82 gsl Diesel swapped

[12arotary]

I've been working on this a while. Some people hate it, some people like it, but everyone asks why :lol:

It's a 1982 GSL with a 2.2 4cyl Perkins diesel engine out of a mazda b2200 pick up truck that I had bought to fix my b2200's bad trans. The guy i bought the truck from made me buy the whole thing, because of that i then had a spare engine and with my gsl being engine-less at the time the two just went together. Aerodynamic rx7+ durable efficient diesel, seems like a pretty good combo and then add in free fuel and i couldn't say no
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/diesel2.jpg

This is the engine mated to a 12a trans, Mazda is awesome and the trans bellhousings engine side are the only difference- completely bolts together no modification.
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/diesel6.jpg

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/SAM_0376.jpg
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/Rx7-82006.jpg
Here's the car
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/Truck/SAM_0336.jpg
Engine mounts-
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/SAM_0379.jpg
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/Truck/SAM_0350.jpg
mounted in


Two tank veggie oil system using a 12 gallon fuel cell.
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/Truck/SAM_0236.jpg
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/Truck/SAM_0693.jpg
Diesel in the regular tank and this surge tank with float switch to keep air out of the lines.
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/Truck/SAM_0694.jpg

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/SAM_0470.jpg
S4 Turbo on, I'm sticking with stock s4 waste-gate spring that way i do not need any sort of boost fuel enrichment as simply turning up the injection pump a little bit does the trick. Since i will be running in surplus air my efficiency should go up a lot,
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/SAM_0497.jpg


This is as far as i am currently, I have a hood... that i cut a big hole into due to the height of the engine , a cowl will eventually go on because right now it just looks ridiculous I still have to install my fuel heat exchanger, plumb the intercooler and pipe, finish the exhaust and i'm good to go-

[djmtsu]

I'm sorry........


But that is AWESOME!

I only approve because it has Mazda bloodlines. If you stuck a diesel from something else, I would be upset.

And yes, come to DGRR. Our FB's look very similar, except for the powertrain of course!

[Jwteknix]

very cool

[FC Zach]

Saaaweeeeet!

[RotorDad]

Pretty damn cool man!

[12arotary]

Thanks for the complements!

[Prodigy]

Totally, totally Badass...


J.

[hoang5659]

got any pix or vids of it running? that is a sweet project man! good job!

[12arotary]

got any pix or vids of it running? that is a sweet project man! good job!



i've been busy but all i have left is plumbing the intercooler finishing the fuel heater and i should be good to go- I also have to figure out how exactly i go about getting a tach signal so i can use the stock tach... damn diesels and their lack of electrical use!

[88turboii]

thats awesome.. let me guess the wire you were holding was power to the glow plugs? haha

I like it a lot, it should get some great gas mileage! I love how diesels are a lot easier to tune than gassers.. there is just one rule: more fuel means more power.. until you melt the engine

i have an 83 300d too. the only problem is they are big an heavy, unlike your FB!

you have to bring it to deals gap

[12arotary]

yup thats the wire to the glow plugs, I've since wired that to a button. All i have to do now is wait for my new glow plugs and i should be good I had some issues with the old turbo

[Pete_89T2]

Nice work, and some innovative conversion engineering you have going on there! I assume you had to mod the filler neck on the stock FB tank to take a standard diesel fuel nozzle?

[12arotary]

The diesel nozzle really isn't that much bigger and should fit fine, i just can't fill up in the semi truck diesel lane

[fc3sfreak415]

i have to say im very impressed!!!

[Force13b]

:lol: I love it

[12arotary]

Thanks for the compliments!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQySJPEP0Rs first start

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmHcbYk6EQQ video now running!

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/Truck/SAM_1013.jpg





I made a video driving it around but it won't load onto youtube for some reason-
it runs and drives great i now have the intercooler pipping hooked up unlike in the video. I still have a few pretty major things to do like find a new rear as the final drive ratio isn't very good for 65mph on the highway top speed was around 80 but the engine was screaming, I think 3.90 rear is a little high i need to find a rear closer to 3.3- It also has more vibration at idle than i would like the rubber mounts i used aren't quite thick enough so should be a simple fix. It still needs glow plugs too i've been cold starting with a hair dryer :coolgleamA:


http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/Truck/SAM_1019.jpg
yes i do realize my hood is crazy I was bored and had extra spray paint and masking tape, it got out of hand :biggthumpup: luckily this is just the screw around stage i'm going to build a cowl and paint it

[12arotary]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSiqPDJIc4E On the road! :hurray:

[Monkman33]

wow. not going to lie, that's pretty cool. i like the fact that its all still mazda. :-)

[djmtsu]

This is great. I want to see it shred the tires with the diesel torque!!

