Building a diesel powered RHD TJ Wrangler (Picture Heavy)

[RustyAutoholicGuy]

Hey TJers,

It's amazing to me all the small things that still need to be done to get my Kubota diesel swap TJ Wrangler finished! I think I finally understand why the last 10% of a swap takes so much time!

I made a very basic intake system for my Kubota V2403 diesel engine. While it doesn't pick up that much on video, the intake does help to quiet down the diesel engine, more than I was expecting!

Other than needing to find where I put all my hose clamps, another step closer to getting my Wrangler back on the road and trail!

Thanks
Grant

 

[Alex01]

I was there last year as well, I wanted my Wrangler done by the summer so I could wheel during the system and fall! I'm surprised the school won't let you take your Jeep but I'm sure there are things around it that I'm not understanding as well

Honestly going to Drummond Island, Michigan is more doable for me than the Rubicon Trail! That being said if we can plan in 2 years or so to have a diesel Wrangler convoy of Jeeps do the Rubicon I'm all for it!!!

Also @Mike Alfano I need to catch up on your build, I think the last time I read through it was November



@DETOUR I think you should do it Safety Yellow just for the fact that I consider the 4BT more of a work truck engine! I think that would be an awesome color and also fitting for the power plant that your putting in your LJ!

-Grant

Make sure you fab up an oil pan / transmission pan skid before the Con. If you guys want some gassers to join you there's plenty of norcal members that would jump on the trail with you. We went last September as a forum run. Even snowed on us for a few hours.

 

[RustyAutoholicGuy]

Make sure you fab up an oil pan / transmission pan skid before the Con. If you guys want some gassers to join you there's plenty of norcal members that would jump on the trail with you. We went last September as a forum run. Even snowed on us for a few hours.
View attachment 148660View attachment 148661

HECK YEAH that sounds awesome! Does the forum normally do a Rubicon meetup? I would love to do that as well, just worried about how my TJ would handle the Rubicon compared to the rigs I'm seeing in these pictures! I think I would get left behind really quickly LOL!

I have a skid plate on the AW4 automatic, but not one on my Kubota V2403. Also I really need something bigger than my 235/75r15 Goodyear Wrangler tires . . . I've been debating going to a 235/85R16 tires, it's a Ford tire size I believe, but it's 9.3" wide tire x 31.7" tall so a tall skinny tire which admittedly I prefer. I think with my 1.25" body lift I can run that tire size without any issues!

-Grant

 

[Alex01]

HECK YEAH that sounds awesome! Does the forum normally do a Rubicon meetup? I would love to do that as well, just worried about how my TJ would handle the Rubicon compared to the rigs I'm seeing in these pictures! I think I would get left behind really quickly LOL!

I have a skid plate on the AW4 automatic, but not one on my Kubota V2403. Also I really need something bigger than my 235/75r15 Goodyear Wrangler tires . . . I've been debating going to a 235/85R16 tires, it's a Ford tire size I believe, but it's 9.3" wide tire x 31.7" tall so a tall skinny tire which admittedly I prefer. I think with my 1.25" body lift I can run that tire size without any issues!

-Grant

@Thunderhead was the smallest rig on the trip. He had 31's and a 2" buget boost. He has a rubicon though so he has f/r lockers. I think he'd describe his setup as a snowplow for rocks lol. He kept up with us and even made it half way through little sluice in the snow. Cadillac hill was the toughest section in my opinion but I heard they were planning on flying in a bunch of gravel this summer.

Your jeep could likely make it but I'd definitely add some sliders and be prepared to be dragged up a few spots. A small lift and 32+ would make it more fun.

 

[RustyAutoholicGuy]

@Thunderhead was the smallest rig on the trip. He had 31's and a 2" buget boost. He has a rubicon though so he has f/r lockers. I think he'd describe his setup as a snowplow for rocks lol. He kept up with us and even made it half way through little sluice in the snow. Cadillac hill was the toughest section in my opinion but I heard they were planning on flying in a bunch of gravel this summer.

