diesel swap?

ShadowSix wrote: Hmm, this could displace the M-B OM617 as my dream '89 4Runner motor...

What? Craigslist link is dead, but what's better than an OM617 for offroad use?

It was an Isuzu diesel box truck.

Not sure if it would be better than the OM617, stock power is less with the Isuzu, I'm not sure how much they can be modified.

curtis73 wrote: In reply to iceracer: Not much. I recently figured this out. At the time I was paying $3 for gasoline in my F150 gasser getting 13 mpg. At $3.40 for diesel (a 13% increase) I would have had to get 14.7 mpg to offset the fuel cost. I'm actually getting 18-20 in my diesel van so it was a definite win. When you also calculate in the fact that my F150 was a 3.08 rear and made 345 lb-ft of torque, and my diesel is a 3.73 rear end with 550 lb-ft of torque, its kinda a no-brainer

See this is why I was leaning diesel swap in the first place. However, I do have a complete 88 grand Marc I can use all the running gear out of. It doesn't get much cheaper than that.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. Some of us obviously have differrent opinions about "on a budget" though. Ha ha

Yeah, sometimes my "budgets" involve not drinking beer for a couple weeks so I can afford windshield wipers, and other times I get so passionate about a project that I remortgage the house.

4.6 should get you mid 20's with a tall rear end ratio and driven for mileage

I was thinking an EFI 351W with AOD would be a good combo. Roughly the same displacement as what you have in there now. Decent bottom end torque for the big car too.

The May issue of Hot Rod Magazine has a '31 Model A pickup with a 4BT Cummins in it. Eyeballing the pictures, I'd say it would go in a Galaxy.

Why has no one suggested a Chevrolet 6.5 td? Easy bolt in, doesn't weigh as much as the cummins or ford, simple electronics, and 250 reliable hp with a mild tune.

Just don't pull anything.

In reply to bearmtnmartin:

That was one I was considering. They are just about the only cheap diesel I could find. However, I have a couple of free 302s with matching transmissions so that is probably the way to go.

bearmtnmartin wrote: Why has no one suggested a Chevrolet 6.5 td? Easy bolt in, doesn't weigh as much as the cummins or ford, simple electronics, and 250 reliable hp with a mild tune. Just don't pull anything.

Why not (pull things)?

They are not a very strong engine. Pull weight and bad things happen.

Good mileage though. My 4x4 duallie got 18 mpg

aussiesmg wrote: 4.6 should get you mid 20's with a tall rear end ratio and driven for mileage

Didn't catch the whole thread, but my 1997 150 4x4 with the 4.6 2v motor, 5 speed(m5r2) and a 3.08 gets me 18 highway... If I drive like a blue hair. 15mpg if I drive normally.

My thought on this would be to find a 6.2 non turbo and mount it with something like a 700r4 keep your long legged rear gear and be happy with the results. I had an 88 k2500 with a 6.2 and a 4spd and could knock down mid 20's if I ran it at an indicated 65mph with the taller (not wider) tired I had on it, it was actually pushing something like 73-74ish per the handy dandy miata.net tire calculator. Only thing is, that motor begged for an OD or at least another gear, as first was that super low crawl gear that could pull anything.

i too vote 6.0 PSD. They are dime a dozen just because they have such a rotten rep. as Curtis pointed out, the problems are all well understood and have been covered by the aftermarket.

I've been eyeing the 6.0 liter trucks / vans for this very reason

I'm the one who originally suggested this in the other thread. I meant to add this link to your other thread, but did not get the time:

Link 1

Link 2

Link 3

Yeah, I have seen that Chevelle on the net before. It is pretty awesome. However, That guys has DEEP pockets. Something I just don't have. I like the 6.0L Powerstroke idea but I still think that they are too expensive. The old IH IDI and Chevy 6.2l and 6.5l turbo are all good options. I like free stuff though and I have a few free 302s. That and I KNOW that no matter how cheap I think I can swap in a diesel it will cost way more than I initially thought.

As it sits now, I am planning a staged build on a 302/AOD combo.

1. Install Stock non HO 302 and AOD out of Mercury Grand Marquis with stock management

2. Install Megasquirt

3. Install Mildly built 302 with a few goodies inside

4. Install JY turbos from a Volvo or something (Maybe)

This is probably a 2 year plan and I might never get past stage 1. I will have to see how it drives and re-evaluate.