Today I drove 375 kms round trip for yet another C223 to replace the tired one in the Sonoma, which has over 500,000 kms on it now. Since last winter, after a major snowstorm, and very cold temps (for here), I had a very difficult time firing up the truck. After burning out a set of glow plugs, and jumping the battery from another running vehicle, lots of ^$%#&@* and a bit of ether, I finally got it to go. Ever since, it has been tough to start.
Lately, when the temps are near freezing, with two heaters plugged in (the block heater and an inline heater) for 3 hours, I STILL have to glow it to get it to light up. Great, if it's plugged in. There are certainly places where it cannot be plugged in. And temps a lot lower. Runs fine after it starts and runs for a minute. As a matter of fact, it never worked as well as it did today. Go figure. Does it know? Can it sense it's future demise? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/evil.gif" alt="" />
Anyway, this motor is claimed to have only about 160,000 kms on it. Since it was out of the truck, and the truck was long gone, I can't verify this. However, there are signs of hope, such as paint where my other two don't have paint, and believe it or not, the pump setting security wire is actually there and unbroken!! It's the first diesel I've owned where someone hasn't fooled with the pump adjustment. The clutch looks good, the alt isn't seized, and neither is the vacuum pump, starter, power steering pump, or the primer on the fuel pump. Yep, it's all there, including the wiring harness, and 5 speed transmission. Even the glow plugs have a good draw to them.
Now, the price? I got this for $400, no tax. Of course, it means little if the motor is poop. BTW, if this tranny is original, then the gearing should be lower, at least in first and second, which will be good for hauling the Kubota.
Ok, enough rambling.
Just thought I'd share with you all. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

So 500,000 kilometers would come out to just a little less than 310,000 miles. I know you're in Canada and wanted to try to figure out the mileage to miles. Well that C223 had a great run though and you just got to give respect to another hard working diesel. I know these diesels are tough engines and I hope to record at least 400,000 miles on the diesel in my 1982 LUV. Right now it has 233,000 miles and really shows no sign of being ready to quit at that mileage. My ultimate goal is to go 500,000 miles and then rebuild the engine to almost factory new as a learning experience. Pretty soon I'm getting ready to drop in a C223 with only 98,000 miles into a 1986 Isuzu Trooper II that was a factory diesel with C223T and 5 speed trans. Your newly aquired C223 is about the same mile-kilometer mileage as what I'm dropping into the Trooper. So it should be moving around your Sonoma a lot better with the amount of torque it will produce in that kind of condition. Good luck with it in the future man.

Salvy

I suspect that the top ring may have broken. I've hear of this before in other diesels, and it lowers compression enough to make it hard to start, but run fine when it finally starts, just like mine.
A co-worker told me of a backhoe he worked on once. He says it became really miserable to start, but when it did go it ran great, burned no oil to speak of, and had great power. The owner finally got tired of running it like this, so they took the motor out and apart. He said not only was the top ring broken in many pieces, but the land below it was toast also. He said he had no idea why it still ran at all. Other diesel mechanics have told me similar stories, though not this extreme.
So, when I finally change it, I'll have to take it apart and have a look. It certainly is worth rebuilding, I'm sure. Like you, it will be a project for someday. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

turboDIESELtrooper I am not sure of the weight of a trooper ll but I have a Amigo that weighs 3750 lbs went from a c223T to a 223 na and I feel it needs the turbo back,It is really lacking on power.

Tdamigo, do you have any pictures of your Amigo diesel? That's cool that you put a C223 in an Amigo, I've seen Amigos in junkyards and they aren't bad little 4x4s at all. Always thought how cool it would be to have one with the C223/C223T diesel engine in it. Is yours a 4-speed or 5-speed? In a lot of ways I like the Amigo better than a Rodeo, but like the Trooper the best. I'm going to be dropping in a C223 in my Trooper and I know it's going to be very underpowered and slow. But I'm scared of a C223T losing a connecting rod down the road and rather have reliability than power.

While searching for another old post, I came across this one.
Just seemed a bit funny to me, as it was almost 2 years ago I bought this engine (didn't realize it was that long ago), and it's still sitting in my garage. I planned on changing the engine at some time in the near future, and figured I'd drive the old engine harder until it quit or got worse.
Well. Turns out my "old man driving" habits were hurting the engine, not helping. I started revving it higher and working it more, though not much over 3200rpm. It works better now than ever. Cold weather starting is still an issue, but an ether injector from a tractor takes care of that in the winter weather. Took it for a long trip one Saturday, and it spent about 5 hours at 3200rpm.
Looks like that motor will have to sit a while longer. (Knock on wood). <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />