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Safari 2.8 to 4.2 conversion
Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 7:19 am
by JONO250
Anyone done this swap before? Just bought a mint condition donor 4.2 motor and box package which I am going to turbo, but I am told it is alot of work to make it work in a 2.8 safari

Re: Safari 2.8 to 4.2 conversion
Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 12:38 pm
by DaveM
Is it the GU or GQ shape? If its GQ, I'd sell it and buy a 4.2 Safari with crook motor
Re: Safari 2.8 to 4.2 conversion
Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 8:22 am
by JONO250
My 2.8 died in my gq, so I'd get bugger all for it selling it as is where is, so I figured the best way to repair it is ditch the 2.8.
anyway I'l keep this thread posted with pics and any problems I find as a reference for anyone looking to do this swap in the future.
Re: Safari 2.8 to 4.2 conversion
Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 6:06 pm
by Shane
is the 2.8 24volt?
Re: Safari 2.8 to 4.2 conversion
Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 6:19 pm
by JONO250
nope, 12v. my donor package is 24v setup. on that note, does anyone know if a starter motor off a 4.2 petrol will work on a 4.2 diesel?
Re: Safari 2.8 to 4.2 conversion
Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 7:46 pm
by tgaguy1
JONO250 wrote:nope, 12v. my donor package is 24v setup. on that note, does anyone know if a starter motor off a 4.2 petrol will work on a 4.2 diesel?
Don't know if petrol starter will work. I would think so. The TB and TD are very similar as far as mounting etc. Patrols are 12 volt though. I wonder if a TD27 starter will fit? Also don't forget to change the fuel shut-off valve on the fuel pump from 24 to 12 volts.
Jase.
Re: Safari 2.8 to 4.2 conversion
Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 9:29 pm
by gary_in_nz
wouldnt it be easier to go to an rb series motor?? from what acounts i have heard isnt it pretty much a straight swap with the 2.8 litres??
Re: Safari 2.8 to 4.2 conversion
Posted: Sun Apr 25, 2010 10:26 pm
by andovr
You should be able to get a starter motor from a td42 diesel Patrol as mine is nz new and the whole truck is 12volt.
Re: Safari 2.8 to 4.2 conversion
Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 7:18 am
by JONO250
gary_in_nz wrote:wouldnt it be easier to go to an rb series motor?? from what acounts i have heard isnt it pretty much a straight swap with the 2.8 litres??
don't want a petrol.
Re: Safari 2.8 to 4.2 conversion
Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 6:03 pm
by gary_in_nz
JONO250 wrote:gary_in_nz wrote:wouldnt it be easier to go to an rb series motor?? from what acounts i have heard isnt it pretty much a straight swap with the 2.8 litres??
don't want a petrol.
yeah fair enough, i run a turboed td42 and it hauls ass, almost about as good as an older v6 comodore i used to have hahahaha and diesel at about 1.17-1.20 a litre is the way to go. let me know how it goes with the conversion, i was looking at taking my gear out the gq and putting into a gu 2.8.
Re: Safari 2.8 to 4.2 conversion
Posted: Mon May 03, 2010 7:38 pm
by JONO250
hey guys i am after the following bits:
12v patrol starter motor
complete hydraulic clutch setup from gq(clutch master cyl, booster, clutch lines, clutch slave e.t.c)
powersteering lines to suit a 4.2 diesel
4.1 diff centers
the more I dig in the more differences I find

Re: Safari 2.8 to 4.2 conversion
Posted: Mon May 03, 2010 7:40 pm
by JONO250
gary_in_nz wrote:JONO250 wrote:gary_in_nz wrote:wouldnt it be easier to go to an rb series motor?? from what acounts i have heard isnt it pretty much a straight swap with the 2.8 litres??
don't want a petrol.
yeah fair enough, i run a turboed td42 and it hauls ass, almost about as good as an older v6 comodore i used to have hahahaha and diesel at about 1.17-1.20 a litre is the way to go. let me know how it goes with the conversion, i was looking at taking my gear out the gq and putting into a gu 2.8.
yeah diesels the way to go(if your on apprentice wages like myself), had a petrol terrano and that was bad enough on fuel, would hate to think how much a petrol safari would cost to run:|
have found alot of differences so far, will be doing a write up with pics of the whole conversion as I imagine there will be alot more 2.8s dying in the future.
Re: Safari 2.8 to 4.2 conversion
Posted: Mon May 03, 2010 8:07 pm
by DaveM
Check out the oz sites patrol4x4 and outerlimits for more info, a few have been converted there
Re: Safari 2.8 to 4.2 conversion
Posted: Mon May 03, 2010 8:32 pm
by tgaguy1
JONO250 wrote:hey guys i am after the following bits:
4.1 diff centers
What are you going to do with your 4.6 centers? I will swap you 4.1's for your 4.6's
Cheers
Jase.
Re: Safari 2.8 to 4.2 conversion
Posted: Mon May 03, 2010 9:57 pm
by JONO250
tgaguy1 wrote:JONO250 wrote:hey guys i am after the following bits:
4.1 diff centers
What are you going to do with your 4.6 centers? I will swap you 4.1's for your 4.6's
Cheers
Jase.
planning on keeping them for when I change to 35's (probably next year). do you have any spare 4.1 centres you want to sell?
Re: Safari 2.8 to 4.2 conversion
Posted: Mon May 03, 2010 10:18 pm
by tgaguy1
JONO250 wrote:tgaguy1 wrote:JONO250 wrote:hey guys i am after the following bits:
4.1 diff centers
What are you going to do with your 4.6 centers? I will swap you 4.1's for your 4.6's
Cheers
Jase.
planning on keeping them for when I change to 35's (probably next year). do you have any spare 4.1 centres you want to sell?
No spares, Have 4.1's in my Patrol. Sorry.
Re: Safari 2.8 to 4.2 conversion
Posted: Tue May 04, 2010 11:18 am
by tgaguy1
12 volt starter. Petrol one but at least it is local enough for you to compare to the diesel 24 volt one.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Car-parts-accessories/Nissan/Engines/auction-288052186.htm
Re: Safari 2.8 to 4.2 conversion
Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 8:30 pm
by JONO250
hey guys I have got the td42 all hooked up and completed now, but I have another problem.
Idles and starts perfectly, but when I bring the rev's up past 1200 it just splutters and coughs and won't rev any higher. I have checked all my hoses and fittings e.t.c and they are all tight with new copper washers. I have a clean supply of fuel with a clean filter. Any ideas as to what it could be?? