LUVTruck.com

will that engine work in a luv? do you think you can get much performance out of it?

As an old biker friend of mine said, "You can fit anything on any frame if you're really good with a torch."

I'd add "And rich" to his philosophy.

The Cummins 3.9 weighs 570 lbs dry, (a little lighter than a BB Chevy), but its redline is around 2200 RPM. The C223 diesel's redline was roughly twice that.

The torsion bars could probably take the weight, but you'd have to get custom 2:1 gears made or cut down a rear end out of a diesel vehicle. If this is for a 4x4, you'd probably have to go with custom gears because of the IFS and the location of the front pumpkin. With 600+ wet pounds on the front end, I doubt you'd get enough lift from the torsion bars to put really, really tall tires on it instead of gearing it.

You'd probably have to go with a different transmission or have a cu$tom bellhousing made. The tranny wouldn't be a huge problem for a RWD (Especially an automatic), but it woud be a real bitch for a 4x4.

What is a 3.9 Cummins from? What were they used in?

_________________
OK, I'm over it. Where's the beer?

Mostly off highway applications, but some were installed in grummin step vans. If I remember right they are like 105 HP normal asperated and around 120-140 HP turbo'ed.

_________________
Certified pilots, looking down on people since 1903.

I was eyeballing an 8 1/2 ton carry deck crane in our yard and it had a little 4 cyl. Cummins in it. I thought, I wonder how that would do in a LUV? It was probably the 3.9.

_________________
OK, I'm over it. Where's the beer?

You wanted the crane or the Cummins in the truck? That'd be a heck of a cherry picker!

You would be better off finding an Isuzu 2.8L turbo diesel motor.



Ive been thinking myself about the 4.3L Isuzu diesel out of the small trucks. They used a motor from the same family in the Range Rover/ Landrover.

Would probably be too big and heavy as well.


Didnt Chev make a 350 cube Diesel V8????? Put one of those in.


Cheers, Bob.

_________________
Current project, 1979 KB Isuzu Ute.

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

The problem (And a good chunk of the novelty) for us is that small diesels are rare in the US. It's hard to find a 2.2L Isuzu, let alone a 2.8L TD. I've looked at importing diesels for my LUV and my FJ40, and it's just cost prohibitive here.

It seems only the Germans are up to making diesels for the US market today. The only diesels you can buy here (Outside full-sized pickups and commercial vehicles) come from VW and Mercedes (Plus the Jeep Liberty, made by Daimler-Chrysler).

The early GM diesels were modified gas engines. They weren't super reliable, and their performance wasn't great, and they were heavy. As a side note, I wonder if the Big Three's earlier diesels (You can have it however you want as long as it's HUGE, loud, under-powered, and it belches black smoke) are responsible for the current environmental laws that make it so difficult to get a diesel today?

I've seen Chevy diesels in LandCruisers with mixed results. You could probably put one in a LUV, but again, your torching skills would have to be pretty good. And again, you're looking at a 2000-3000 RPM redline.

Cummins 4bt (3.9l) engines are used in Freotes Chip Delivery Trucks. Most use a GM Turbo 400 automatic. Some do use a manual Transmission.
This is a 6cyl (5.9l) that dodge uses in their trucks mnus 2 cylinders. If you want to use a manual tranny get the belhousinfg clutsh and starter setp at the same time.

You have the option of using any GM 400 based tranny, or Dodge, Ford or GM manuel Tranny. The Dodge and Ford will be more common.

I am on a Yahoo Group that the 4bt engine is used for engine swaps. Most tend to buy the Step Vans at a auction. Remove all engune tranny parts and such. They then will tear-cut the body off the alumium body and sell it for scrap. It you buy wisely, you should note even have to do anything to the engine

I can hook anyone that wants to check out the group.

It is a tall engine as it comes in the trucks because the turbo pipe goes over the top ot the Valve Cover. That can be changed with a little work and fab to move the turbo intake pipe

_________________
75 Luv, 350 V8, TH350, Camaro rearend. New 1975 Luv Step side. Stock for now.
Grandmaster of the "Shade Tree" way.. I can't see the yard for all the cars. Come on down and we will sit on the porch and watch the grass grow.

