Toyota Truck Diesel Conversion FAQ and Guide




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Intro

This site is intended to answer questions about swapping Toyota diesel engines into Toyota trucks produced for North America, and also to serve as a guide for completing such a conversion. I've built this site in response to frequent questions about my own diesel conversion. I've also tried to include some historical information about factory Toyota diesel trucks produced for North America.

Scope

My personal experience is limited to swapping a Toyota 2LII-T diesel engine into a 1989 Toyota XtraCab truck. Just about all of the information will be equally applicable to swapping any Toyota L-series diesel engine into any 4-cylinder 1985-1995 Toyota truck or 4Runner.

Questions/Updates

I'm happy to answer questions, add aditional information to this site, or make corrections. However, before e-mailing me, please read this FAQ and Guide in its entirety, and also search the forums at the ToyotaDieselMadness web site (see the Resources section below).

In general, I do not have any information about swapping Toyota diesel engines into non-Toyota vehicles, or swapping non-Toyota engines into Toyota vehicles. Again, please consult the forums at ToyotaDieselMadness for these types of questions.

That said, feel free to e-mail me at jmeehan (AT) vpizza.org.

Acknowledgements

Just about all of the information presented here was culled from posts on the Toyotadiesel.com forums. The members there were extremely helpful during my conversion process. I'd especially like to acknowledge Nick and Charles for all their help. I find it amazing how the Internet can make you an expert in nearly any subject practically overnight.

Did Toyota ever produce factory diesel trucks for North America?

Yes. Toyota introduced diesel trucks for North America in 1981. The 1981-1983 models were available with the 2.2L "L" (or "1L") normally aspirated engine. In 1984, this was replaced by the 2.4L "2L" engine. For 1985 and 1986, both the 2L and a turbo charged 2L-T engine were available. Toyota dropped all diesel options for USA after the 1986 model year, but they continued as options for Canadian trucks through 1988.

Link to specs for these engines:
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Pit/9975/dataBySubject/DieselEngines.html

Diesel engines were also available for the Camry and Corolla during roughly the same time period, but I'll leave that for another site.

When I was in Europe/Asia/SouthAmerica I saw lots of brand new Toyotas with diesel engines. Can't I just import one of those?

In a word, no. None of the vehicles Toyota sells overseas are certified to meet EPA or DOT standards, and thus not legal to import. If you've done a Google search on importing foreign vehicles, you may have read that you can have a "Registered Importer" modify the vehicle to meet EPA and DOT standards. However, most Registered Importers cater to exotic sports car enthusiasts, and aren't equipped to handle modifying a diesel. Even if you could find an importer who was willing, your total cost would likely be at least twice the sticker price of the vehicle.

Beware of foreign vehicles for sale that claim to be legally imported. Some of these have appeared on eBay recently. A current title and registration from a US state DMV is NOT a guarantee that the vehicle was legally imported. US Customs has been known to impound and crush illegally imported vehicles, and your insurance company may (rightfully) refuse to pay claims on accidents involving such vehicles.

For a more complete discussion of the importation question, check out this page about importing Land Rovers. Everything there is equally applicable to Toyotas:

http://www.eastcoastrover.com/imports.html

Why doesn't Toyota make new diesel vehicles for the US market?

Complicated question, and there's no straight answer. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) requires that diesel passenger vehicles and light trucks meet the same emmissions requirements as gasoline vehicles. Some other states (Massachusetts, New York, Vermont, and Maine) also follow CARB standards. Depending on who you talk to, it's either cost-prohibitive or technically not possible to make diesel engines that meet CARB standards for passenger vehicles using the low-quality, high-sulphur diesel fuel currently sold in the US. Most manufacturers don't want to go through the expense of EPA/DOT testing and certification for a vehicle that can only be sold in non-CARB states -- which exclude some of the largest vehicle markets in the country.

Market research probably also shows that many Americans have a negative opinion of diesel vehicles. They think of large trucks with plumes of thick black exhaust, the noisy, clattery diesel engines in early Mercedes, or the disastrously unreliable diesel engines produced by GM in the early 1980's. Also, there's no getting around the fact that there's an inconvenience factor involved in owning a diesel. Only 1-in-4 gas stations in the US have diesel available.

Some people also believe there's an oil industry conspiracy to keep fuel-efficient vehicles out of the US market.

Things may be changing for the better though. Current regulations will require refiners to start producing low-sulphur diesel fuel (ULSD) in 2007. That may make it easier for manufacturers to produce diesel engines that meet CARB requirements for a reasonable cost. Also, recent spikes in fuel prices have greatly increased public demand for fuel-efficient vehicles.

Which trucks are good candidates for a diesel engine swap?

1984-1995 Toyota trucks and 4Runners with the 22R or 22RE 4-cylinder gasoline engines. The 22RE shares the same engine mounts, spacing, and transmission bolt pattern as the L-series diesel engine.

Can I swap a diesel into my V6 Toyota truck or 4Runner?

