LUVTruck.com

I'm sure I'll get flamed for the question that's been asked a million times, but I really didn't know what to search for here.


I've been told to throw in a Ford V6 into my pickup..... Is this a good option? I'm not looking for some crazy race vehicle... Rather something that can tow (3klbs) and get somewhat good gas milage.

It is a 4WD setup, so I'd really like to retain that.

Do any motors bolt up to the stock tranny? Or am I replacing that too?

Thanks for any help.

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2003.5 Mazdaspeed Protege
1987 Mazda RX-7 Turbo II
1980 Chevy Luv 4WD
2005 Honda CRF230

1st. YES.. this topic is convered daily lol

but it is ok. just search 'engine swap' or the such and you will get tons of info on many options.

2nd. there are a few 4 cyl isuzu motors (1.9-2.3-2.6?) that will bolt up to the stock tranny. but if you opt with one of those.. try and get a matching 5 spd

3rd. the most common V6 swap imo, is the buick v6 swap (3. mostly. there are faqs, and articles about it quite abit.

4th. if you could deal without the gas mileage.. V8 the sucka! numerous threads and people doing this.. TONS of info!

hope this helps

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!!!FINALLY!!!
-1977 Luv mikado

It's my understanding that the gl200 is a bolt in swap for the gl180. With a little engine work (overbore, and a cam) and intake (Weber 32/36) and exhaust (header, free flow muffler ect.) it should net some power gains with out having to deal with all the B.S. of a V6 (or V8) swap into a 4x4.

Any thoughts anybody?

Of course if you got the cash and the skills, go with a 383 stroker, a NV6500, and an ATLAS II, straight axle conversion via a Pro-Rock 60 and coil overs! (sorry bout that I was day dreaming again)

Good luck.

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Looking for that special LUV.

I wish you could actually search topics so I don't have to sift through so much unrelated crap...

"engine swap" brings up near 300 matches.

Buick and buick swap are not good for searches either.

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2003.5 Mazdaspeed Protege
1987 Mazda RX-7 Turbo II
1980 Chevy Luv 4WD
2005 Honda CRF230

I guess fuel economy doesnt matter so much....

I'm more concerned with the swap not costing a whole lot. This will never be a primary vehicle. Just for fun and hauling crap around. It will not be a money pit project though. Just something cheap, dirty, and fun.

A V8 would be awesome... but if there's a swap that's a lot cheaper to pull off I'd rather go that route.

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2003.5 Mazdaspeed Protege
1987 Mazda RX-7 Turbo II
1980 Chevy Luv 4WD
2005 Honda CRF230

If you want the swap to not cost a whole bunch and still retain the stock 4x4, then your limited to Isuzu 4 bangers. As said before the G200 in a drop in, will mount up to your tranny and everything, but on the other hand it will only net you a few extra hp(unless you build it up, Weber, Offy intake, Delta cam, electric dizzy, header) there is another idea that 800xl has and it is to swap in a 4ZE1 with the intake off of a 4DE1, add a Weber 38/38 and a Delta cam, and Calmini header and you'll have a 2.6 carb monster that'll be more than enough to power your Luv. as far as the tranny goes grab the MUA-5 that comes with the 2.6 and the 12 bolt rear axle and you'll be set.

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'80 Luv 4x4, 3" BL, 1.5" SL, 32/36, 2.25" exhaust...and fuzzy dice.
'95 Toyota 4Runner Limited 5-Speed.

Well I don't have to keep the 4WD.... It just seems like a shame to ditch it, ya know?


The engine runs, but there's an undetermined amount of miles on it. I bought the car for dirt to haul my dirt bike around (pun not intended, but I'll take it!).

So that's why I want to swap... Is to just give myself a new slate to work with. An decent power upgrade would be great to get too. My bike/trailer setup weighs 500lbs.

Also need to replace all the bushings and what not. I made another post looking for a replacement kit.

