Isuzu 4jb1-t repower

[J_Dub]

Anybody have any knowledge on what a moderately straight forward repower would be for a later model diesel to replace a 2.8 TD in a 1st gen bighorn?

I'm liking the vehicle and the fact its only done 160ks, body and interior is mint I think its worth keeping, however the 2.8 with the auto trans just doesn't cut it...

I feel even the basic mods, boost, exhaust, fuel etc wouldnt be enough to keep me happy.

Ide like 100+ kW from a factory motor

[Crash bandicoot]

um, rebuild what you,ve got and up grade the pump and turbo...as the only other would be the 3.1 from the bighorn but they weren't concidered as good as the 2.8....its 75ish from factory so you should get 100 easy with an uprated plunger and turbo +intercooler...on fresh internals it would go like a cut cat.

the next option is the 3.0 from the rodeo, but they had the distinctive honour of being the first motor to have a computer controlled pump and only made 88kw, good luck tinkering with that without the computer throwing a wobbly.

then the next upgrade after that to bolt in is the 3.0 with common rail injection and 16v twin cam head....still limited modifications and complications with computer controlled injection.

from experience... do your 2.8 up, you will get more power and reliability then stressing out the later model ones. my 92 double cab rodeo (same thing just longer with a name change) would happily pull out and over take utes 10-12 years its junior(it was ex army done half a million kms when i got it) and all i did was wind the boost and fuel up and stick a intercooler ontop of it.

or if you want more torque get your hands on a 3.1 block and head, rebuild it and use your pump turbo and ancillaries, but for 300cc extra capacity it wont make a huge difference for the effort...

then there is always the 3.8 buick block option if ya dont mind petrol

[J_Dub]

Cheers for that reply.

I didn't think I would get huge gains from current motor.

I was hoping a later model rodeo or something similar would bolt in.

Its already intercooled from factory, I'm thinking the auto doesn't help either.

Cheers

[Crash bandicoot]

you can get wicked gains from any motor if ya throw enough money at it...but the question is do you spend say 3K on a ECU controlled standard engine that no doubt is second hand from a wreck that comes with a 3 month warranty...and at the end of the day as above is still standard....

or do you you throw 3k at your current engine and make it like new again..all your doing is stripping it checking everything, doing a regrind on the crank and cam journals, maybe new valve stem seals as well as new bearings waterpump and gaskets etc oil pump(might aswell do it while your staring at it on the bench)

then throw in a more modern designed turbo charger with better flow and ability to create pressure, rob the plunger from a medium sized isuzu truck to help increase fuel delivery and add a egt and boost gauge and have a play...

mine would light up 33/12.5 R15 firestone MT's on tarseal... (manual mind you)

[Mattman]

The fact that the motor is rooted doesn't help either haha.

A good second hand 3.1 with manual box would transform it. My gen 2 on 33in tires with bar work and winch etc still goes hard at 12 psi with a little more fuel.

[Mr Revhead]

Sell it and buy something else. That's straight forward! Putting different motors in things is never straight forward. But it also depends on your ability and definition of straight forward....

Or, manual conversion and do the suggested mods to the 2.8.
I'm sure there will be someone nearby who's done those mods and can take you for a ride so you can see the difference.