Building a diesel powered RHD TJ Wrangler (Picture Heavy)

[RustyAutoholicGuy]

Waiting with baited breath to see how you get the crank pulley off. I want to run a double pulley from PartsBarn to drive a power steering pulley, but haven't pulled the trigger yet.

Me too!

So I put together another Q&A video of some of the questions I have been getting around this swap that I thought were either helpful or just cool questions. Check it out!

Also I should be getting in my replacement fuel lines today so I can start putting everything back together on the V2403 this evening!

Thanks
Grant

 

[ceccx650]

Can’t wait until I have enough time to read everything and watch the videos. This sounds so cool.

 

[Finzjeeping]

Power steering and vacuum what's your plan

 

[RustyAutoholicGuy]

Hey TJers,

So I've got another video up, those these videos will be shorter, it's much easier to find time to work an hour to 90 minutes each day than trying to find 4 to 5 hours to work so progress is being made!!! Here is the latest video where I install the used V2403 hard lines, the intake and exhaust manifolds on the V2403.

Can’t wait until I have enough time to read everything and watch the videos. This sounds so cool.

Thank you so much! Let me know what you think!

Power steering and vacuum what's your plan

That's a fantastic question! I will have both and I'm going to be doing another Q&A video soon where I will be going over that, but in short I'll be using the factory power steering pump and a Ford vacuum pump for vacuum, I don't remember the model number of the top of my head though, I would have to go look it up!

Thanks
Grant

 

[FireJeep]

This is too cool!!! You are doing an excellent job of documenting everything!!! To be honest though, I was hoping to see this thing up and running by now, I realize you are blazing new trails here (and I deeply appreciate it because I am seriously contemplating this swap myself). How much longer do you think you will be until we see a road test?
Did I say this is way cool?!!!!!!

 

[RustyAutoholicGuy]

This is too cool!!! You are doing an excellent job of documenting everything!!! To be honest though, I was hoping to see this thing up and running by now, I realize you are blazing new trails here (and I deeply appreciate it because I am seriously contemplating this swap myself). How much longer do you think you will be until we see a road test?
Did I say this is way cool?!!!!!!

I'm hoping two months honestly. Parts are killing me at the moment, I'm waiting on stuff for the transfer case and for the transmission which has completely help up a ton of work. Also I was waiting on the CNC plasma cutter to come which it did but I've been fighting a cold on top of that the last couple of days.

The goal is sometime later this week to get the transmission modified and installed into the Wrangler, and then to start working on figuring out how I'm going to be doing the gas tank and running all the fuel lines. Once those two things are done I should be able to start the engine hopefully!

Thanks
Grant

 

[FireJeep]

I'm hoping two months honestly. Parts are killing me at the moment, I'm waiting on stuff for the transfer case and for the transmission which has completely help up a ton of work. Also I was waiting on the CNC plasma cutter to come which it did but I've been fighting a cold on top of that the last couple of days.

The goal is sometime later this week to get the transmission modified and installed into the Wrangler, and then to start working on figuring out how I'm going to be doing the gas tank and running all the fuel lines. Once those two things are done I should be able to start the engine hopefully!

Thanks
Grant

Where are you in VA? I live in Alexandria.....
Do you think you would have had it on the road by now if you did not go down the two T-Case path? Would it have been less problematic with a manual? I know you like automatics, I am just curious........

 

[RustyAutoholicGuy]

Where are you in VA? I live in Alexandria.....
Do you think you would have had it on the road by now if you did not go down the two T-Case path? Would it have been less problematic with a manual? I know you like automatics, I am just curious........

Martinsville area so on the other side of the state LOL.

So without going down the path of the two transfer cases would have saved a ton of time without a doubt. However knowing what I know now about where the motor mounts are located on the frame, I would have still had delays and would require new motor mount plates from KubotaSwappers.

I don't think the automatic slowed me down that much truthfully, converting to manual would have taken longer especially with my TJ being a Right Hand Drive.

Also I have to take into account that I'm using products from Kubota Swappers that wasn't designed for the Wrangler, they are designed for the XJ Cherokees so I've been doing a large amount of prototyping in regards for that.

Honestly if I wasn't moving the engine forward, and going to a double transfer case setup, there is a real possibility I would be on the road already, ESPECIALLY if I wasn't upgrading the turbo setup and just modifying the stock TD03 and adjusting the mechanical fuel pump.

