Dieseltoyz.com CRD conversion for Toyotas

dieseltoyz · **Joined:** Wed Oct 17, 2007 11:28 pm **Posts:** 64

Well, I cant really go into that many details about it yet. We're still in development and I'm sure I'll have tons of questions. We have the factory wiring diagrams for the CRD and they're quite good. I'd still love to hire an electrical engineer who's familiar with the CRD to hop on board. Everything will be designed to be completely plug-n-play. We are using the ECM from the CRD and integrating that into the Toyota ECU so they work in Tandem. This way, all the dash functionality is retained, yet some functions the Toyota ECU handles, and some the CRD ECM handles. The CRD is a great engine with excellent aftermarket support. Complete engine sets are cheap and readily available.The Jeep liberty weighs 5500 lbs (roughly). A double cab Tacoma weighs 5300 lbs. so it's well suited to a vehicle with similar weights. We figure, put a great engine with a great vehicle and it's a winning combination. A lot of folks ask "why not use a new Toyota engine"? The new D-4D turbo diesels are extremely expensive to buy and all you get is the engine (no accessories, wiring etc). You'd still have to rewire almost everything to have a factory setup and at considerable cost. European parts guys are not that willing to source stuff like we have over here so finding stuff is difficult at best even if you speak the language (we do). This is not to say that we cannot get them, but $12-14,000 for a half cut is not a reasonable cost. Our bread-n-butter is the factory 3.0 swaps for older trucks/4runners but newer trucks and FJ cruisers are our biggest request. We will be developing a kit for the wranglers as well as soon as we finish the Toyota stuff.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Fri Oct 19, 2007 5:59 pm

dieseltoyz wrote:

Well, I cant really go into that many details about it yet. We're still in development and I'm sure I'll have tons of questions. We have the factory wiring diagrams for the CRD and they're quite good. I'd still love to hire an electrical engineer who's familiar with the CRD to hop on board. Everything will be designed to be completely plug-n-play. We are using the ECM from the CRD and integrating that into the Toyota ECU so they work in Tandem. This way, all the dash functionality is retained, yet some functions the Toyota ECU handles, and some the CRD ECM handles. The CRD is a great engine with excellent aftermarket support. Complete engine sets are cheap and readily available.The Jeep liberty weighs 5500 lbs (roughly). A double cab Tacoma weighs 5300 lbs. so it's well suited to a vehicle with similar weights. We figure, put a great engine with a great vehicle and it's a winning combination. A lot of folks ask "why not use a new Toyota engine"? The new D-4D turbo diesels are extremely expensive to buy and all you get is the engine (no accessories, wiring etc). You'd still have to rewire almost everything to have a factory setup and at considerable cost. European parts guys are not that willing to source stuff like we have over here so finding stuff is difficult at best even if you speak the language (we do). This is not to say that we cannot get them, but $12-14,000 for a half cut is not a reasonable cost. Our bread-n-butter is the factory 3.0 swaps for older trucks/4runners but newer trucks and FJ cruisers are our biggest request. We will be developing a kit for the wranglers as well as soon as we finish the Toyota stuff.

Have you looked into any of the Nissan engines? I in particular have been looking at the ZD30, and the somewhat older QD32 and YD27.

And you are correct, 14k for a half cut just isn't reasonable for conversions.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Fri Oct 19, 2007 6:00 pm

dieseltoyz wrote:

Hi guys...Sir Sam, is your first name Yosemite by any chance?

No, but other than the guns that would be a fair approximation of me.

AZScout · **Posted:** Fri Oct 19, 2007 6:31 pm

Quote:

The CRD is a great engine with excellent aftermarket support. Complete engine sets are cheap and readily available.

Do you have any links to the aftermarket support? Are we talking about actual engine parts? I'm thinking about further down the road for a possible rebuild. Thanks!, and I think a CRD FJ would be awesome.