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2003.5 Mazdaspeed Protege
1987 Mazda RX-7 Turbo II
1980 Chevy Luv 4WD
2005 Honda CRF230

What side is the front drive shaft on on these trucks in 4wd? I would think a 4 cyl jeep motor out of an 87- 94 yj would be a good swap 151 ironduke( chevy started building in 63' ) tbi injection 5-speed and 231 new process case . That is if the luv front drive shaft comes out on the drivers side .

Luv drive shaft is on the passenger side, but then again you could always clock the t-case to the side you want

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'80 Luv 4x4, 3" BL, 1.5" SL, 32/36, 2.25" exhaust...and fuzzy dice.
'95 Toyota 4Runner Limited 5-Speed.

I'd assume with a 4wd transmission there will be options I can utalize the 4wd plantform, no?

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2003.5 Mazdaspeed Protege
1987 Mazda RX-7 Turbo II
1980 Chevy Luv 4WD
2005 Honda CRF230

I would think that if it's a 4 wheel drive truck, upgrading with a better Isuzu motor is the best way to go. The stock trans and clutch parts will handle the upgrade and it's the smoothest, cheapest route.

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Previous setup: 4.1 Buick V-6/TH 350
Current setup: 400 Small Block Chevy V-8/TH 350
9" ford rear end/short bed/blue
What do Water, Electricity and Humans have in common... They all travel the path of least resistance.

I think I've found myself a small block w/trans (and radiator w/ hoses) for really cheap.

I see motor mount/tranny swap kits for only a couple hundred.


Which rear end and driveshaft do I need?

I know there's a complete swap guid somewhere... I'd love it if someone would point me in that direction.


*I really wish this board had better seach options

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2003.5 Mazdaspeed Protege
1987 Mazda RX-7 Turbo II
1980 Chevy Luv 4WD
2005 Honda CRF230

IMO your wasting your time puttting a V8 in a Luv 4x4.
Your wasing a good 4x4 if you dont keep it 4x4.


The best option is another Isuzu 4 bolted straight up to the old 4 speed 4x4 tranny. The 5 speed 4x4 tranny is different and the chassis it is in has altered cross members to the 4 speed. If you keep the 4 speed and go with slightly larger diameter tyres you acheive the same thing.

I would be looking for a 2.3L 4ZD1 carby motor, or a 2.6L 4ZE1 motor and bolting a 2.3L carby manifold to it.
You could also hunt out an Impulse with an efi motor in it and convert your luv. The 2L turbo out of an Impulse would be pretty trick in a luv.

All the above Isuzu motors will bolt in and all you have to do is ignition and gas.


Bob.

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Current project, 1979 KB Isuzu Ute.

Daily driver, '86 Rodeo Spacecab.
Chasing parts for Isuzu Impulse.

I'll bring up another idea here

A popular upgrade for 89-91 Trooper owners that have the 2.8 is to swap in a GM 3.4....bolts right up and everything....My idea would be to find out if the motors mounts of a 2.8 Trooper or a 3.1 Rodeo are the same as that of a 2.6/2.3/2.0/1.8...if it is then you could swap in the 3.4 and have it mount up to a MUA-5 out of a 2.8 Trooper (all have GM 60* bolt pattern) Now it is true you would have to modify the tranny crossmember, but that wouldn't be too hard, and then have your drive shaft shortend to fit(at the same time droping in a 12bolt or D44 out of a Rodeo would be cool too)

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'80 Luv 4x4, 3" BL, 1.5" SL, 32/36, 2.25" exhaust...and fuzzy dice.
'95 Toyota 4Runner Limited 5-Speed.

rezkid... using your idea also opens up using the gm 2.8 from Camaros and S-10 (where's all the luv at? was trying this swap) and 3.1 from a Camaro. There are a lot of performance parts out there for those motors and they are cheap and plentiful.

