I'm ready to swap a 5.3 vortec into my Jeep Scrambler, but I'm still considering a diesel engine and make it a biodiesel Jeep. Has anyone heard of the 4.5 being offered as a potential crate motor? This would be the perfect setup for me.

i can see the 4.5 becoming popular with its smaller size and projected power. if i had something to put it in i would.

I was JUST thinking the same thing ;)

I doubt I'd do it, but this would be an AWSOME swap into a Jeep. Hell I'd LOVE the motor and tranny too. a 6 speed, with a decent 1st, and 2 OVERDRIVE GEARS. this would be my dream swap in front of a D300 with a 4 to 1 gear swap

I'm thinking very strongly of yanking the 350 vortec out of my 96 z71 and putting a duramax in there! Maybe i should go with the 6.6 though...

It's still a while out even for production...would be an awesome setup.

true 'dat

If they did offer a 4.5L crate motor, It would be full of electronics, which in my book would be Lame! If you want something cool to put in your jeep, put in a 3.9L cummins with inline injection pump. Now that is a REAL motor!

If they did offer a 4.5L crate motor, It would be full of electronics, which in my book would be Lame! If you want something cool to put in your jeep, put in a 3.9L cummins with inline injection pump. Now that is a REAL motor!

Are you on crack?

You would have EFI Live to delete all of the codes petaining to everything that you weren't using on the motor. Then you could tune it for the hp you wanted out of the motor from the start. It would be insane.

If they did offer a 4.5L crate motor, It would be full of electronics, which in my book would be Lame! If you want something cool to put in your jeep, put in a 3.9L cummins with inline injection pump. Now that is a REAL motor!


Slightly OT, but how do you know what bell housing pattern fits up to what engine and transmission?

I would like to put a small 3cyl diesel into a small car like a pinto or maverick.

jb

Are you on crack?

You would have EFI Live to delete all of the codes petaining to everything that you weren't using on the motor. Then you could tune it for the hp you wanted out of the motor from the start. It would be insane.
Hell Yeah!! That's exactly what I'm talking about.

I sure hope with the sudden hike in fuel prices it doesn't kill the production of this new powerplant.

If its good on Fuel like they say it is it shouldnt kill it. It will sell better than a gas I think.

I sure hope with the sudden hike in fuel prices it doesn't kill the production of this new powerplant.
With these fuel prices, it is time to start gearing up for bio-diesel. I already have an '08 LMM that I'm planning on making smell like french fries. With my Jeep, I would like to do the same thing, if I had the right motor, particulary a strong diesel that is about the size of a 350.

yea id even think about keeping my '98 Dodge Durango with the 5.9L V8 in it. thing sucks down so much gas. but i guess since it is a goat i should stick with the cummins.

If they did offer a 4.5L crate motor, It would be full of electronics, which in my book would be Lame! If you want something cool to put in your jeep, put in a 3.9L cummins with inline injection pump. Now that is a REAL motor!

So why is it a real engine?? Because it is an inline, or because it is a cummins? Electroicn control is the way to go, and will not be going back to the old ways.

I say go for it. Its kinda like building a hot rod, wanting to use a new gen enigne, like a 5.3, and then ditching the EFI in favour of a carb, a HUGE step back with tons to loose and nothing to gain.

JMHO.

x2 on that

So why is it a real engine?? Because it is an inline, or because it is a cummins?
Yes, and yes. Durability is much better on an inline engine, the parts are more heavy duty in a Cummins - and electronics are great as long as the engine is under a full warranty - but once that warranty is up, that high tech engine is a serious liability. They make for a maintenance nightmare.

Electroicn control is the way to go, and will not be going back to the old ways.
Sadly, that is true - at least the second part. On the brighter side, those older engines can last a long, long time. I'm hoping I never have to touch one of those electronic rats-nest vehicles - ever!

