Motor swap or regearing?
 

Hello to everyone from Hungary,

I've a '94 double-cab 2.4 diesel, with Detroit SL rear locker, running Bfg KM2 MT 265/75/R16s and wanna go up to 33x12.5" muds.

Engine power is just acceptable with current tires (bit sluggish, max speed is 100-110 km/h on highway, offroad performance is OK in 4x4 low even with 1-ton load on board), so I'm pondering between motor swap and regearing. I read many threads here on regearing, but as a complete newb to tech stuff, I'm still unsure.

What are the technical drawbacks of regearing?

Its a lot cheaper and easier to regear than to do an engine swap. I don`t know what gears come stock on a diesel truck, but regearing with 4.88 or 5.29 gears would be a big improvement. You can always do an engine swap, but try regearing first.

i would regear for sure. if u wanna run 33"s then gear to 4.88's for the best setup. just look on some sights like yukon gears or in a automatic 3.0L 4runner but im not sure if you have 3.0L gas 4runners there? anyways get 4.88's and see how it is then if you are still too slow then worry about engine mods :P your lucky you have a diesel already haha do you have a turbo? if you dont then maybe get the turbo setup off a hilux surf? from what i have heard is a turbo on one of those almost doubles the power? good luck :)

X3 regear, your diesel has much more torque than a gas engine and you will find regearing much more useful!!!

oh my...

1: Guy's, he has the 2LT.. (2LT is 86hp, 2L-TE is 97hp)
2: He's only running 31's...
3: He hauls 1 ton loads...
4: Regearing will do what? And Diesels don't like to do what?

Thanks for the tips!

The engine ran 265K miles, some guys said it's too old for a turbo and intercooler, some said it'll be fine, so I've no idea what to do. :) It runs perfectly with little/zero smoke.

This is a japanese-built Hilux with 5-speed manual, the information plate says 4.556 gears (G255).

Can I buy a complete "conversion kit" for regearing to 4.88 or I've to hand pick the parts?

Any other recommended companies like Yukon Gear?

you already have 4.56 gears with 31s and its still sluggish? dont do any engine swap, i would kill to have a diesel toyota. you have a solid front axle correct? check out marlincrawler.com. toyotas have diffs called 3rd members, when you pull it out, the gears come with it. you can buy new 3rd's with gears already in them, so there kind of a plug and play deal. marlin crawler carries them, as well as trail-gear.com and a few others. but of course you woudl have to swap out your detroit if you wanted to keep it. hope this helps and

WELOCOME TO YOTATECH!

Wait a minute... What elevation are you at? Have you done anything to the Turbo and fuel pump?

You need more power... More-so if you're only running the 31's...

The 33's, yeah, maybe... But you're still gonna need more power.

He has a 8? hp Diesel, hello:con:

ok, Thrasher, I'm gonna tell you something you need to consider...

95% of this board is in the Diesel-poor, US... So you're gonna get every off-the-wall, stab in the dark, throw it at a wall and hope it sticks answer, b/c nobody here has any experience with a Diesel...


Why don't you tell the ooher's and aweer's what that engine red lines at?

So I can tell you that regearing will only make it get there faster...

Yes, it's a solid axle truck.
No turbo installed (2.4D engine) and no tinkering with the fuel pump.
The elevation is near sea level.

Here is the information plate:

http://www.shooter.hu/hilux/plate.jpg

uhhh, yea ive owned a diesel, i kno they redline at like 4 or 5k, never a diesel yota though. i kno there not power houses, idont care if it has 16HP, id still like a factory diesel toyota. regearing will help no matter what horsepower/engine/tires/ yadayada. no, it wont make it a speed demon, but it will make a good difference. proven fact my friend

Thraser, if it were me, id go ahead and regear to 5.29, since it sounds like you do a bit of hauling.

Okay, I'll keep that in mind. :) In Europe most of these trucks are diesel powered. In fact, almost all the guys in the local Hilux / Land Cruiser club have diesel or turbo-diesel engines.

If I understand your question correctly, this particular model has no rev counter.

.......

No it won't... To give you an idea of what you're saying... Go get some 5:29's and put them on factory 28's...

Then govern the engine to 3,000rpm... And see where you go...

Diesels have the torque to power through high gears... And that has a two fold effect b/c the red lines are so low on them...

You can not build a Diesel truck like a gas...

And for crying out loud, he basically has an engine weaker than a 20R! And with 1/3 less the rev limit...

no turbo??? well this will help on a power front!!

you need to study the pros and cons of this option!!!

to go with 33's is why I said to regear and yes this is the correct option for 33's

however I would highly suggest looking to turbo setups and really look not just get others opinions on this!!!

I would rather have a diesel for mine beings I frequently haul a good load as well!!

If you are having issues getting off the line regear is the method to go down in ratio, if you are looking at the top end and have no issues getting off the line then the reverse is the case!!

turbo will give the engine more power in the long run but not sure on the age issues!!

100kph is 62mph... 110kph is only 68mph...





Higher engine speeds, slower vehicle speeds and red lines sooner...

good catch, eddieleephd... I went right by it, and though he had a Turbo.

The only thing I can see is where whoever told him the engine was too old, was worried what a leak down test would say... And if it's bad enough, a Turbo is a major no-no...


If the results are good, a Turbo would give that thing a kick in the pants...

Thanks for the help, guys!

I'll look into the turbo option first.

If he has a diesel backed to a 5 speed, he has an overdrive. And what do overdrives like to do? Exactly.


BEFORE YOU SPEND THE MONEY ON THE TURBO READ THIS:

A good upgrade would be a frow flowing exhaust, and a high flow fuel pump.
Diesels don't need back-pressure, so bump it up to a 3" exhaust if you wanted to.