Installing Diesel Motor???

[Boeing]

I KNOW some of you guys have considered installing a diesel motor in your SUV's or Pick-ups.
I have a 1975 BLAZER with a gas guzzling 350 Sure would like to go diesel. And I'm not talking a 600 cu in diesel, I'm talking a little motor.
Remember the VW diesel mini-pickups in the 80's....what happened to them? Isuzu built cars and mini's in the 80's....where'd they go?
I'm getting pretty sick of paying $4.00 a gallon and getting 17 MPG. (The Blazer gets 12 MPG) If you go to Europe EVERYTHING is diesel....cars, cabs, trucks....well, not motor cycles but it wouldn't surprise me
Any ideas here? Anything available? Can we get an old JD engine and fit it into a pickup?I]

 

[jonyyuma]

You need the cummins 6 cylinder to pull the blazer. I have a junked 2.2 isuzu engine and it is only rated 62 hp....Look at the weight of your rig,, a Vw would not have a chance... AlsoChevy 6.2 and 6.5 will bolt right in.Jy.

 

[MD09]

Swapping engines sounds easy however,

Some things to think about:

Diesels are heavy compared to the 350 Chevy this would lead to beefign up the suspension to handle thh additional weight.

Diesels product tons of low end torque this will eat a gas powered Drive line

Harmonics, a vibration that occures are certain rpms, Cummins is famouse for 6th order harmonics which eats gearboxes and drivelines.

Too Small and you end up using more fuel than the gasser

Too large and the drive train will suffer.

Power stuff, (like Brakes) need a vacuum source (Hydro boost).

When all is said and done you will have somethign like $6-10K invested in your project..... Keep it forever it is a good investment, if the initial rig is somewhat on the tired side...... It will be more so sooner with a diesel installed.

Mercedes had a 5 cylinder mechanical diesel with a turbo, not fast but easy to work on and adapt to other vehicles, Isuzu truck are also Mechanical in design, again easy to adapt but loud.

Electronic controled diesels are quieter but require much more adapting ( electrical) to make work in a "new" platform.

Gearing , 4.11 in a gasser will be too low for a moderate powered diesel, gearing closer to 3.0 in a blazer application would work better.

And Before you ask, Yes I have done a couple of swaps
1st ISB Cummins ( common rail ) to a 79 F250
2nd Mercedes V6 common rail into a 41 weapons carrier ( lots of custome work
3rd Cummins bt4 into a CJ 7 pickup.......

All required a pile of money and lots of time. Not a weekend project.

 

[Kernopelli]

I used to subscribe to farm Show Magazine and I remember they did an article on a company that was doing tractor engine to light truck swaps. Agriculture equipment, farm magazines, farm equipment, farm inventions, farm machinery, agriculture machinery I also remember a member here that did a thread several years ago about putting a 30 or 40 HP jinma engine in his truck. Might try doing a search for it...sorry but I can't remember too many details about it other than it worked out fine and at last report I think he had 10-15K miles on it. This guy had a lot less in his conversion than the Farm Show company.

You could always look for one of the '80's GM 5.7L diesel engines they were putting in cars back then......well, that will be a problem. I think the only running example is locked away in a vault in Detroit so GM can prove that they actually ran at one point in time.

 

[chucko]

I was thinking steam could put the fire wood right in the bed of the truck


Sentinel Steam Powered Truck - 1933 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

[MD09]

I KNOW some of you guys have considered installing a diesel motor in your SUV's or Pick-ups.
I have a 1975 BLAZER with a gas guzzling 350 Sure would like to go diesel. And I'm not talking a 600 cu in diesel, I'm talking a little motor.
Remember the VW diesel mini-pickups in the 80's....what happened to them? Isuzu built cars and mini's in the 80's....where'd they go?
I'm getting pretty sick of paying $4.00 a gallon and getting 17 MPG. (The Blazer gets 12 MPG) If you go to Europe EVERYTHING is diesel....cars, cabs, trucks....well, not motor cycles but it wouldn't surprise me
Any ideas here? Anything available? Can we get an old JD engine and fit it into a pickup?I]

'nother thought,
GM had a 6.2L Diesel in their trucks and blazers. While it was a mechanical motor and underpowered it would be a "drop in" motor as you can get one from a H1 Military hummer, or ole GM truck/blazer. They were not quick or quiet.

