98 wrangler swap

[DuraWhat?]

I have a 98 Jeep wrangler and for some time now I have been considering a motor swap to a small diesel. I have seen a few articles on the subject and most end up saying dont do it, but ima gonna do it. I have looked around for small engines to put in her and im considering 3 as of now. The Cummins 4bt, VW 2.8 (same as the liberty), and a isuzu. Does anyone here have expericance or completed a similar project? I am also looking for other engines that may be more cost efficient. The small vw 2.8 is a non turboed motor so im not to interested in it. What about a perkins? Im just looking for ideas here cause all these are about the same price so I would like to know which is the most reliable, ease to mod, and has most potential. I seen that Marine diesel engines are a little cheaper. Can these be installed?

[Dave]

If I was to do it I would use a 4bt

[DuraWhat?]

yeah, I think your right.

[welder24]

The 4 bt is the way to go. I put one in a 84 chevy one ton and it was good.I don't know what you would have to do to the front end because it is heavyfor a wrangler.

[DuraWhat?]

I talked with some guys who have a custom suspinsion shop and told me depending on the weight diff I may just be able to beef up the front coils. The 4bt weighs 700lbs and the current 4.0 weighs 515lbs. I dont know if this is something coils cant fix or not. On the positive side though I have all the time in the world casue its not a primary car for me or the wife. I just want a diesel Jeep excuse me a real diesel jeep.

[RealdieselsRyellow]

Not sure but I have a few machines w/ 3.9 cummins in them and they seem pretty tall to put in a Jeep. I love our Hitachi Excavators w/ 4BT engines. Parts are pretty spendy though. And you may have to buy alot to make the swap. You could convert most any marine diesel over but look at the parts cost very close. Check out used, wrecked,or burnt equipment. Ir towable compressors are a dime a dozen and most have either 4045t Deere or B3.9 cummins. You could at least get some dimentions. Get specs on flywheel housings and flywheels to see what will bolt up to a reg. tranny. Most Ind. diesels use a SAE 1,2,or 3 housing pretty standard so someone is bound to make adapters.

I've been kicking around the same idea as you. But I was going to replace a 3.0L in a yota rock crawler with a small diesel.

I don't know much but hope I can help.

[welder24]

There was a company in Indiana that sold kits to adapt the cummins to any transmission. They use them in alot of delivery step vans. I will look for the company but it was a long time a go that i did my swap.

[DuraWhat?]

Thanks guy I appreciate any info you can give

[Marty]

4bt swap isn't nearly as bad as many make it out to be. I met a guy at the last dyno that put one in his ranger. Said he got everything but the driveshafts from a wrecked breadtruck that he bought for like $1500-$2000.

He used Dodge driveshafts, Dodge tranny, which bolted right up to the 4bt. He was able to plumb most of the stuff in himself and actually put a 6.7 cummins turbo on it and removed the actuator arm and turned it so it allowed the vanes to partially open. He did this because he planned on making more power and rather then swapping turbo's every time he could just open the vanes up more and more.

In the future he planned on using a stand alone controller to manipulate the vanes so he would have a VVT on a 4bT in a Ranger ...

[DuraWhat?]

good info thanks. From everyone outside of here that I have spoken with they told me it would be a nightmare.