Hey guys,

Been lurking in this forum for awhile, with no specific project, just an interest in cheap, slow turning torque motors! I once owned a big 1 ton Chevy 4x4 (2+2) truck with the 6.2L and loved it. I bought the truck for $400 dollars, did a little work to it, coaxed it to life and drove the pi** out of it. It was a monster and I'm constantly looking at how to get one back again.

I now have a new project to consider: Converting a 1992 80 Series Toyota Land cruiser from the 6 cylinder gasser motor to the 6.2L out of a ex-military truck from auction. There is a definite project budget for me to work within, and it's not generous! I am considering adding a home-brew turbo with intercooler to the conversion, just to keep it complicated.

There's a company out of Australia making an adaptor to fit the 6.2L to the Land Cruiser. So fitting the motor to the truck is handled by opening the wallet and buying globally.

This will be my only "spend big to get-er-done" parts sourcing. I want to go home-brew (CHEEP) the rest of the way.

I tried searching the 6.2L section without success, looking for any threads regarding Toyota Land Cruisers and/or exhaust manifold comparisons.

I'm looking for other experiences illuminating a low cost installation configuration: converting to 12v, turbo selection, exhaust manifold selection, pipe routing, accessory and mounting configuration, A/C addition, and any other details that you can think of to guide me.

I have found another Toyota specific resource, a forum called IH8MUD. There's a few tidbits there, but I am hoping you guys can post some links in reply.

Thanks to all, I look forward to your replies.

Rick

Get it in first! Then turn up the IP. The military motor is a J code, so that's a good start.
After that, look for the turbo set up from a 6.5. I got mine for $200 including turbo, intake manifolds, exhaust manifolds, oil lines, and full 3" exhaust. They are hanging on my wall until the truck is fully functioning. Then they are the next step.

Converting to 12V is pretty easy if you can strip wire. do a Google search and you will find a detailed description from Michigan (DNR I think). The only thing I bought was a 12v starter. ($20 at local junkyard). The rest was re-routing wires and removing one of the alternators.

Get it in first! Then turn up the IP. The military motor is a J code, so that's a good start.
After that, look for the turbo set up from a 6.5. I got mine for $200 including turbo, intake manifolds, exhaust manifolds, oil lines, and full 3" exhaust. They are hanging on my wall until the truck is fully functioning. Then they are the next step.filok5, My budget concern has me planning the conversion and turbo install all at once to save time and money by building the intake tract and exhaust only once. In addition, I prefer to build the motor on the engine stand (fit the 6.5L manifolds and turbo) before installation, verses working over the fenders. I am getting old and creaky in my advanced years!

Your idea regarding the 6.5L turbo "kit" is a good one. Where did you score that?

Converting to 12V is pretty easy if you can strip wire. do a Google search and you will find a detailed description from Michigan (DNR I think). The only thing I bought was a 12v starter. ($20 at local junkyard). The rest was re-routing wires and removing one of the alternators. Oh yeah, I did find and save that article. I was surfing another, ahem, military truck forum and spotted it! Thanks!

Rick

think you could get kit from advanceadapters or others for sb/bb chevy conversion. was another write up on FJ with 6.2.

You should go with the 6.5 turbo setup. I got the one on my truck for 300 bucks. You should put a gear drive timing set and a stud girdle in it to increase your reliability. Flowmaster makes a crossover and a downpipe for 150 for each if i remember right.

think you could get kit from advanceadapters or others for sb/bb chevy conversion. was another write up on FJ with 6.2.

Keith, thanks, I found a thread by "Iaintscared". He was doing some "over the fender" work of changing the drive belt system and accessories, and cleaning up someones wiring.
Like many threads, the final details and a summation did not get reported, so I am still seeking info on what makes an optimal install into the Land Cruiser 80 series.

Cheers!

Rick

You should go with the 6.5 turbo setup. I got the one on my truck for 300 bucks. You should put a gear drive timing set and a stud girdle in it to increase your reliability. Flowmaster makes a crossover and a downpipe for 150 for each if i remember right.

Ok, I gotta ask this, because I sometimes get a little lost. You guys mention so many things to improve the 6.2L that I get concerned. Lesse, we got:
1) 6.5 turbo and manifolds
2) Serpentine belt conversion
3) Bottom end trussing
4) Gear drive timing set

All these recommended improvements has me questioning my original plan to use the ex-military J motor. I currently have NO MOTOR and no money invested, so this is a great time to ask: Should I alter my plan and use the 6.5L?

I am considering that it is possible I will spend the same amount sourcing a used truck with the 6.5, as I would sourcing a military 6.2 and making the revisions.

Again, my project is more about overall costs than any alliance to the 6.2.

What are your thoughts?

Rick

Even if you use a 6.5 it would b very wise to girdle the bottem end. Timing gear set is a definate improvement over the factory chain. So yes...if you used a 6.5 you'd half the upgrade work. Good luck

I think that most if not all of the military engines had the timeing gear in them, as well as having the larger intake and exhaust manifolds.

I purchased one of the military pull outs and put it into my truck last year, was an excellent deal and the conversion to my truck was fairly easy.

They do not come with the serpentine belt set up so you will need to find all the parts for that.

The reason that there are so many of the military 6.2s avaialbale is that they are all upgrading to the extra power of the 6.5, so if you can find a 6.5 for about the same price as the 6.2 you may want to consider that.

Are there physical differences to the 6.2 and 6.5 oil pans? I recall reading somewhere that they are different.

Rick

I have some additional advice that could save you some money. Use a 700R4 and it's TC. You can weld up some brackets and modify linkage for free if you've got a welder, which I'm sure you do. No expensive adapter kit with specialized parts to break. If the axle drop is wrong you can probably find a TC that will bolt to the 700 and have the correct drop.

I have some additional advice that could save you some money. Use a 700R4 and it's TC. You can weld up some brackets and modify linkage for free if you've got a welder, which I'm sure you do. No expensive adapter kit with specialized parts to break. If the axle drop is wrong you can probably find a TC that will bolt to the 700 and have the correct drop.

That is an option.

I am of the current opinion that using an adapter provides surety to the project because then I know where the limits are with regards to modifications: No cross members, no linkage fabbing, no rewiring for the trans, no drive shaft mods and so on. It's hard to build on a budget when the process is open ended!

The Marks adapter looks pretty solid, so I have zero concerns about fragility. So I'll keep chugging down that path. However, if I come across a screaming deal on a drive train, well then.

Anyone have a word regarding the oil pan differences between the 6.2 and 6.5?
Rick

You can take a look at posts from this member,

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/member.php?u=69316

You can also get a lot of info from the same guy on his build on the following site:
http://forum.ih8mud.com/diesel-tech-24-volts-systems/184299-94-fzj80-6-2-conversion-begins.html

Good reading

You can take a look at posts from this member,

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/member.php?u=69316

You can also get a lot of info from the same guy on his build on the following site:
http://forum.ih8mud.com/diesel-tech-24-volts-systems/184299-94-fzj80-6-2-conversion-begins.html

Good reading

Not really good reading, especially when it comes to the horrible experience he had with the transmission. I'm sensitive to how clients of repair places are treated, as I was once a shop owner myself.

But the info gleaned from the read regarding aspects of the conversion has me considering going with the 6.5L. My current thought is that if I'm going to take a 6.2 and put on the 6.5L manifolds, turbo, serpentine system and A/C, I might as well look for a "drop in" used 6.5L.

This idea leaves my with 2 questions: What are the physical differences and where do I source a used one?

Rick

you can pickj up 6.5's and 6.2s from governmentliquidation.com
its an auction site that sells direct from the government surplus stuff. seen a whol shipping container full of crated 6.2's and 6.5's * coutn was something like 40 or so engines go for just over a grand

I installed a 6.2 with banks turbo, NV4500, and Toyota TC into my fj60. I decided to use a manual, but that was costly. The bellhousing, transfer case adapter, and drivelines were very expensive. My conversion cost was not cheap in any way. Another way to do this without a marks adapter will be to buy a diesel with auto transmission already attached, then buy the TC adapter.

You might be able to get away without buying new drivelines because this engine is a lot shorter than your 3fe

Torski,

I am in the middle of a similar swap (6.5 w/ATS turbo, nv4500,and LC tcase) into a 1993 FJ80. Would like to email you directly to get your input and learn from your experience. I will PM you with my email address.

Thanks,

Will

hard to say for adapters with these powertrains.


i sure as hell would not use any that are not easily made locally. i would agree with the 6.5 swap as it generally will have at least a serp setup.

t case drop is a non issue and a mild build 700 should be good for an auto and the nv4500 is a damn fine manual imo. selling off the original usable toy parts could potentially pay for the swap.

rchalmers3, are you still doing this swap? which direction did you go?

I work in a (American) military repair shop and as far as I've seen there is no difference between the 6.2 and 6.5 oil pans. Civilian ones might have changed in the later years. Another thing to think about is the computer controlled 6.5's. That would add another expense to your project.