Building a diesel powered RHD TJ Wrangler (Picture Heavy)

Oh nice, is it a mechanical lift pump on the block?

Do you have a return as well? I've never modified a mechanical diesel injection system, but common rails have fuel returns, which aren't a big deal unless it's not there. Modding the tank is pretty simple for your pickup. If you are just bypassing the pump, a lot of the guys around at work are all about the sump kits. It's a pretty straightforward idea on a truck, but Jeep and skid plates is a bit annoying.

I assume you'll need 3/8" hose for fuel delivery once you're up and running where you want to be, so you may want to not mess with your fuel pump exactly and just drop a tube down there to be just a 1/2" (maybe more) or something off the bottom. I guess the XJ guys already have that figured out though.

Something that's been mentioned by the Cummins guys is not to use some of the pre filters in the tank. They said they tend to gum up after awhile and they've had to drop tanks to remove the filters later on.

What exactly was the deal with your doubler? I may have missed it. I had the NCAA tournament on in the background while I watched your last couple of videos.
 
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DieselJeep said:
Oh nice, is it a mechanical lift pump on the block?

Do you have a return as well? I've never modified a mechanical diesel injection system, but common rails have fuel returns, which aren't a big deal unless it's not there. Modding the tank is pretty simple for your pickup. If you are just bypassing the pump, a lot of the guys around at work are all about the sump kits. It's a pretty straightforward idea on a truck, but Jeep and skid plates is a bit annoying.

I assume you'll need 3/8" hose for fuel delivery once you're up and running where you want to be, so you may want to not mess with your fuel pump exactly and just drop a tube down there to be just a 1/2" (maybe more) or something off the bottom. I guess the XJ guys already have that figured out though.

Something that's been mentioned by the Cummins guys is not to use some of the pre filters in the tank. They said they tend to gum up after awhile and they've had to drop tanks to remove the filters later on.

What exactly was the deal with your doubler? I may have missed it. I had the NCAA tournament on in the background while I watched your last couple of videos.
Click to expand...

Yeah the block has a lift pump on the side of the V2403 block. I do have a return as well and I plan on just using the existing hard lines going from the tank to the engine bay to do supply and return. I need to see how the electronic fuel pump is connected, which I'm hoping to get around to this evening.

I'll check out the filter as well, if it's there I'll probably remove it as well.

I didn't really go into details on the doubler that I have. I plan on going over the differences once the new doubler arrives so I can do a side by side comparison on the two different approaches.

-Grant
 
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This is great, Grant. Loving the details being discussed. Not that common in a thread like this, and essential to a good outcome. Thanks again for putting all the effort into this thread. (And the videos!)
 
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disjaukifa said:
Yeah the block has a lift pump on the side of the V2403 block. I do have a return as well and I plan on just using the existing hard lines going from the tank to the engine bay to do supply and return. I need to see how the electronic fuel pump is connected, which I'm hoping to get around to this evening.

I'll check out the filter as well, if it's there I'll probably remove it as well.

I didn't really go into details on the doubler that I have. I plan on going over the differences once the new doubler arrives so I can do a side by side comparison on the two different approaches.

-Grant
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How do you bleed your fuel lines on the Kubota? Bleeder valve or something? I would consider the ID of those lines and metal lines away from the warmer areas of the engine bay worry me a little bit in the cold weather.

The filter I'm talking about is just a screen. I ordered new for these until I was advised not to use them based on the experiences from Axis. With a mechanical injection setup, I'd assume filtration isn't a massive issue, but rebuilding those pumps is very pricey. A guy at work said his pump was $2k 20 years ago to rebuild and now he's troubleshooting it again. Those style pumps are typically very robust and when filled with a light oil they're always lubricated.

I don't have a picture of the pump assembly, but it's pretty simple to remove. I still watched a video on YouTube to make sure I didn't mess anything up. Basically I just gutted the pump assembly and ran a hose in place of the pump. Maybe use a bulkhead fitting or something toward the top. Some guys just ignore that complete and just run the bulkhead fitting elsewhere and then run the return somewhere far enough away to not cause turbulent flow near the pickup so there's no air.

The sump on my truck has the intake and return integrated together, but no reason to mess with that right now. Well in the same unit, but different chambers.
 
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83809
 
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That's not mine, but it's another guy with a TJ. You could literally just run some hose down the side and clamp it to the assembly. There is a metal that's reactive to diesel and water you may want to avoid. If you can just use SS or AL hardware.
 
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StG58 said:
This is great, Grant. Loving the details being discussed. Not that common in a thread like this, and essential to a good outcome. Thanks again for putting all the effort into this thread. (And the videos!)
Click to expand...

Absolutely and your welcome! That was the intent of both this build thread and the way I'm documenting the build on youtube. I wanted to show what it would take to do a swap from start to finish, on every single nut and bolt!

DieselJeep said:
That's not mine, but it's another guy with a TJ. You could literally just run some hose down the side and clamp it to the assembly. There is a metal that's reactive to diesel and water you may want to avoid. If you can just use SS or AL hardware.
Click to expand...

Good to know!!! I was wondering about the metals!

So here is the next video. I would like to call this, I have never used a drill press or drilled and tapped a hole before so use this video as a how-to on how NOT to do it lol! Nothing really terrible but I'm having to fix some pretty stupid mistakes truthfully.


I'm going to be making another video tonight. I'm probably going to be fixing some of the problems I caused while at the same time draining the fuel tank and maybe getting the AW4 automatic onto an engine stand!

Let me know what you think!