Yes, but it's definitely a more complicated coversion. The V6 engine mounts are in a different spot, so at a minimum, you'll need to cut the engine mounts off the frame, and weld new ones on in a different spot. It may also be necessary to swap out the transmission, shorten drive shafts, etc. General consensus is that it's not worth the extra work -- it's probably easier to sell your V6 truck/4Runner and get a 4-cylinder model for the conversion. Some basic info is available in this post:

http://www.toyotadiesel.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=8

If you've completed a diesel swap into a V6, please feel free to e-mail me with more details about what's involved so I can include it here.

Can I swap a diesel into my newer 4Runner or Tacoma?

It's been done, but required a lot of welding and fabrication. This may be a little more worthwhile than a V6 conversion, because Tacomas and newer 4Runners have airbags. For more info, check out these posts:

http://www.toyotadiesel.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=349
http://www.toyotadiesel.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=377
http://www.toyotadiesel.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=493
http://www.toyotadiesel.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=521

Which Toyota diesel engines can I swap in? Which is the best?

Any Toyota engine from the L-series. Options include:

L (aka 1L) -- 2.2L normally aspirated
2L (pre-1988) -- 2.4L normally aspirated
2L-T (pre-1988) -- 2.4L turbo
2LII (post-1988) -- 2.4L normally aspirated. Same block as the original 2L, but totally different otherwise. Different head, different timing belt/pulleys. Still referred to as just "2L" by official Toyota literature/manuals, but enthusiasts usually refer to it as the 2LII to distinguish it from the original 2L.
2LII-T (post-1988) -- 2.4L turbo. Same notes as the 2LII.
2L-TE -- 2.4L turbo /w EFI. Mechanically, the same as the 2LII-T, but with electronically controlled injection. You can turn a 2L-TE into a 2LII-T by replacing the the EFI unit with a mechanical injection pump from a 2LII-T. Lots more wiring involved if using this engine for a swap, but several have been completed successfully.
3L -- 2.8L normally aspirated.
5L -- 3.0L normally aspirated. I've gotten the impression that this engine is rather uncommon, and don't know of any 5L swaps.

Link to specs for these engines:
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Pit/9975/dataBySubject/DieselEngines.html

As for which is best, it depends on the goal of your conversion. Most people would probably consider an L conversion to be way underpowered. Those looking for best fuel economy will want to consider the 2L or 2LII. Those looking for the best power and performance will probably be happiest with one of the turbo charged engines -- especially for a vehicle with oversize tires, or one that will spend any amount of time on hills. Keep in mind, diesel engines perform very differently from gasoline engines and need to be driven differently. If you are expecting your diesel coversion to perform like a gas engine vehicle, then a diesel swap may not be right for you.

Can I put a turbo on an L or 2L engine that didn't have one originally?

This question comes up a lot. The answer is: not easily. Simply adding a turbo won't gain you much unless the injection pump has a way to progressively deliver more fuel as the boost increases. Factory turbo engines have a boost compensator mechanism on the injection pump that does just that.

Some people have added a turbo anyway and attempted to compensate by adjusting the fuel screw on the injection pump. However, this increases fuel delivery by a fixed amount across the entire throttle and boost ranges, so you'll always end up with a fuel mixture that's either too lean at full boost, or too rich at idle (or both).

Is it hard to find parts for these engines?

Harder than for your average vehicle, yes. However, during my conversion, I did not come across any parts that I wasn't able to find eventually from some source. A surprising percentage of the parts I needed were available from my local Toyota dealership within a few days -- even many of the parts that were never used on US market vehicles. For the ones that were not available at the dealer, I utilized some junkyards and overseas sources (see the Resources section below). All of the common wear items (oil filter, air filter, timing belt, idlers/pulleys, oil seals) were available from the dealer within a few days.

What about swapping in a newer Toyota diesel engine? (1KZ-T, 1KZ-TE, 1KD-FTV, etc.)

As far as we know, none of these are bolt-in swaps for US market vehicles and will require welding and fabrication. A few 1KZ-TE swaps have been completed or are in process, but in general, there's much less experience among US enthusiasts about this engine and what's involved in a swap. However, overseas Toyota diesel enthusiasts report that they like this engine much better than the L-series diesels, both in terms of reliability and performance. Be prepared to open your wallet wide if you're considering this. Some info on a 1KZ-TE swap:

http://www.toyotadiesel.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1443
http://www.toyotadiesel.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1700

Where can I purchase one of these engines?

See the Resources section.

What is a front clip or half cut? Why do I want one?

A "half cut" (also known as a "front clip") is a used vehicle that's been cut in half, through the cab, just rear of the dash board. Whole vehicles cannot be legally imported unless they meet EPA and DOT specs. To get around this, vehicle/engine importers cut the vehicles overseas, so the front end (where all the good stuff is) can be imported as "parts," which don't need to meet EPA or DOT specs.

The advantage of a half cut is that you get all (or almost all) of the parts you'll need to complete the conversion. With an engine only, there are quite a few other parts you'll need to track down. The disadvantages are that a half cut will cost quite a bit more than an engine alone, and also cost quite a bit more to ship. You'll also need somewhere to keep it during the conversion process.

Car vs. Truck Engines

If you buy an engine only, it will likely have come from a sedan. 2LII's and 2LII-T's were commonly used in Corollas and Cressidas in Japan. The engines are the same ones that were used in trucks, but the engine mounting arms are different, and so is the oil pan. You'll have to replace the engine mounting arms and oil pan in order to put the engine in a truck. More on that later.