Thats interesting to know.

The 2.8L is called the 4JB1 from what i know they were turbo only. Its smaller brother is the 4JA1 and its 2.5L non turbo.

They would be in any Pup, Trooper, Rodeo or Amigo of the 2.6L EFI petrol era, like you said, if you cna find one.

Everything diesel is cost prohibitive.


Id look to a bigger petrol motor for value for money eonomy.
A 2.6L EFI will get near on the same economy as the 1.8L but it will go heaps better for the bit extra it uses. Ditto for the 2.3L EFI and the 2L turbo. The 2L turbo got under 10L per 100km, think that works out to 40mpg, 10km per litre, 1 gallon is 4L, 4 x 10 is 40.

Anothe option is to convert the truck to later model running gear. Something EFI and V6. You might end up with worse economy but drivability etc will be out of sight.

The only thing wrong with euro diesels is the price you pay for parts for them. Dynamyte.


Cheers, Bob.

_________________
Current project, 1979 KB Isuzu Ute.

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

The GM diesels were based on the Oldsmobile V-8 family. You want to treat them like a skunk and stay away.

5.7 engines are olds engines. Differnt block, uses a crank with mains the size of the 403-425olds engine uses the same external parts as the gas engine. The diesel blocks made good race engines.

They can seem skunky and some are. There is a small group of us that still use them. A lot of things learned by hit and miss. (psss: use copper head caskets like on my turbo engine, another type and brand that are good for stock engines, I would have to look them up)

The were ahead of their time. Too soon. Not really a bad engine, people did not know how to drive them and keep up with maintaince. No one know how to work on them at the dealers.

Diesels are not a hard as some folks think, and most don't like the olds.

I have 2, both DX engines with all the updates. You can not reuse the factory head bolts I use ARP head bolts and main bolts. I have one in a truck now. Pistons are hell to find. If I find another set I will but up my other one.

One of the first things I asked here was would one fit in a luv. They will. A Luv with a Olds gas engine sold on ebay a couple of months ago.

This is my sig on the diesel forums I am on....

PapaG diesel nut. 87 GMC stepside truck 1982 Olds diesel .030 over bore, Custom modified 425 olds crankshaft. BBC Rods, Aires Pistons. Modified Staydine pump, 700 r4 trans, 5.9 turbo. More HP & Torque than a herd of mice. Smoke em if you got em

_________________
75 Luv, 350 V8, TH350, Camaro rearend. New 1975 Luv Step side. Stock for now.
Grandmaster of the "Shade Tree" way.. I can't see the yard for all the cars. Come on down and we will sit on the porch and watch the grass grow.

a guy put a 3.9 in a jeep and it's performance was better than the 4.0 liter that it replaced. scored 28 mpg on the hwy.

the redline of the isuzu might be higher, but what's the power output compared to the 3.9?

The 82/83 2.2l was at 58hp and 90 sum torque, the 84+ had just 4 more hp cause of the bigger manifold.

_________________
-Old ride-82 Luv diesel 5spd with some upgrades
-Past rides-82 Sierra, 78 Coupe De'Ville, 91 2dr Blazer, 86 RX7, 86 Porsche 944T (rear-ended and totaled)
-Curr. rides- 1970 Ford LTD 4dr, 390 4Bbl, 2nd owner! With a few Extras 00' Civic beater...

You can use VW diesel engines, like the Samuri. You need to use a toyota r22 transmission or Toyota Automatic trans

_________________
75 Luv, 350 V8, TH350, Camaro rearend. New 1975 Luv Step side. Stock for now.
Grandmaster of the "Shade Tree" way.. I can't see the yard for all the cars. Come on down and we will sit on the porch and watch the grass grow.

Hi!
This is an old thread, but I'd like to say sumthin' too!
Here in South Africa they import thousands of Japannese Diesel engines, direct from Japan, maybee that's an opsion?
The engine in that category i like the most is the 2C Toyota. It's a turbo engine, 63KW('bout 80hp)
Also the 2.8l Isuzu is a good option as well as the 2.5 Ford Diesel, it's about 100hp.
A good option in the German category would be the 602T Mercedes-Benz. VW diesel is good as well. Very economic with good perfomance!