84 diesel crawler

[MRHilux87]

Long time lurker and driver.  First time builder.  All the threads and pics and advice on here is priceless.  Thanks. 
Ive got a 1984 with a 2L diesel in it.  It was my daily driver up till about a week ago.  I put chevys under it and RUF with highsteer but thats it so far.  I have had high aspirations but when you drive your truck four days a week you can't really get much done in a weekend.  So... last week I found an 83, 2wd I can commute with.  Parked the Hilux and tore into it the last few days.  This is going to be a 6 month plus project, but I wanted to start a thread cause I had some questions and value everyones advise. 
Plans:

New diesel engine.  Most likely a 2L- TE.   Still kicking around the  4BT idea.  June or July.

Johnny joints and Possibly inboarded rear springs.  ??  NEED ADVISE ON THIS PLEASE.  HEAR MIXED REVIEWS
Took bed off, cleaning and repainting frame. 
Custom rear bumper and sliders.  Including cutting 4 inches or so from bottom of bed and behind rear tires. 
Custom sliders. 
Dual Transfer Cases. 
IFS rear, 529s, welded rear, ausie front?
front spacers. 
Custom interior work, center console, bedlining the floor, ect. 

I'll post some pictures tomorrow.  The ones I took today are too big to upload and Im not a computer guy.  Interested in what you all think about inboarding the rear springs.  My biggest concern is the gas tank.  how/where to move it.  Also, How many have rode in yotas with the 2L TEs?  Its the most powerfull diesel before the new common rail ones. 

[toyotanner]

i could imagine johnny joints and inboarded springs could = alot of axle wrap

[zembalayan]

Long time lurker and driver.  First time builder.  All the threads and pics and advice on here is priceless.  Thanks. 
Ive got a 1984 with a 2L diesel in it.  It was my daily driver up till about a week ago.  I put chevys under it and RUF with highsteer but thats it so far.  I have had high aspirations but when you drive your truck four days a week you can't really get much done in a weekend.  So... last week I found an 83, 2wd I can commute with.  Parked the Hilux and tore into it the last few days.  This is going to be a 6 month plus project, but I wanted to start a thread cause I had some questions and value everyones advise. 
Plans:

New diesel engine.  Most likely a 2L- TE.   Still kicking around the  4BT idea.  June or July.

Also, How many have rode in yotas with the 2L TEs?  Its the most powerfull diesel before the new common rail ones. 

First, why change to a "new" diesel engine?  Is there an immediate need or recent engine failure?

I have driven a 4x4 Hilux 2L-TE, and it seemed okay, but it didn't leave me wondering or dreaming about how I would ever get one of those.  The later L motors also don't exactly have the best rep for reliability, either.

So i am guessing you want to change to a turboed diesel for Hwy speed, which I can certaily understand, but rather than go to so much trouble for just swapping in a 2LTE, why not look into other options that might be better, such as a 1.9 TDI with an ACME adapter or an OM617 with 4x4 labs adapter or if you have the coin and connections a 1KZ-TE or a  1PZ with an R150/1F. 

Right off the bat, i'd say Forget the 4BT, or talk to some people who have owned them and then happily sold them.

Certainly, there is something kinda cool about a diesel powerplant:  like you, I have a 2L 1984 4x4 Hilux.  It's really slow, but gets decent MPG, and if it were geared (let's say with dual ultimates), it would be a pretty serious little tank.  If the 2L leaves you flat, then the 2LTE aint gonna exactly get your motor running. 

So, have you also considered gas options like a 3RZ or a 5VZE?  You are going to get some real performance, reliability, and access to easy to find replacement parts for pretty much forever in this country.

Maybe you could describe more about what you're looking to get out of your project's engine as well so other could chime in on this point. 

Anyway, Sounds like fun, and good luck!

Also, if you are looking to rid yourself of the 2L, PM me, seriously.

[ajordan1975]

Sounds interesting. Looking forward to seeing this build. 
I've been kicking the idea around of doing a diesel swap on my 4runner. It's just ideas at this point but it may happen.....

