I have a 65 FJ45 wagon that I want to rebuild with a diesel. I have located a UD box truck with a Nissan Turbo Diesel for $700. with bad auto-trans. Does anyone know about transmissions with transfer cases that will bolt to this engine for a conversion? In other words, if I find a Nissan 5 sp. manual and transfer case out of a nissan pick-up, will that bolt to the truck engine? Or what options are out there for converting to a chevy trans.?

I'm interested in this thread too....

Bennett on this list raced his son driving one of these trucks against his son in a V6 Isuzu Trooper and claims he beat the pants off the Isuzu with the Nissan's 4 banger diesel. After he did it they propped the cab forward and snapped some picts of the engine, which are on my site at:
http://www.cisautoweb.com/dtlc/kenimages/

Click on the four picts called with the title "Nissan Diesel"
They also have a tape measure to get a rough idea of how big it is...

My guess is it's similar to the Isuzu diesels I've been researching, chances are (though I'm hoping someone will chime in) there's not a whole lot of information out there about it, but it probably has a similar / identical bellhousing to the Isuzu, and if that's the case then I can offer you some insight for bolt patterns and which tranny / transmission to use. If you can find out what trannies came behind it then that might help with bellhousing patterns. If it comes with either the MSA5D trans manual transmission or a specific Jatco automatic (I'm not sure the number is for that automatic) then it has the same bolt pattern as the Isuzu.

First thing I'd do is find out the approximate output specs for the year you're looking for, then based on that if it produces more than 300-350 ft/lbs of torque I'd recommend replacing at least the rear axle. If not then you're golden.

I'd also find out approximately how loud it is, and from there see if you can find any dimensions for the engine. It'll probably fit in lengthwide but lots of 4 banger diesels have issues of height/depth. The Isuzu fits in but closely. Cummins 4BTs (the comparable 4 banger Cummins) is quite a bit deeper (engine sits level in compartment but bottom of it & oil pan sit awefully close to front axle). So you need at least a 4" lift to clear it (though it has been done with simply beefed up OME springs.

And if you have none of these issues (meaning that it's quiet, has available adapters, and fits in the engine compartment reasonably, and has reasonable power output (not to strong, not too weak), then you pretty much have a great candidate.

I do know these are direct inject and drive very smoothly based on what Bennett told me.

Good luck and let us know your results!

Transmissions:

Manual:

5spd: Nissan Diesel MCS50C
6spd: Nissan Diesel MHS61A

Automatic:

Aisin 4spd A450-43L

Probable torque (subject to further research) between 275 and 334 depending on year model and hp.

Sounds good so far and somewhat as anticipated. From what I know, all "big three" Japanese 4 banger diesels are similar, similar output specs and similar characteristics. But for some reason the Izusu seems to outsell the Nissan and Mitsu though there are all comparable.

I'll look into those tranny numbers and see what we can come up with (which may or may not be anything). For reference, I know that Nissan, Mistu and Isusu all make 4WD versions of these trucks. They are solid front and rear axles, typically leaf sprung, but it looks like they may have centered diffs. You'll need a tranny at least capable of handling V8 power but I don't think you'll need to replace your axles if you are using is as a stanard cruiser with some off roading.

I'll email Bennett, he might have some info.

according to a not to knowegable parts counter guy at the Grapevine Texas UD dealership, the available tranny's for a 91 UD (that's what I'm looking at) were the MES50A 5 spd manual and the RGE40A Jatco auto tranny. He did not "think" the bolt patterns were the same as for the Isuzu.

I just edited this so there's a little more information &/ clarification..

I talked to a guy at a big diesel dismantler and he says the bellhousing and bolt patterns are totally different. So so much for barking up that tree. I've looked and looked around the net (sometime 8 or 9 Google pages in) trying to find specs about bolt patterns and dimensions about different diesel engines with very little success, most of what I know is from talking to all sorts of people. So, if it matters I've found a couple people that can do custom bellhousings and adapters, a lot of which are in California.

I also looked around doing searches under "nissan diesel repowers" - the Isuzu diesel diesel repowers are not common but significantly more present in Australia where it seems they like to do a lot of diesel repowers in general. So I started hoping to find information about possible Nissan repowers with this engine but didn't find much. The Isuzus were used in some Aussie Land Rovers (130) and theres some information about them as repowers there. But another thing that struck my mind is that even if they do have similar transmissions they could still have totally different bellhousings :(

But one thing to note, that at least in the Isuzu appication the Isuzu bellhousing is very similar to a SAE #3, a guy I talked to who claimed to have done a few 4BD1 (the comperable Isuzu 4 banger) into Land Cruisers in the late 80s and 90s said both ends of the bellhousing are similar to the Land Cruiser's. He said you can redrill Isuzu bellhousing as it fits the same but the hole locations are different, or have an adapter plate made to fit between the bellhousing and either a GM or Toyota tranny (he was using factory Land Cruiser 4 speeds). So we might be able to find a similar bellhousing. I also have some part numbers for Isuzu to GM transmissions, but these only exist because GM has a stake in Isuzu (hence an Isuzu engine is a Duramax truck), and there was a period where there supposedly GM trannies were used behind the Isuzu diesel. But unfortunately not so with Nissan though I believe I might have read somewhere that Chrysler was anticipated to buy 30% of Nissan Diesel Corp. So who knows (and NV4500s have come in both GM and Chysler vehicles) though it is an *****extreme long shot.....

I don't really know what more to say but if I find something I'll post it...

I just found this thread which may be relevant. Hopefully not too late!!!

http://atlas.binderbulletin.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4372

One downfall I can see with running a setup like this is availability of parts. How many diesel nissan/isuzus are actually out there?:skull:

The Isuzu is the best selling box truck in America. But the Nissan is not as popular but they are still around, parts in pretty much every major city. But if you are rural there could definetely be a disadvantage but I wouldn't think any more difficult than having an old FJ40!

For $700 pretty interesting. But also read the first thread about big 4 cyls and vibration... Interesting...!

Drive a NPR then compare to a 4BT....big difference in vibration and sound.. for my money I'd say the Isuzu or Nissan would be the ticket. The Nissan being much more quiet externally. I rode with my son in the Nissan and we held a normal conversation and almost forgot we were sittin on a diesel.

bennett