Building a diesel powered RHD TJ Wrangler (Picture Heavy)

Hey TJers,

I reassembled my NP231 transfer case over the weekend for my diesel swapped TJ Wrangler project. I had to change the input shaft from a 23-spline input to a 31-spline input so I could mate it with my Ford 6r80 6-speed automatic transmission. While I had the transfer case apart I added the Teraflex 2-Low kit #2204000 and then reinstalled the JB Conversions Super Short SYE kit I had installed on the transfer case previously as well.

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I decided to reassemble my transfer case with the front half of the case bolted to my transmission. This made the entire process much easier than I thought it would have and it saved me from having to lift the built transfer case onto the transmission.

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Since I’m no longer running the doubler, I installed a Teraflex 2 Low kit onto my NP231, it’s a mode range that I use often where I live while off roading in the woods, I don’t need 4 wheel drive but slowing down my rig is really useful.

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The process for installing the Teraflex 2 low kit is very straight forward, you just need to make sure you reuse the factory o-ring and bushing that seals to the Shift Selector and remember to remove and re-install the indent ball and spring.

Another thing to keep in mind is a little bit of gasket maker, I used Permatex, goes a long way when you go to seal the two case halves of the NP231 transfer case. Teraflex says to use no bigger than a 3/16 bead of gasket maker. I like to apply it with my fingers around the outer most edge of the lip of the case to reduce the change of the oil pump getting clogged with Permatex.

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The most difficult part of the entire reassembly though was torquing the rear output yoke nut to 200ft/lbs. This is required to lock the tone ring into place for the JB Conversions Super Short SYE kit. I ended up bracing myself against the frame rail of my TJ to have the leverage to get the nut to torque to 200 ft/lbs.

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Here is the video if you want to watch it:

Thanks
Grant
 
Hey TJers

Even with all the custom work I have done to my Wrangler for my diesel swap, I was still very hesitant to cut into the rear of the tub. With that said I'm very happy with the results from installing the GenRight Fuel Pump Access Panel.

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I did accidentally cut part of the tail light wiring harness that runs across the back of the tube that I had to repair that but was a simple fix thankfully.

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Being able to route the fuel lines and the wiring harness to the pump after having the fuel tank bolted in place really makes for a much easier install.

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Also the Savvy aluminum fuel tank skid plate is fantastic as well. The extra clearance I now have from having the fuel tank lifted another 2" inches is going to be great for my departure angles when I'm out on the trails.

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Here is the video if you want to watch it:

Let me know what you think
Thanks
Grant
 
It's amazing how much work you can get done on a project with a week off from work. This was the result from my first day off. I got the Lokar shifter installed on my diesel swapped TJ Wrangler for my Ford 6r80 6-speed automatic transmission.

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The only difficultly I ran into was figuring out how to have the shifter cable come from the back of the Wrangler to the transmission. I did have to use a different cable that was slightly longer and I had to modify a bracket I had to make it work as well, but got it all installed and figured out.

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Also yes I will be installing a skid plate to protect everything as soon as I find one that will work with my unique setup.

Many more updates to come when I have the time to go through 8 days of video.

Here is the video if you want to watch it:

Let me know what you think!
Thanks
Grant
 
Hey TJers,

I got my transfer case shifter installed on my diesel swapped TJ Wrangler project. I used a Billet Single Transfer Case Shifter setup provided from JB Custom Fabrication. Overall this was a very easy install and the shifter provides a very satisfying tactical feel when shifting into different mode ranges on my NP231 transfer case.

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I am thinking about taking my transfer case back apart at some point to remove the synchronizer ring to make it easier to shift between different range modes when my Wrangler is not moving.

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In a way it's a catch 22, I like the ability to shift between 2-Hi and 4-Hi while I'm wheeling a slow speeds, however if I'm not moving at all, getting the transfer case to change modes is very difficult.

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Here is the video if you want to watch:

Let me know what you think!
Thanks
Grant
 
Hey TJers,

I'm so ready to be done at this point. Wiring is becoming the thing I despise the most on my diesel swap TJ Wrangler project. It's not that it's difficult, it's just time consuming. When it doesn't work correctly, it can also be difficult to troubleshoot even with the correct equipment as well. I also have a great appreciation for the those who can do wiring in their projects making it look clean and like a factory install, I do not have that ability.

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Aside from all the time spent doing the wiring, it was great to be able to hear the my diesel engine running again with the new starter/transmission setup. I was honestly surprised at how easily the engine started after having not run since October of last year. I think the biggest factor in it's quick start was was the lift pump I had installed in my fuel tank. Being able to turn the key to run, allow the lift pump to push diesel fuel through the system while at the same time opening and closing the bleeder valve on the injection pump made starting this engine very simple.

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I still have a ton of work left to do but getting closer to getting my TJ Wrangler done and hopefully on the trails for the first time since I started this entire swap back in 2018.

Here is the video if you want to watch it:

Let me know what you think!
Thanks
Grant
 
Hey TJers,

My diesel swapped TJ Wrangler, though I probably should say Ford 6R80 swapped TJ at this point, is finally moving under it's own power again though I'm still fighting some issues with the setup.

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I didn't mention it on video but it has a very harsh engagement when going into Reverse or Drive that I need to figure out. If you watch the video when I'm go to back the Wrangler out of my shop, you can hear the tires chirp on the concrete.

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The other thing I need to figure out is all the variables and tuning options for the Quick 6 controller I'm using from US Shift. I do wish I could configure the Quick 6 with something other than a Windows machine. I had to haul my gaming pc out to my shop to tune the controller, I might have to invest in a cheap Windows laptop at some point just for this TJ. I also know the newer model of the Quick 6 has a new display and you can do the majority of the tuning from the unit itself, might be worth calling and seeing if I can just upgrade to a new unit without replacing the wiring harness.


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Here is the video if you want to watch it:

Let me know what you think and sorry for the lack of better photos, I got to the point where I was just trying to get my Jeep done and I stopped taking as many photos as I normally do!
Thanks
Grant
 
Cool project, I just spent the last week reading through your thread. I love the whole idea of a diesel Jeep and appreciate the time and ability to stay focused that it takes to do this kind of swap, and also to take the time to share the information here and make videos of it all. I hope you get to start driving your dream soon.
 
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Cool project, I just spent the last week reading through your thread. I love the whole idea of a diesel Jeep and appreciate the time and ability to stay focused that it takes to do this kind of swap, and also to take the time to share the information here and make videos of it all. I hope you get to start driving your dream soon.
Thank you so much! It's been a ton of work and I'm getting really close to be done as well! It's been a heck of a learning curve and my understanding of how to plan out a drivetrain in terms of getting the gearing and everything to work well makes way more sense to me also. With that said I'm more than ready to be out of my shop and to have the majority of my time to be on the road or even better yet the trail!

Sorry for the late reply I just got back from a vacation at the beach and had decided to get off all electronics while I was there, it was honestly really refreshing! Plus I got to see some cool Jeeps while I was at the beach as well:

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Thanks
Grant
 
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Hey TJers,

Though I have several things I still have to figure out, specifically the idle, I was finally able to drive and maintain highway speeds of 55mph in my Kubota diesel powered TJ Wrangler. Also I apologize for the lack of photos, I normally try to post several pictures and just have the video link in the text but after 7 days of pushing to get my TJ Wrangler running again I completely forgot to take pictures that day of any of the work I did.

This was the final day of my week off I had at the end of May where I pushed to get my Wrangler running again. The amount of time I spent that week working on my TJ was way more than I had initially expected, about 12 ~ 14 hours a day in my shop wrenching on my Jeep. I thought I was going to be driving my Wrangler by Wednesday at the latest, I finally got around to driving my TJ Wrangler on Sunday afternoon instead.

There are still so many small things that need to be done, I need to finish assemblying the interior of my TJ, I need to clean up the wiring (still), I need to figure out the idle and why it's hard shifting into reverse and drive, I need to figure out a top for my TJ, the list just keeps on going but it's moving under it's own power and I'm no longer having to push it around my shop or property.