Manuals and Guides

Haynes ManualUseful reference for all non-diesel parts. Covers 1979-1995 trucks and 4Runners.
Max Ellery's Repair ManualCovers 1979-1997 Toyota Hilux/4Runner diesels, including L/2L/2LII engines.

Tools

While you can probably complete this conversion with just hand tools, I highly recommend an air compressor and impact wrench. You'll save a lot of time, frustration, and bloody knuckles. I got a 5-gallon air compressor at Harbor Freight for $150, and found a nice used impact wrench on Craigslist for $50. The 5-gallon compressor will only run the impact wrench at full torque for about 10 seconds, but that's all I needed for this job.

I used several sizes of PVC pipe couplings as punches to tap in the various oil seals.

A clutch centering tool will come in handy when assembling the clutch. $3 at a local auto parts store.

Part Source Notations

After each part number listed in this guide, I'll try to note where I got it from.

ND"New domestic" -- new part purchased from a local Toyota dealer or ToyotaPartSales.com
UD"Used domestic" -- found at a local junkyard, or ordered from a US dismantler
NF"New foreign" -- purchased new from an overseas source like Japarts.co.uk
UF"Used foreign" -- purchased from an overseas dismantler or wrecker

Pre-Conversion Maintenance

Unless you have documented proof of maintenance for the engine you'll be swapping in, it's a good idea to perform some standard maintenance tasks on the diesel engine before you swap it in. Almost all of these are way more difficult once the engine is already in the truck, so bite the bullet and get them done before hand. You'll be glad you did later on. Below is a table of recommended pre-conversion maintenance items, with Toyota part numbers.

L2L / 2L-T2LII / 2LII-T / 2L-TE
Timing belt13568-5902613568-5902613568-59066(ND)
Timing idler #113505-5401013505-5401013505-54021(ND)
Timing idler #213503-5402013503-5402013503-54030(ND)
Water pump16100-5912816100-5913816100-59257(ND)
Crank oil seal90311-4202690311-4202690311-42026(ND)
Cam oil seal90311-4202690311-4202690311-32018(ND)
Rear oil seal90311-8500690311-8500690311-85009(ND)
Rear dust seal11354-5401011354-5401011354-54010(ND)
Thermostat90916-0307290916-0309990916-03099(ND)
Oil filter15600-4101015600-4101090915-30002(ND)

Timing Belt

For the timing belt, make sure all the timing marks are lined up on the the cam gear, crank gear, and injection pump gear. (See the Ellery manual for more details). Before I removed the old timing belt, I used a paint pen to mark where it lined up with the timing marks on the gears, and letters (CR, CA, F) so I'd know which of my marks was which. After I removed the belt, I laid it on top of the new one, and transferred the marks and letters to the new belt. This made it easy to ensure I had everything lined up perfectly when I installed the new belt. The injection pump is in the middle of a compression stroke when its mark is lined up, so it will move off the mark as soon as you remove the belt. You'll have to hold it (easiest with a socket wrench on the pump gear nut) while installing the new belt in order for it to be aligned.

Oil Seals

To replace the front oil seals (cam and crank) you'll have to remove the cam and crank gears. This is where the impact wrench comes in really handy. You may also need a gear puller for the crank gear. I rented one from a local auto parts store, but I had to get my own bolts because none of the ones that came with it were the right size. Once the gears are off, you should be able to pry the oil seals out with a flathead screwdriver. Just be careful not to scratch the cam/crank shafts. I used a couple different sizes of PVC pipe couplers to tap in the new seals.

To get to the rear main oil seal, you'll need to remove the clutch assembly, flywheel, and end plate. An impact wrench will come in very handy again to remove the flywheel bolts. I could not pry the rear seal out with a screwdriver. Instead, I drilled a small hole in it, screwed a sheet metal screw a little way into the hole, used pliers to yank on the screw, and the seal came right out. If you use this method, be *very* careful not to nick the crankshaft with the drill. Don't forget to put on the new dust seal when putting the end plate back on.

Clutch and Flywheel

While the flywheel is off, you may want to consider getting it resurfaced. Any machine shop should be able to do it for you. I paid about $40. The early flywheels (pre-1988) have 6 bolts, and the later ones have 8 bolts, so they are not interchangeable. If you got an engine from an auto transmission vehicle, you'll need to get a flywheel -- a dismantler in Australia or the UK is your best bet, but the shipping will be expensive.

Some vehicles came with a "dual mass" flywheel. These flywheels have a sprung center section to eliminate shock. Unfortunately the springs and/or spring retainers can corrode, and the replacement springs are not available from Toyota. Many people just replace the dual mass flywheel with a standard one. If you have a dual mass flywheel and you're determined to repair it, here's a suggestion on using substitute springs that seem to fit:

http://www.toyotadiesel.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1780

The clutch disc, pressure plate, throwout bearing, and pilot bearing are all the same between the 22-RE and L-series diesels. So you can use the ones from the gas engine you're removing. However, if you have any doubt about the condition of these parts, there will never be an easier time to replace them.

Clutch disc31250-35231(ND)
Pressure plate31210-35110(ND)
Throwout bearing31230-35070(ND)
Pilot bearing90363-12002(ND)

EGR System, Sensors, and VSVs

The 2LII and 2LII-T have an EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) system designed to reduce emissions of NOx (nitrogen oxides). The EGR system feeds varying amounts of exhaust gas back into the intake which reduces combustion temperature and formation of NOx. Although the fuel injection system of these engines is entirely mechanical, the EGR system is controlled by a small computer. For a few reasons, you may want to consider disabling/removing the EGR system.

1) If you got an engine only, you likely won't have the EGR computer, so the EGR system will need to be disabled in order for the engine to run correctly.

2) Toyota diesel owners in Australia and the UK frequently disable the EGR system even when they do have the computer. They report performance improvements, and a reduction in visible black smoke from the exhaust.

Physically, the EGR system is a small pipe that runs from the exhaust manifold, around behind the engine block, through a valve/actuator, and into the intake manifold. You can unbolt the EGR pipe from the manifolds and a couple of supports and remove the whole thing. I had a machine shop fabricate two block-off plates out of 1/4" steel to cover the ports in the intake and exhaust manifold. I used new metal gaskets from Toyota to go behind the block-off plates, but you can probably cut your own out of high-temp gasket material.

Exhaust-side EGR port gasket25628-54012(ND)
Intake-side EGR port gasket25629-54011(ND)

There are also a number of sensors and vacuum switching valves (VSVs) that go with the EGR system. These are all mounted to the intake manifold, and all of them can be removed. If you have a turbo engine, you'll want to leave in place the vacuum line that runs from the intake manifold to the boost compensator on top of the injection pump. Also, save the VSVs for later -- you'll use one for the intake butterfly valve, and one for the A/C idle-up (if your vehicle has A/C).

Engine Mounting Brackets

These are the metal brackets that are bolted to the engine and to the perches (which are welded to the frame). The power steering pump also bolts to one of the engine mounting brackets.

If your engine came from a left-hand drive (LHD) truck, you're all set -- you've likely already got the correct mounting brackets.

If your engine came from a RHD truck, the mounting brackets that come with it will fit the perches in your truck. However, some people who have put an engine from a RHD truck into a LHD truck have reported that the power steering pump hits the steering gearbox -- others have reported that it just barely fits. It's not just a matter of relocating the pump to the other side of the engine -- the pump that came in RHD trucks is completely different from the pump in LHD trucks. And there are no bolt holes to mount the pump on the other side. If you want to ensure that there will be no clearance issues between the P/S pump and steering gearbox, you'll need to get the LHD engine mounting brackets and LHD power steering pump.

These items (except for the pulley) will likely be the hardest to find of any you'll need for the conversion. Since they were used on LHD vehicles only, wreckers in English-speaking countries like Australia and the UK won't have them. The brackets and power steering pump are the same ones that were used on 1st gen L-series diesels sold in US trucks. The mounting brackets and idle pulley bracket always seem to stay with the engine, and any dismantler that has a Toyota diesel probably pulled the engine and sold it long ago. So those will probably have to be ordered from overseas. However, the power steering pump itself is often pulled from the engine and sold separately by dismantlers. So it's worthwhile checking on car-part.com for a power steering pump from an '84 or '85 Toyota diesel truck. That'll be lots cheaper than ordering a new one from overseas.

I lucked out, and another member of the ToyotaDiesel.com forums sent me a spare set of brackets and power steering pump that he had.

Right-hand (passenger side) engine mounting bracket44443-35011(UD)
Left-hand (drivers side) engine mounting bracket12312-54021(UD)
Power steering pump44320-35251(UD)
P/S idle pulley bracket44441-35040(NF)
P/S idle pulley (same as 22RE)44350-35010(ND)

If your engine came from a sedan, you'll definitely need different mounting brackets. The sedan-type brackets don't fit the truck-type perches at all. You can get the RHD truck brackets, which are a little easier to find, but you'll risk the P/S pump clearance problem mentioned previously. Or you can get the LHD truck brackets and P/S pump listed above.

Oil Pan

Several different oil pans were used on the L-series diesel engines, depending on what type of vehicle they were going into. 4x4 vehicles had an oil pan (aka sump) that was specially shaped to clear the front differential. Also there are some differences between oil pans that were used on independent front suspension (IFS) vehicles and solid front axle (SFA) vehicles.

If you're swapping into a 2WD vehicle, you may be able to get away with whatever oil pan came with your engine. If you're swapping into a 4x4, and your engine is from a sedan or 2WD truck, you'll need to get the correct 4x4 oil pan, or modify the 2WD oil pan so that it clears the front diff and/or suspension.

If you want to go the modification route, some tips are here:

http://www.toyotadiesel.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1415

Really though, getting the correct factory oil pan is highly recommended.

4x4 oil pan for IFS trucks12101-54132(ND)
Oil pan gasket12151-54020(ND)
Oil pickup tube (aka strainer)15104-54130(UF)
Pickup tube gasket15149-54030(ND)

If you get the oil pan and pickup tube from an overseas dismantler, here's a picture to help you and them identify the right ones:

Photo of 4x4 IFS oil pan and strainer

First generation L-series diesels came from the factory with the oil pan gasket listed above. On the 2nd gen. models they switched to using a silicone sealant to seal the oil pan. For the backyard mechanic, the gasket is definitely the way to go if you want to avoid leaks. It fits fine on both 1st and 2nd gen engines. The oil pan is a huge pain to get off once the engine is already installed in the truck, so do it right the first time and use the gasket (listed above).

Additionally, the dipstick and guide tube used on 4x4's is different from 2WD vehicles. On the 2WD models, the dipstick and guide tube go into a fitting on the oil pan itself. On 4x4 models, they go into a fitting on the LH side of the engine block just above the oil pan seam. If your engine came from a 2WD, this fitting will have a plug in it with a hex head. The plug is not threaded, so it's a real pain to get out. I had to order the 4x4 guide tube and dipstick from overseas.

Dipstick15301-54070(NF)
Dipstick guide tube11452-54080(NF)

Removing the Gas Engine

If your vehicle has air conditioning, take it to an A/C shop and have them empty the refrigerant. A good shop will either save it for you to put back later when the conversion is finished, or give you a credit.

There are no big secrets to removing the engine. Drain all the fluids (oil, coolant, power steering). Remove the radiator, fan shroud, and hoses first -- that'll give you some additional room to work. Disconnect all the wiring harnesses you can see to disconnect. Some of the EFI connectors are "woven" through the intake manifold, and will be difficult to pull free because their tubing and insulation has hardened. I'd recommend keep working until they come free -- you don't want to cut anything until you're sure you don't need it later on. It's a good idea to label each of the harnesses/connectors with masking tape and a marker so you can remember what each one is for later on.

Remove the engine mount bolts, and the engine-to-bellhousing bolts. I had a tough time with the top two, and couldn't get the impact wrench in there to undo them. One trick is to put a jack under the transmission, unbolt the 8 bolts that hold the transmission crossmember to the frame, and slowly lower the transmission several inches. Assuming you've already removed the engine mount bolts, the whole engine should tilt backward, and you should have enough room to get the impact wrench with a long extension in there to remove the top two engine-to-bellhousing bolts.

Now is an excellent time to replace the rubber transmission mount if it's worn.

Transmission mount12371-65010(ND)

Leave the transmission mounting bolts loose -- it'll make it easier to install the new engine.

Once everything is disconnected, and all of the mounting bolts are out, you can hoist up the engine and wiggle it until it comes free of the transmission. You may need to use a screwdriver to pry between the bellhousing and engine. If it seems to be stuck, make sure you've undone all the bolts. Some of them are hard to see. Once it has come free, you should be able to lift the engine right out. You may discover a few last wires and hoses that need to be disconnected as you lift the engine out. Also, some more coolant may spill out as the engine tilts, so it's a good idea to have your coolant drain pan nearby.

Now is a good time to replace the rubber insulator pads that go between the engine mounting brackets and the perches if they're worn. The part number is the same for the right and left side. These are the same as for the 22RE.

Engine mounting insulator12361-54121(ND)

Swapping the Bellhousing

First remove the clutch hydraulic line that runs between the clutch slave and master cylinders. Then you can remove the bolts that hold the the bellhousing to the transmission. You may need to tap the bellhousing a few times with a mallet before it comes free.

Many engine importers can include the correct bellhousing with the engine if you ask for it.

Bellhousing (aka clutch housing)31111-22114(ND)


Although the clutch disc, plate, and bearing are the same between the diesel and gas models, the clutch fork, dust boot, and slave cylinder are different.

Clutch slave cylinder31470-30222(ND)
Clutch fork31204-20090(ND)
Clutch fork dust boot31126-20070(ND)

I'd recommend assembling the slave cylinder, fork, and dust boot, and throwout bearing onto the bellhousing before installing the bellhousing onto the transmission.

You should be able to reuse the clutch hydraulic line. You can coil it around a spray can or other object to make it shorter since the slave cylinder is now somewhat closer to the master. Make sure to reuse the short section of flexible hose near the slave cylinder -- this absorbs engine vibrations and keeps them from stressing/breaking the hydraulic line.

Installing the Diesel Engine

Lower the engine into the bay and align the transmission input shaft as best you can with the splined hole in the clutch disc. It's helpful here if the transmission mounting bolts are loose so that you can adjust the position of both the transmission and engine. This process takes a little patience and lots of wiggling, but eventually the input shaft should slip in, and the engine will be close enough to the bellhousing that you can get a few bolts in. Then you can tighten the bolts to pull the engine and bellhousing the rest of the way together.

I ended up buying several extra 17mm and 19mm bolts. Some of the bolts go in from the engine side, into threaded holes in the bellhousing. Others go in from the bellhousing side into threaded holes in the engine block. Two of the bolts on the driver's (LH) side of the engine also hold the starter. The bottom few holes on the bellhousing mate up with tne backplate rather than the engine block itself. For these, you'll need some nuts and lockwashers. You may find that there's one hole in the backplate that doesn't mate up with the bellhousing -- not a big deal.

Be careful not to overtighten these bolts -- especially the ones that go into the threaded holes in the bellhousing. The bellhousing is made of aluminum, and you can easily strip out these threads. I made this mistake, and ended up having to undo all the bolts, pull the engine back out, and replace the bellhousing.

You may find it's easiest to tighten the top two bolts by lowering the transmission and tilting the engine back -- like was suggested to remove the gas engine. Only do this after all the other bolts are in and tightened.

Once all of the engine-to-bellhousing bolts are in, you can put in the engine mount bolts. I bolted the new rubber insulators to the engine mounting arms, before I lowered the engine in. The bolt holes in the insulators didn't quite align with the perches after I'd put the engine in -- I had to tap (okay, maybe "whack" is a more accurate word) the bottom plate of the insulator with a long bar and a hammer in order to get the holes to align and the bolts to go in.

Radiator and Fan

The 22RE radiator isn't beefy enough to handle the heat created by the L-series diesel engines. Additionally, the inlet/outlet flanges are on the wrong side. You can use a radiator from an early L/2L/2L-T -- these are fairly easy to get from a dismantler or junkyard. They will fit the radiator support in newer trucks without modification. It's also reported that the V6 radiator will work and has the inlet/outlet flanges in the right place.

In case you need to order a new radiator from Toyota:

Radiator16400-54250(UD)

If you have the stock fan and fan shroud, those will work fine. My engine came with a fan that had two blades broken off. I decided it would be easier to use a Perma-Cool electric fan and thermostat than to track down a replacement stock fan. The thermostat has a probe that goes inside the radiator inlet, and a knob to adjust the turn-on/turn-off temp. It's wired so that the thermostat triggers a relay that turns on the fan. The relay can also be triggered by the A/C so the fan is always on whenever the A/C is on.

An even better option is to track down an electric fan from a late-80's, early-90's Ford Taurus with the 3.8L V6. This is a two speed electric fan with integrated fan shroud. The shroud can be trimmed to fit the Toyota diesel radiator perfectly, and probably provides better cooling than a generic electric fan with no shroud. Some pictures are here:

Ford Taurus electric fan/shroud

You can use standard radiator hose from your local auto parts store to connect the radiator inlet/outlet flanges to the engine. You'll also need some smaller diameter radiator hose to connect the heater core lines to the heater hoses coming from the firewall.

Wiring -- Critical Path Items

Wiring is relatively straightforward. Since the L-series engines are all mechanical (with the exception of the 2L-TE), there's relatively little that needs to be connected. Many of the connectors are the same between the 22RE and diesel engines.

On my truck, the existing alternator wiring harness had the same connector as the alternator on the 2LII-T. The alternator was on the other side of the engine though, so I had to splice in some additional wire to make the harness long enough to reach the new alternator location. Older 2L/2L-T engines have a different alternator connector I believe.

The diesel starter draws quite a bit more current than the gas one, so for battery cables, I used new 2 AWG cables from my local auto parts store. The positive cable needs to be long enough to go from the battery, around the back of the engine, to the terminal on the starter. I ran the negative cable from the battery straight down to a bolt on the engine mounting bracket. Toyota diesels came from the factory with two batteries, but that's probably only necessary if you live in a really cold climate. The second battery goes where the 22RE airbox is.

The diesel starter solenoid also draws quite a bit more current than the gas one. Enough that it will burn out the starter relay that's installed in gas trucks. I used a secondary 30 amp relay which I mounted under the hood, so the starter wire triggers this relay, which then turns on the starter solenoid.

The fuel cut solenoid is part of the fuel injection pump. When power goes to this solenoid, it opens, and fuel can pass. When power is removed, it closes and the engine stops. The harness for the fuel cut solenoid is right below the throttle linkage on the LH side of the engine. There are three wires. The red/black wire is for the fuel cut solenoid, and the two blue wires are for the RPM sensor (see next section). I connected the wire for the fuel cut solenoid to the +12V wire that used to go to the ignition coil.

Wiring -- Things That Can Wait

On my truck, the engine temp sensor had the same connector between the 22RE and 2LII-T. I needed to splice in some extra wire to make it reach. The engine temp sensor on the 2LII-T is located just below the coolant outlet elbow. It's the lower of the two sensors. I think the other one is a coolant level sensor, but there was no indicator for that on my truck, so I left it diesconnected.

Be careful with the oil pressure/warning sensors. Some Toyota engines have oil pressure sensors, and others have oil warning sensors. The connector is the same, so it's easy to mix up. The 2LII-T I got had an oil warning sensor (located on the RH side of the engine, just behind the alternator). I made the mistake of connecting my oil pressure gauge wire to it, which fried the gauge. This sensor is meant to be connected to an oil idiot light. The oil pressure sensor is a larger, bell-shaped object. If your diesel engine didn't come with one and your truck has an oil pressure gauge, you can install one. Just remove the small threaded plug on the RH side of the engine near the very back of the block. You can use the pressure sensor from the 22RE, or if you need to get a new one:

Oil pressure sender83520-35030 or 83520-55011(ND)

If your vehicle has a tachometer or A/C, you'll want to connect the RPM sensor. Unfortunately, the RPM signals generated by the gas and diesel engines are not the same. There are two options -- the first is to install a kit that produces a gas-type RPM signal:

Dakota Digital tachometer signal generator

This kit requires you to drill and tap a hole in the bellhousing and install a flywheel gear-tooth sensor.