Cheers

 

[jonyyuma]

I also, have one of the 82 MB 5 cylinder turbo diesels in my yard. 120hp and about 26 mpg in the car..The engine has cast iron head and cylinder liners, very tough..The Chevy6.2 with out turbo is an underperformer, 389cuin and not a real good design. The 6.2 is in a lot of Military Blazers, plenty of parts available..I wore out the trucks under these engines, fuel got high, so I started driving gas Toyotas.

 

[Kernopelli]

Sorry, this is off topic but my previous post also reminded me of another article in Farm Show about an old guy that ran his truck on wood gas. Very simple concept and if I remember correctly, this was really common place during the gas shortages of WWII, particularly in Europe. This would certainly be something to look into for anyone running a dedicated engine like a generator or pump.

 

[o2batsea]

Cummins 4BT. There's oodles of swap info out there for these engines. Check out Pirate 4x4 for lots of stuff on this.

 

[RPW]

On problem with the 5.7L GM diesels are the heads. They tend to crack with age i.e. over 150k. We had an 80 Olds with the 5.7L and we loved it. Got about 30mpg on the highway. Also had an 82 chevy 3+3 3/4 ton and also I loved it also. Would also get about 17 city and about 20+ on the highway. Both would be a fairly easy swap. You might have to change the transmission depending on where you get your donor motor from as the bolt pattern is different from chevy and oldsmobile.

Good luck.

 

[Redneck in training]

Sorry, this is off topic but my previous post also reminded me of another article in Farm Show about an old guy that ran his truck on wood gas. Very simple concept and if I remember correctly, this was really common place during the gas shortages of WWII, particularly in Europe. This would certainly be something to look into for anyone running a dedicated engine like a generator or pump.

Yes. It was quite popular during WW2 and some time in post war years in Europe. Wood is gassified by controlling temperature and oxygen supply in a special furnace.

 

[vpd66]

On problem with the 5.7L GM diesels are the heads. They tend to crack with age i.e. over 150k. We had an 80 Olds with the 5.7L and we loved it. Got about 30mpg on the highway. Also had an 82 chevy 3+3 3/4 ton and also I loved it also. Would also get about 17 city and about 20+ on the highway. Both would be a fairly easy swap. You might have to change the transmission depending on where you get your donor motor from as the bolt pattern is different from chevy and oldsmobile.

Good luck.

Somewhere in the late 80s A buddy of mine had a 1981 Olds Cutlass with a 350 olds diesel motor. Me and 3 other buddies took that car for a 1200 mile rode trip. The 4 of us with the air conditioning on and cruising 70 mph down the highway consistantly got 29 miles to the gallon on that trip. Kind of makes you wonder why we aren't driving diesels now?

 

[Scooby074]

Somewhere in the late 80s A buddy of mine had a 1981 Olds Cutlass with a 350 olds diesel motor. Me and 3 other buddies took that car for a 1200 mile rode trip. The 4 of us with the air conditioning on and cruising 70 mph down the highway consistantly got 29 miles to the gallon on that trip. Kind of makes you wonder why we aren't driving diesels now?

Ironically it was THAT engine the 5.7l diesel that is blamed for killing diesels in NA due to its miserable reliability.

 

[kubotakid USA]

Swapping engines sounds easy however,

Some things to think about:

Diesels are heavy compared to the 350 Chevy this would lead to beefign up the suspension to handle thh additional weight.

Diesels product tons of low end torque this will eat a gas powered Drive line

Harmonics, a vibration that occures are certain rpms, Cummins is famouse for 6th order harmonics which eats gearboxes and drivelines.

Too Small and you end up using more fuel than the gasser

Too large and the drive train will suffer.

Power stuff, (like Brakes) need a vacuum source (Hydro boost).

When all is said and done you will have somethign like $6-10K invested in your project..... Keep it forever it is a good investment, if the initial rig is somewhat on the tired side...... It will be more so sooner with a diesel installed.

Mercedes had a 5 cylinder mechanical diesel with a turbo, not fast but easy to work on and adapt to other vehicles, Isuzu truck are also Mechanical in design, again easy to adapt but loud.

Electronic controled diesels are quieter but require much more adapting ( electrical) to make work in a "new" platform.

Gearing , 4.11 in a gasser will be too low for a moderate powered diesel, gearing closer to 3.0 in a blazer application would work better.

And Before you ask, Yes I have done a couple of swaps
1st ISB Cummins ( common rail ) to a 79 F250
2nd Mercedes V6 common rail into a 41 weapons carrier ( lots of custome work
3rd Cummins bt4 into a CJ 7 pickup.......