[MRHilux87]

Thanks a ton for the replies!  Good questions zembalayan.  I have always loved diesel trucks, had several cummins and powerstrokes over the years and I just think that gas engines are ineficient and not suited to crawling.  I agree with your statements about the toyota diesels.  They are far from impressive.  My 2L does ok on flat ground with 31s, it goes 55.  Thats it.  And my 10 mile commute to my house is alll uphill. So I hold up traffic going 26-32 mph where my wifes evo goes 75 or my 2wd toyota goes 60. 
My goal for the truck is to be on 35s or even 37s, very streetable and reasonably comfortable.  I want to be able to hop in it with the wife and dog and do a 2000 mile camping/wheeling trip and get close to 30 mpg.  But I still want it to be very capable, and it will see Rubicon and moab in the next couple years.  I havn't found an easy solution for the engine.  I reallize the 2l-te's arn't real impressive.  I would love to find a 1KZE but that isn't easy here in the states.  If I could find a 1kz te front  clip with ecu and wiring for less than 4k Id prolly do that. 
The vw engine is intriuging but I don't see them having that much more hp than the yota diesels.  The only vws with any power are the newer ones with tons of electronics. 
I have seen a few of the merc diesels being used,  but it just seems to make it more complicated than other options.  how much power do they have?  How reliable are they?
The main reason Im sticking to diesel is I live in California and my yota already has a diesel title, which is like gold here.  No smog ect. 
Thanks for the help and info. 

[zembalayan]

You have set the goal very high, which is great, and I will definitely be keeping a close on your build thread to see what you do.  I also think that you should continue to research swapping a 1996-1998 TDI.  Those motors can be upgraded, you know.

Here's some basic specs and upgraded specs posted up. 

http://www.stealthtdi.com/Jetta-Intro.html

Recently, I saw a 1998 Jetta on CL for 2500 in SFBay. 

Again good luck!

[MRHilux87]

Thanks for the info.  i just read through it all and Im sold on the power of the VW, and I know there is a company in the Porltand area that makes adapter plates.  (ACME? I want to say.)  It looks like 1500 bucks or so into the 1.9ltr vw engine would yield well over 200lbs of torque.  I don't need a huge amount of power, I just want to be able to go 60 up most highway hills with 5.29s and 37s. 
The only scary part about the VW swap is the electronics.  Id need to find a whole doner car like you said so I could pull the ecu and stuff off it.  hmmm.  decisions. 

[MRHilux87]

Finaly some pics of the truck. Some stock and some with Chevys in the rear. 
How do i post the pictures here instead of linking them?  Sry im more at home in the garage. 

http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg145/golfer4u242/DSC00307.jpg

http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg145/golfer4u242/Yota048.jpg

http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg145/golfer4u242/Copy2ofWhoaFlex.jpg

[zembalayan]

Finaly some pics of the truck. Some stock and some with Chevys in the rear. 
How do i post the pictures here instead of linking them?  Sry im more at home in the garage. 

Here you go.  Place the link between the following two bracketed image markers without spaces:  [IMG][IMG/]

If you quote my post here, you'll see what I did.

[zembalayan]

Nice rig, man!  Loving the Xtra Cab! 

[locked 4x4]

subscribed.  looking forward to the build

[MRHilux87]

Thanks guys!  Im moving at the end of the month and I will have a 2.5 car garage/shop to play with.  Now i have a 3 sided car port.  So as soon as I get the truck in there I will pull the motor and start in on it. 

[nisota]

Sounds like its going to be good subscribed.

[MRHilux87]

Finaly some progress!  Took the old engine out today.  Sold it for 600 bucks. had to cut some wires because sorting out the diesel specific wires and sensors and glow plugs was impossible.  Little worried about getting the lights and stuff working again.  ow well to late to turn back now.  Next step is painting the cab. 
Picked up a three link suspension used ffrom a local, and a stock transfer case to make duells with.  What do you think of the links?  can I make this work in the rear with a flatbed?  I might need to extend the links but I don't see why it wouldn't work.  I got brackets that arn't in the picture.  Opinions on that? 
[IMG]http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg145/golfer4u242/th_DSC01271.jpg[iIMG/]

[IMG]http://s247.photobucket.com/albums/gg145/golfer4u242/?action=view&current=DSC01274.jpg[IMG/]

[IMG]http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg145/golfer4u242/th_DSC01269.jpg[IMG/]

Looking for a 96-98 vw TDI engine to swap in.  Anyone knows of any let me know please!