2003mikem

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My OM617 inside build page.

My plans are in the starting stage.

I am going to be putting a OM617 turbo in to my 1985 4unnner SR5 4X4

Some specs

4” Pro comp lift all 4 leafs.
Stock diffs for now
5.29s in the shop waiting for the funds t purchase a Detroit for the back and a trutrac for the front..
22re
G52 as of now but I have the stock W56 to put back in.
My basic use for the truck is FUN

I plow snow with it.
I tow it behind my motor home in the summer when my family and I go camping.

And a few times a year I go trail riding rock claiming not hard core but more than a stocker with a locker

I plan on buying the adapter kit from 4X4 labs.


A few questions for the people who have done this

Is there a better year than another to look for in a donor MB ?
I would like a turbo.

I also might only be able to find the OM617 at a pick and pull.
If this is the case what do I need to look for to find a good one ?

I am guessing that this will be about a year in the making.

I want to have the OM617 coupled to the W56 and -tcase in my garage and running out of the truck with all accessories hooked up to insure that I will not have issues one in place.


Also I have read a body lift is needed ? can someone please specify as to why ?

pyrojoe22

Hey, sorry I missed your thread till now. You can follow Dmarsh, PowerstrokeJoe, and my thread's to help you out. We all just started ours recently.

-Best year is 83-84 OM617.951 or 617.952. Try get one that isn't California emissions equipped. Get a stock turbo engine, as the non-turbo's can't handle a turbo being put on them. I got my engine at pick-n-pull, the other 2 guys got the whole car, which would be best, but there aren't any around here (NE Kansas, SE Nebraska). When you take the engine out, make sure to get as many of the hoses as you can, and if possible, get the radiator and oil cooler and leave the hoses attached (one of my mistakes). Also, get the black box on the driver's side fender. It's the glow plug control box. Some people use this, and some people use a Ford starter relay. I'd like to have my plugs automatically turn on and off, so I don't have to worry about people frying my plugs. I believe there's also a vacuum switch on the firewall that you'll want to get. I bought the 1-year warranty no-questions-asked so that if any engine parts fail, I can go to PnP and get new parts for a year.

-With Luke's kit from 4x4labs, you'll probably find the swap easier than some. It will bolt right up to your tranny. You'll want to use the W56 as the G series trannies will blow up behind this engine.

-Regarding the body lift, the more you have, the easier the swap will be. I have a 1" and PSJoe has a custom 4". Many people say over 3" is unsafe for the trail, and even more people will tell you to stay away from them altogether. The body lift will simply give you more room under the hood. It will help the valve cover clear the hood. I saw a 1st gen truck w/o a BL that had to notch his hood out a lot. I'm hoping that with my 1" I won't have to, but if I do, I'd like to just put a hood scoop over the hole. I think 2" is the safe way to go, but some modifications may have to be made to the truck, such as fuel filler neck tubing, shifters, steering shaft, etc.

-Pro Comp leaves seem to have a bad reputation from what I've heard. I hear that they're soft and they squat not long after you install them. I personally went with Trail Gear's 5" heavy duty springs with an increased spring rating (280 lb/in IIRC). They sell 3, 4, and 5" springs in standard and heavy duty. And if you plow snow, you're gonna want all the spring rate you can get to hold your front end up. This engine isn't heavy compare to other diesel's, but it's much heavier than the 22R/RE. Edit: One other thing I just thought of, is that your truck is an '85. Are you not moving the axle forward? You may run into steering/oil pan issues. Look at Truckman's thread and see what he did.

-Gears. There's much debate as to what's best. Depends on your driving, mostly. If it's a highway driver, then gear low, and if it's a crawler, gear high. I'm running 4.88's with 37's. I compared every set up I could find online in my thread that you can look at. You never specified your tire size so I can't tell you if 5.29's are right, but unless you're running 37's, that's going to be too low.

Feel free to ask more questions. I'll try to help as best I can since all this info is fresh in my head.

2003mikem

iTrader: (1)

I will be going to look at complete OM617 engine assembly later this week.

It is out of the car.

It has the oil cooler and turbo basic assembly with P.S. pump and alternator.

My question is what should I look for?

And how can I test the compression.

The seller said he can start it so I can hear it run..

Asking price is $600.00

pyrojoe22

You should probably get an opinion from someone else, but $600 I think is really high for just the engine. Mine was $150 at Pick N Pull, but I have also added $500 of parts to it (head gasket, timing chain, all mandatory maintenance things). Just google OM617 compression test. That's one of the main things you need to do if it's running. Look for blow-by. Unscrew the oil fill cap and lay in on the valve cover while the engine is running. If you have excessive blow-by, the cap will rattle around on the valve cover. Youtube search it. Some with really bad blow-by will shoot the cap off the valve cover.

2003mikem

iTrader: (1)

It is hard to find them here. Unless you want to spend 2500 and up for a hole car.

Pick and pulls want 500 plus with nothing attached if they even have one

pyrojoe22

Sorry, forgot to mention one key fact. I got my engine on Labor Day with HALF OFF ALL PRICES at PnP. They have this sale twice a year that I know of, Mermorial Day and Labor Day. You can look that up. I don't know if you can wait till May to get it. But go do a compression test on this one and if it's good then great, you'll know you have a solid working engine!

89lc

Since this is my first post, here are my credentials.

86 4runner, OM617/W56/stock duals, d60/14bolt, 4link rear, RUF front, 42" PBR's.


TTORA build thread
http://www.ttora.com/forum/showthread.php?t=148360

pyrojoe22

89lc, I've read your build thread a while back and came across your vid's on youtube. I know you do good work. Would you mind posting some new vids? All you have up on there is your baby tires on the axles and a tire chirping turn around on the street lol. I'd like to see her now and hear it, too. Thanks man

edit* I just saw the new vid from Friday. Looks sweet! What exhaust are you running?

89lc

Thanks, 3" straight pipe.

2003mikem

iTrader: (1)

Went on a pick and pull search Saturday and found only 2 Mercedes diesels. 1975 with a 4cyl and a 1978 with a 5cyl non turbo.

2003mikem

iTrader: (1)

I have had the pro comp springs on over a year and hang a 6 ½ western on the front in the winter and they haven’t sagged at all.

2003mikem

iTrader: (1)

just getting the old girl reay to beat this summer.

still no engine yet.

2003mikem

iTrader: (1)

I got om617

Found a front end collition. 115000 miles. I started it in the junk yard ran great. Short run of course.. it fired up on the 5 rotation no glow plugs either. 207.50 with tax.

2003mikem

iTrader: (1)

[IMG]http://i63.photobucket.com/album

2003mikem

iTrader: (1)

technojunkie

Nice find. I do believe that's cleaner than mine.

2003mikem

iTrader: (1)

The number is on the driver side of the bloc in the back just under the head.

B-yodaful

Right in the middle of my swap. SO i have to sub to yours

PowerstrokeJoe

Nice that engine looks great!

2003mikem

iTrader: (1)

it sounded great for the 15-20 secounds i ran it.
i might give the tdswaps.com full kit a try. i am going to get more info today i hope if i have time.

but the engine sitting in my back yard its hard to sit and wait.