I can tell you that the mounts on the frame are different between the 2.8/3.1 and 2.6 motors. If you are going to bother with any of those motors, it might as well be a 3.4L, there are a lot of those around out there in Camaros, and even a new one as a crate motor is fairly cheap.

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95 Isuzu Trooper Daily Driver
86 Isuzu Trooper reliable backup
77 LUV 2wd stock beltway blaster (resting)
79 4x4 LUV project: 2.6L, 5spd, 31s (eventually)

MEPR: Man, my 4x4 makes all other LUVs look good

Hmmm, doesn't suprize me much but yeah it does bring up the fact that swaping mounts wouldn't be too hard. as far as the swap goes it would be a could one for the 4x4 crowd in that you could retain the IFS, combind the mix with a MUA-5 and then you'd have a sweet setup. i do know that the crate 3.4 makes 160hp and 194lbs of tq, and that is from the factory with a carb and cast iron heads, add a hotter cam, better flowing heads, and a better carb you'd end up closer to 200hp and 250tq and that would be just fine for a Luv(and think of the gas milage you'd get too) I'm going to look into it more as this opens up a whole new can of worms on what all will work with the Luv.

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'80 Luv 4x4, 3" BL, 1.5" SL, 32/36, 2.25" exhaust...and fuzzy dice.
'95 Toyota 4Runner Limited 5-Speed.

If i am correct the 2L turbo in the Impulse was 120hp not sure on the torque but it was a good figure with the factory boost/wastegate control. It had more torque and power than the 2.6L.


The fact that its a bolt in fit has its advantages considering an impulse will set you back less than $1000. Ive seen EFI G200 (non turbo) ones for well under $500 on eBay.

If your handy with the spanners and can read a wiring diagram, you wont need many more parts than the donor car supplies.
All you will need will be the luv/pup/trooper to 4Z series mounts if you go with the turbo or 2.3L EFi impulse motor. Some EFI fuel hose and some wiring bits and pieces.

In my eyes it represents good value as its not costly and not very time consuming.

The addition of a trooper power steering box and the Impulse pump could also be an option.

Bob.

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Current project, 1979 KB Isuzu Ute.

Daily driver, '86 Rodeo Spacecab.
Chasing parts for Isuzu Impulse.

The turbo 2.0L numbers I have are 140HP@5400 RPM and 166 lb/ft torque @3000RPM. The 2.6L FI non-turbo is 120HP. For a turbo 2.6L you would probably want to upgrade the injectors to make certain it would not go lean at high RPMs. On a 2.3L, that might not be quite as necessary, but still something to think about. The enemy of a turbo motor is detonation, and the higher compression ratio of the non-turbo motors makes it easy to get into detonation under boost. Getting too lean would make it worse.

There is a fairly decent write up of swapping a 2.6L into a turbo Impulse at http://www.isuzuperformance.com/isupage ... ap2.6.html
It doesn't quite cover everything, but it does give a lot of specifics of what parts to look for that a donor car may not have.

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95 Isuzu Trooper Daily Driver
86 Isuzu Trooper reliable backup
77 LUV 2wd stock beltway blaster (resting)
79 4x4 LUV project: 2.6L, 5spd, 31s (eventually)

MEPR: Man, my 4x4 makes all other LUVs look good

the problem with doing a Impulse swap is that we just plain didn't get very many of them here in the States...so far in the last 3 months I've seen exactly 1 Impulse engine for sale on e-bay...if the engine was more pleantiful over here that would be a very popular swap...but it isn't, so thats why we're looking for other options here....that and some of us just plain like having bigger engines in our rigs...they say there's no replacement for displacement (This is not to say that If I had the option to swap a Impulse engine in I wouldn't, I'd do it in a hearts beat!!!! )

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'80 Luv 4x4, 3" BL, 1.5" SL, 32/36, 2.25" exhaust...and fuzzy dice.
'95 Toyota 4Runner Limited 5-Speed.