Hello All...
I'm currently in the research phase of swapping a Diesel motor from an '81 Isuzu P'up into an 88-91 Trooper chassis.
Would this be the c223 motor? What bellhousing/transmission would bolt to this motor? I realize I'll be the slowest rig on the road, but is that motor impractical for the application? Thoughts? Ideas?

Thanks,

Joel

I have similar questions, but am not serious enough about the swap right now to ask. I will be interested in where this thread goes...

OK...So after reading through a few older posts, maybe the C223 isn't the motor of choice....However, access to a free motor, combined with a dead Trooper in my yard, still has me wonderin' if this isn't possible. Then, if/when a C223T came available...easy swapola!! I still need help with what manual tranny would bolt to the 223 block....And what about motor mounts?? Maybe from an early diesel Trooper?
Thoughts? Ideas??

Joel

I posted these same questions to the ITOG Site and received a discouraging reply. Evidently, the C223 will not bolt to any bellhousing/tranny that came in U.S. spec gas powered Troopers. Using a diesel tranny will require fabricating a cable linkage for the clutch. Also, the power steering and A/C accessories are problematic, differences in radiators, etc....So the question remains...Did the 3.1 GM motor ever come in a RWD configuration???

Joel

The most practicle solution for your swap, since you have a complete pickup,is to swap the entire engine, tranny, wiring harness and everything else in the drive train from the pickup to the Trooper. Other than the drive shaft lengths it should be a fairly simple swap. But,the down side is, unless the pickup is 4WD you'll lose that option.
The pickup motor will be a real slug in the heavier Trooper. There are several guys here who have added the C223 Turbo system to the Non-Turbo Motor with some sucess but it's a gamble that the engine will live very long with the blower on it. You see the rods are weaker on the non turbo engine. An important fact!
If you want to use the pickup diesel motor with your MAU5 then you'll need the very, very rare front half of the Diesel transmission. Hard to find because once the front half is removed the rest of the tranny is pretty much useless. In theory, you could put the diesel tranny in your Trooper but it mounts all different. So fabrication skills are needed. But, should you be able to get your hands on the front diesel housing it will bolt right on the MAU5 Trooper transmission. With the tranny on the bench it takes about 10 minutes to swap. "IF" you know what your doing. I can send you pictures of one of these, if your interested in seeing the diesel housing I'm talking about.

There are some other options, but none of them cheap or easy.
One of these days you will be able to slip in a Mercedes 300 TDI motor in your Isuzu and have all the GO you will need. That's my hope anyway. But I'm still a year or two away from having that ready for the market. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

We've covered a lot of this before, so an extensive search will give you plenty to read upon.

CJ

One other thing Joel, The SMOG Nazis are not going to like the idea of an older motor in your newer model truck. That is if you want to legally drive it on the street.


Of course all this advice is based on the asumption that your based in the United States!!!!! Since your not telling. If not, then "never mind" as I have no experience with the laws of other countries.......
CJ

edit note: stupid keyboard!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" />

I'm sorta' doing what you're talking about. I'm in the middle of putting a 1986 C-223 turbo diesel drive train into an 88LS body. I have the 86 Trooper diesel down to the bare frame with just the drive train and gas tank still there.

I've done the research on this so ask any questions you might have.

As fara as the transmission goes, a diesel transmission is different than a gas transmission. The bell housing does not come off for an exchange, so you need the diesel transmission.

My problem is that I don't know if I should pull the drive train out and install it into the 88LS or if I should just slide the 86 complete frame underneath the 88LS.

The 99LS has 89k on it, 86 diesel Trooper has 188k on it.

BTW, I do have a Yahoo forum on the swap called IsuzuTD, if you are interested in checking out the vehicles.

Jesse
Connecticut

I did a c223t in a 89 trooper it had the 2.6 converting it to the c223T was the worst mistake I've made it was gutless offroad and on I got so sick of it I pulled the motor and tranny and sold them. I still have the trooper but no longer have any time to convert it back to a 2.6 or some engine worth while. in conclusion I prety much made my trooper into a vehicle that sits in front of my house for the rest of eternity due to thinking putting a C223 in it would be a good idea on the contrary it was the stupidest thing I could have done. No to mention that trooper that will probably never run again is a 1989 Trooper RS

Yes. The 3.1 V6 has the same 60 degree pattern as the 2.8 and 3.4. They came in s-10s and Camaros in the 80's in RWD configuration. GM dealers sell a 3.4 service replacement; that is the way to go.