Glad I found you guys on this website. I truly appreciate the info you guys are passing around.

Hope you all can pass some knowledge my way.

I have a 99 Trooper 3.5l gas, great shape. Want to convert it to small(er) displacement DIESEL. Short term goal - better fuel economy on my 4x4. Long term goal (hopefully not too long) - making my own biodiesel.

Would consider buying a diesel 4x4, but there are not any older 4x4 diesel's around here (or at least I cannot find them).

Questions:
what engine should I get?
where can I get this engine?
am I crazy?

Thanks to all.

Your not crazy - its been done but it's all about money and how experienced you are. The FJ guys are slamming 4BJ and 223 into their iron all the time - but not without some hear aches. If you are just going to play with BIO D or SVO/WVO I would seriously consider buying a used diesel rig AOT fabing your Trooper. I see you are in the South as well, there are quite a nice ones out there.

It all depends on how much work you are looking to get into. I'm in middle of the conversion now. It's way more work than I anticapated, but seems do-able. If you're looking for a quick diesel, I don't recommend it. If you're looking for a challenge and to learn something new, yes, join in on the fun.

As far as which motor, the 4JG2 like I have seems to be the most readily availabe from Japan. Contact Jarco or one of the places mentioned by others to get one. Can't comment on the crazy part, we're all a little crazy

Paul

It's all just metel, I say go for it. It's not easy, you're going to lose a little blood, lose a lot of sleep, and probably spend more money than you should. But when it's done, you will KNOW what you have and it will be exactly what YOU want.

As for crazy, I've been getting called crazy since long before I got into Isuzu's. Like putting a VW diesel in an old bobcat for example. Crazy-ness is good <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

PLammer-
I'll check Jarco. Any other places that I may want to check? I've been checking on your progress.

overland47-
checked out your website... you got lots of toys. What's the latest on the Pup?


I love this darn Trooper... doggone gas engine. But I am on a mission to get a diesel.
I appreciate the help.
Clipp

It is a major undertaking. See the link in my signature for a journal of my progress. I am about 90% completed after nearly 3 years of work (off and on). Projected completion date is sometime this spring/summer.

I don't want to discourage you, but better fuel economy as a short-term goal doesn't make any sort of financial sense. If you add up the cost in parts (and especially time - you'd be the first to do this with a Trooper that new, so all the research would need to be done by you beforehand; also the time involved in actually performing the conversion), my guess is that you'd be far ahead to just keep buying gasoline for your current engine for a number of years.

Running biodiesel and not purchasing foreign oil are good goals, but not cheap ones.

The newer Troopers are not as spartan as the older models and may not be as easy to work on, although I have no direct experience with this. I would guess that the wiring would be much more difficult to deal with.

You would also need to be comfortable with all aspects of automotive work, including major work on all vehicle systems, as these conversions touch every part of the vehicle. Lots of tools and a space to work are also required. Metalworking abilities are also needed.

You'll have to decide for yourself whether this is something you want to take on. The forum can provide a lot of help if you decide to move forward.

I agree with the all said here.
I'm finishing up the "little" things on my I Mark Gas to diesel conversion. And even though it's a car it's the same principles.
It's a lot of work.
I have a Trooper conversion to do after I get the Wifes Trooper done. So it will be a bit before I do mine. But, I still anticipate a lot of head scratching.

And no this is not an easy project for the Shade Tree Mechanic, but it is do-able if you've got perserverence.

This is the best place to hash out your project. Cause many of us have done them.

Best Of Luck.

Curtis