The other option (which I prefer) is to use the existing diesel RPM sensor, and swap out the tachometer and A/C computer for the factory diesel ones. This option is easier to install, the tachometer will have the redline in the right place, and it's cheaper -- especially if your truck has only a tach and no A/C, or vice versa. The downside is that the diesel tach and A/C computer will have to come from overseas. If you decide to go this route, find the two blue wires coming from the same connector as the fuel cut solenoid. The solid blue wire gets connected to ground, and the blue/white wire goes to the RPM signal wire that used to go to the ignition coil. It's a solid black wire right next to the +12V wire that you connected to the fuel cut solenoid. Swapping the tachometer is easy. Just remove the instrument cluster, unscrew the three screws that hold in the tachometer, and put the diesel one back in. An overseas Toyota dismantler is probably the best source for a diesel tach. Make sure to send them a picture of your current gas tach so they can send you the right one.

Diesel tachometer (1989-1991)83242-89514(UF)
Diesel tachometer (1992-1995)83242-35120

A number of different glow plug systems were used on factory Toyota diesels. Many have a "super glow" system with a small computer and two relays. In these systems, 6V or 7V glow plugs are installed in the engine. The computer triggers one relay to send a full 12V to the glow plugs for just a second, and then triggers the other relay to send 6 or 7 V through a resistor, until a sensor in the engine block is warm. The glow computer is hard to find, and also prone to failure. Many people (including me) just rig up a "push to glow" button. I installed a momentary push button switch in the dash right below the emergency blinker switch. This goes to a relay under the hood, which sends current to the glow plugs via a big resistor that's mounted to the bottom of the intake manifold. Some people get rid of the resistor and replace the 6/7V glow plugs with newer 12V plugs. Don't run the 6/7V plugs without the resistor though -- you'll quickly fry them.

Vacuum System

A few subsystems operate from vacuum. On the gas engine, the intake side of the engine provides the source of vaccum. On the diesel engine, the vacuum is generated by a pump mounted to the front of the alternator (back of the alternator for older 1st gen. L-series). There are two fittings on the pump. The larger fitting goes to the brake booster, up high on the LH side of the firewall. I used a length of appropriate diameter fuel line for this. The smaller fitting goes to all of the other vacuum-operated components via a series of hose tees. On my truck, those included: ADD (automatic disconnecting differential), cruise control, A/C idle-up, and engine shutdown butterfly valve (more on those last two later). The now-removed EGR system provided enough spare tees and vaccuum hose to connect all of those up.

Intake

If you got a half cut, or happen to have the original diesel intake, you're all set -- you can just use that. Otherwise, you'll have to come up with something yourself. The simplest intake is just to stick a K&N cone-type filter on the turbo inlet, like in this photo:

Photo of simple intake

That solution will certainly give you lots of air flow, but there are a few reasons why you might want to consider an intake that's closer to the stock setup.

1) While a K&N cone filter definitely lets lots of air through, it also lets lots of dirt through, which is not good for the long-term health of your engine.
2) It will be noisy -- maybe good, maybe bad, depending on your preference.
3) If you have A/C, you'll need to build at least a short intake pipe/elbow to keep the filter from hitting the A/C compressor.
4) The intake will be pulling hot air from under the hood, rather than cold outside air, which will reduce performance.

I ended up leaving the 22RE airbox in place, and building an intake out of 2-inch ABS pipe elbows to go between the turbo inlet and the airbox. The engine gets cold, outside air, and I can use the standard OEM paper filter elements for the 22RE which are easy to find.

Photo of intake made from ABS pipe elbows

In that photo, I have the PCV port on the valve cover plumbed into a fitting on the airbox with a length of red rubber hose. After a few thousand miles, I noticed that a bit of oil was collecting in the airbox and the dip in the intake pipe. I drilled a hole in the intake pipe close to the turbo inlet, installed a brass hose barb, and rerouted the PCV to there. Now any blowby goes straight into the turbo inlet rather than through the whole intake.

Exhaust

The exhaust on the L-series engines is on the opposite side from the 22RE, so most likely you'll need to get a new exhaust made. I had this done at a local muffler shop after everything else was finished. At first I had just a straight pipe with no muffler, but eventually decided that was too loud and had them put a muffler in.

Power Steering

If you've relocated the power steering pump over to the RH side of the engine, you'll need longer pressure and return hoses. For the return hose, I just used a length of heater hose. For the pressure hose, I took the one from the 22RE to a hydraulic hose shop. They cut the aluminum pipe and fittings off the ends, and crimped on a 4 ft section of hydraulic hose.

If you're using an engine from a RHD vehicle, and have left the power steering pump on the LH side, you may be able to use the 22RE P/S pressure and return hoses without modification.

