Engine swap time need advice

[Run4er]

Hey new to the forum not new to Toyotas! Currently I have a 1992 4runner sr5 v6 which has just seen way to many years of bashing through the Canadian mountains and is now sitting at 378,000 Kms what a good girl!!! Her motor is extremely strong but the rest of her is falling to pieces! And needs a few thousand in repairs. Which leads me to the Hilux! I was pricing out parts for my runner and talking to a friend who has a Hilux 1996 ssr limited and he offered to sell me it yet its a diesel and the motor isn't great. Which leads me to my questions

A) how difficult is it to put my v6 into a diesel Hilux

B) what are the steps and is there any good links on any forums which show the way?

C) the problem with the diesel it is apparently has a thrown pushrod how hard is it to fix this? (I have zero experience with the Hilux and its diesel motor)

Hope you guys can help point me in the right direction

Run4er!!

 

[white_n_slow]

I'm going to go ahead and say it. Just about nobody has ever performed this swap, or if they have, they did not document it. Just a guess. The vast majority of off road enthusiasts would rather swap from the gasser to the diesel and pay a small fortune in the process. A gas motor has a lot more electronics than the diesel, so I would assume a complete donor vehicle would be required to do this right.

With a "thrown rod," depending on how the failure happened, the block may be punctured, in which case the whole shortblock is now a boat anchor. The other possibility is that the head was mulched by a loose piston, in which case the head is now a boat anchor. The other possibility is that it just has a spun rod bearing, which can be addressed with a rebuild (new bolts, bearings, gaskets, rings, but no major components). Does the diesel truck still run?

The plus is, being in the great North, I believe they sell diesel parts at your local dealership, so you should be able to rebuild or replace if that's the direction you want to go.

Bottom line, if you want a gas V6, I would just wait and buy one that already has a gas motor.

 

[Run4er]

Like I said in the op I have a complete 1992 gas v6 4runner so I have a complete donor car I can park right beside the diesel.

Yeah I noticed there is very little about this swap but maybe someone has a link to a reverse swap, ie: gas to diesel and that would have a lot of the information I need. The gasser is a 4wd auto and the diesel is a 5spd 4wd and has a lot more desirable parts in it, the gasser currently needs an entire drive train and a ton of body work some of the windows don't roll down like the back hatch etc and the diesel has a perfect interior. Mostly what I am concerned with is will it bolt up directly or do I need to change motor mounts? And will the trans be interchangeable?

See the ultimate plan is to make the heliux a comfortable dd with the gas motor and then strip the gasser down and make it a full time bush toy, repair the diesel motor and put it in the 4runner with a lift and all that jazz. But since the runner is my current dd and isn't reliable as far as rear end and front end and has so many small issues I am thinking swapping motors and keeping the nice truck nice and leave the bush pig for the bush. If you catch my drift?

But yes in short I have two complete vehicles so swap whatever is possible. And the Hilux was running until it threw that rod at which point it hasn't since and I have yet to crack the valve covers and see the extent of the damage

 

[fish0281]

I'm just shooting from the hip here and don't know much about motor swaps, but I think you're taking 2 steps backwards with this idea. 1) Going Diesel to Gas and 2) putting a 2nd Gen (the 3.0 is a black eye on toyota trucks) in a 3rd gen.

I can't imagine the cost of going diesel --> gas, let alone a 2nd gen engine in a 3rd gen truck. I will agree with White, I doubt there is anyone who has written this up - probably nobody that's even done the swap. I could imagine putting the 3.4 in a 2nd gen, but not the other way around.

Why not find another diesel to put in the 3rd gen?

 

[Run4er]

Well the 3.0 was just fully rebuilt 25,000 Kms ago and runs flawlessly and money and time is the current issue winter is coming I bought the 3rd gen for a mere $800 and everything about it is mint except the motor and everything about my 2nd gen is fubar'd except the motor which is flawless. Now yes one is 2nd gen and one is 3rd gen I know in your eyes I am going backwards but I have a method to my madness lol the chassis are both the same layout etc yes going diesel to gas and 3rd gen to 2nd seems backwards but since this is a dd project at this point I have both vehicles and its either going to be swap everything from the 3rd gen into the 2nd ie windows doors fenders running gear axles tranny front end rear end, interior etc etc etc orrrrrrrrr just swap the motors and ecus for now.