Here is the video if you want to watch it:

Thanks
Grant
 
At times I feel like I can't win with this TJ Wrangler Diesel project. So after a bunch of research and calling around I figured out the torque converter had too low of a stall for my Kubota Turbo Diesel engine which was causing the harsh engagement when I was shifting the transmission into gear. I pulled the engine, again, and shipped off my torque converter to get it modified . . . at which point the Post Office lost my torque converter.

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With the help from Fred at PATC, I was able to get the rough estimate that my torque converter was acting like a 1400 stall speed with my diesel engine. This was causing several issues including causing my Kubota to consume way more fuel than it did previously. Fred said he would be able to modify my torque converter so that it would be closer to a 2000 stall speed. I said great, removed my engine, packaged up the torque converter and shipped it off to PATC.

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A few weeks later I reailze I haven't heard anything, I call Fred, no torque converter, I find my receipt and I see that it's still marked as arriving late. I had already asked Fred about a custom converter and he told me the best he could do for my setup was modify the one I had.

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SO I start calling around trying to find a shop that can make me a custom torque converter for my setup. Finally talked to Circle D, they're making me a custom converter and it sounds like it will work perfectly! It's just going to take another 4 weeks to get made and shipped to me. Back to playing the waiting game . . . oh well.

Here is the video if you want to watch:

Thanks
Grant
 
TAKE 3 of this Project

Hey TJers,

For the last 2½ years I've been trying to realize a dream of mine which has been to own a diesel swapped TJ Wrangler. I honestly thought this swap would take me 12 months to do which I started in 2018 . . . in that time I've learned a ton and have tried two different driveline setups to get my Kubota diesel engine to work with an automatic transmission as documented here in this build thread.

So quick overview of my TJ
2006 Right Hand Drive with Dana 44 LSD Factory
2007 Kubota V2403 2.4l turbo diesel with Borg Warner K03 Turbo
Custom Water to Air Intercooler Setup
Ford 6r80 6-speed Automatic
1.25" Body Lift
235/85R16 All Terrain Tires on 16" Liberty Wheels

Here is the current state of everything, I had to pull the Kubota engine . . . again:

lhwr8pq.jpg


I ran into a problem with the torque converter in which the stall speed is too low which is causing a VERY harsh engagement on the transmission into any gear. I shipped it off to be adjusted and the Post Office lost my torque converter . . . so I got a custom torque converter ordered which will take a few more weeks to get here.

The problem I'm running into is this mechanical Kubota diesel engine, which is a blast to drive offroad with all it's low end torque, does not want to play well with an automatic transmission. If I were running a manual transmission, I wouldn't be having any of these issues. I've had a few conversations with people who have swapped a Kubota engine into their Wrangler successfully and have it running on the trails. All those swaps were successful because it was a manual transmission. I've debated a manual swap but I really like my automatics for wheeling and driving, I just can't bring myself to swap in a manual.

I was browsing Facebook Marketplace the other day and I found something so cheap and close to my house I jumped on it. I actually bought this for another build but when I had it in my shop a light bulb went off in my head.

2000 Volkswagen ALH TDI 1.9L Turbo Diesel complete with wiring harness, ECU, turbo, and all the accessories.

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In stock form I'm looking at 90hp and 155ft/lbs of torque, with a simple tune I can boost that 110hp and 188ft/lbs of torque without changing injectors. If I upgrade the turbo and injectors, I can get much more power out of the little motor. With the Ford 6-speed automatic, I have a granny low first gear and two over drive gears, I'll make do with the reduced horsepower and torque.

The biggest different between the two diesel engines is one is a tractor engine and the other is a computer controlled automative diesel engine.

I'm really debating switching to the ALH TDI motor in my TJ Wrangler instead of my Kubota V2403. I'm going to wait to for the torque converter that I custom ordered to come in and see what it does with my Kubota V2403 but if I still am having major issues, I'm probably going to call it quits on the Kubota and switch to the Volkswagen ALH TDI instead.