-Grant

 

[Chris]

Can't wait to hear your thoughts once you get it up and running!

 

[RustyAutoholicGuy]

Can't wait to hear your thoughts once you get it up and running!

Yeah I'm getting antsy truth be told. I just realized today I could speed up a bunch of this is I just go ahead an order some more parts that I need which is what I did. I also realized belatedly that I need a starter, I don't think the starter from the 42RLE is going to work on the AW4, though I'm cross checking that now.

I also ordered the MOPAR pigtail for the fuel pump so I can finish up the gas tank and get that installed again, which will be a huge win.

If I can find a starter, get the shift kit installed in the AW4, install the AW4 with a crossmember and get the fuel system figured out I think I can have the engine started and running in the next two weeks.

I'm going to be making a video this evening with some updates as well which also are going to delay me till April, but will get the rest of the project moving along quickly.

The biggest hold up I'm running into is exhaust, it's causing me more issues than I have let one, I really need to move the turbo backwards about 6 inches and I'm debating making my own manifold to get it done.

Thanks
Grant

 

[Chris]

You're definitely going to have a lot of time into this thing once all is said and done. Still, you'll be one of the only guys who can say your TJ gets good gas mileage... haha! That alone is worth it.

 

[RustyAutoholicGuy]

You're definitely going to have a lot of time into this thing once all is said and done. Still, you'll be one of the only guys who can say your TJ gets good gas mileage... haha! That alone is worth it.

LOL Yeah and I can't wait to go to every thread that starts with "You can't get good MPG out of Wrangler . . . " and post my results.

Truthfully the cost of this swap is still really cheap even with the doubler setup that I'm going to, and I'm doing an update on that this evening on what is happening with that.

Truthfully if you are not doing a transmission swap, or just doing an AW4 swap, you should be able to do this swap for about 3K total depending on the engine cost. You also need to factory in selling some of your old parts as well, I sold my 4.0L engine for a pretty good chunk of change, and I'm about to put up for sale my 42RLE and my uncut chassis wiring harness as well, so you will get money back that way.

-Grant

 

[Chris]

LOL Yeah and I can't wait to go to every thread that starts with "You can't get good MPG out of Wrangler . . . " and post my results.

Truthfully the cost of this swap is still really cheap even with the doubler setup that I'm going to, and I'm doing an update on that this evening on what is happening with that.

Truthfully if you are not doing a transmission swap, or just doing an AW4 swap, you should be able to do this swap for about 3K total depending on the engine cost. You also need to factory in selling some of your old parts as well, I sold my 4.0L engine for a pretty good chunk of change, and I'm about to put up for sale my 42RLE and my uncut chassis wiring harness as well, so you will get money back that way.

-Grant

I think what it's ultimately going to come down to isn't cost, it will be time. I suspect a project like this might be rather time consuming, though at least you're paving the way for potential Kubota swappers in the future!

 

[FireJeep]

Something I have been meaning to ask, are you concerned about running that much boost? What do you expect the longevity to be of the motor with 25 psi of boost? I am not well versed at all in diesels (or most other things for that matter) and am genuinely curious.......

 

[RustyAutoholicGuy]

Hey TJers,

Here is a quick update on the project, I've decided to make some rather drastic changes so I can get my Wrangler back on the road ASAP as well as kind of putting my money where my mouth.

Let me know what you think!

I think what it's ultimately going to come down to isn't cost, it will be time. I suspect a project like this might be rather time consuming, though at least you're paving the way for potential Kubota swappers in the future!

Very true, though if I had all the parts, I think this could have been done in a couple of weekends truthfully. I get my kids every other weekend and I do my best not to work on projects while they are here so that also has slowed me down a little bit!

Something I have been meaning to ask, are you concerned about running that much boost? What do you expect the longevity to be of the motor with 25 psi of boost? I am not well versed at all in diesels (or most other things for that matter) and am genuinely curious.......

No I'm not worried actually. KubotaSwappers has been running this same turbo setup with the same amount of boost through an intercooler with no issues that I have heard of so far. However with that said it is important to monitor both boost and EGT to make sure you keep everything well within safe limits with EGT being the most important.

Thanks
Grant

 

[Alex01]

That's going to be a great test. It will also be interesting to see the difference between mpg between the 2 setups.

