Thanks for the quick reply--and the success story too. I knew if I posted, somebody would have done this before

I'm not worried about the top speed because I want to go fast, more because I *don't* want to go fast. As you mentioned, the steering on these old postal jeeps is pretty loose. I scrounged up a saginaw steering box, which is supposed to be better than the ross-roller type that was on it before I started the engine swap. We'll see if it actually improves anything.

As for the tranny--I am definately swapping that in with the engine. Then the only adapting that needs to happen will be on the drive lines--and I'll get a transfer case to boot.

I know you said it was long ago, but do you remember how you hooked up the speedometer in the old postal jeep to the isuzu engine? How about your glow plug indicators/etc? I really don't want to try to hack up the dash to include the entire isuzu instrument cluster.

Thanks!

Hi and welcome to the board.

I had actually typed out a long response, but my old computer froze and I lost it all, so I'll skip all that this time and see if I can help out with the other questions : oil pressure and coolant temp can be hooked in to where the stock sensors are. On mine, the oil pressure switch is on the right lower front of the block, below the injection pump, above the oil pan, The coolant sensor is on the thermostat housing.
The engine is a C223 model engine. My internet searches rate this engine at a whopping 58hp when installed in the S10. Jerry says it's more. I'll take more. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Hooking the heater hose back to itself (bypassing the heater) is fine.
Hope this helps. Please feel free to ask any questions. There is a great bunch of guys here with lots of knowledge and experience. Also, keep us updated on the project. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

That does help--thanks. Sorry about the computer crash. Been there....

IIRC, the thermostat housing has 3? different do-dads wired into it. I didn't want to take the wrong one offf (right on the top front of the engine--maybe I'm looking in the wrong place?) I'll look for the oil pressure senor--thx. I have a manual, but it's for every isuzu engine from 1980 to 1994 or something like that, gas engines included, and it's really not all that good. Especially for things like where the sensors are located. I haven't had a lot of time to spend looking for them, just thinking ahead. A lot easier when somebody gets you pointed in the right direction.

Ah, I remembered another question too--On these engines, are the glow plugs relays automatic? That is, will they turn off the juice to the glowplugs once the glow plugs get hot enough? Or do you have to turn the engine over to get them to shut off? I ask just in case I can't find a way right away to hook up the glow plug light indicator on the dash. I don't want to be burning out my glowplugs.

Thanks all!

Since I am here anyway, I might as well tell ya I put another set of glow plugs in yesterday. The truck sat for about 2 weeks while I waited for them. It was my own stupidity that killed them (yep, again! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/zombie.gif" alt="" />). It was the day after a nasty snowstorm, and it was fairly cold out, -11C and blowing hard. I glowed it once and it wouldn't go, ended up doing it a couple of more times after that (not without a starting attempt in between), and realized I had killed them. The problem was I was holding them for a 5 count lately, instead of a 3. Little too much, I think. With the new ones, I do a 2 count and so far it starts better. I may have had a dead one anyway. At least they weren't swelled on the ends, like the last set before them 2 years ago, when I REALLY cooked them, which was before I realized they are 5 volts and not 12. Live and learn. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shiner.gif" alt="" />
Geez, you'd think I would have learned by now! At least my new supplier sells them cheaper. Around $15CDN for me. They are AC, not Bosch, if it makes any difference.
I'm glad to be driving it again. I missed the pokey little diesel.

Now that was funny. I didn't see your post when I wrote my glow plug post.

There is a sensor and timer circuit for the glowplugs, but I couldn't get mine to work at all. I tried a second control box, but that one didn't work either, so I hooked a relay up with a manual push button on the dash. I has been working fine for 2 years. Finding info on the full voltage time is just about impossible, so I had to try to figure it out by trial-and-error.

As far as the computer is concerned, I use an old one for the internet now, as I ended up with a bunch of viruses on my newer one, and had to wipe it and reload everything. So if I get viruses again, they stay on the old one. Unfortunately it is old and slow (a 166mHz) and has Win98SE on it. Still better this way.

I think. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />

That is kind of funny. I was wondering how many beers you had had tonight <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

When you say 'control' box, are you talking about what the manual calls the "diesel engine control module"--originally mounted inside the cab under the dash on the driver's side, or the two glowplug relay boxes (located originally in the engine compartment near the battery)? It'd be nice to know if that "diesel engine control module" is really truly needed or not. Electronics in engines is not my strong suit.....

For computer protection, I can highly recommend Kerio personal firewall ( http://www.kerio.com/kpf_home.html ) There's a free version available for home use. But that's kind of off topic, send me a PM for help with that.

I have a 1985 GMC Sonoma its a diesel 5sp, used to be a pepsi work truck thats about all I know about it and I cant find awhole lot. I am getting ready to do a 100% restore on it maybe even a turbo if I can get some info. please let me know if there are any sites out there or books I should get also any info would be awesome.
THANKS

Welcome to the board!
What I am finding is that most of these diesel trucks were sold for commercial use, no doubt for their fuel mileage, and probably to some degree for their slowness, so company employees couldn't go tearing around everywhere. At least if they did, they had to work at it! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/evil.gif" alt="" />
I'd say you are at the best site anywhere as far as info goes for the engines in these trucks. Other than the engine and it's related components, the rest is simply S10 stuff, and one place to visit could be http://www.s10forum.com.
The poeple on this site are great and very helpful, and since these engines are getting old, info is becoming harder to find all the time.
Best of luck with the restoration. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

It seemed fitting to drag up this old post, the first one I made when I came here. By the length of it, you might think it was the ONLY one I ever made... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

After 5 years and about 100,000 kms, I'm selling the old Sonoma diesel. It has served me well, and the little Isuzu diesel has proven itself bullit proof. It's not fast, but it WILL get you there. Sometimes it gets loaded down quite a bit when I'm moving my little kubota diesel tractor around...I guesstimated the total weight to be around 3 tons, and yet it doesn't complain. The body need some help, and body work is something I don't really care to do. Frame is good and all, however it's time to get rid of it while the getting is good, while there is something worth selling. Someone around here will find it interesting, especially with diesel at $1.506 a liter. Hmm, that's $5.84 a US gallon.

Anyway, so long old friend. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

Oh yea, I forgot to mention...I liked it so much, I built another one. Just finished it tonight. A 1994 S10 extended cab, in WAY better shape than the old truck. Like almost ZERO rust. It too was a 4.3 auto, and it was even more work to convert, especially with the electric speedo, etc. Engine has way less miles too. Hopefully it works out as well as the other... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cyclops.gif" alt="" />