D2 going under the knife for TDI instal....

[Velocewest]

Wow. THe hood scoop thread was certainly a bounty of, well, let's call it "uninformed conjecture." Or, complete wrongness.

Heat o' plenty builds up under a Rover hood in warm weather, particularly in low speed driving like, oh, OFF ROAD! The diesel will not generate quite the same heat load, but with the intercooler sitting up top, to where the heat RISES, some form of venting is just simple common sense. EDIT: I contradict myself -- the turbo will crank out heat, so the conditions aren't improved by the diesel.

If there's no venting, the intercooler will be soaking in heat in the hottest place under the hood. Since the purpose of the intercooler is to transfer heat FROM the intake air to the outside air (it's a heat exchanger, after all), any access to cool air will improve things.

And with all that said -- putting the intercooler out front would be much better than leaving it on top where Isuzu plopped it. One of the most common mods you see on Suby Imprezas is moving the IC from the top of the engine to the grill. Even with the big whopping scoop on the STi Imprezas, moving the IC up front provides much better cooling.

An added benefit in a diesel is that in cool weather, the IC will shield the radiator a little, helping keep the engine at efficient operating temp.

 

[Roving Beetle]

Thanks, Isuzu didn't put it on top on the 4BD1T..... it's out front on the later cooled versions.

I was going to put it out at the leading edge of the hood, way fwd. I am not doing that now, it's going out front like a true "front mount intercooler" (actually an aftercooler.... but I digress....)

I will be putting a vent in the hood right above the turbo exhaust housing, flush mounted and not really noticed unless you're looking for it to be honest.

The only saving grace is that diesel exhaust runs cooler than a comparable gas engine so that's good.

Doug.

 

[ChrismonDA]

Beetle that is a nice set up.

 

[Roving Beetle]

Welded the "ear" on the starter so i could clock it up and nicely out of the way today. Very very nice, all out of the way now.

Also found that a large Mercedes diesel "hydraulic" motor mount will fit in with not a whole lot fuss so thats very good. Tomorrow will see the steel for the mounts go onto the frame and all the extra bracing there as well.

Got my new HD output shaft for the GM tranny so I can finally start to get the transmission back together with all its new guts.

Tomorrow will be a big day! I'll get some more pics after I play with the plasma cutter and welder for a while and make a mess of it.

 

[group captain mandrake]

I know it's only been a day since your last update, but I'm becoming more & more interested in your project.
How is it progressing?
Am I turning into a TDI junkie?

 

[Roving Beetle]

Heh heh, not as much of a TDI junkie as I am!! LOL.

Coming well. The motor mounts are cut and fit, not welded in as I ran of C25 for the MIG and my arc welder is down with an odd issue. Tomorrow afternoon I can weld them in after i get some more C25.

I am almost through putting the tranny back together but it's taking some time as I am tweaking a whole bunch of stuff in the VB and pump as well as putting HD clutches/drums etc. in it.

Today i can finish up the transmission and cut out a couple gussets for the motor mounts to be welded tomorrow. Probably won't do that much today as I try and spend more time with the wifey than the mistress (aka the Disco!) on Sundays.

Doug.

 

[nzoliver]

This is an interesting process!!

Reminds me of what the Australian military ordered!!! 110s with Isuzu engines and LR other bits. I believe they just ordered 110s and 130s from LR with no engine! They were fitted with the Isuzus in OZ from new.

Worth thinking about. This was done 10 years ago or so now.

 

[Roving Beetle]

Thanks NZ*** It's a fun process.... even more fun since everyone said "It'll never work!" LOL, I love a challenge.

My wife and I (for our extended honeymoon back in '98) spent over 4 months traveling Australia and NZ, about 2 in each - and for what it's worth liked NZ better in many ways. Anyway, my point is that i think we stayed at Lake Tekapo for a while? Where is that located exactly? If memory serves we stayed at a caravan park there with some nice hot-spring pools and such and the nicest owners of the place you could ever meet. Maybe I'm mixing it up though.

Doug

 

[ChicagoDon]

Thanks NZ*** It's a fun process.... even more fun since everyone said "It'll never work!" LOL, I love a challenge.

Yes, the projects where the majority of the forum reading public doubts the possibility of said projects are always the most fun. Anything can work, it just takes time, money, and skill.

 

[Velocewest]

Thanks, Isuzu didn't put it on top on the 4BD1T..... it's out front on the later cooled versions.

Aha. Good to know...

 

[craig]

I only skimmed the thread so I probably missed it? How'd you get the BCU to work?

Craig

 

[Roving Beetle]

I only skimmed the thread so I probably missed it? How'd you get the BCU to work?

Craig

I am thinking of keeping it secret and selling a "kit" for like a million $$$ :smilelol:

Actually the BCU doesn't talk all *that* much to the other systems in terms of getting all the little stuff to work. There is a bunch to it, yes, and there were many hours of reading manuals/wire diagrams, lots of head scratching and trials. Here;s a simple quick explanation:

The M & S and check-service engine lights on the cluster would be on all the time if I had not disabled them as there is no *easy* way to get around the fact that the transmission is not in there and the motor emissions will certainly be "off" as far as the ECU is concerned. It still thinks the transmission in there enough to run the P-R-D-3-2-1 indicator and therefor operate the brake interlock, reverse lights, rear wiper when in reverse, in park key release etc etc. The crank sensor & ring is mounted to the new motor and the starter and alternator circuits are as they were just with different units. The Rover V8 temp/oil sensors are installed. As far as the BCU/ECU knows the motor is in there AND running... just not running well and the ECU will be full of fault codes.

In Maine, as well as many many states a conversion over to diesel is allowed and the truck will not be tested as OBD 2 compliant. It simply has to pass the standard inspection and not have any issues with the SRS or any other safety equipment.

So there we go, the short version. I will post up a write-up when it's done and a whole string of pictures and some videos too. I got the motor mounts all installed and the motor is actually 100% sitting in there on its own as I type! Yay!

I *hope* with fingers crossed to be able to have it running, maybe not driving though, by this weekend. If i can get the drive shafts made/balanced quickly enough I may be able to drive around this weekend.

Doug.

 

[Greg Davis]

Doug, I want to say a big "Thanks" for having the courage to tackle this project. So far your progress is VERY encouraging. Thanks for all of the research you have done, and especially the fact that you are willing to share your findings.:applause: :applause: :applause:

 

[craig]

I echo Greg in saying thank you. I considered doing something like this a couple years ago and decided it was too much risk. I appreciate you diving in and working it out.

On the BCU, I THINK that M&D engineering came up with a plug and play module to fool the BCU for their DII diesel conversion kit. It might be worth looking into if you are in any way unsatisfied with how the existing setup turned out. That said, if the windows, lights, ABS, etc are all working there probably isn't much point.

Craig

 

[Greg Davis]

I couldn't find anything about this plug-n-play module on their site, so I sent them an email. I'll post up when I get their response.

 

[bpjenks67]

Hey Family,

Has anyone seen or heard of the 4bt or this Isuzu being installed into a Rangie (87).

I am very close to deciding but it is difficult. Any offers/suggestions and pictures with information?

Bryan
Atlanta

 

[Roving Beetle]

Thanks all. I could, and may very well continue on with working out a few of the minor idiot light issues after I get it going and I'm sure I *like* it with the Isuzu in there.

I have actually figured it all out about 99+% as to have all the ECU/BCU completely happy - it's just that it would (or will) require a whole heck of a lot more splicing, soldering, resistors wires etc etc etc. The way it is now EVERYTHING in the truck works as it should including the alarm, windows, lights, interior light timer, heated windshield, stereo, heated seats, power seats including the door open timer, climate control unit, AC, gauges seem happy from my manual testing of them - even the tach seems right on. (It should be fine as it runs from the crank sensor and it simply a 60 tooth pulse pattern, well a 57 pulse and then a 3 space gap at every revolution, but anyway...)

I do not need the transmission fault lights or the check engine light for anything at all - so why bother with it? Yes if anyone was to plug an OBD 2 scanner into it they had better have a big sheet of paper for all the codes! LOL. Mainly it would be a no signal from multiple items in the trans, no/incorrect signal from the TPS and no signal from the 02 sensors. These things are possible to adapter over, but the time/energy and expense is simply not worth it at all.

If this TDI swap were for a customer......... he/she'd better have very very deep pockets. That said in reality it's not taking that much more time than the 2000 Toyota Tacoma I recently swapped a 1KZT and related trans/transfer etc into. That truck actually had a LOT more wire issues and swapping to do. All done it was about $12K or so including a massive overhaul of the truck and the owner did a lot of the "grunt work". He's very happy though and it really is a sweeeeet little truck now. Looks and runs better than factory.

--------

For todays update: Didn't get much time on it, but I got the trans and transfer bolted together,finalized the mounting for the crank sensor and ring and ordered my intercooler for the front. Oh and I started making the crossmember for the transmission. This trans and transfer tuck up in a little higher so that's nice.

Doug.

 

[Macker]

Awesome write up, looks like things are going to plan so far! I have a few questions, what are you doing for the fuel pump/tank? What vehicle did you pull the isuzu diesel/compontents out of? Who makes the 700r4 to lt-230 adaptor? I know you'll be emissions exempt with diesel swap, but did your state specify whether the engine needed to be out of a vehicle of the same year, or newer? Anyone know CA's rule regarding this? Thanks for taking the time to keep us updated!

 

[Funrover]

Great post, I really like what you have done, looking foward to completetion

 

[Roving Beetle]

Awesome write up, looks like things are going to plan so far! I have a few questions, what are you doing for the fuel pump/tank? What vehicle did you pull the isuzu diesel/compontents out of? Who makes the 700r4 to lt-230 adaptor? I know you'll be emissions exempt with diesel swap, but did your state specify whether the engine needed to be out of a vehicle of the same year, or newer? Anyone know CA's rule regarding this? Thanks for taking the time to keep us updated!

Fuel pump was removed, replacing with a simple fuel pick-up tube/return line and a sender unit. Fuel fill "opened up" to fit a diesel nozzle and the evap equipment removed. (anyone need this evap stuff?)

Isuzu truck was actually a 1989 Chevy Tiltmaster "40" (Same as an Isuzu NPR). Some of the bigger versions had a 6 cyl version of the very same motor - too big for our Rovers.

700R4 to lt230 adapter I had made to my design by a local shop.
However the driveline ends up too long -- not that it's actually too long really, it would work OK -- but I didn't like the way it set in there with a much shorter rear d-shaft etc etc and I ended up using a different transfer that I have been flamed a bit for! :smilelol: 700R4 - BW 1339 Quadratrac from a '78 Heep Waggy. I love the combo for what it is.

Diesel does NOT have to be same year or newer and a good friend who lives in southern California wants me to swap a 1KZT into his 4 runner when he comes up this way next summer. He says CA has no issue with it at all if it's a light duty diesel. This is not *MY* first hand knowledge, but I certainly trust he's done his research before dumping $15K into a truck worth less than that. Call the state, be sure to talk to someone pretty high up as my experience has been that most of the people at a local level don't know the answer and get nervous about out of the ordinary questions like this.

The "light duty" diesel is something to keep in mind as some people you talk to will say you can't go swapping diesels around, *heavy* trucks (over 21000 GVW or something like that - I don't recall exactly.) they DO have to meet strict requirements. That said, you can put a heavy duty diesel motor into a light duty truck....... maybe i should have put a 3208*T CAT into this thing? :ack: :rofl:

Doug.