diesel conversions
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Junior User
Joined: Oct 2003
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diesel conversions
I was wondering if anyone has experience converting gassers to diesel? I have always loved the toyota land cruiser and wondered what it would take being that im committed to diesel, biodiesel. if anyone can direct me to someone who has a shop...
Junior User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 68
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I don't know what would be involved in converting, but my grandfather used to have Chevy 350 that had been converted and had constant problems with breaking head bolts and blown head gaskets. I guess you figure the motor was designed to run 8 or 9 -1 compression and you convert it and run 22-1 or so and it just couldn't take it.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,741
Likes: 3
Research is in order, first. If I remember correctly, Toyota sold a diesel landcruiser in other parts of the world. A perusal of LC-enthusiast sites would be in order to find out more information.
Second, plan on spending a great deal of money. Economically, diesel conversions in vehicles that didn't come with the engines from the factory, never work financially. Only die-hard, diesel-in-the-veins folks do it the hard way.
Plan on spending at LEAST $10K by the time it's all over and done with. In addition to the diesel engine, you'll have to (according to lore) swap over the fuel tank and fuel lines, and more than likely the transmission. You also may have to have new driveshafts fabricated if the engine/transmission mount dimensions are significantly different. Plan on a new cooling system; gas-engine radiators are seldom big enough for a diesel engine. You may have to re-engineer half the engine accessory mounts, as well as the engine electrical system. I've missed a few things here, I'm certain.
You can make it easier on yourself by working with a vehicle that came with a diesel from the factory; at least that way you have a legitimate parts source and will have to spend far less money in custom engineering.
Even on vehicles that came with it from the factory, it's fairly common knowledge that it's cheaper to buy a vehicle with a diesel engine already in it than to try to put one in later.
-blaine
Second, plan on spending a great deal of money. Economically, diesel conversions in vehicles that didn't come with the engines from the factory, never work financially. Only die-hard, diesel-in-the-veins folks do it the hard way.
Plan on spending at LEAST $10K by the time it's all over and done with. In addition to the diesel engine, you'll have to (according to lore) swap over the fuel tank and fuel lines, and more than likely the transmission. You also may have to have new driveshafts fabricated if the engine/transmission mount dimensions are significantly different. Plan on a new cooling system; gas-engine radiators are seldom big enough for a diesel engine. You may have to re-engineer half the engine accessory mounts, as well as the engine electrical system. I've missed a few things here, I'm certain.
You can make it easier on yourself by working with a vehicle that came with a diesel from the factory; at least that way you have a legitimate parts source and will have to spend far less money in custom engineering.
Even on vehicles that came with it from the factory, it's fairly common knowledge that it's cheaper to buy a vehicle with a diesel engine already in it than to try to put one in later.
-blaine
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,617
Likes: 4
From: Denver, Co
I had a '78 FJ40 for several years, and spent a lot of time in Land Cruiser-related communities. The two links that no Land Cruiser lover should be without are:
http://www.specteroffroad.com/ - The best source out there for Land Cruiser parts & accessories.
http://www.ih8mud.com/ - The largest Land Cruiser community site. Great technical articles. Awesome forums.
As for the engine swap, there are a number of folks out there that have put one diesel engine or another in their Land Cruiser. The hard part, and most expensive, is coming up with the motor itself. Best thing I can say is subscribe to the ih8mud forums and start reading, searching, and researching.
http://www.specteroffroad.com/ - The best source out there for Land Cruiser parts & accessories.
http://www.ih8mud.com/ - The largest Land Cruiser community site. Great technical articles. Awesome forums.
As for the engine swap, there are a number of folks out there that have put one diesel engine or another in their Land Cruiser. The hard part, and most expensive, is coming up with the motor itself. Best thing I can say is subscribe to the ih8mud forums and start reading, searching, and researching.