Your jeep could likely make it but I'd definitely add some sliders and be prepared to be dragged up a few spots. A small lift and 32+ would make it more fun.

Yeah I've got a small advantage with a factory limited slip diff in my rear Dana 44 which works surprisingly well off-road but I was planning on doing an Eaton E-Locker in my front Dana 30 so I could lock up the front axle, I think that would be the best of both worlds honestly.

Also I wonder if I wouldn't drag as much since I have literally nothing hanging below the frame rails down the center of my Wrangler. I was able to tuck the exhaust, transmission, doubler and transfer case all above the bottom of the frame rails in my TJ.

Here is a picture I just took a few minutes ago:

and thats WITH the skid plate on the AW4 automatic transmission as well! I've got a ton of ground clearance right now and I love it!

-Grant

 

[Alex01]

Yeah I've got a small advantage with a factory limited slip diff in my rear Dana 44 which works surprisingly well off-road but I was planning on doing an Eaton E-Locker in my front Dana 30 so I could lock up the front axle, I think that would be the best of both worlds honestly.

Also I wonder if I wouldn't drag as much since I have literally nothing hanging below the frame rails down the center of my Wrangler. I was able to tuck the exhaust, transmission, doubler and transfer case all above the bottom of the frame rails in my TJ.

Here is a picture I just took a few minutes ago:
View attachment 148675

and thats WITH the skid plate on the AW4 automatic transmission as well! I've got a ton of ground clearance right now and I love it!

-Grant

That looks great!! I'm sure that would give you a huge advantage. I'd still say rock sliders though since there was a few areas where I used them as a pivot point to spin the jeep.

 

[RustyAutoholicGuy]

That looks great!! I'm sure that would give you a huge advantage. I'd still say rock sliders though since there was a few areas where I used them as a pivot point to spin the jeep.

Good to know! I'll have to look into them! I'm really trying to keep this Wrangler as light as possible! I wonder if GenRight makes one out of Aluminum . . . hmmm

 

[Thunderhead]

@Thunderhead was the smallest rig on the trip. He had 31's and a 2" buget boost. He has a rubicon though so he has f/r lockers. I think he'd describe his setup as a snowplow for rocks lol. He kept up with us and even made it half way through little sluice in the snow. Cadillac hill was the toughest section in my opinion but I heard they were planning on flying in a bunch of gravel this summer.

Your jeep could likely make it but I'd definitely add some sliders and be prepared to be dragged up a few spots. A small lift and 32+ would make it more fun.

Don’t short me that 1 inch. I have 32’s

 

[RustyAutoholicGuy]

Hey TJers,

What's a Jeep project without zip ties? I mounted the fuel filter/water separator for my diesel swapped TJ Wrangler with zip ties!

I went with a Duralast Fuel Filter FF947DL because it had a single inlet and outlet that were the correct size and it's an all in one contained unit.

The best part? The filter only costs $1.99, with tax it was $2.10! Downside was it took Autozone 3 weeks to get it delivered to the store. However as soon as I saw how compact it was, I went ahead and ordered another 3 filters!

Thanks
Grant

 

[Chris]

I expect this thing on the road and 100% complete by the time this quarantine is over

 

[RustyAutoholicGuy]

I expect this thing on the road and 100% complete by the time this quarantine is over

I'm certainly doing my best to make that happen! The biggest hold up is getting new cables and mounts from JB Custom Fab for my doubler setup, they are having to make new mounts so I can attach everything! Still I'm aiming to get it road legal in the next 7 to 10 days, I can always just crawl underneath the Wrangler to put it in low range if I need to!

 

[Alex01]

I'm certainly doing my best to make that happen! The biggest hold up is getting new cables and mounts from JB Custom Fab for my doubler setup, they are having to make new mounts so I can attach everything! Still I'm aiming to get it road legal in the next 7 to 10 days, I can always just crawl underneath the Wrangler to put it in low range if I need to!