Let me know what you think
Thanks
Grant
 
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Hey TJers,

For the last 2½ years I've been trying to realize a dream of mine which has been to own a diesel swapped TJ Wrangler. I honestly thought this swap would take me 12 months to do which I started in 2018 . . . in that time I've learned a ton and have tried two different driveline setups to get my Kubota diesel engine to work with an automatic transmission as documented here:

Project Felicity: 06 TJ Wrangler RHD V2403 Kubota Diesel Swap

So quick overview of my TJ
2006 Right Hand Drive with Dana 44 LSD Factory
2007 Kubota V2403 2.4l turbo diesel with Borg Warner K03 Turbo
Custom Water to Air Intercooler Setup
Ford 6r80 6-speed Automatic
1.25" Body Lift
235/85R16 All Terrain Tires on 16" Liberty Wheels

Here is the current state of everything, I had to pull the Kubota engine . . . again:

View attachment 267693

I ran into a problem with the torque converter in which the stall speed is too low which is causing a VERY harsh engagement on the transmission into any gear. I shipped it off to be adjusted and the Post Office lost my torque converter . . . so I got a custom torque converter ordered which will take a few more weeks to get here.

The problem I'm running into is this mechanical Kubota diesel engine, which is a blast to drive offroad with all it's low end torque, does not want to play well with an automatic transmission. If I were running a manual transmission, I wouldn't be having any of these issues. I've had a few conversations with people who have swapped a Kubota engine into their Wrangler successfully and have it running on the trails. All those swaps were successful because it was a manual transmission. I've debating a manual swap but I really like my automatics for wheeling and driving, I just can't bring myself to swap in a manual.

I was browsing Facebook Marketplace the other day and I found something so cheap and close to my house I jumped on it. I actually bought this for another build but when I had it in my shop a light build went off in my head.

2000 Volkswagen ALH TDI 1.9L Turbo Diesel complete with wiring harness, ECU, turbo, and all the accessories.

View attachment 267694

In stock form I'm looking at 90hp and 155ft/lbs of torque, with a simple tune I can boost that 110hp and 188ft/lbs of torque without changing injectors. If I upgrade the turbo and injectors, I can get much more power out of the little motor. With the Ford 6-speed automatic, I have a granny low first gear and two over drive gears, I'll make do with the reduced horsepower and torque.

The biggest different between the two diesel engines is one is a tractor engine and the other is a computer controlled automative diesel engine.

I'm really debating switching to the ALH TDI motor in my TJ Wrangler instead of my Kubota V2403. I'm going to wait to for the torque converter that I custom ordered to come in and see what it does with my Kubota V2403 but if I still am having major issues, I'm probably going to call it quits on the Kubota and switch to the Volkswagen ALH TDI instead.

Let me know what you think
Thanks
Grant
You had my interest before, but even more so now. I've been eyeing the ALH TDI for a while. Although not as performant as later models, It's an impressive engine that can easily handle double the factory power, with stock parts. It's also approximately 150 lbs lighter than the 4.0, extremely reliable, has great parts availability, and gets significantly better mileage. I've owned a couple VW diesels and have nothing but good things to say about the engines. FWIW, the ALH is a simpler install, i.e. wiring, than the later '04 up common rail systems, which had computers for engine management.

One of the challenges for me would likely be how to maintain the factory air conditioning. Probably not a huge headache, but would require custom A/C lines. It sounds kind of whimpy, but that's a must for me, given my intended use would be as a daily driver. I'll be following this one for sure! (y)

https://www.drivingline.com/articles/4bt-cummins-vs-19l-tdi-volkswagen/
 
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You had my interest before, but even more so now. I've been eyeing the ALH TDI for a while. Although not as performant as later models, It's an impressive engine that can easily handle double the factory power, with stock parts. It's also approximately 150 lbs lighter than the 4.0, extremely reliable, has great parts availability, and gets significantly better mileage. I've owned a couple VW diesels and have nothing but good things to say about the engines. FWIW, the ALH is a simpler install, i.e. wiring, than the later '04 up common rail systems, which had computers for engine management.