Dave

dieseltoyz · **Joined:** Wed Oct 17, 2007 11:28 pm **Posts:** 64

Lol...I was intending that to be a character association but couldnt find a quick jpeg of him without the guns. Lots of quality reading material here. What do you do if you dont mind me asking?

dieseltoyz · **Joined:** Wed Oct 17, 2007 11:28 pm **Posts:** 64

I am referring to programmers and injector upgrades for the CRD. The nissan diesels are not real popular in japan so they're cheap. From the folks I have spoken with, they are problematic. I have customers wanting swaps for their Xterra's so I have looked into it. Parts availability is also a pain on engines that are not supported here. I have an online store on my site with maintenance items for Toyotas. This was done to allow customers to service their vehicles with OEM parts. A valve cover gasket is N/A in the USA. So, I have to call up my buds in Germany and order a few dozen at a time. The factory swaps we are doing are great but modern diesel engines are not falling out of the trees these days. As far as legality, anyone see last month's issue of 4wheel off road? They are swapping an ISB cummins into a Jeep unlimited. There is questionable legality when doing any engine conversion. This one is as questionable as any Toyota swap from a legal standpoint. The ISB was never certified for a light duty vehicle. So, in order to be a straight legal swap, a business would have to get it certified annually in order to keep these swaps legal. I personally wouldnt want a 1200lb engine in front of my jeep. We had some lawyers look into what we are doing before we really caught on. They found that at the end of the day, the vehicle HAS to be out of compliance with a law. They would have to verify that the engine in question is indeed out of compliance with emissions standards for the vehicle in question before any case could see the light of day. You could put a jet engine in your vehicle as long as it passed emissions for the year in question. The law does try to intimidate with complicated verbage in order to dissuade people from putting SBC's into their honda accord. Although if done properly, you can perform engine swaps legally.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Sat Oct 20, 2007 12:11 am

dieseltoyz wrote:

I am referring to programmers and injector upgrades for the CRD. The nissan diesels are not real popular in japan so they're cheap. From the folks I have spoken with, they are problematic. I have customers wanting swaps for their Xterra's so I have looked into it. Parts availability is also a pain on engines that are not supported here. I have an online store on my site with maintenance items for Toyotas. This was done to allow customers to service their vehicles with OEM parts. A valve cover gasket is N/A in the USA. So, I have to call up my buds in Germany and order a few dozen at a time. The factory swaps we are doing are great but modern diesel engines are not falling out of the trees these days. As far as legality, anyone see last month's issue of 4wheel off road? They are swapping an ISB cummins into a Jeep unlimited. There is questionable legality when doing any engine conversion. This one is as questionable as any Toyota swap from a legal standpoint. The ISB was never certified for a light duty vehicle. So, in order to be a straight legal swap, a business would have to get it certified annually in order to keep these swaps legal. I personally wouldnt want a 1200lb engine in front of my jeep. We had some lawyers look into what we are doing before we really caught on. They found that at the end of the day, the vehicle HAS to be out of compliance with a law. They would have to verify that the engine in question is indeed out of compliance with emissions standards for the vehicle in question before any case could see the light of day. You could put a jet engine in your vehicle as long as it passed emissions for the year in question. The law does try to intimidate with complicated verbage in order to dissuade people from putting SBC's into their honda accord. Although if done properly, you can perform engine swaps legally.

After reading up on the patrol forums in AUS I know have a fair idea of the issues behind the ZD30DDTi engines, I have been finding half cuts with trans, zfer case, for around $3000.

Since most of the ZD engines are 04+ the engine is at least newer for many conversions.

The Nissan YD TD series engines have support out of mexico, I have considered these engines as well but they are a generation older technology.

The good thing about nissan engines is that they can be supported in the US, if you have the part number nissan can order any part through the motorsport division, but that does take awhile.

retmil46 · **Posted:** Sat Oct 20, 2007 12:55 pm

You guys are down around San Antonio? I've got a friend living just up I-35 in Kyle.