BOEING,...
Be sure to do your research,...SUM Wackos will lead you the wrong way,...

 

[MD09]

BOEING,...
Be sure to do your research,...SUM Wackos will lead you the wrong way,...[/QUOTE]

Wackos????

You expirence in this area is?

 

[oldmech]

Hi! Ten years ago my Brother install a tractor MF-65 Perkins engine in a 4x4 GMC pickup truck. The main trouble was bellhousing and clutch. Very hard to fit. He makes it. I remember The truck was a lot more slow. But not missing power. Also when young My mechanic teacher told me he makes Gazogene for taxis and trucks in France WW11. He gave me his plans.This system use charcoal from wood. Engine was a little bit less power but run well. Can be very dangerous . Sometime Gazogene Exploze! May be a day I make One . Good luck! Oldmech

 

[handirifle]

Personally I do not see any advantage to the swap. Now if he wanted the torque for some towable rig he was already towing, then maybe. But even with that, he will have a LOT invested in a very old chassis. He claims to only get 12mpg, maybe true.

Questions to the OP

Does the blazer have an overdrive tranny? If not that will be a HUGE boost to highway mileage and a LOT easier to adapt and cheaper than a diesel. I didn't notice where you're located and so I don't know your fuel prices, but living here in the central coast of CA, 87 octane gas is $4.25 a gallon and #2 diesel (all you can get here) is averaging around $4.89 a gallon.

If you have that kind of money to invest, why not just look for a used diesel truck and get rid of the blazer? Some guy here on this forum got a sweet deal on a used truck for $5K, just a few weeks back. The deals are there if you have cash in hand. If you have some cash, look at craigs list. Here is one example 1987 Ford F250 Diesel Truck. Looks like a decent truck. Not an SUV but a lot cheaper and more reliable than a swap.

Good luck on it either way.

 

[ajmbonaire]

Interesting info. here...
Shade Tree Conversions at Shade Tree Conversions.

 

[JoeL4330]

I also, have one of the 82 MB 5 cylinder turbo diesels in my yard. 120hp and about 26 mpg in the car..The engine has cast iron head and cylinder liners, very tough..The Chevy6.2 with out turbo is an underperformer, 389cuin and not a real good design. The 6.2 is in a lot of Military Blazers, plenty of parts available..I wore out the trucks under these engines, fuel got high, so I started driving gas Toyotas.

Funny, I have one, too, an unblown 300D and it has a cast aluminum head...as, I thought did all my MB Diesels...(190D and 200D, and now the MB diesel in my 2008 Grand Cherokee) and, that is a weak spot: tiniest bit of overheating and the head will warp and the head gasket blows and exhaust gas cuts the head ...etc.

 

[Renze]

That "shade tree conversion" website is full of rubbish: a Ford 3000 engine cant be more efficient in a pickup truck, just because it has to be stretched to the max rpm to get alittle speed from it.

My neighbour runs a landscape business and has a Merc Unimog with a monstrous Hiab crane on it, which he uses for tree cutting and all other sorts of lifting. The crane weighs as much as the Mog. Their first was an 85hp model, which was slow pulling a trailer with a 5 ton excavator. they bought a 160hp mog last year, and he says the fuel consumption dropped drastically: 160hp has the torque to maintain speed and reduce the need for gear changes. With the 85hp non-turbo they had to keep shifting and keep it at max rpm to maintain the average speed.

You dont need 350hp in a pickup truck, but anything under 100hp wont save you any fuel.

Just search Youtube for Detroit 4-53 or Cummins 4BT conversions in Broncos and Jeeps. In full size pickups, the six pots seem to be more popular.

HOWEVER:

when i tow a 2 ton tractor behind my Volvo 2.5 TDI, i make a round trip, picking one up in the other end of the country. Then i get 10 km to the liter, which is about 23.5 miles to the gallon. My TDI is 140hp which is enough to take a drag at the traffic lights (which i sometimes do) and i still get 35 miles to the gallon on average.

50 miles to the gallon just isnt possible in a pickup truck weighing over 2.5 ton. With an industrial Cummins (high torque, low rpm camshaft, not the low torque, 3200rpm camshaft of a Dodge version) and tall gears you might equal the mileage i get in my Volvo, but 50mpg in a pickup truck is just ********. Just the wind drag alone makes it impossible.