right in, as others have said.

As for the engine 'wiring harness', the beauty of these engines is that there is about half a dozen wires on the entire block. There is no ECU, no giant bundle of wires, it is almost entirely mechanical.

You have:

1) Coolant temp sensor, used for superglow system, intake side of block.
View attachment 3869342

2) Coolant temp sensor, goes to dash cluster - located on thermostat housing
View attachment 3869343

3) Oil pressure sensor, goes to dash cluster - located under oil cooler on exhaust side of the block
View attachment 3869344

4) Block ground - back of engine block

5) Fuel pump cutoff solenoid & tachometer pickup- rear of fuel pump

6) Glow plug bus connector - if superglow, also have a glow plug resistor. Adjacent to intake manifold.
View attachment 3869345


For the engine to run, that is it. You have your alternator, starter, and if you have A/C, a plug for that too. It would be very easy to splice all these into the 2L truck, I think the plugs will be the same, but even if they are not, just splice the original plugs from your 2L onto the 3L A/C comp and alternator. Not complicated.

My friend, you are truly a treasure. Thank you for taking the time to share this!

 

[GreenPump]

It is worth noting that the 5L also came as the electronically injected 5L-E. I am referring to those engines with denso rotary pumps and mechanical injection. I believe newer 3L also may have come with the electronic pump.

 

[BigNJpn]

It is worth noting that the 5L also came as the electronically injected 5L-E. I am referring to those engines with denso rotary pumps and mechanical injection. I believe newer 3L also may have come with the electronic pump.

Would the 2L turbo setup swap over?

 

[GreenPump]

Would the 2L turbo setup swap over?

The short answer, is yes.

For Hilux pickups, there are two different intake manifolds, one sold in dusty climates (Australia, parts of Asia) and one mainly sold in Japan. The former utilizes an air filter oriented sideways and taking up the spot where the second battery is on JDM models. Because of this, turbo crossover pipes are different depending on which side fender the intake pulls from.

The other thing to consider is that the turbo oil and coolant fittings will need to be added on to the 3L (or 5L) block. The threaded holes are already there for them, it should be easy. The oil drain may be added on to the vacuum pump drain, although there is some debate and some people prefer to weld in a bung on the oil pan.

I have zero experience with the intake piping on cabover trucks and I expect it is totally different. Your block, however, is exactly the same and thus anything which bolts onto/into it will fit, so long as space allows.

 

[BigNJpn]

What a relief. My truck is the RHD, JDM variant, and has a second battery and the filter on left side and pills air from behind the left headlight. I'm wondering if this isn't a prime time to update the turbo that's in there. it always felt a little ho hum.

 

[GreenPump]

What a relief. My truck is the RHD, JDM variant, and has a second battery and the filter on left side and pills air from behind the left headlight. I'm wondering if this isn't a prime time to update the turbo that's in there. it always felt a little ho hum.

Rebuild the original. Many reputable diesel shops can rebuild your stock turbo for under $1000.

Does it have a lot of play? Is there something actually wrong? Or are you just worried about it and replacing it out of trepidation about old parts.

 

[BigNJpn]

Rebuild the original. Many reputable diesel shops can rebuild your stock turbo for under $1000.

Does it have a lot of play? Is there something actually wrong? Or are you just worried about it and replacing it out of trepidation about old parts.

No it's an absolutely sound turbo, just always felt it was a little ho hum, but I have it and it works so we're gonna try to swap it over. 5L should be here this week. Thank you again for your expertise and advice.

 

[BigNJpn]

Any 5L or 3L will drop right in, as others have said.

As for the engine 'wiring harness', the beauty of these engines is that there is about half a dozen wires on the entire block. There is no ECU, no giant bundle of wires, it is almost entirely mechanical.

You have:

1) Coolant temp sensor, used for superglow system, intake side of block.
View attachment 3869342

2) Coolant temp sensor, goes to dash cluster - located on thermostat housing
View attachment 3869343

3) Oil pressure sensor, goes to dash cluster - located under oil cooler on exhaust side of the block
View attachment 3869344

4) Block ground - back of engine block

5) Fuel pump cutoff solenoid & tachometer pickup- rear of fuel pump

6) Glow plug bus connector - if superglow, also have a glow plug resistor. Adjacent to intake manifold.
View attachment 3869345


For the engine to run, that is it. You have your alternator, starter, and if you have A/C, a plug for that too. It would be very easy to splice all these into the 2L truck, I think the plugs will be the same, but even if they are not, just splice the original plugs from your 2L onto the 3L A/C comp and alternator. Not complicated.

Me again. My 5L arrived and will be moving into my LN112 soon to replace my 2LTE. Starting to worry about my truck's automatic transmission and ECM, as the 5L dosn't use and ECM right? This engine was mated to a manual transmission. Am I screwed?

 

[GreenPump]

Me again. My 5L arrived and will be moving into my LN112 soon to replace my 2LTE. Starting to worry about my truck's automatic transmission and ECM, as the 5L dosn't use and ECM right? This engine was mated to a manual transmission. Am I screwed?

Rip all that trash out and run the manual trans.

Didn't realize you had a 2LTE, the thread was originally an early 90s 2L thread. Assumed you had 90s 2LT like the OP.

If it were me I would switch to a 5 speed.... it is way more fun to drive. You could go to an R151F. They are available in the U.S. and are extremely strong. Will bolt up to your block with the correct bellhousing..

R series transmissions are good for hundreds of thousands of miles, parts are readily available, they are great to drive, and can easily take the added horsepower of a turbo'd 5L.

I don't know how difficult it is to add clutch stuff onto a non-manual truck. Someone else needs to weigh in here.

 

[BigNJpn]

Rip all that trash out and run the manual trans.

Didn't realize you had a 2LTE, the thread was originally an early 90s 2L thread. Assumed you had 90s 2LT like the OP.

If it were me I would switch to a 5 speed.... it is way more fun to drive. You could go to an R151F. They are available in the U.S. and are extremely strong. Will bolt up to your block with the correct bellhousing..

R series transmissions are good for hundreds of thousands of miles, parts are readily available, they are great to drive, and can easily take the added horsepower of a turbo'd 5L.

I don't know how difficult it is to add clutch stuff onto a non-manual truck. Someone else needs to weigh in here.

Ooof, I knew this was seeming way too easy. I have access to the manual trans the engine was mated to. Just no experience swapping in a manual or what headache that would be for a LN112

 

[GreenPump]

I mean, in theory you could use the original trans, ditch the ECM, engine will run without it. I am just concerned that the transmission possibly takes input from the ECM. Which transmission is in your current rig?

 

[BigNJpn]

I'll have to look up that info, but: https://www.amayama.com/en/genuine-catalogs/epc/toyota-japan/hilux/LN112/137023/chassis/3501