Duramax into 1989 Toyota FJ75 Troopcarrier?

[stormtrooper]

Hi everyone.

I have a 1989 FJ75 Toyota Troopcarrier and I am considering converting it to a Duramax 6.6. I know of an engine that is available but have no prices yet, I have just been told they are expensive.

A little about my Troopy. It was a 3F Toyota 6 with a 5 speed manual. I converted it, doing all the work except the exhaust and some welding of mounts myself, to an EFI 5.7 litre Holden duel fuel (petrol and LPG) engine. I want to be able to travel around Australia and to be realistic I need a reliable diesel to do it because LPG isn't available everywhere.

My question is, and yes I realize most people here are from the USA, what type of prices should I expect to pay for a Duramax with all its add-ons (power steer pump, alternator etc) and an Allison 6 speed auto? If I go down this path do I really need a "donor" vehicles dash etc or it there a neat and tidy way to graft these new engines into old tech vehicles without alot of pain and anguish? Many people in Australia say the job is just to hard and you really need to cut alot of stuff out of a donor vehicle for it to work, is this true? I am well aware that it has been done into older GM vehicles and the job has a very professional outcome but these are all GM vehicles, mine isn't.

Thanks in advance for any advice offered.
Michael.

P.S. If it is as hard as people suggest I'll probably just go for a P400/T700R4 combination from AM General.

[Yukon6.2]

Hi Storm
Welcome to the Dieselpage
How are your mechanical/fab skills?
Can you find your way around the modern electronic computer systems?
I would like to have a Dmax/Allie combo in something,but the modern electronic computer stuff is not my freind in any way.So i will stick to the mechanical easy to work on stuff.I'd feel comfortable driving anywhere with a new AM general P400.
The p400 will bolt right in if the Holden 5.7 is a true GM engin.
Freight for a engin should be less than a complete doner truck from over here.
There maybe some stand alone computers and wiring avilibale,but from what i`v read getting the complete doner truck is the way to go.

I`m sure that you are about to get all kinds of great info to help you decide.
Good luck on your project.
Thomas

[stormtrooper]

Hi Yukon

Thanks for your reply. I'm a mechanic by trade (26 years). My problem is I have limited experience with new age diesels. I am fine with electronics, the current engine is controlled by a Delco 808 which I tune with a laptop, but I prefer plug and play setups if I can find it.

The Holden is a true GM engine, late model engines have the turbo bolt pattern etc but it isn't a Chev copy.

I like the idea of a P400/T700R4 combo but I really like the idea of a Duramax/Allison.

[More Power]

Assuming you have the hardware (engine/trans/misc), there are a couple companies, like www.pacificp.com (PPE) and www.bankspower.com (Banks) that produce custom wiring harness and computer packages that make it simpler, but their kits are relatively expensive.

Try to locate a bundled "package", that contains the hardware/electrical you need. Occasionally, you can find a salvage dealer or someone who lost interest who are offering package deals. But, for those who can find them, a salvage truck saves them both time and money. While we tend to look at the engine/trans as the big buys, all of the little things add up to about the same cost. Little things would include items like wiring harnesses (~$600 each, need 2-3), computers/modules (4-5 of them for a complete system), complete steering column, radiator (~$700), intercooler (~$700), intercooler hoses/pipes/clamps (~$600), lower radiator hose ($~150), and on and on.... you get the point - ask me how I know what these things cost... I got a screaming deal on the engine/trans, but the little things really ran the cost up.

People have gotten the engine to run on their shop floor without being in a vehicle, just by connecting the harnesses/computers/fuel/batteries. So, just do the same thing with it bolted into your chassis. Other than vehicle lighting, plan on swapping in the complete Duramax wiring system. Once you make that leap of stripping-out the original FJ75 wiring system, the project actually gets easier.

Jim

[stormtrooper]

Hi Jim thanks for the information.

Basically there is no easy way to do the wiring then. I will have to use a complete loom from a donor vehicle. Please correct me if I a wrong. And thing like the steering column must also be changed. Hmmmm. I'll do more research. The level of work doesn't worry me, the costs do though.

I'll contact the suppliers you mention and see what they say regarding prices.

Thanks again.
Michael.

[More Power]

The word "easy" is a relative term. What might be easy for one person could be difficult or impossible for another. It sounds like you have more than enough technical skill. A good basic knowledge of automotive electrical and mechanical systems, a basic ability to do some light fabrication (or hire it done) and a will to see a project through are most of what's required (other than money, of course ).

But, after having done it once, I know it's not really all that difficult. I wouldn't necessarily call it easy, but not all that difficult. When I did mine, no one had completed a Duramax 6600/Allison conversion in a GM pickup. In fact, only one company had done it for any vehicle before me, and that was for an H1 Hummer. I didn't need their help, but it was a big risk for me.

The biggest hurdle for me personally was concluding that, to make it simpler, I needed to strip out most of the original vehicle wiring. The truck I used was pretty nice already, and I knew that if I failed, the stripping would kill the value. It took me about 6 months to finally make the decision. I really didn't want to fail. Once I made the decision, the project was completed in about 4 months. I had a plan, and made my own itemized list that I worked on step by step, one to three hours per day - in a logical order.

I adapted the original HVAC (Heating, Venting, Air Conditioning) system and control panel to the new Duramax in-cab wiring harness. Otherwise, not much wiring was left that wasn't Duramax related.

The Duramax steering column will save you a lot of time and allow for all of the trick features in the column to function in your Toy. I did it the hard way (modified my existing column), which added a couple weeks to the project and resulted in less functionality. I did it to show that it could be done, and to learn whether it's better to use the matching Duramax column. Now I know.

Making the commitment is the hardest part. The rest is "easy".