Engine swap ideas

Mine was a factory turbo Kubota, not sure what it came out of, I bought it already pulled. I've never messed with the NA diesel Kubotas but I've been impressed with these Turbo Kubotas. I upgraded from the factory turbo to a Borg Warner K03 but I think for my next build if I use it, which now I'm seriously debating it, I'll go with a Holset turbo this time, they build boost quickly and have really good flow.

Again each their own, but I've always been impressed with the little engine.
 
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RustyAutoholicGuy said:
I've never messed with the NA diesel Kubotas but I've been impressed with these Turbo Kubotas
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At this point, I have a few thousand hours on Kubotas with zero mechanical issues. (y) Of course, for whatever it matters, that's all pre emission equipment. If I was in the market for something, Kubota is #1 on my list.
 
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ColoJeep said:
9052' :D
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I can't breath!
air help GIF by Robert E Blackmon
 
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BlueC said:
I love my Kubotas, but there is no way I’d swap a NA diesel into a road going vehicle. I haven't gone into the Kubota swap hole yet. I can't see people pulling big turbo 4 cylinders out of M series tractors, so what engines are people using?
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Let the linear thinking laughalots, wax their punisher stickers. Obviously , there would be a difference in utilization, more slow trail going. Bumping up the TQ would be my priority for slow driving long routes. Seems like there is a lot of the semi refrigerator trailer engines out there. Can’t remember the model #’s. Just something I’m in discovery about, I remember those things ran day and night when I was in Africa in the DRASH units, like most industrial rated diesels, I guess.
 
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DWR said:
Seriously though, the more I think about the L3B idea, the more I like it… if this 4.0 goes, might be a thing.
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As with anything in a swap, you need support, is there a standalone harness and ecu? Does anyone make an adapter? Are you going to swap over to a chevy transmission for it? All of these are possible but add a tremendous amount of time and cost.

If I were to do my swap again in my Right Hand Drive TJ, I would have a gone BEW TDI with an AX-15 and been done. It's a well known swap with cheap and easy to come by parts. I don't regret my adventure to get a diesel automatic swapped into my TJ at all but I would have done literally YEARS ago if I had just done a manual swap with the pedals from Australia for my TJ which I know own actually.

Just something to consider.

-Grant
 
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DWR said:
Seriously though, the more I think about the L3B idea, the more I like it… if this 4.0 goes, might be a thing.
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I would be very concerned with anything the " New " gm would be doing . Mary has this little turbo 4 banger in the lineup just long enough to try and force
truck buyers into EV's and they are the answer. Remember the Corvair H-6 , Vega I-4 , Olds based 5.7 Diesel , 6.2 DD Diesel , Cadillac Northstar V-8 were all answers to our automotive prayers from GM. Walk with caution my brother.
 
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RustyAutoholicGuy said:
As with anything in a swap, you need support, is there a standalone harness and ecu? Does anyone make an adapter? Are you going to swap over to a chevy transmission for it? All of these are possible but add a tremendous amount of time and cost.

If I were to do my swap again in my Right Hand Drive TJ, I would have a gone BEW TDI with an AX-15 and been done. It's a well known swap with cheap and easy to come by parts. I don't regret my adventure to get a diesel automatic swapped into my TJ at all but I would have done literally YEARS ago if I had just done a manual swap with the pedals from Australia for my TJ which I know own actually.

Just something to consider.

-Grant
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All great points, but it has the same bolt pattern as an LS so there are adaptors to mate it to the ax-15. Although swapping to the 8L80 out of the new Colorado, I do believe the length (and maybe width) would be an issue, along with how in the world you would retain 4wd.

The sell a lot of pullouts with ECU and harness included. So plug into power, shutoff TCM control (with hptuners, which I already own) and swap your speedo with a gps unit and be done. Might not be pretty but would work. OR, use megasquirt…

Engine mounts however, would probably have to be custom.
 
ColoJeep said:
I would be very concerned with anything the " New " gm would be doing . Mary has this little turbo 4 banger in the lineup just long enough to try and force
truck buyers into EV's and they are the answer. Remember the Corvair H-6 , Vega I-4 , Olds based 5.7 Diesel , 6.2 DD Diesel , Cadillac Northstar V-8 were all answers to our automotive prayers from GM. Walk with caution my brother.
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I hear ya, however they have been making this motor since 2018 and other than the “gotta have a v8” type of people (which, admittedly I am to an extent) it gets rave reviews and hardly any issues. Mechanic friends of mine even rave about them and say they hardly see them come in for anything other than owner abuse. It was built like a diesel so it could run like one.


I honestly thought the same as you at first… but it’s seemingly proving otherwise.
 
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DWR said:
I hear ya, however they have been making this motor since 2018 and other than the “gotta have a v8” type of people (which, admittedly I am to an extent) it gets rave reviews and hardly any issues. Mechanic friends of mine even rave about them and say they hardly see them come in for anything other than owner abuse. It was built like a diesel so it could run like one.


I honestly thought the same as you at first… but it’s seemingly proving otherwise.
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Hopefully that's the case , but when I read about a variable displacement oil pump , a rotary actuator valve in the cooling system , and an electric coolant pump , it appears that the objectives are emissions , fuel economy , try not to fail in warranty . This engine starts sounding like something from VW . Not a long lasting reliable truck engine .
 
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DB04RedJeep said:
A friend sent me this article a while back. I know nothing about it or if it's ever going to be real, but thought it was interesting read to say the least.

Would it work in a TJ?

https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/blueprint-engines-four-cylinder-crate-engine-ls-head/
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It would be great in a TJ honestly, especially since I believe you can pick the cylinder head you want to use, that would allow you to put the exhaust manifold on whichever side of the engine best worked for you.
 
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