Just talked with him on the phone. He had to trade in his '06 CTD for various reasons for an '08 Rubicon a few days ago.

He sounded very interested, and if you need a new Wrangler Rubicon as a pilot vehicle for developing the conversion, I think he'd be more than willing to try and work something out with you. :wink:

He previously owned an '05 CRD that he traded in because it spent too much time in the shop, so he's already quite familiar with the 2.8 VM engine.

dieseltoyz · **Joined:** Wed Oct 17, 2007 11:28 pm **Posts:** 64

We will be developing a CRD kit for the wranglers in a few months. We are currently working with the Toyotas and will branch out to do the Jeeps soon after that. If he's interested in having us do a swap, we can do it but a "kit" wont be available for a few months. Kyle is about 45 minute drive from us so he's close.

greiswig · **Posted:** Sat Oct 20, 2007 2:16 pm

There are some legal loopholes, but in Oregon the engine had to have been an option for that vehicle that year in order to be considered legal. The loopholes don't seem to work around that unless your vehicle is 25 years old. Mind you, enforcement is nontrivial.

Nevertheless, that was the impetus behind my short-lived company, Gearwell Industries, to design and fabricate a bellhousing to mate a Toyota 5-speed tranny (and twin transfer cases) to an Isuzu engine for use in my Amigo. There was one bellhousing made, by yours truly. That was for an application that required very little wiring change, whereas the CRD retrofit will require a lot. So before anyone balks at the price, keep in mind the R&D effort that has been put into the CRD swaps: it is a LOT of work! Kudos to you guys, DieselToyz, for doing this. I hope it works out great for you.

dieseltoyz · **Joined:** Wed Oct 17, 2007 11:28 pm **Posts:** 64

Much appreciated Greiswig! Yes, there is a ton of R&D that we have absorbed in this little venture. Hopefully, it will pay off in the future. We are lining up engine suppliers so we can refer our installers to them for engine sets. That's the biggest unknown at this point is the supply of engines. -Todd

retmil46 · **Posted:** Mon Oct 22, 2007 3:56 pm

Hmmm, all this has gotten me to pondering something.

I've got an '81 Jet Industries Electravan - basically an '81 Ford Courier/Mazda B2000 pickup glider that was assembled new as a battery-only electric vehicle by Jet Industries of Austin TX. I picked it up back in '94 out around Seattle. Besides swapping in newer electric components (motor, controller, batteries, charger, etc), I've fixed up the body and a new paint job over the years. Beefed up suspension to handle the battery pack, only has 24K original miles on it, 5 speed tranny and 3.31 rear end.

After reading over this thread, and doing a little checking, I'm starting to seriously ponder pulling the electric drivetrain out of the beast and dropping in an older 4-banger diesel from the same era into it.

Doing some checking on the couple of Ford Courier forums I found (frankly I was amazed that there were ANY forums around on this truck!), apparently the diesel and tranny from a Mazda B2200 isn't a direct drop-in due to the shape of the bellhousing.

Looking on autotrader, there's a gent about 200 miles away with an '83 Datsun 720 diesel pickup with 273K miles on it, I'm guessing the SD22 diesel in it. Might make a good donor truck for the engine, tranny, and support systems needed, provided if it would fit.

Any suggestions?

Cowcatcher · **Posted:** Mon Oct 22, 2007 4:01 pm

Hummm. Prehaps a diesel hybrid?

UFO · **Posted:** Mon Oct 22, 2007 4:36 pm

retmil46 wrote:

Hmmm, all this has gotten me to pondering something.

I've got an '81 Jet Industries Electravan - basically an '81 Ford Courier/Mazda B2000 pickup glider that was assembled new as a battery-only electric vehicle by Jet Industries of Austin TX. I picked it up back in '94 out around Seattle. Besides swapping in newer electric components (motor, controller, batteries, charger, etc), I've fixed up the body and a new paint job over the years. Beefed up suspension to handle the battery pack, only has 24K original miles on it, 5 speed tranny and 3.31 rear end.

