I have heard of GM 6.2L, cummins 4bt and the occasional isuzu diesel swap but I do not recollect a perkins diesel swap. Has anybody ever heard of one of these? The reason I ask is that I may have a cheap 4 cyl turbo perkins pretty soon. Oh yeah the bellhousing is standard 350 chev style. So tell me if I am crazy to even bother with this.

just do it!

Charlie Arons from Ak will give you the full lowdown on this powerhouse.

He is on this board.

If it has the bellhousing you are halfway there!!!!!!

:usa: :smokin: :beer:

GO FOR IT!! How many c.i. is the Perkins? Don't forget O.D., diesels don't like to rev.

How loud or quite is the engine while running?

All the Perkins conversions I have known of (about 13, including 2 LC's, and pre 1990 engines) rattled the hell out of the trucks. I remember the installer of 10 of those telling us that everything had to be locktited down otherwise the bolts in the bumper, seats, dash, etc would loosen over use.

look at how the donor runs first (delivery truck, military, etc) and compare body style and size vs applications.


....and bellhousing to tranny to transfer quesitons need to be resolved

Locally assembled 75 series pickups in South Africa got a Perkins 6cyl stock for the first 2 or three years of production in the mid 1980's. Loud as hell, if I rember correctly, as it is bassically a tractor engine. I do remember the things leaking oil constantly. Can't comment if this was normal, or due to the "quality" african assembly. :flipoff2: :flipoff2:

Ross

I put a Perkins 4.236 into a FJ40 in 1975, later in '79 put it into a FJ45 pickup. With a NP540 5spd (at that time the only heavy duty OD 5spd available with a Chevy pattern), 5th = 0.82:1, it did fine at highway speed with 4.11s and 30" tires, though 32-33" would have been better.
I've had the motor rebuilt and put turbo pistons, rods and new head and oil spray piston cooling jets installed, and I'm installing it into a '42 Dodge WC53 Carryall with the same NP540, 4.89s and 37s. With one very important change -
3 point motor mounts instead of 4. The vibration with 4 motor mounts was always hellacious. I have considerable evidence that 3 will be much better.
What size is your motor? Tell me that, your gearing and I'll tell you what size tires to run with a NV4500 or Ranger overdrive/SM420.
The Perkins in the South African 45s or 75s was a 4.236. A 6 cyl like the mysterious 6.247 would not have vibrated very much. The engine was assembled by Atlantis Diesel in Cape Town.
Charlie

The perkins that is in question is a marine diesel with turbo. Other than being a 4 cyl I am not sure what the stats are on the engine, I believe form the description given it's a 4.236. The only sure thing is that it has the chevy style belhhousing to bolt up marine trannys. As for the overdrive I am getting a Ranger OD that would probably go in front of SM 465 if I go this route. The gearing would be 4.11 with 33" tires and possibly 35's in the future. I am still not sure if I am going this route yet, as the Perkins may be going into another boat.

If it's a marine diesel it has a very heavy water cooled exhaust manifold and some funny plumbing for cooling depending on whether it is keel cooled or whatever. You will need/want a new manifold for it. How many hours does this engine have?
The Ranger and 4.11s should work fine.
Are you sure about the bellhousing bolt pattern being compatible with automotive parts?
Charlie

From my understanding the bellhousing for the diesel is more like a plate adapter such that you could fit up anything that would fit on a 350 Chev. The flywheel maybe somewhat of a problem trying to fit a clutch properly. The engine was Freshwater/thru hull pick up cooled so the coooling is not going to be a large problem. The motor was used daily in it's marine application so it saw a lot idle hours. I think the hours are somewhere around 4000. The compression check on the Perkins was good. The price is very reasonable to the point I do not think I could pick up a core for this price. But I do believe my cruiser may lose out on the diesel conversion as the Perkins may end up in another boat again. Time will tell I guess!

Really, an ideal motor for a Land Cruiser would be a bit smaller displacement per cylinder but higher revving. Perhaps a 3B (goes nicely with an AXT water cooled Garrett turbo). As you know, people have swapped 6.5s into LCs; a 6.5 even without a turbo should kick ass in a 40 with a NV4500 and 4.11s and great great mileage.
A Cummins 4BT has the same advantages/disadvantages as the Perkins. The low end torque on the long stroke engines (Perkins 4.236 is 5", 4BT is 4.72", my 3.7L Hercules in my M37 is a mere 4.5"*) is incredible.
Charlie
*But it has a turbo, intercooler and propane so it GOES down the road. Governs out at 2800 rpm at 80 mph easily.

Part of the reason I am thinking going diesel was that most vehichles in my house hold runs off diesel (diesel is very accessible). I also have a H55 from the rear of a 3B diesel which I would like to put to use. The AXT turbo kit was very appealing to me when I saw it Australia and very reasonably priced. The problem at this point is to find a 3B for a price such that I can justifiably part out my 2F engine.

Hmmm....H55F..
Which input shaft? the long fine spline one is for 3B, the shorter coarse spline one for F and H.
You could either use a Toyota diesel or a 6.5 with a Landcruiser bellhousing from Advance Adapters. For a price of course.
Charlie

As bad as it sounds I actually have both mainshafts as I have the 3B one in the tranny now and I bought the short H/F shaft when I was in Australia last year (the mainshaft is still sitting on my work bench). The 6.5L GM diesel does hold a slight interest to put into my cruiser but I am always put off by it's shear physical size. It's one large engine and the cost (about $3500 canadian) would be something I could not currently justify after buying all the ancillaries to make it work. So until I win the lottery of have a 3B junk yard find I think I am stuck in the mean time looking for a diesel.

Oh by the way thanks for all the help, it's been great!