Someone needs a windshield and dash cap :)

[12arotary]

This is great. I want to see it shred the tires with the diesel torque!!

Someone needs a windshield and dash cap :)


i'll fix the windshield when i have everything perfect so it doesn't get broken by the engine lift again haha

[Pele]

Interesting...

How's the acceleration and how's the weight of the Perkins compare to the 12A?
Considering a swap into a 2nd gen.

[12arotary]

Interesting...

How's the acceleration and how's the weight of the Perkins compare to the 12A?
Considering a swap into a 2nd gen.

acceleration is pretty good surprisingly and pulls a lot harder than the 12a did at a much lower rpm, i'm going to swap rear's to a 3.27 from the 3.90 to make it better on the highway, which will slow it down too. it enters boost at around 2k so right where i want it- I never weighed the engine its self but if i had to guess id say it was a good 100lbs heavier including the turbo, the suspension stayed level and you really don't feel the extra weight I like it though it feels like it should have come in this car in the first place which is always a good thing

plus if i didn't mention before, first 100 miles clocked in at 47mpg :lol:

[Pele]

^

Excellent... Looking at a later model Ranger's 2.3L Mitsubishi 4D55 engine coupled to a Turbo II transmission and running gear.

[12arotary]

A little update-
After a small mishap with the turbo return line getting clogged and blowing out the rear oil seal I picked up a new s4 turbo, corrected the problem and have driven it a few hundred miles since. Unfortunately I just don't like it. Strait line acceleration is the only descent thing about it. The gear ratio is all wrong. Turning feels awful since the engine sits way to high and due to the stock oil pan it can't go any lower without major mods. Without a new injection pump, injectors, and a basic engine overhaul (head gasket, valve seat, new springs) I'm pretty much at the max boost and fuel i can run. The engine just isn't worth the time and effort because the gains won't be that much more and there are better options out there already. That's where i'm starting over selecting my engine.
I figure i'll sell the whole set up and go with something from the mercedes line

[jecr]

A little update-
After a small mishap with the turbo return line getting clogged and blowing out the rear oil seal I picked up a new s4 turbo, corrected the problem and have driven it a few hundred miles since. Unfortunately I just don't like it. Strait line acceleration is the only descent thing about it. The gear ratio is all wrong. Turning feels awful since the engine sits way to high and due to the stock oil pan it can't go any lower without major mods. Without a new injection pump, injectors, and a basic engine overhaul (head gasket, valve seat, new springs) I'm pretty much at the max boost and fuel i can run. The engine just isn't worth the time and effort because the gains won't be that much more and there are better options out there already. That's where i'm starting over selecting my engine.
I figure i'll sell the whole set up and go with something from the mercedes line

Is it the handling your not happy with? Keep in mind a diesel engine is going to be a whole lot heavier which probably make the car understeer quite a bit. I bet a Mercedes diesel will be heavier.

[12arotary]

Is it the handling your not happy with? Keep in mind a diesel engine is going to be a whole lot heavier which probably make the car understeer quite a bit. I bet a Mercedes diesel will be heavier.

i expected sub-par handling but its way worse than it should be because the engine just sits to high. If i was to go dry sump it would drop 10 inches and because of the iron head it is extra top heavy.

probably just going back to rotary though and diesel swapping something else

[Raksj04]

I bet it would be better with a VW TDI engine.

[jecr]

12arotary are you in the union, ky area.

[12arotary]

tdi would make a great engine to swap but it's out of my price range.

jecr, north of dayton ohio

[Whizbang]

so any updates with this?

[12arotary]

so any updates with this?I yanked the engine out and am notching the oil pan as well as installing new mounts in an attempt to get the engine below the hood line, gonna try a smaller turbo and a better radiator set up. I'm rushing to finish before deals gap, hopefully this is the year I make it but we'll see

[12arotary]

engines back out

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/diesel7.jpg



I went a different route less harmful to the motor, notched the cradle.
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/cradle.jpg
still needs finished welding then getting new engine mounts, nice thick rubber

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/enginemockup.jpg

[12arotary]

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/dieselrx788.jpg

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/dieselrx789.jpg
just needs engine mounts

[Raksj04]

I bet it will handle better now.

[rotarycrazy]

you should have put a triangle gusset in the corners to stiffen it up a bit plus it would make it stronger with all the TQ that a diesel puts out would be cheap insurance to make sure that the weld dont crack just my .02 cents there. Nice work other than that.

[12arotary]

you should have put a triangle gusset in the corners to stiffen it up a bit plus it would make it stronger with all the TQ that a diesel puts out would be cheap insurance to make sure that the weld dont crack just my .02 cents there. Nice work other than that.

i was going to do that but the clearance is too close where the oil filter sits, so instead i did a square on the bottom outside (the reason the base overhangs an inch on each side- can't really see it in the pics, hoping it acts the same way but we shall see-

[rotarycrazy]

gotcha its hard to tell form the pic on the clearances you have going on. I would just make sure to watch it that it doesnt crack.

[12arotary]

gotcha its hard to tell form the pic on the clearances you have going on. I would just make sure to watch it that it doesnt crack.

well now i'm a little worried lol- better to reinforce it now while the engine is easily removable, do you think adding triangles on the back side would be as strong as in the middle? I can't fit anything into the actual space but might be able to squeeze them in behind

[rotarycrazy]

yeah it should work fine, it would just have more weld area to hold it in place I mean you see what going on in there better than I can just find a spot that works and weld it in there.

[Pettersen]

AWESOME!

I would love having a diesel as a backup engine in my fc for when the rotary needs repairs/ winter season.

[dr1vn]

very nice ! im looking foward to finished post and tell us how it handles along with fuel ecomony .. / take that thing on a road trip and show it off !! you ll stun car show crowds !! ..... mentioning the mazda bloodlines will be plus// who knows you might get asked to make kits

[12arotary]

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/turbo23.jpg

the new turbo, flanges are getting made this week


http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/hoodfits.jpg

Its hard to tell but the engine is about 1cm below the hood line so the stock hood can now close and i won't have to drive around with a large hole anymore :hurray:

[12arotary]

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/flanges.jpg

flanges for the new turbo manifold

[djmtsu]

Sweet. Looking better and better!

[general7]

Haha! That is pure awesome! Can't imagine what people think when an RX-7 comes blazing through smelling diesel!

[StephenSheppard]

This is a super cool build thread man. I'm glad the engine is much lower now. At first i was like meh, then i was like now it just got cool.

[85turbo12a]

i wanna ride in it!! that would just be the coolest thing to take to DGRR and run the whole weekend without putting fuel in it :D

i like the build man, i have mulled over a TDI FB myself as a daily driver that isnt FWD and stupid, but has style and kick ass mpg

[12arotary]

After taking a very long extended stay in the garage I have finally made progress toward getting this project finished and on the road.
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/dieselrx7-1.jpg (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/26brotary/media/dieselrx7-1.jpg.html)

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/dieselrx7-2-2.jpg (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/26brotary/media/dieselrx7-2-2.jpg.html)

sizing up a radiator and intercooler
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/dieselrx7-3.jpg (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/26brotary/media/dieselrx7-3.jpg.html)

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/dieselrx7-4.jpg (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/26brotary/media/dieselrx7-4.jpg.html)
new mounts before going at them with the angle grinder

Best part, in combo with the new engine mounts and notched sub frame the hood closes with the engine inside!
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/dieselrx7-5.jpg (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/26brotary/media/dieselrx7-5.jpg.html)

[12arotary]

hoping to have it out for testing with the new turbo by the end of the month!

[GySgtFrank]

Good deal. I was beginning to think you'd given up on it.

[85turbo12a]

:lurk5:

[12arotary]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z61LPm2Ggzs Running with the new mounts.

[Whizbang]

woo! i was curious what had happened to this thing.

[12arotary]

Did some work this weekend, after almost four years of mostly sitting in my garage the diesel is ready for road testing.
engine out again due to a bad oil pan seal-
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/diesel7-3.jpg (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/26brotary/media/diesel7-3.jpg.html)

Back together

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/diesel7-9.jpg (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/26brotary/media/diesel7-9.jpg.html)


http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/diesel7-7.jpg (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/26brotary/media/diesel7-7.jpg.html)

the old hood, no more hole needed!
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/diesel7-6.jpg (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/26brotary/media/diesel7-6.jpg.html)


12 gallon plastic fuel cell has replaced the stock tank, I'll be running 100% biodiesel all the time and a rusty old gas tank would get eaten up pretty fast

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/diesel7-8.jpg (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/26brotary/media/diesel7-8.jpg.html)


http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/diesel7-1.jpg (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/26brotary/media/diesel7-1.jpg.html)

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/diesel7-4.jpg (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/26brotary/media/diesel7-4.jpg.html)


I wanted to simplify things and get some miles on this before the next upgrade so It will be run NA for a while. next step is eventually adding the turbo back on and running a hybrid propane biodiesel mix.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVZZVnI9l3c

[Whizbang]

needs more turbo!

