1. Registration trouble? Please use the "Contact Us" link at the bottom right corner of the page and your issue will be resolved.
    Dismiss Notice

65 CJ-5 Diesel Conversion

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by 4x4fantic, Jan 26, 2016.

Tags:
  1. Dec 31, 2016
    homersdog

    homersdog Tulsa, Ok 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Tulsa, OK
    Joined:
    Jan 8, 2012
    Messages:
    2,356
    The latest dirt every day episode is about putting a Cummins diesel in a TJ. It is supposedly lighter than the 4bt. If you watch to the end, you'll see they need a stronger oil pan, but it looks like a good conversion.
     
  2. Dec 31, 2016
    Jrobz23

    Jrobz23 Member

    Northern, WI
    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2016
    Messages:
    942
    That is the new 2.8 which is CRD and lots of electronics. The engine I have is the B3.3, which is similarly sized and '1 wire' complexity lol. I got it to put in a XJ, which I no longer have. I'm toying with the idea of trying to fit it in my 61, so I'd love to know how similarly sized engines fit in early CJs. This engine is about as heavy as that 2.8.
     
  3. Jan 3, 2017
    millennium falcon

    millennium falcon Member

    Central PA
    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2014
    Messages:
    549
    I am bias but I have been more than happy with my om617 swap in my jeep. I have a full write up on here and a bunch of you tube videos if you are interested. My jeep had a 304 v8 before the swap and I dont miss it one bit. Best thing I ever did to my jeep. Let me know if you have any other questions. Good luck with what ever you decide doing!.

    Build thread
    79 Cj5 Om617 conversion.......Let's see how this goes?!!

    This thread has a video of my jeep that will take you to my youtube channel with other videos of my diesel cj5.
    A few adjustments and a drive *VIDEO* with the Diesel Jeep
     
  4. Jan 3, 2017
    millennium falcon

    millennium falcon Member

    Central PA
    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2014
    Messages:
    549
    My Mercedes is a 5 cyl. I think someone on here said they are 6... I haven't seen a 6 cyl incline MB engine.... Most people swap the 4 or 5 cyl. I agree that they do not have a the torque of a 4bt, but they are far from "garbage" and deserve consideration when doing a swap. I have had zero problems....breakdowns or "no starts" I can't say the same for the gas engines I have had in my jeeps. My diesel get a solid 25-30 Mpg and i used it as my daily all last winter with many sub zero starts without a hiccup. Also...I dont know how much longer the intermediate cj's are but I have a good 4" of extra space in front of my fan. The diesel is much shorter than the 258 6cyl. I had in there at one time. :) Just my .02 cents from my personal experience.

    [​IMG]


    Here is a good side view during my mock-up to show how short these engines are.
    [​IMG]


    I have also thought about doing a VW tdi swap. They are really cool little engines. My daily driver is now a TDI wagon and I have a spare engine under the bench in the garage....the thing that scares me with the TDI is all the electronics. I have the ALH motor so its not the worst but it has a lot of wires. :) I have seen others change it over to an all mechanical pump. But that is a little too intimidating for me.
     
    Last edited: Jan 3, 2017
    Twin2, 47v6, 73 cj5 and 1 other person like this.
  5. Jan 3, 2017
    Rick Whitson

    Rick Whitson Detroit Area 2024 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    I live South of...
    Joined:
    Dec 2, 2014
    Messages:
    1,725
    That looks great, nice job fitting the MB in your Jeep. Did the power steering hook right up for you? I see lots of notes, and wires, not mention that box with the battery going to it on the fender, looks like it was challenge. Nice job.
     
    Last edited: Jan 3, 2017
  6. Jan 3, 2017
    millennium falcon

    millennium falcon Member

    Central PA
    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2014
    Messages:
    549
    Thanks Rick, Yeah that probably wasnt the best picture to show...it was a mess that day. I was installing headlight relays in the photo and had wiring stuff all over. The box on my inner fender is just the relay and wireless remote for my winch and has nothing to do with the diesel swap. The thing I really like about the OM617 is that there really is little to no wiring to run the engine. The only wires needed are for the Glow plugs and the temp sender. I also added a pyrometer so that is one extra wire. But thats about it. The power streering was a piece of cake. I just used a combination of the MB lines and re-flared one of my jeep lines. I didnt have to buy anything. No leaks and has been great for 3 years and probably 8-10k miles.
     
