Thinking about swapping 350 for diesel (1 Viewer)

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RattleCan

RattleCan

Joined
Feb 15, 2012
Threads
55
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248
Location
Black Diamond, Wa
Just as the title states, I'm thinking about swapping out the 350 chevy v8 for a diesel engine. The more I drive my newly aquired FJ40, the more I want to drive it. And while the 350 is fun, not the most economical.

A 4bt cummins would be my first choice, but the more I look around the net and on craigslist, I realize I cannot afford one.

A mercedes OM617 would be my second choice because I love mercedes diesels (daily drive a mercedes 240D). But I would need a pricy adaptor plate for the manual trans (1000$) unless I wanted to run a merc automatic behind the OM617 and I don't.

If I chose either of these engines I'm sure they would work great, but require a lot of fabrication, and other stuff ($$$$).

The other day, I had an moment of genius:hmm: :idea: and recalled reading that a chevy 6.2 and 6.5 would fit right in place of the 350 I am taking out. I know a chevy diesel, especially the 6.2 is not a "great" engine in my opinion. Certainly not in the same class as a Cummins 4bt or Mercedes OM617. But I could literally sell my 350 and buy a 6.2 or 6.5 off Craigslist and be out little or no money.

So my questions are...

Will a chevy 6.2/6.5 drop in when I take the 350 out? Motor mounts? Bellhousing/3speed trans adaptor?

Has anyone done this swap? If it is as simple as I think it is (prolly not) there must be some out there.

I know the 6.2 is not the most economical out there mpg wise, but my main reason I want to convert to diesel is to run on WVO, which I have done with my mercedes diesel for a couple of years now (two tank system) and really lose interest in mpgs when fuel is near-free.:D
 
Interesting approach. I mainly see 3B or 13B-T conversions here in Canada.
 
the 6.2 was used in all the military cucvs and uses a turbo 400 this web site may help steel soldiers com .there are good articles on running wmo and wvo in diesels ,you cant run that stuff in all diesels.good luck
 
I can tell you first hand that putting a 4bt into a 40 is a royal PIA. I am currently in the process and have been met will all kinds of resistance. But I think it will be well worth it when it's done. Finding a method to mate the 4bt to a tranny to a TC has been a battle.
 
I looked over the 6.2 and 6.5 when I was thinking about going diesel on my Piggy. Looks like they are both the basic Chevy small block format. Google for these engines and you will find tons of info. To me, the 6.5 has some advantages on both power and longevity, but it is a more complicated engine to install. They one exception that I found is the very first year of production, 1992?, had no computer controls, so it would be a much easier install. John
 
There is a guy in the white trash of elwood chapter with an old chevy diesel in his 40. It's red on 39.5's IIRC.. Might try and track him down and talk to him a bit.
 
I haven't done it yet, but I'm collecting parts to do the 6.2 swap. As far as I've been able to find for info the 6.2/6.5 is a direct swap for the 350.

My current question is about the 6.2 starter. I recently read that the diesel starter nose is bigger than the gasser starter nose and will not fit the gasser bellhousing. Outside of that one place I still have not been able to get a yes or no on this.

If you are looking for a motor check out this site:

''- Teds Trucks N Stuff Emporium - Military vehicles and parts, milirary surplus items''

They have both the 6.2 and 6.5 military take outs. The 6.5 is a AMG/Navistar cast block which is a redesigned block to get away from the problems that GM had with their block. Almost all parts, 6.2 and 6.5, will interchange no matter what the year of the motor.

On a GM diesel website I frequent several people have purchased a Teds 6.5 motor with excellent results. Only one person I know of has received a bad motor, and Teds immediately sent them a replacement.

Check out this website for more 6.2/6.5 info:

The Truck Stop

Don
 
inkpot said:
I looked over the 6.2 and 6.5 when I was thinking about going diesel on my Piggy. Looks like they are both the basic Chevy small block format. Google for these engines and you will find tons of info. To me, the 6.5 has some advantages on both power and longevity, but it is a more complicated engine to install. They one exception that I found is the very first year of production, 1992?, had no computer controls, so it would be a much easier install. John
Click to expand...

The block was changed slightly somewhere around 90 or so. These newer blocks, up to about 92, were still 6.2 size with cylinder bores with walls thick enough to be rebored out to 6.5 size. In about 92 or 93 they went to the 6.5 bore in these newer blocks. The 4L80E tranny had computer controls prior to 94. The 94 year model started the full computer control and drive by wire for the IP and vehicle.

Any motor you get, 6.2 or 6.5 can be set up with the non-electronic controlled IP. As long as you are going to use a manual tranny the mechanical IP just needs power for the fuel shut-off solenoid and cold idle advance, such as the coil wire for a gasser motor.

Don
 
Just to echo previous comments as I have not seen it made yet...

Don't do a diesel swap just to get better fuel economy. The swap will take years to pay for itself if you think of it in an economy sort of way.
Do a diesel swap because you want a diesel. :p

The 6.2/6.5 is a doable swap, probably the most inexpensive diesel swap you can do.

But, if I were set on doing a diesel, I'd look at either the 4BT or a Toyota Diesel like a 1HZ or a 3B/13B-T.
The Toyota Diesels are SWEET motors.

One thing to consider... How cold does it get where you live?

A guy I kinda know had a 4BT in his FJ45 and lived in Kamas, Utah, which is up higher in elevation (I think 8000') where it gets below 0 in the winter. He pulled the 4BT out of the truck and put in a fuel injected 350 because he was sick of starting the truck and having it warm up for 15 minutes so he could go to town and get coffee... Just a few things to think about.

Hope this help.
 
Economy is great, but I do love Diesel engines. Always planned a swap. But if it wasn't for the economy and ability to run on WVO, I would not consider it.

Don, thank you for the links. Post up or PM me with anything you think I might need to know, especially that bellhousing issue.

If I have an adaptor plate that mates my 350 to the stock 3speed trans (69) will that bolt right to the 6.2? I'm guessing yes since the blocks are interchangeable:confused:
 
Anyone know if the 6.5 HMMV non-turbo engine has the same compression specs as the civilian 6.5td?

inkpot said:
the very first year of production, 1992?, had no computer controls, so it would be a much easier install. John
Click to expand...

'92 and '93 both use the mechanical pump.

My tow rig is a '93 6.5td in hat I bought new in '93. It has never had a single problem. I would love to have that engine in my cruiser.

If you go with a 6.5td, you're going to have to find a new home for your battery though, as well as figure out a pretty serious radiator.

33128160016_large.jpg


Mine:

attachment.php
 
Last edited:
Fast Eddy said:
If you go with a 6.5td, you're going to have to find a new home for your battery though, as well as figure out a pretty serious radiator.
Click to expand...

Here's an option if you don't want to have a winch. Box-mounted behind the bumper. I don't really like it there, but it works until I deal with it.
FJ40 Green-Black 6 enhanced.jpg
 
Tigerstripe40 said:
.....A guy I kinda know had a 4BT in his FJ45 and lived in Kamas, Utah, which is up higher in elevation (I think 8000') where it gets below 0 in the winter. He pulled the 4BT out of the truck and put in a fuel injected 350 because he was sick of starting the truck and having it warm up for 15 minutes so he could go to town and get coffee... Just a few things to think about.....
Click to expand...

Cripes, it takes 15 minutes to warm up my carbed 350 before it can be moved. :mad:
 
Brian in Oregon said:
Cripes, it takes 15 minutes to warm up my carbed 350 before it can be moved. :mad:
Click to expand...
Put a hand choke on it. I Never had problems with the carbed 350 in my 72 FJ 40 that I had in Wyoming. Usually drove away within a minute even in sub zero weather. John
 
Why dont you get a adapter for a 4L60 for the OM617. It is $725 but it comes with the starter, adapter, crank adapter and flex plate with hardware.
That is the set up I would go with.
Mercedes%20diesel%20kit.jpg


RattleCan said:
Just as the title states, I'm thinking about swapping out the 350 chevy v8 for a diesel engine. The more I drive my newly aquired FJ40, the more I want to drive it. And while the 350 is fun, not the most economical.

A 4bt cummins would be my first choice, but the more I look around the net and on craigslist, I realize I cannot afford one.

A mercedes OM617 would be my second choice because I love mercedes diesels (daily drive a mercedes 240D). But I would need a pricy adaptor plate for the manual trans (1000$) unless I wanted to run a merc automatic behind the OM617 and I don't.

If I chose either of these engines I'm sure they would work great, but require a lot of fabrication, and other stuff ($$$$).

The other day, I had an moment of genius:hmm: :idea: and recalled reading that a chevy 6.2 and 6.5 would fit right in place of the 350 I am taking out. I know a chevy diesel, especially the 6.2 is not a "great" engine in my opinion. Certainly not in the same class as a Cummins 4bt or Mercedes OM617. But I could literally sell my 350 and buy a 6.2 or 6.5 off Craigslist and be out little or no money.

So my questions are...

Will a chevy 6.2/6.5 drop in when I take the 350 out? Motor mounts? Bellhousing/3speed trans adaptor?

Has anyone done this swap? If it is as simple as I think it is (prolly not) there must be some out there.

I know the 6.2 is not the most economical out there mpg wise, but my main reason I want to convert to diesel is to run on WVO, which I have done with my mercedes diesel for a couple of years now (two tank system) and really lose interest in mpgs when fuel is near-free.:D
Click to expand...
 
bikersmurf said:
I'd ditch that three speed... no way it'd handle a 6.2 or 6.5.
Click to expand...

x2. Not sure whether it'd handle the 6.2L or not, but if you're after economy and you plan on driving anything more than 80km/h I'd find a different box. H55F/auto etc.

13B-T/H55F is the best combo I've found, except a 1HD-T, but even in Oz where we're saturated with them they're $$$$$$$$$$$$.
 
There are at least a couple guys driving 60s with the 6.2/6.5 who are real happy with them. Do a search in the diesel forum and you'll find a bunch of info.

I thought long and hard about doing a similar conversion. If you're already setup for a small block chev then it seems a no brainer. For the money it probably can't be beat.

It may not be as strong of a motor as the Cummins but running a 40 doesn't count as a heavy duty application.

As for diesel warmup times. I've never driven a 4Bt in cold weather but I've run my 3B in -40 and it takes the steering pump and tranny longer to warm up than it does for the motor. At -15 Celsius my warm up time is usually just a couple minutes. However I do run 0/40 Synthetic Oil in the winter.
 
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