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Diesel Conversion, '86 Mj


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Not having anything better to do in my spare time I am going to install a Nissan SD-22 diesel engine into a 1986 rust free MJ. The engine is currently resting in the engine bay of a rust free but beat all to hell '84 XJ. Some of the hard stuff is already done by the PO but his workmanship leaves something to be desired. Loose wires all over the place, welds that look like some kid had been playing with a wad of chewing gum. wires wrapped with cellophane tape, etc, etc. He had the right idea and did come up with some clever solutions but his craftsmanship left some to be desired.Hopefully between his start and my finishing it will be a truck to rely on and be proud of. Since film is cheap, especially if you're using a digital camera there will be plenty of pics. Also I will be asking many questions of the diesel gurus out there about stuff that is sure to come up of which I am unfamiliar with.

The donor, 1986 XJ

The engine, Nissan SD-22

The recipient, 1986 MJ

I'm empty. Fill me.

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:wall: At the beginning all project are hard but remember it is the time to fix all problems making the job to rebuild this truck. I saw you do not have motor in Comanche take now the time to paint Chassis, Motor Mounts, Front Suspension at the same time to make all new motor electricity and check mechanical performance of the diesel motor like compresion, seals, water pump, radiator, oil and diesel pump,  air filter with sensors. Because in this form you have a best way to win time and use correctly the rebuild time and resources to finish the Offroad diesel beast. When you have another photos of the process please post to see how is the project.

At the end you finish like this :chillin: with your finished beast.           

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I had a '82 datsun p'up with this motor and a 5-speed.  Always got 30 mpg's no matter if I road it hard or easy.  Don't recall it being particularly slow but it was geared pretty low with wot being around 75mph. 

 

I've read somewhere that you can get a manifold off of an 80's era gas turbo'ed Nissan Maxima and with slight mods it will bolt up to the SD-22 for a turbo addition?  Turbo that beast and with the right gearing I'd think it'd make a great rig.  I think it also has gear driven cam and ip so no timing chains to go bad.  If its got good compression, 200K might be a good runner. 

There's a regular poster to the MB forum peachparts named charmalu who owns a couple of these and appears to be a gatherer of pick-n-pull parts if you are looking for advise or spare parts.  I'd also check the Nissan Patrol forums as I think those were predominantly diesel in foreign markets.

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Finally got around to pulling the engine today. In my lifetime I have probably pulled a couple hundred engines. Cummins and Caterpillers from Kenworths

 

 

 and peterbuilt's. Throw a couple Macks and IHC in there too. Take the two hardest jobs and put them together was not as hard as pulling this sucker. I would have loved to watch the guy putting this together and just see how he did it. I almost think he put the bare block in first and then added the rest of it. Getting that sucker out was a B*tch. I didn't want to remove it from the trailer and then have to load it back up again for the trip to the crusher. I don't think it would have made any difference anyway.

First you need a cherry picker adequate for the job, No wimpy engine puller here.

Then you cut everything out that would get in the way.

Took half an hour from the time I started to get this far, what with things catching, hanging up and just generally being difficult to get along with.

Still coming.

Out. What should have took 10 minutes at the most, took over an hour.

Now for the clean up and prep. Got some ideas on how to do it and make a better and easier job of it than what he had done.

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Very cool, Jim! Once you have things cleaned up, could you take some closer pictures of how the accessories are mounted along with engine to trans adapter? I think I see some square tube brackets, but not quite sure what I'm looking at with the trans... adapter of some kind? Also, that exhaust manifold been modified?... very interested in what you've got going on here.  :popcorn:

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  • 2 weeks later...

Finally got around to doing some clean up. It looks like the guy cut the two bell housings in half and then welded them back together.  Looks like a Chevy S10 T5. Neat welds.

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Right now I'm in the process of building a test jig so I can start and run it. Just see what it'l do. Hope it doesn't smoke or rattle to bad.

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  • 1 month later...

Not much. Between it having to take a backseat to more pressing projects and the weather. Got a adapter plate worked out so i can use a AX15 instead of the Chevy T5 and the piping for the turbo,    Stripped a '97ZJ of it's brakes, and both axles to swap onto the MJ. that's about it.

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  • 3 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...
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  • 4 months later...

Not much to report. Between my rheumatoid arthritis making it impossible to hold anything smaller than a sledge hammer, and the weather haven't done much.

Going to put the wife's boy to work on it. With my supervision and his brawn, may get something done.

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