  7. Jan 3, 2017
    Jrobz23

    Jrobz23 Member

    Northern, WI
    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2016
    Messages:
    942
    I actually posted a few times in your build thread. While garbage is a strong word, and maybe could have chosen a softer word, I'd stand by my results and observations about the OM617 in a Jeep. To get what I deemed adequate low end response from the engine (sub-F134 levels), you need to run significant timing and all but disable the alda. I did both. That caused my engine to finally respond well but died rather quickly under modest load (an unloaded XJ up a mild IL hill.. lol). The motors, while cheap to buy whole, are quite costly to rebuild as well.

    The front sump is a non-trivial hassle for clearing the front axle and steering bellcrank in a Willys. They will fit where a AMC I6 was for length and width.

    All in all I find them to be a weak swap candidate for solid front axle light trucks unless using some crazy gear splitting reduction unit. It's a better light highway car motor. I'd compare it to the D17 Honda motor in many regards. It feels very similar. It starts out gutless and slowly revs up then makes boost and actually feels pretty decent at the top end. Due to the terrible low end, my flogging it to get up to speed likely resulted in it's early demise.

    I'm happy your happy with the swap. I thought I would be too, but I was not. So much so, I chose to not replace the motor after it blew.

    My MPGs were similar in a larger rig FYI
     
  8. Jan 3, 2017
    millennium falcon

    millennium falcon Member

    Central PA
    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2014
    Messages:
    549

    It wasn't my intent to belittle your opinion. I just wanted to let the OP know that I had a very positive experience with my OM617 swap, so he can make an informed decision. Its like an amazon review for engine swaps....lol I give it 4.5 stars! Yeah these engines do like revs. I have adjusted my alda and my wastegate. That makes a big difference. Mine has the KKK turbo which gives boost a little sooner but is not as favored as the lag prone but more serviceable garret turbo. I do have an overdrive that helps keep it in its power band. I think the main thing that helps me be satisfied with my swap is that I am a slow drive.....all my vehicles are slow haha. (my other ride is a 22r yota with 33's) So i'm never in much of a hurry. I haven't heard of many of these engines blowing up.... what failed on your engine? How many miles were on it? I totally agree that rebuild kits are way over priced. So, I'm hoping my lasts a long time. I think my engine had around 120k on it when I put it in the jeep.
     
  9. Jan 3, 2017
    Jrobz23

    Jrobz23 Member

    Northern, WI
    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2016
    Messages:
    942
    Head gasket and warped head. Miles were like 150k I think. It ran fine before it went.

    Mine had the garret.
     
  10. Jan 3, 2017
    millennium falcon

    millennium falcon Member

    Central PA
    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2014
    Messages:
    549
    Wow that pretty low miles. How much boost were you running? What did you put in the jeep after the MB?
     
  11. Jan 4, 2017
    Jrobz23

    Jrobz23 Member

    Northern, WI
    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2016
    Messages:
    942
    Whatever the garret made. I don't remember thinking it was a ton. It didnt boost at all, until I fixed something, prolly the gate. 2 days later, boom.

    After it popped I searched far and wide for a used B3.3, but they were still pretty new then. The Jeep drew the eye of a guy wanting a diesel project. He traded me his modded 4.0 XJ for mine. Ironically he'd be the guy I later got a few B3.3s from. Life is funny sometimes.

    He repaired the engine and sold it. It comes up on IL and WI CLs on and off. Changes hands often.
     