Thanks
Grant
 
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I was still a bit paranoid with the metals too. I have an AL tank so when adding SS stuff I still went ahead and added some gasket stuff that's appropriate for diesel to keep the 2 separated.
 
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DieselJeep said:
I was still a bit paranoid with the metals too. I have an AL tank so when adding SS stuff I still went ahead and added some gasket stuff that's appropriate for diesel to keep the 2 separated.
Click to expand...

Yeah that is going to be the first thing I look into when I pull the electric fuel pump assembly out this evening. I'm not sure how I'm going to modify it yet, kind of going to have to see what I have to work with first!

-Grant
 
Oh there may be some valve stuff with the tank itself that could be an issue on the newer tanks. I think a couple guys ran into filling issues.

Also I wouldn't completely remove the lip in the filler neck, just that flap. Better yet go measure a a diesel pump and add a little to your hole where the flap is removed. I completely removed mine and while it's great with filling with cans, it feels like it's gonna fall out at the pump.
 
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If it helps, there are drill bit guides that show what size bit to use for a specific tap. Comprehensive guides will give you a choice in 75% thread engagement (high pressure type connections) or 60% engagement (low pressure type connections). Waiting on the next video with rapt anticipation........
 
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I watched the video yesterday and I really enjoyed it, but not from a perspective of watching someone mess up and laughing at them, rather remembering all the times I've screwed up in the shop (I remember when I learned the hard way how not to tap NPT stuff).

Another area I have screwed up and so maybe this will help for the fuel lines, we do some hydraulic work here and run/fabricate lines. Get annealed tube/pipe and just check the pressure rating for the tube/pipe and fittings. Some of the other stuff collapses in the bends. The stuff we use isn't the really soft brake line you bend with your hands. You can certainly bend it with your hands, but the Parker or other bending tools are pretty handy to get a nice clean appearance. Surely you can just take your old lines in there and try to match the ID and strength and then see if you can get a test piece.

The fittings can suck because so many use like proprietary fittings, but we're big fans of Parker. Hopefully if you can't find exactly what you need a local hydraulics shop can help out.
 
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Hey TJers,

First off thank you @DieselJeep and @FireJeep for the advice I will be looking into both!!!

Secondly got quite a bit down on the project of the weekend including getting my Langmuir Crossfire CNC plasma cutting table up and running which I need for several of the next steps for this project! Here is the first video of several that I will be posting over the next few days!


Had my buddy Ronnie into town helping me learn AutoDesk and helping out with some of the designs that I need to hash out for the both the transmission crossmember and then RPM Sensor Bracket that I'm going to be putting on the front of the V2403!

Thanks
Grant
 
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Hey Guys,

Got another video edited and uploaded! In this video I go over my ideas for not only a crossmember design for my AW4 automatic out of a XJ Cherokee, I also talk about skid plate ideas with my buddy Ronnie and then install a TransGo 340-HD2 shift kit into the AW4 automatic.


Let me know what you think!

Thanks
Grant
 
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Hey TJers,

Got another video up! I got in my HGM Automative Electronics CompuShift controller for the AW4 and did a quick unboxing video and test hookup to my AW4 automatic transmission! I think it's going to work out great!


Thank you so much!
Grant
 
Hey TJers,

Got a few more small things tidied up and finished. It's all the small details that make a swap take so long!!! I'm really aiming to make huge progress with the build over the next two weeks!


I'll be working on the Wrangler again this evening, hopefully getting the AW4 bolted to the V2403!

Thanks
Grant
 
Hey TJers,

I would like to say I made some good progress, but a mistake I made by not checking the engine height months ago came back to bite me . . . ugh. Still moving forward and hopefully this will only set me back a couple of days.


Let me know what you think!

Thanks
Grant
 
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mots said:
Just a little setback, but I’m sure you’ll overcome it soon! Can’t wait to see you driving it.
Click to expand...

Yup it is and it points out a major planning overlock on my part when I didn't check for the hood or tunnel clearance. Even when I finally checked to see how the hood was going to clear I never though to look at the tunnel, so major lesson learned there!!!

I haven't been able to work on the Wrangler this week because I've been waiting on parts to come. I'm going to be doing work on it tomorrow and Sunday for sure though so I will be getting another video posted this coming weekend!

I have the new super flexible bushing coming tomorrow, I have an upgrade np231 to a wide chain and 6-pin planetary kit coming Monday, I have a super short SYE kit coming next week along and finally my Eco Box Doubler from Northwest Fab is going to get here next Thursday as well.

My hope is with all these parts here I can finally get the driveline in place finally in the next two weeks. I really want the Wrangler running in May, though it might be just running around my yard. I haven't even touched the interior yet, the electronics, gauges and I still need to address the cooling and transmission cooling as well. I have a trip in the beginning of June that is going to make me lose two weeks so I might not have the Wrangler on the road until late June/early July which is WAY past when I wanted that all to happen, but I'll make it happen one way or another!

-Grant
 
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Hey TJers,

Got the next video up, I figured out what the problem was with my fitment of the AW4 transmission to the V2403, turns out there are two types of 4.0l crankshaft adapters and I told KubotaSwappers I had the wrong type of AW4, so my fault. I also give a couple of updates on when parts are coming, almost all of them are on Thursday this week, and I should be making huge progress on getting the driveline into the Wrangler this coming weekend!


I will be editing the next video this evening and should hopefully have it posted tomorrow! Got a lot of small detail work done last night, but it's the small things that kill you on a project like this!

Thanks
Grant
 
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