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  #16  
Old 03-06-2006, 09:00 PM
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most of this swapping engines is Air Castle Talk.

Just enjoy your Mercedes & buy a Nissan, Toyota or Mazada Gas Truck for economy.

I do know that Mazda offered a Diesel back in early 80's in a pickup (I owned one) & Nissan has one too. I also know that Toyota has a Diesel in those 80's Taliban death trap Vans where you sit in front of the front wheels. But where are you going to find these?

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  #17  
Old 03-06-2006, 09:38 PM
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My dad bought a new VW Rabbit PU in '81 and got good service out of it for the two years he had it. My brother went to school in VA from Alabama for part of a year and regularly got 45 mph. A couple years later he sold the VW as it really wasn't suited for crawling around cow pastures. Too low to the ground and too little suspension travel.

Next was a new Chevy LUV ( Isuzu P'up) with a NA 1.8L diesel. Not much power but I really liked it. Wish I could find one now. Don't know why he sold it. That would make a dandy little 'gofer' truck. Kinda' scarce now.

My two cents,

Mike
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  #18  
Old 03-06-2006, 09:44 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Niloc
NF thanks for the links. I didn't find those earlier. So has anyone put a 617 or 603 in a old half-ton like a custom20 or something? Would that not have enough grunt? I think an 80s Dakota longbed could be a pretty good chassis for the 617. Hell there both Chrysler products right? I guess it would be easier to bring over the MB tranny as well so you'd be stuck with an auto, but since it would be a work truck a think thats OK. Seriously you mechanics out there, how much would the swap cost ballpark?

-Colin
damned expensive if you have to farm out everything.

You want as light a chassis as you can find. 1/2 ton trucks 4WD in particular weigh more than the W123 on average.

You can pull off 4WD is you run a divorced transfer case you can make the benz trans work...or use a custom adapter.

I'd like to put one in a 1950's Willys wagon. But thats unlikely to actually happen.
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  #19  
Old 03-06-2006, 10:22 PM
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The local Carquest runs around Toyota and Mazda pickups. They don't break, are cheap, and run forever.
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  #20  
Old 03-06-2006, 10:22 PM
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The swap

I'm thinking of putting the engine and 4 speed manual tranny out of a 240d into my 86 Nissan 4X4 pickup (720 series). It has a divorced transfer case, so I think I can make it work with 4WD. This would be the ultimate vehicle for me, besides I need the project to keep me sane.
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Resurrected Nov 2010 - 79 240(SD) with 83 617 engine and 4 speed manual, 2.88 rear and 2.5" straight pipe unknown mileage (Salmon)
83 240D parting out
96 Dodge Cummins 5 sp 4X4 long bed - 310k

http://flickr.com/photos/11103112@N03/
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  #21  
Old 03-06-2006, 10:27 PM
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Heres what I did. With the plow it weighs 6700lbs and pushes just fine. Used a motor and tranny from a 82 300SD.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/westkill1/album?.dir=be20&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos
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  #22  
Old 03-06-2006, 10:48 PM
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Heres what I did. With the plow it weighs 6700lbs and pushes just fine. Used a motor

Manual or auto trans?
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Resurrected Nov 2010 - 79 240(SD) with 83 617 engine and 4 speed manual, 2.88 rear and 2.5" straight pipe unknown mileage (Salmon)
83 240D parting out
96 Dodge Cummins 5 sp 4X4 long bed - 310k

http://flickr.com/photos/11103112@N03/
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  #23  
Old 03-06-2006, 10:57 PM
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Westkill- very nice. I would like to do a similar conversion to my 49 dodge pickup some day.
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  #24  
Old 03-06-2006, 11:12 PM
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Here is an easy option if there are dealers near your area that can help you out.

Buy a 83-90 toyota truck with the 22R 4cyl gasser engine and buy one with high miles like ready to die high for dirt cheap. Look for a engine dealer that will import a Toyota 2LII-T diesel engine from japan or from central america and they are a easy drop in. The 2LII-T diesel engine has the same engine mount spots as the 22R gasser and are an easy swap.

Someone has done it already.
http://vpizza.org/~jmeehan/toyotadiesel/
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  #25  
Old 03-06-2006, 11:14 PM
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Westkill, you've got skills, that's a cool looking rig. Obviously it does a good job with what its tasked, how does it handle on the highway?

Kirby you're absolutely right most of this is air castle talk, I don't have the time, money or skills for a swap - also this is for my business and not a hobby. But heh its kinda fun to dream. I think the MB diesels of the 70s and 80s have got to be the most dead realiable and relatively easy to work on out available anywhere, and since there aren't a great variety of diesel vehicles in this country (as opposed to the rest of the world) naturally the diesel (and biodiesel) head starts thinking of re-enginings to get the vehicle he wants. Some of the more enterprising mechanics like westkill have actually gone ahead with it.