  12. Mar 8, 2017
    dieseljeeper

    dieseljeeper New Member

    spanaway, wa
    Joined:
    Mar 7, 2017
    Messages:
    21
    I have a 53 m38a1 that Im running a Kubota v2203 with a kkk 03 turbo, a SM465 trans, a d18 transfer case with a Warn od, 4.11 gear ratios in a dana 44 rear with an old school detroit locker, a dana 27 front with powerlock. I went with a mishimoto radiator mostly because it cost about 1/2 what was being asked for for a stock military radiator.
    As for pros and cons, pro: it takes one wire to make it run, zero if you could start it with a rope, it runs way stronger than the f head and you can actually drive it on the highway without killing it and the fuel mileage is way better than the f head. I use it a lot for trails and hunting, the mileage advantage is that I can run around in the woods for about a week on one 17 gallon tank.
    Cons: Its a real challenge to hook up a power steering pump. I sqeezed a WRX subaru intercooler inside the grill in front of the radiator. I wouldnt recommend that set up as it keeps the egt pretty low on the highway, it climbs into the 1000 F range going slow in the woods. Im working on a water to air ic now. With 5.38 gearing, 33" Swampers top speed was around 40 mph even with the overdrive.
    One more consideration with a Cummins 4bt is that 700# is the bare engine. Once you add the plumbing. bellhousing, motor mounts, etc it gets alot closer to 1000#. There is nothing on an older jeep that would stand up to the weight, torque, or vibration. A lot of reengineering would be involved
     
    Jrobz23, jeepermc and ITLKSEZ like this.
  13. Mar 15, 2017
    Jrobz23

    Jrobz23 Member

    Northern, WI
    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2016
    Messages:
    942
    That combo sounds awesome!!

    Can you fit a pto pump on the 465? Lots going on right there. Maybe run your 1500 psi off that?
     
    Last edited: Mar 15, 2017
  14. Mar 15, 2017
    dieseljeeper

    dieseljeeper New Member

    spanaway, wa
    Joined:
    Mar 7, 2017
    Messages:
    21
    I went with a saginaw pump from a 75 vette, fabbed a bracket, and used a Bobcat 743 dual crankshaft pulley. It works ok. The Kabota engines are stock engines as are Cummins. There are two rows of holes running the full length of the block along the bottom tapped for 12 mm so there is places to mount the pump, the challenge comes making it fit inside the fender. One other possibility, as the crankshaft is splined on the front for 1"x12 spline, mount a Cessna or Vickers pump to the front of the crank using the 12mm holes provided and a coupling. I went with the pump I did because I had it. A combination of redneck engineering a nd an Amish budget lol
     
  15. Mar 15, 2017
    Jrobz23

    Jrobz23 Member

    Northern, WI
    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2016
    Messages:
    942
    That'll do. Nice setup.
     
  16. Aug 3, 2020
    Phalanxx

    Phalanxx Jeep Newbie

    iraq, texas,...
    Joined:
    Jan 13, 2004
    Messages:
    363
    the om617 is a 5cyl diesel. it fits the kaiser jeeps nicely. they can be adapted to a chevy trans. 420, 465, early chevy nv4500 (long though).
    dont forget about the olds 350 diesel and the 4.3?? v6 diesel. they will bolt up to your bop bell housing and mate to a 4 speed chevy if you get the truck bell housing. ive seen people turbo those things. lower boost due to 22.5:1 compression, but it made a snappy lil 350.
     
  17. Aug 3, 2020
    Jrobz23

    Jrobz23 Member

    Northern, WI
    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2016
    Messages:
    942
    The OM engines are front sump. Not a game-breaker as on a coil sprung rig, but it seems often results in compromised oil pan setup.

    The engines can be made to make power. I've seen it, but stock the are awful. I owned a 617 powered XJ.
     
  18. Jan 23, 2022
    ANTHONY DRANE

    ANTHONY DRANE New Member

    Friendly, WV
    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2020
    Messages:
    43
    I have a 67 Jeepster Commando and it's slated for a VW TDI. I started watching facebook marketplace in my spare time, within 100mi. Not too long into it I found a 2002 Bug that a guy was parting due to no title. It was last winter and bitter cold when I asked for a price on the TDI, computer, wiring, etc. Him pulling it, me bringing cash and picking it up. He wanted rid of it and offered it to me for $300 if I'd take everything. I jumped. 63K miles on the clock, I'm a happy boy. Don't be in a hurry, which ever direction you go but be ready, cause you never know.
     
    givemethewillys, Twin2 and Fireball like this.
New Posts