I say go for it. Its kinda like building a hot rod, wanting to use a new gen enigne, like a 5.3, and then ditching the EFI in favour of a carb, a HUGE step back with tons to loose and nothing to gain.
I'm sure the 4.5 will be a nice, compact package and fit in engine bays much easier than a 4BT. Beefed up nicely, it would be a nice change for an old, classic car. If the 4.5 can be set up for biodiesel, so much the better.

I really don't see how electronics hurt the durability of these vehicles. I see very few mice chewing on the wiring, and with a little extra dielectric grease, some added wire ties and maybe some slight wire rerouting so things don't get pinched, I wouldn't be scared to use an EFI engine in a mud bog.

Heck my atv has tons of electronics on it. 4x4, diff lock, reverse overide, speed sensors, EFI (on new models), rev limiters, brake lights, headlights, tail lights, digital display, gear indictors, etc etc. Have I had electronic problems? Yes. Were they easy to fix? So far, YES! I have no need to go back to mechanical anything. The more electronics, the better I can tune it and control it. I am waiting on a fully electronic valve that is completely controlled by the computer so I can have all of the benefits of a small cam and a big cam combined. :D

I really don't see how electronics hurt the durability of these vehicles.
Me either - but that's a different issue, isn't it? My statement was that durability is better in an inline engine. You have more main bearings to spread out the load. Durability in a Cummins is pretty good - take a look at manufacturer's durability ratings on one vs a Duramax. The average projected lifespan (before a rebuild) is almost double on the Cummins. The individual parts on a Cummins are seriously over-engineered.

I see very few mice chewing on the wiring, and with a little extra dielectric grease, some added wire ties and maybe some slight wire rerouting so things don't get pinched, I wouldn't be scared to use an EFI engine in a mud bog.
It's not the wiring as much as the individual components failing. All of them have a mean time before failure and when things start going, diagnosis and replacement is a bit of a pain. Mechanical systems allow you to limp home by getting things "close enough". Electronic control usually means things work, or don't. There is no "close enough". You have all of the problems of possible mechanical failure as well as the potential for electronic failure.

When things are working well, an electronic system is great. When you start having to pay for diagnosis and replacement of parts - most folks get sick of it very quickly and trade it in. That makes for a lot of expensive, lightly used junk.

The more electronics, the better I can tune it and control it. I am waiting on a fully electronic valve that is completely controlled by the computer so I can have all of the benefits of a small cam and a big cam combined. :D
And search for the problems and fix them... At least while the parts are still made. No thanks. I'll take the big cam and live with it.

In Petersen's 4Wheel & Off-Road magazine they did a story on a diesel engine swap. Some engineers realized that the 2.8 I-4 diesel engines being built for the Egyptian military could aslo be a great small diesel crate engine. They said it would perform better than the diesel engine in the '03-'05 Jeep Liberty. They swapped it out the military vehicle and put it in an '05 TJ Unlimited.
The engineers are try to see if the effort would be worth it. An estimate of $7500 would be for the crate engine and $11000 for a whole kit and the kit would include everything from fuel and cooling sytems down to the clutch and flywheel bolts. ( Hemi crate engines are $8000-$11000)

good info gonna have to look into that. is that engine kinda like the 4bt?

Speaking to the small diesel in a small car concept... You know those refrigerated trailers? Most use a small 3-cyl non-turbo diesel. I've always wanted to make some kind of absurd go-kart or lawn mower out of one. With a stack. And a flapper on the end of it. And some kind of stupid-big air filter.

If they did offer a 4.5L crate motor, It would be full of electronics, which in my book would be Lame! If you want something cool to put in your jeep, put in a 3.9L cummins with inline injection pump. Now that is a REAL motor!

I've got a '52 Willys P/U with a factory dump bed, I've been dying to drop a 4bt (Cummins 3.9l 4 Banger) but now I'm waiting to see about this new Baby DMax. That and I'm waiting for... What do you call it? :rolleyes: Oh yeah, some spare time!