[GySgtFrank]

needs more turbo!

:smilielol5:

[12arotary]

needs more turbo!

i'll get right on that!

[12arotary]

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/dieselfb-33.jpg (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/26brotary/media/dieselfb-33.jpg.html)


It has become the daily driver. mid 40s mpg and not all that slow.
new exhaust will come with the turbo for now its a sidepipe

[12arotary]

needs more turbo!

Now with more boost, much faster and smoother at highway speeds

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/dieselturbo1.jpg (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/26brotary/media/dieselturbo1.jpg.html)


First under boost drive.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIywB0pU7V4

[chibikougan]

Vids of full pull!

[12arotary]

Vids of full pull!

when I say much faster its still pretty slow, 11-12 second 0-60



Pretty much the end of the main project. I just put the 1,000 mile on the rx7 and its running better than ever, clocking about 40mpg mostly city. took practically four years from this


http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/SAM_0376.jpg (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/26brotary/media/SAM_0376.jpg.html)


to this


http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/26brotary/turbodieselrx1.jpg (http://s99.photobucket.com/user/26brotary/media/turbodieselrx1.jpg.html)

[12arotary]

I brought this with me last year during my move to Oregon and have been daily driving it for about 9000 miles now. Its surprisingly a lot of fun. I'm running about 12psi and it spools pretty fast. 0-60 is down to a solid 10second but it tops out around 90mph, its still a slow diesel. I get about 400-430 miles on each tank (10 gallon) so the fuel economy is fantastic.
it started non-turbo @59hp, I can't wait to get it get it on a dyno and see if I made it to 100hp yet :driving:

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q130/20brotary/IMG_0661.jpg (http://s135.photobucket.com/user/20brotary/media/IMG_0661.jpg.html)

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q130/20brotary/FullSizeRender.jpg (http://s135.photobucket.com/user/20brotary/media/FullSizeRender.jpg.html)

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q130/20brotary/IMG_0659.jpg (http://s135.photobucket.com/user/20brotary/media/IMG_0659.jpg.html)

[Whizbang]

i still find myself liking this project. Ive eyed the om602 but id likely just keep in in the w201 body.

[12arotary]

i still find myself liking this project. Ive eyed the om602 but id likely just keep in in the w201 body.

I'd like to see someone do that, or a 603 with a huge turbo! I originally floated the idea of a 617 when i had an extra laying around but they are very tall and significantly heavier than the engine i used, which barely fits even with the 6 inch notch out of the subframe.

[Whizbang]

i have a om603 w124 daily, and for what its worth, the om606 is superior. I dont think we really got the om605 here....

[12arotary]

I've finally worked out all the kinks in this project and wanted to see what it could handle so I took it on a 900mile camping trip with a friend of mine out to eastern Oregon and northern Nevada. It made it without incident over the snow covered cascades and reached a max elevation of 6800ft!
I'm running studded snow tires so it handled the snow packed mountain roads with ease.

Averaged 38mpg :rofl:

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q130/20brotary/DSC_0370.jpg (http://s135.photobucket.com/user/20brotary/media/DSC_0370.jpg.html)

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q130/20brotary/DSC_0393.jpg (http://s135.photobucket.com/user/20brotary/media/DSC_0393.jpg.html)

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q130/20brotary/DSC_0375%201.jpg (http://s135.photobucket.com/user/20brotary/media/DSC_0375%201.jpg.html)

[speedjunkie]

Damn that's cool lol. Gotta love that MPG.

[12arotary]

8 years later it still runs and I’m still basically daily driving it. I’ve put about 40,000 miles on it thus far with no major breakdowns after about the 2000 mile mark. I keep thinking I should swap in something else but this thing is just indestructible. The only weakness is temps below 20 degrees.

[FC Zach]

MAN! I forgot all about this project! Good to hear it's still going strong.