How to build a diesel 40 on a budget w/ an Isuzu 4BD1T (1 Viewer)

[longbow]

Thanks guys, I appreciate all the kudos!


Bigfj62,

I feel your pain. I finally converted my wife to a cruiser and now she at least tolerates my addiction.

There are quite a few 60 guys that have converted to the Isuzu and a bunch of the 80 guys are in various stages of conversion right now. Wheelingnoob above here is putting one in an locked LX450 with an auto and that should be a great build when it is done. The Isuzu is a great engine with all the benefits of the Cummins 4BT without all the noise.

Don

 

[GaFJ40Jeff]

What year was that Isuzu? Those NPRs can get pretty pricey. Especially for what you paid... You got it for dirt cheap. Was it wrecked or something?

 

[longbow]

Hi Jeff,

It is out of a 1990 NPR and it used to be concrete mixer truck and they felt it was worn out with 275K miles on it and the tranny was slipping a little. All I bought was the cab and frame as they had stripped it and mounted the mixer on a newer truck. I had to look for about 8 months to find one at a reasonable price.

Don

 

[jeffsclan]

Don, so is the A440 out of a 62 and the A442 the "bus trans" in the early 80 series ?

 

[longbow]

Hi Jeffsclan,

The A440 in the strictly mechanical form is in the FJ62. The first two years of the 80 series got the A440 with one solenoid on the valve body and a simple computer to control it when in overdrive I believe. The A442 here in the US came in only the next two years of the 80 series which is the 93 and 94 model years. In 95 they switched to the A343 and used that even into the 100 series.

I have heard that some versions of non-USA models of the diesel 80 series got the A442 in a fully mechanical version, but here we only got the computer controlled version.

The A442 is the one that everyone considers the bus tranny and the best version of land cruiser auto in my opinion.

Don

 

[jeffsclan]

Thanks Don, I'm trying to wrap my head around the whole hybrid trans with the one out of the "big truck" . Also I think the new Ram trucks have a Aisin as well.

 

[longbow]

Jeffsclan,

Hmmm.... that is interesting! I wonder what model they are using?

Don

 

[longbow]

I looked it up and it is an Aisin AS68RC. A computer controlled 6 speed with a 26,000 GVW rating. Looks like it's one bad mother of a tranny. Don't know how well that would fit in a cruiser due to its size though.

Don

 

[jeffsclan]

Yeah, for a minute there I was thinking T-case but I think you have found a better way. When you had your H55 in your 60 did you have fire wall clearance issues or did you move the whole drivetrain ?

 

[Demon061]

Mighty impressive there. Pretty ballsy I imagine And mileage to match!

Ahh, I can only dream about shoe horning a diesel into my fj.

 

[longbow]

Jeffsclan,

When I did the original conversion in the 60 with the H55, I didn't want to change driveshaft lengths, so I left it in the original factory tranny position and this left me pretty close to the firewall. I had about 3/4" clearance between the turbo piping and the firewall and this is fine while running, but during start up and shutdown, the engine moves quite a bit and the piping hits the firewall and annoys me. If I had to do it again, I would move the engine forward about 1.5" and not worry about the driveshaft mods. I ended up having to do both driveshafts when I went to the auto anyway, so that was a wash.

Don

 

[MicahMan]

all I can say is wow! This is some amazing info!

 

[longbow]

Been working on my front bumper this weekend. I was going to just use a piece of 2"x4" square tubing and put a bar on the top, but everybody does that. So I started drawing up a design that accents the lines of the front of a 40. I really like the Hanson offroad bumper and the old 4plus bumper with the forward swept brush bar, so I came up with my own design with a few angles and a bunch of welding on my part. Still need to make the end caps and then bend up some tubing for my brush bar. I'll take some more pics as I get further along. Now I just have a bunch of grinding to clean up all my joint welds and make it look like it was formed in this shape.

Don

 

[Pacer]

Lookin sweet Don, nice work!

 

[jeffsclan]

Thanks Don , looking sharp!

 

[lvshust]

love your rigs man! well done...

 

[longbow]

Hey, thanks guys!

Been grinding on the bumper a bunch this week as I have time. Will post up some photos here soon.

Don

 

[BigWalker]

Don
I've read both your threads very very nice work. I plan to build one of your fuel filtration setups for mine. I'm smack in the middle of a 4BT conversion into my 72 40, I wanted to keep it all toyota but the used diesels are pricey so I went with cummins. I have had 3 6bts so it was my logic. I never looked into an Isuzu swap. But for my wifes 60 the Isuzu engine / A440F is now number one on the list. Time to start collecting parts
Thanks Pete

 

[Chamba]

Don
I've read both your threads very very nice work. I plan to build one of your fuel filtration setups for mine. I'm smack in the middle of a 4BT conversion into my 72 40, I wanted to keep it all toyota but the used diesels are pricey so I went with cummins. I have had 3 6bts so it was my logic. I never looked into an Isuzu swap. But for my wifes 60 the Isuzu engine / A440F is now number one on the list. Time to start collecting parts
Thanks Pete

If you build it anything like your building your 40 Pete, I'll subscribe to that too.

 

[BigWalker]

If you build it anything like your building your 40 Pete, I'll subscribe to that too.

Chamba thanks I will do me best to hold up the high standard so many build threads have.

Don i've been back to both your builds 3 times today,,great information and we all appreciate you sharing it. When I got home today I told my wife about your Isuzu / 440f conversions and I thought it would be good for her 60 her answer was "cool I think I would like that"
cheers