One of the challenges for me would likely be how to maintain the factory air conditioning. Probably not a huge headache, but would require custom A/C lines. It sounds kind of whimpy, but that's a must for me, given my intended use would be as a daily driver. I'll be following this one for sure! (y)

https://www.drivingline.com/articles/4bt-cummins-vs-19l-tdi-volkswagen/

Actually you and I are the same in regards to AC. I've had two other goals for this swap since I started, working air conditioning and cruise control. I haven't been able to figure out the cruise control but I thought I might have a setup for the AC. However routing it and getting around my fuel shutoff solenoid has become a bit of a headache. I have the AC lines as well that came with the TDI motor and I still have my stock AC hard lines as well for my 4.0l engine. Once I get everything mounted, I just need to find a shop that can cut and combine the two lines.

The beauty with the TDI is I can get a standalone wiring harness made, yes expensive BUT I've done enough wiring on this swap to know when to spend the money to make my life easier. With the custom wiring harness, I can have wiring made for me for all the information I need, tachometer, TPS, all the cruise control, etc.

The other thing I realized is the ALH TDI is one of the most efficient TDI motors ever made. From the start of this build back in 2018 the goal has been to double my fuel economy, it's never been about big power, though I have to admit the low end grunt of the Kubota was fun as hell, I just got tired of constantly monitoring all the gauges for heat issues. I'll have less power with the ALH TDI but I should easily get in the mid to low 30s for my mpg, especially with the Ford 6r80 6-speed automatic, the two overdrives are just going to really help with all of that, having a highway gear and an interstate gear is going to be huge!

-Grant
 
The only thing I know "bad" about the TDI is the belt tensioner idlers - their bearings are reportedly undersized. Replace early and often, especially since one of them is on a timing BELT - always a bad idea, especially on a diesel. Other than that, they're fantastic motors.
 
Actually you and I are the same in regards to AC. I've had two other goals for this swap since I started, working air conditioning and cruise control. I haven't been able to figure out the cruise control but I thought I might have a setup for the AC. However routing it and getting around my fuel shutoff solenoid has become a bit of a headache. I have the AC lines as well that came with the TDI motor and I still have my stock AC hard lines as well for my 4.0l engine. Once I get everything mounted, I just need to find a shop that can cut and combine the two lines.

The beauty with the TDI is I can get a standalone wiring harness made, yes expensive BUT I've done enough wiring on this swap to know when to spend the money to make my life easier. With the custom wiring harness, I can have wiring made for me for all the information I need, tachometer, TPS, all the cruise control, etc.

The other thing I realized is the ALH TDI is one of the most efficient TDI motors ever made. From the start of this build back in 2018 the goal has been to double my fuel economy, it's never been about big power, though I have to admit the low end grunt of the Kubota was fun as hell, I just got tired of constantly monitoring all the gauges for heat issues. I'll have less power with the ALH TDI but I should easily get in the mid to low 30s for my mpg, especially with the Ford 6r80 6-speed automatic, the two overdrives are just going to really help with all of that, having a highway gear and an interstate gear is going to be huge!

-Grant
My attraction to the ALH is the ease of installation. It doesn't have the complicated engine management system that the '04 and up versions do. Wiring is dirt simple, and relatively cheap, compared to more modern versions. From what I've researched, the later models can generate significantly more power, but that would only be an issue if I were planning on pushing bigger axles and tires. My goal would be to run a TDI on 31" tires, as a daily driver. The thought of close to 30 mpg would be incredible!

That said, I'm extremely interested in seeing how your automatic transmission will fit with the TDI, and how complex it will be to make it work. I definitely agree on the wiring harness. I have the ability to make one, but would choose not to. I've been down that path before and the amount of time and frustration is not worth it. As for the cc, I can sacrifice that one, but not A/C. I wish I were closer, because I'd definitely be interested in helping. If for no other reason than the second one always goes better than the first! ;)
 
The only thing I know "bad" about the TDI is the belt tensioner idlers - their bearings are reportedly undersized. Replace early and often, especially since one of them is on a timing BELT - always a bad idea, especially on a diesel. Other than that, they're fantastic motors.
Yeah I've had a TDI Golf before, I did the timing belt religiously at 30K, which is a PIA on a front wheel drive vehicle. On a TJ where I can remove the grill and I don't have a motor mount in my way, it should be a MUCH faster job.