After reading over this thread, and doing a little checking, I'm starting to seriously ponder pulling the electric drivetrain out of the beast and dropping in an older 4-banger diesel from the same era into it.

Doing some checking on the couple of Ford Courier forums I found (frankly I was amazed that there were ANY forums around on this truck!), apparently the diesel and tranny from a Mazda B2200 isn't a direct drop-in due to the shape of the bellhousing.

Looking on autotrader, there's a gent about 200 miles away with an '83 Datsun 720 diesel pickup with 273K miles on it, I'm guessing the SD22 diesel in it. Might make a good donor truck for the engine, tranny, and support systems needed, provided if it would fit.

Any suggestions?

Maybe. Or maybe the LD28.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Mon Oct 22, 2007 6:43 pm

UFO wrote:

retmil46 wrote:

Hmmm, all this has gotten me to pondering something.

I've got an '81 Jet Industries Electravan - basically an '81 Ford Courier/Mazda B2000 pickup glider that was assembled new as a battery-only electric vehicle by Jet Industries of Austin TX. I picked it up back in '94 out around Seattle. Besides swapping in newer electric components (motor, controller, batteries, charger, etc), I've fixed up the body and a new paint job over the years. Beefed up suspension to handle the battery pack, only has 24K original miles on it, 5 speed tranny and 3.31 rear end.

After reading over this thread, and doing a little checking, I'm starting to seriously ponder pulling the electric drivetrain out of the beast and dropping in an older 4-banger diesel from the same era into it.

Doing some checking on the couple of Ford Courier forums I found (frankly I was amazed that there were ANY forums around on this truck!), apparently the diesel and tranny from a Mazda B2200 isn't a direct drop-in due to the shape of the bellhousing.

Looking on autotrader, there's a gent about 200 miles away with an '83 Datsun 720 diesel pickup with 273K miles on it, I'm guessing the SD22 diesel in it. Might make a good donor truck for the engine, tranny, and support systems needed, provided if it would fit.

Any suggestions?

Maybe. Or maybe the LD28.

LD28T

dieseltoyz · **Joined:** Wed Oct 17, 2007 11:28 pm **Posts:** 64

The sd22 are pretty gutless so it might be dangerous to put that in a larger vehicle on the highway. -Todd

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Tue Oct 23, 2007 12:28 am

dieseltoyz wrote:

The sd22 are pretty gutless so it might be dangerous to put that in a larger vehicle on the highway. -Todd

Have any experience with the older VM2.5s?

One nissan option I have looked at is the RD28 engines, they are a modified RB engine, there is a decent amount of support for the RB engines in the US, so there would be some usable interchangable parts, and like I said, you can order any part through the motorsports division as long as you have the part number.

dieseltoyz · **Joined:** Wed Oct 17, 2007 11:28 pm **Posts:** 64

Quote:

Have any experience with the older VM2.5s?

One nissan option I have looked at is the RD28 engines, they are a modified RB engine, there is a decent amount of support for the RB engines in the US, so there would be some usable interchangable parts, and like I said, you can order any part through the motorsports division as long as you have the part number.

I dont. What are you looking to go into?

Joe Romas · **Posted:** Tue Oct 23, 2007 10:18 am

dieseltoyz wrote:

The sd22 are pretty gutless so it might be dangerous to put that in a larger vehicle on the highway. -Todd

I owned a 82 Datsun kingcab diesel. "Gutless" does not discribe it well :lol:

The torque band is/was just too narrow

Like a semi where 6th gear just clears the intersection but the Datsun didn't have a 6th :lol:

and it was dangerous :wink:

dieseltoyz · **Joined:** Wed Oct 17, 2007 11:28 pm **Posts:** 64

The SD22's are similar to the Toyota 1L's found in the early trucks. You could get out and walk beside them up a hill.

Dieseltoyz.com CRD conversion for Toyotas

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