Diesel Swap

[Junkyard Jack]

I have this weird obsession with all of the smaller diesel trucks and SUVs found around the world that we never got here in America. The diesel 4runners and Nissan Patrols and the like. Made me get to thinking about what a baby 7.3 excursion would look like. What would one be like if I built it.

I heard about a few ford V6 diesels and while it would be cool to do I think parts availability might be an issue and I'm not sure about the newer electronic engine controls. Which stinks because ford has a ton of diesels that I think look great on paper, but they are all in Europe.

I've seen the 4bt done but realistically I think it's too heavy to be a real contender. That newish Cummins R2.8 looks awesome but it's not cheap at all and I wouldn't pay that much just to say I had a diesel.

So that all leads to this wild idea I've had bouncing around in my head. Now my original idea was to do this to a late 80s suburban slammed on 20s, but what about the ALH 1.9L diesel from VW?

VW 1.9 2.0 TDI to Ford Small Block V8 Transmission Adapter Kit

This adapter kit allows you to attach a Ford Small Block V8 transmission to a Volkswagen TDI engine (1.9L or 2.0L turbo diesel engines, AAZ, AHU, ALH, BEW, BHW, BRM CBEA, CJAA, CRUA, CVCA, other Euro-specific codes may also work). This kit will ONLY work with the 14.25" diameter flywheel or...

tdconversions.com

Let's be honest here the truck was never a powerhouse, the 5.4s made about 350lb-ft of torque, obviously the 4.6 made less while 350 lb-ft of torque or more is not out of the question for the little ALH when hopped up. I was just thinking how cool it would be if you could eventually make 350-400 lb-ft of torque out of a small diesel, that's plenty to haul around the truck and a trailer seeing how the truck was able to do those figures before with the gas engine I'd also like to believe that this could be achieved with mid 20s MPG.


Am I just crazy or what? What do y'all think?

 

[2020FordRaptor]

I have this weird obsession with all of the smaller diesel trucks and SUVs found around the world that we never got here in America. The diesel 4runners and Nissan Patrols and the like. Made me get to thinking about what a baby 7.3 excursion would look like. What would one be like if I built it.

I heard about a few ford V6 diesels and while it would be cool to do I think parts availability might be an issue and I'm not sure about the newer electronic engine controls. Which stinks because ford has a ton of diesels that I think look great on paper, but they are all in Europe.

I've seen the 4bt done but realistically I think it's too heavy to be a real contender. That newish Cummins R2.8 looks awesome but it's not cheap at all and I wouldn't pay that much just to say I had a diesel.

So that all leads to this wild idea I've had bouncing around in my head. Now my original idea was to do this to a late 80s suburban slammed on 20s, but what about the ALH 1.9L diesel from VW?

VW 1.9 2.0 TDI to Ford Small Block V8 Transmission Adapter Kit

This adapter kit allows you to attach a Ford Small Block V8 transmission to a Volkswagen TDI engine (1.9L or 2.0L turbo diesel engines, AAZ, AHU, ALH, BEW, BHW, BRM CBEA, CJAA, CRUA, CVCA, other Euro-specific codes may also work). This kit will ONLY work with the 14.25" diameter flywheel or...

tdconversions.com

Let's be honest here the truck was never a powerhouse, the 5.4s made about 350lb-ft of torque, obviously the 4.6 made less while 350 lb-ft of torque or more is not out of the question for the little ALH when hopped up. I was just thinking how cool it would be if you could eventually make 350-400 lb-ft of torque out of a small diesel, that's plenty to haul around the truck and a trailer seeing how the truck was able to do those figures before with the gas engine I'd also like to believe that this could be achieved with mid 20s MPG.


Am I just crazy or what? What do y'all think?

Thus would obviously be expensive. If your going to be a bear, be a grizzly. Go for the 7.3.

 

[Junkyard Jack]

Thus would obviously be expensive. If your going to be a bear, be a grizzly. Go for the 7.3.

Let me start by saying I recognize how dumb this idea is but I'm just dreaming and bouncing ideas around. Well, if I was wanting to do all that I'd put a 12v in it and go with a full tilt 12v Cummins. If power was what I was after I'd actually stay with a gas engine and put a turbo LS of whatever displacement I can find for the right price in there with a 4L80. Arguably an easier and cheaper way to make massive power in a package that would neatly fit in that truck.

This truck only made 350 lbs-ft of torque when it was new, a bit less now I'd imagine, and it still does what I need it to very well. That's why I was looking at that 350 - 400 lbs-ft figure, if that can be made from a small diesel engine that would be perfect in my opinion. Same if not slightly better torque but from a powerplant that is smaller, lighter and more efficient. Not apples to apples but I hear of jeep guys getting 30+ MPG on 37s and 35s with one-ton axles and all that. If my truck could do everything it does now but get mid 20s highway unloaded, I'd be happier than a pig in slop.

I've seen running TDI VWs on marketplace for less than 2k and that was just in my research for this crazy idea. I'm sure just the engine could be tracked down for less although having the car for the swap would be nice. As long as you have the engine/harness/computer and then the adapter that's a decent start. Let's say 3k for a donor car (part this out to gain back some money), 2k for an adapter to the E4OD and probably another $1k for misc. stuff. Now this is what it could take to get it running but to hit that torque number I'd like to I know that little motor needs injectors, tune and a turbo. I'm still confident this could be done with minimum fab work for less than $6k

The Navistar VT275 is also something I'm curious about but IDK how the engine management works on that one.

 

[2020FordRaptor]

Let me start by saying I recognize how dumb this idea is but I'm just dreaming and bouncing ideas around. Well, if I was wanting to do all that I'd put a 12v in it and go with a full tilt 12v Cummins. If power was what I was after I'd actually stay with a gas engine and put a turbo LS of whatever displacement I can find for the right price in there with a 4L80. Arguably an easier and cheaper way to make massive power in a package that would neatly fit in that truck.

This truck only made 350 lbs-ft of torque when it was new, a bit less now I'd imagine, and it still does what I need it to very well. That's why I was looking at that 350 - 400 lbs-ft figure, if that can be made from a small diesel engine that would be perfect in my opinion. Same if not slightly better torque but from a powerplant that is smaller, lighter and more efficient. Not apples to apples but I hear of jeep guys getting 30+ MPG on 37s and 35s with one-ton axles and all that. If my truck could do everything it does now but get mid 20s highway unloaded, I'd be happier than a pig in slop.

I've seen running TDI VWs on marketplace for less than 2k and that was just in my research for this crazy idea. I'm sure just the engine could be tracked down for less although having the car for the swap would be nice. As long as you have the engine/harness/computer and then the adapter that's a decent start. Let's say 3k for a donor car (part this out to gain back some money), 2k for an adapter to the E4OD and probably another $1k for misc. stuff. Now this is what it could take to get it running but to hit that torque number I'd like to I know that little motor needs injectors, tune and a turbo. I'm still confident this could be done with minimum fab work for less than $6k

The Navistar VT275 is also something I'm curious about but IDK how the engine management works on that one.

Actually, the 7.3 could be cheaper if you get one that's been wrecked. All your parts are there for your taking.

 

[Junkyard Jack]

Actually, the 7.3 could be cheaper if you get one that's been wrecked. All your parts are there for your taking.

I've heard of it being done before but those guys had to build a new firewall and SAS the front and all of that weight on the front and by that point I'd have to start considering just body swapping the expedition to a F250 frame and that's more than I'd ever care to get into this old truck.

 

[Junkyard Jack]

I wonder how that new 3.0 Powerstroke would fit in the engine bay of the expy