My attraction to the ALH is the ease of installation. It doesn't have the complicated engine management system that the '04 and up versions do. Wiring is dirt simple, and relatively cheap, compared to more modern versions. From what I've researched, the later models can generate significantly more power, but that would only be an issue if I were planning on pushing bigger axles and tires. My goal would be to run a TDI on 31" tires, as a daily driver. The thought of close to 30 mpg would be incredible!

That said, I'm extremely interested in seeing how your automatic transmission will fit with the TDI, and how complex it will be to make it work. I definitely agree on the wiring harness. I have the ability to make one, but would choose not to. I've been down that path before and the amount of time and frustration is not worth it. As for the cc, I can sacrifice that one, but not A/C. I wish I were closer, because I'd definitely be interested in helping. If for no other reason than the second one always goes better than the first! ;)

Yeah same here on regards to the ALH. I'm in the same boat as you, I don't plan on going over my 31.7" tires with this build, that is what my LJ is for, so having a really good fuel economy TJ is very interesting to me to have!

As for complexity, the transmission is surprisingly easy with the USShift Quick6, it just needs a tachometer input and TPS as well, the computer takes care of the rest. I'm sure something will pop up but I'm really not that concerned about it.

I'm more excited about the cruise control than the AC, but the goal is to have both working for sure! As soon as I get it running reliably maybe we can meet at a trail somewhere in VA so you can check out my TJ!

Thanks
Grant
 
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Hey Grant, I was following your build over on reddit for a little bit too. Loved the kubota build I'd be sad to see it go, but I also love the idea of an ALH too.

I posted a couple videos in my build thread on modifying the factory ALH harness yourself to save a load of money. I'm not exactly complete on the finalized schematic i want yet but I have had it test fired and running.

Another option is to completely nix the factory wiring harness completely and run the bosch rotary injection pump (VP37) on a standalone controller. This eliminates the need to reuse the EDC15 ECU and hooks up to the VP37 itself. Here's a link to the project overview .

If I had trouble sourcing the wiring harness or I had just purchased a long block instead of a full donor car I would have absolutely attempted to go this route. If all else fails, this company also sells an mechanical (throttle cable) injection pump, no wiring required. I don't have any personal experience with it though and you'd likely drop efficiency without a computer feedback loop.
 
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Hey Grant, I was following your build over on reddit for a little bit too. Loved the kubota build I'd be sad to see it go, but I also love the idea of an ALH too.

I posted a couple videos in my build thread on modifying the factory ALH harness yourself to save a load of money. I'm not exactly complete on the finalized schematic i want yet but I have had it test fired and running.

Another option is to completely nix the factory wiring harness completely and run the bosch rotary injection pump (VP37) on a standalone controller. This eliminates the need to reuse the EDC15 ECU and hooks up to the VP37 itself. Here's a link to the project overview .

If I had trouble sourcing the wiring harness or I had just purchased a long block instead of a full donor car I would have absolutely attempted to go this route. If all else fails, this company also sells an mechanical (throttle cable) injection pump, no wiring required. I don't have any personal experience with it though and you'd likely drop efficiency without a computer feedback loop.

Hey Brett,

Honestly I'm sad to see the Kubota go as well, though you will still see it on the channel, I'm going to be installing it into my buddies 1990 YJ Wrangler with the correct AW4 automatic AND the correct torque converter. His gearing is better and it should work out great in his Wrangler. We're actually going to be doing that here over the next few weeks while I wait for parts!

Can you send me a link to your build? I'd love to figure out how to customize the wiring harness myself, it would save me significant amount of money, though I still want to see what all is involved. There is a part of me that likes the idea of custom labeled new wiring harness.

I'm intrigued by the second option you mentioned. I know my way around an Arduino so I need to do some more reading on that setup for sure!

I did debate going completely mechanical but I think the mechanical diesel was part of the issue I was having with my Ford 6r80 automatic so for now I'd like to keep it computer controlled if at all possible!

Thank you so much for the reply!
Grant
 
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