Which project is next? Or do you plan to take a breather?

 

[RustyAutoholicGuy]

Which project is next? Or do you plan to take a breather?

Yeah no break, going to get my friend's 1990 YJ Wrangler running, which we only need to figure out some fuel supply issue and a little bit of wiring and then it's onto the build I've been wanting to do for 4 years.

My 1947 Jeep CJ-2A on a Suzuki Samurai Frame, Axles, and 6.4:1 transfer case with a Kubota D1503 1.5l 3-cylinder turbo diesel with a Ford 6r80e 6-speed automatic transmission with 32" ATV tires. I'm going to have a 6-speed automatic transmission in a 81" wheel base Willys Jeep, it's get a 1" stretch because of the YJ Wrangler Leaf Spring Lift kit I'm installing!

Honestly the TJ is going to my daily/weekend light adventure Jeep where as my 1947 CJ-2A is going to be my main off roading Jeep!

Did you honestly think the TJ was the craziest thing I could come up with LOL!

-Grant

 

[Alex01]

Yeah no break, going to get my friend's 1990 YJ Wrangler running, which we only need to figure out some fuel supply issue and a little bit of wiring and then it's onto the build I've been wanting to do for 4 years.

My 1947 Jeep CJ-2A on a Suzuki Samurai Frame, Axles, and 6.4:1 transfer case with a Kubota D1503 1.5l 3-cylinder turbo diesel with a Ford 6r80e 6-speed automatic transmission with 32" ATV tires. I'm going to have a 6-speed automatic transmission in a 81" wheel base Willys Jeep, it's get a 1" stretch because of the YJ Wrangler Leaf Spring Lift kit I'm installing!

Honestly the TJ is going to my daily/weekend light adventure Jeep where as my 1947 CJ-2A is going to be my main off roading Jeep!

Did you honestly think the TJ was the craziest thing I could come up with LOL!

-Grant

Sounds awesome. Looking forward to following along.

 

[RustyAutoholicGuy]

Sounds awesome. Looking forward to following along.

You know I should say you did bring up a great question, because once I get my TJ running and the YJ running as well, I'm going to want to be on the trails as much as possible seeing as I have not going wheeling since 2018!

-Grant

 

[Alex01]

You know I should say you did bring up a great question, because once I get my TJ running and the YJ running as well, I'm going to want to be on the trails as much as possible seeing as I have not going wheeling since 2018!

-Grant

No offroading videos in timelapse though.

 

[Alex01]

The new format where you stop to talk the camera every so often is nice by the way.

 

[RustyAutoholicGuy]

No offroading videos in timelapse though.

I really don't see how I could use timelapse with a trail ride, unless you are on a section that is just connecting you to the next obstacle but yes I agree with you! I'm not really sure how I'm going to record trail rides yet to be completely honest with you!

 

[Alex01]

I really don't see how I could use timelapse with a trail ride, unless you are on a section that is just connecting you to the next obstacle but yes I agree with you! I'm not really sure how I'm going to record trail rides yet to be completely honest with you!

I'm messing with you.

It will be tough with one person. A drone with a follow feature could be fun but $$. Hopefully you have a buddy that's into filming because it would be much easier. I think offroad videos though will prove to be extremely time consuming for editing though.

 

[DETOUR]

Hey TJers,

It's amazing to me all the small things that still need to be done to get my Kubota diesel swap TJ Wrangler finished! I think I finally understand why the last 10% of a swap takes so much time!

I made a very basic intake system for my Kubota V2403 diesel engine. While it doesn't pick up that much on video, the intake does help to quiet down the diesel engine, more than I was expecting!

Other than needing to find where I put all my hose clamps, another step closer to getting my Wrangler back on the road and trail!

Thanks
Grant

Grant
What brand electric fan can you recommend that I can use with the OEM rad , without major mounting mods ?

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