For me I think a Dodge Dakota 2wd longbed from the 80s would fit my needs, and would be a pretty good match size and weight wise for the 617 turbo. Probably would perform about the same as my 300TD in terms of acceleration and crusing speed. Could go ahead a bring over the auto tranny as well and like Bonehead summed up have yourself a MB powered diesel truck for maybe $2500 in parts. Of course there's still all the labor and time to fit everything together so oh well.

I've located a few more VW caddys nearby and I'll probably go test drive one to see what I think, although I think they're all overpriced. One option that is appealing is I've heard of people sticking turbo diesels from later 80s model jettas into these rigs to pep them up a little. If the sucker needs engine work anyways why not? I guess its not too tricky of a swap. I haven't located any Isuzu pups around in decent condition, they seem to get driven hard and put away wet, so 20-25yrs later they're pretty beat. Also I've heard of Toyota diesel pickups from the 80s but they're rarer than the Isuzus and seem to lead pretty rough lives as well.

Some people around here look north of the border, the Canadians actually imported diesel versions of Toyota Landcruisers and pickups when the US wasn't. I'd like to go with (bio)diesel but it would certainly be easier and probably cheaper to get an old Toyota or Mazda gasser and be done with it. I'm not in a huge rush so I'll keep looking around for a while.

Keep talking swap - its fun to watch folks building castles make of sand.

Edit - Hey Greasy thanks! You posted while I was writing this. What's the Toyota diesel like? Do they have the same good rep. that Toyotas have in general? 20 and 22R engines are great engines BTW, if I find a truck with a dying one of those what's the rest of it going to be like (wink)? Does it use that same tranny gearing?

Last edited by Niloc; 03-06-2006 at 11:19 PM.
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  #26  
Old 03-07-2006, 01:19 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Niloc

Edit - Hey Greasy thanks! You posted while I was writing this. What's the Toyota diesel like? Do they have the same good rep. that Toyotas have in general? 20 and 22R engines are great engines BTW, if I find a truck with a dying one of those what's the rest of it going to be like (wink)? Does it use that same tranny gearing?
yep they slip right into the manual or auto 22R tranny. they are an easy swap. Dont know wat it will run you depends on the importers price. And reliable? that they are!! i searched for the top gear video they did to see wat it takes to destroy a toyota truck, they submerged it in salt ocean water, put it on a building that was blown to bits, all kinds of horrific things and it still ran!! it was a diesel toyota too! So yes they are reliable even if submerged in salt water

The video doesnt show up on google video anymore but you should have seen the video!

EDIT FOUND THE VIDEO:http://www.bbc.co.uk/topgear/downloa..._broadband.ram
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  #27  
Old 03-07-2006, 08:02 AM
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AS far as the highway it cruises 65-70 with no problem. The propane injection helps with the long uphill grades. The trans is an automatic. I also intercooled it using a IC from a Ford Probe and it runs on Veg oil just fine.
The reason I went with this truck (Was a Travelall,like a Suburban) as opposed to a Scout was the transfer case issue. The full size IH used a divorced case so I just modified the short connector driveshaft to bolt onto the rear of the Mercedes trans and that was it.
My next one will be an early 60's scout and I'll use a small standalone Trans case from a Suzuki Samarai to handle the 4WD. Naturally a bullet proof Mercedes 5cyl. Turbo. Modify the tunnel a bit and it should all fit nice.
By the way, My travelall gets 20MPG plus driving around. Mike
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  #28  
Old 03-07-2006, 02:09 PM
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heres a sweet isuzu in portland and one in seattle, low miles probably wont last long.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/car/139089720.html
http://portland.craigslist.org/car/137750208.html
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  #29  
Old 03-07-2006, 02:25 PM
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You know you can buy an older toyota or Nissan pickup, mid 90's. There is someone who imports diesel engines for these, that is practicly a drop in. Same engine mounts, and so forth. I have entertained the idea many times, just never acted on it. I want a mid 90's Nissan King Cab 4x4, with a diesel. EASY EASY to do, just can't find a decent truck to do the job!
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  #30  
Old 03-07-2006, 02:59 PM
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Nate that Portland Isuzu is actually in Seattle, its the one I looked at and its a total POS. I haven't seen the other one but it looks pretty rough to me. Like I said these trucks get riden hard and put away wet, after 20+ yrs they're beat. Popular among central american landscapers etc. I'm very curious about this Toyota concept, it would be a bit more work and maybe more cash, but I like Toyotas and I have a Toyota mechanic buddy who could probably help me out.

Find gasser '80s toyota pickup truck in good shape with blown motor - <$500
Get rebuilt or low mileage diesel engine (maybe turbo!) - ? $800 - $1000
Have mechanic buddy install it - ??? $1000 (including other peripheral parts)

Maybe $2500 for a Toyota diesel pickup. Am I dreaming? This would be way better than some POS overpriced Isuzu Pup with original equipment.

I still want to check out the VW caddy option, a rabbit 2-door was my first car so I'm kinda sentimental. However I think I'd really want the jetta turbodiesel swap so it could get spendy.

Great thread everyone! - Colin

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