You see I have a trip in 3 weeks to bc to see my daughter an go to a family reunion it's a 1700 km drive each way and I am on a budget and time frame this is a necessity type swap which in the end gives me a reliable dd which is in flawless shape and I can slowly repair the 2nd gen and keep it for offroading. Make sense now kinda?? And I do t have to pay for the 3rd gen up front my buddy is giving it to me now and I can pay him after my trip.

I know it seems dumb in some ways but I'm just asking for help or tips to make this happen as fast as possible or so I know any major changes I am going to face the electrical doesn't scare me at all btw I've done numerous swaps just never of this sort

 

[Run4er]

One truck

 

[Run4er]

Two truck

 

[PitbullRescuer]

You're in a unique spot. Not many people have a fresh, good running 3.0 and a diesel that's shot in the ass. But I would think the swap would be somewhat simple. Just like your plan, park them next to each other, rip all the stuff out of the Diesel, then carefully move all the running gear from your 2nd Gen into the new one.

Most likely, it won't be emissions legal if that's a concern of yours up there. (It's a big deal in PA) It'll probably have issues with the instruments, power accessories, etc.

I personally wouldn't go through with this if I were you. I'd look to buy another 2nd Gen that you can swap your drivetrain into should the time come for that down the line. Or sell your 2nd Gen to someone who wants to continue to beat the piss out of it and pic up a 3rd Gen that doesn't have the issues this one does. My $0.02

 

[Run4er]

In short I am swapping both motors eventually and making two complete trucks

 

[PitbullRescuer]

You sure that white one is a '96? Looks like a 2nd Gen to me.

 

[BrianSD_42]

the white one is definitely a 2nd gen.

 

[Run4er]

Worst case I guess I'll be really good at engine swaps in runners lol

 

[PitbullRescuer]

If they're both 2nd Gens, which they appear to be. Everything I said above for the most part it moot. You should also try your luck in the Classic forum as you'll get better advice.

 

[KidVermicious]

You should also try your luck in the Classic forum as you'll get better advice.

Not sure that's true, I think he's gotten some awesome advice already.

Swapping the 3.0 to an oil-burner and making it a toy is a great idea. Putting the 3.0 in a truck that's a factory diesel is an abomination in the eyes of the Spaghetti Monster and an affront against all that is holy and righteous, and not worth the time it takes to say "what a colossal waste of time".

And those are definitely both 2nd gen 4Runners/Surfs/whatevers. Maybe the 2nd gen got sold for an extra year in Canada?

 

[Run4er]

It's a 96 from Japan RHD so is that 2nd and yeah very small differences body wise

Ill try classic and try getting this thread moved there a mod should be able to help me with that

Thanks guys!!

 

[Singtoe]

I'm going to go ahead and say it. Just about nobody has ever performed this swap, or if they have, they did not document it. Just a guess. The vast majority of off road enthusiasts would rather swap from the gasser to the diesel and pay a small fortune in the process. A gas motor has a lot more electronics than the diesel, so I would assume a complete donor vehicle would be required to do this right.

With a "thrown rod," depending on how the failure happened, the block may be punctured, in which case the whole shortblock is now a boat anchor. The other possibility is that the head was mulched by a loose piston, in which case the head is now a boat anchor. The other possibility is that it just has a spun rod bearing, which can be addressed with a rebuild (new bolts, bearings, gaskets, rings, but no major components). Does the diesel truck still run?

The plus is, being in the great North, I believe they sell diesel parts at your local dealership, so you should be able to rebuild or replace if that's the direction you want to go.

Bottom line, if you want a gas V6, I would just wait and buy one that already has a gas motor.

You know that my Grandfather once said to me.

"Singtoe, Don't let your friend barrow your truck or your wife "

I then said "Why is that?"

and he said "Because he could throw a rod in either one of them."




True Story....

 

[white_n_slow]

Like I said in the op I have a complete 1992 gas v6 4runner so I have a complete donor car I can park right beside the diesel.

I'm not sure that orange will help you with your apple.

:edit: Nevermind, I just saw that both trucks are 2nd gens. In that case, a side by side swap over ought to do the trick. I would search toyotadiesel.com for someones gas-diesel swap and pick up whatever info you can find to help you along the way.

 

[Run4er]

Awesome thanks white n slow