 

[RustyAutoholicGuy]

That's going to be a great test. It will also be interesting to see the difference between mpg between the 2 setups.

Agreed! Like I also said in the video, I want to test out the V2403 completely stock, and then adjusting the mechanical injection pump to see what performance gains I see and then even try installing a electronic boost controller, and finally maybe an intercooler before doing a turbo swap.

I'm more concerned about fuel economy than raw power especially considering I'm planning on keeping the stock Goodyear Wrangler 235/75r15 tires.

Thanks
Grant

 

[BugoutJeep]

You're definitely going to have a lot of time into this thing once all is said and done. Still, you'll be one of the only guys who can say your TJ gets good gas mileage... haha! That alone is worth it.

He's not the only guy getting good fuel economy . I'm more than double what I was getting previously and I'm driving pretty normal now.

How are you doing the fuel pump stuff for the Kubota? I have been really looking at fuel systems lately, since I had to get fuel to the Cummins, but also I had a lift pump issue on my truck and I'm swapping out all of the OEM stuff, probably this summer.

There seems to be small stuff that pops up when doing fuel tank stuff, especially for diesel. My OEM tank went back to whatever that stuff is called that handles the gas vapors, which is unnecessary for diesel and I grabbed some cheap diff vents for those lines. I'm not 100% sure on the best method, but I tried no vent and got some diesel spilling when I was full and going off road. Then I closed it off and never had an issue, but when I took off the gas cap you could tell there was a vacuum. I assume on a long trip that vacuum could mess with fuel delivery but I don't know.

I commented on your YouTube comments, but I really like that you're going to try a stock setup first to see if it'll work. HP is mostly about passing so I figure you'll be fine, but I forgot the torque numbers and curve stuff you mentioned earlier.

 

[BugoutJeep]

Oh I might add, that on the Cummins and from researching a bit, I kind of wish I had gone with a sump kit, but like your build, you've probably noticed that you've got enough projects going. For your build with the need for a lift pump it would likely complicate your build, since most of the available lift pumps that aren't in tank mounted are meant for very high flow, but I've never really researched this.

 

[RustyAutoholicGuy]

He's not the only guy getting good fuel economy . I'm more than double what I was getting previously and I'm driving pretty normal now.

How are you doing the fuel pump stuff for the Kubota? I have been really looking at fuel systems lately, since I had to get fuel to the Cummins, but also I had a lift pump issue on my truck and I'm swapping out all of the OEM stuff, probably this summer.

There seems to be small stuff that pops up when doing fuel tank stuff, especially for diesel. My OEM tank went back to whatever that stuff is called that handles the gas vapors, which is unnecessary for diesel and I grabbed some cheap diff vents for those lines. I'm not 100% sure on the best method, but I tried no vent and got some diesel spilling when I was full and going off road. Then I closed it off and never had an issue, but when I took off the gas cap you could tell there was a vacuum. I assume on a long trip that vacuum could mess with fuel delivery but I don't know.

I commented on your YouTube comments, but I really like that you're going to try a stock setup first to see if it'll work. HP is mostly about passing so I figure you'll be fine, but I forgot the torque numbers and curve stuff you mentioned earlier.

Oh I might add, that on the Cummins and from researching a bit, I kind of wish I had gone with a sump kit, but like your build, you've probably noticed that you've got enough projects going. For your build with the need for a lift pump it would likely complicate your build, since most of the available lift pumps that aren't in tank mounted are meant for very high flow, but I've never really researched this.

I did see your comment and I'm going to answer that in my next video I'm making which should be this evening. Essentially though I'm going to have clearance issues with the power steering pump and the alternator being too close to the K03 Turbo and I'm worried about the heat causing failures of the both of those accessories. Also I haven't really figured out how to mount the intercooler yet into the from grill so no running any intercooler right now just saves me a ton of time right now.

I'm having a major fail on parts getting here, I was suppose to have the fuel pump pigtail harness here today as well as the alternator, both were "guaranteed" however both are running late which is super annoying. I'm probably going to look into what their guaranteed actually means, wouldn't mind getting a slight refund on having stuff not being delivered when promised.

As for fuel, I'll be explaining that in more detail when I modify my fuel tank, but essentially I'm just going to be using the lift pump on the V2403 and I'm going to modify the stock TJ fuel tank to just be a pickup with no electric pump inside of it.

Thanks
Grant