Intake Butterfly Valve

You may notice that the engine shutdown is pretty rough. There's an olive green actuator mounted on the intake manifold that operates a butterfly valve in the intake. The default position is for the butterfly valve to be open -- it closes when vacuum is applied to the port on the side of the actuator. This mechanism helps the engine shut down smoothly. To get it working, you'll need to connect one of the VSVs that you saved from the EGR system. Connect two of the three ports on the VSV so that when power is applied, it's closed (no air/vacuum can pass), and when no power is applied, it's open (air/vacuum can pass). On the electrical side, connect one terminal to ground, and the other to the same +12V wire where the fuel cut solenoid is connected.

Now when the ignition is on, the VSV is closed, no vacuum goes to the actuator, and the intake buttefly valve is open. As soon as you turn off the ignition, the VSV opens, vacuum goes to the actuator, the butterfly valve closes, and the engine shuts down smoothly.

Air Conditioning

Getting the air conditioning working was not trivial for me. It broke down into five challenges:

Compressor: My engine did not come with an A/C compressor. It looks at first like the compressor from the 22RE will fit. It does bolt on to the compressor bracket okay, but the pulley shaft on the 22RE compressor is shorter, so the pulley doesn't line up with the crank pulley. I was able to get a compressor from someone else doing a conversion who didn't need it.

Piping: The A/C compressor sits in a somewhat different location on the L-series engines than it does on the 22RE. The manifold for the refrigerant inlet/outlet pipes will bolt up to the L-series compressor, but due to its different location, the bends in the pipes stick up too far and hit the hood. I had a local A/C shop cut the pipes off the compressor manifold and re-weld them at a different angle so they don't hit anything on their route back toward the firewall. They also changed the seals and A/C dryer to convert the system from R-22 to R-134a.

A/C computer: Under the dash, mounted to the top of the A/C condenser box is a little circuit board. This little board is responsible for cycling the compressor on and off so that the condenser doesn't get too cold and ice up. It has quite a few inputs: A/C and fan speed switches on the dash, condenser temp sensor, and tach signal from the engine. Since the gas and diesel engines have different tach signals, they also have different A/C computers. The tach signal is a variable voltage, so it's not trivial to fake it, and the A/C computer won't turn on the compressor without it. A quick and dirty hack is to wire the A/C switch on the dash directly to the compressor via a relay. If you do this, you'll have to manually cycle the A/C on and off to keep the condenser from icing up. I tried this method first, but in the end I gave in and ordered a diesel A/C computer from a wrecker in Australia. The A/C systems and computers did change over the years, so if you go this route, get a diesel A/C computer that is from the same year (or close) as the vehicle you are swapping into. I've heard one story of someone who put an earlier computer into a later truck and fried the computer.

Idle-up: This mechanism increases the idle speed of the engine when the compressor is on. On the mechanically injected L-series engines, there's a vaccuum-activated mechanism on the back of the injection pump. I mounted a vacuum switching valve near the injection pump, connected the vaccuum line to one side, and the other side to the idle-up mechanism. I connected the electrical contact to ground and to the compressor turn-on wire, so that the VSV is open when the compressor is on. There are some screws on the idle-up mechanism to adjust how much the idle increases when the idle-up is activated.

Fan: If you've done an electric fan conversion, you should wire the fan to turn on when the compressor is on. Otherwise there won't be any air moving through the A/C radiator when the vehicle is stopped. I wired my fan relay so that it can be activated by either the fan thermostat or the A/C compressor turn-on wire. That way when the compressor turns on, the radiator fan also turns on. However, this has an undesired side effect: when the thermostat turns on the fan, it also turns on the A/C compressor. To solve this, I used a 1N2222 diode wired so that the compressor turn-on wire activates the fan relay, but the thermostat does not turn on the compressor.

Other Diesel Conversions

Diesel ToyzProfessionally done Toyota diesel conversions
Toyota TercelUsing Toyota 1N-T engine
Rover HybridsProfessionally done Range Rover diesel conversions
1993 Jeep Grand CherokeeUsing Isuzu NKR truck engine
Changzuki1-cyl Changfa diesel swap into Suzuki motorcycle
Royal EnfieldUsing 1-cyl Yanmar clone engine
Suzuki SamuraiUsing VW TDI engine

Resources

Forums to ask questions and get help

ToyotaDiesel Forums Online forum for Toyota diesel enthusiasts
Toyota Surf Australia Forums Site for Australian Toyota Surf owners -- lots of diesel know-how
UK Hilux/Surf FormsUK forums for Toyota Hilux and Surf owners

Sources for Toyota diesel engines

Reseda Engines818-349-7472Ask for Danny
Jarco, Inc. 770-479-4948Importer of Hilux/Surf and other Toyota half cuts
ASAP Motors 888-221-1440Sometimes gets Toyota diesels in stock

Toyota diesel engines also show up on eBay from time to time

Sources for Toyota diesel parts

ToyotaPartSales.com Online parts retailer with part number search. Better prices than your local dealer.
PartsVoice Search by part number and find out which dealers in your area have it in stock.
Car-Part.com Search junkyards nationwide for parts by model/description.
CruiserParts.net Mostly Land Cruiser parts, but a good source for Wx2L bellhousings.
4x4 Parts Australia Toyota 4x4 dismantler in Australia. Very helpful for finding used diesel parts.
Japarts When all else fails. As they say on their web site, "If it's available in Japan, we can get it in 10 days."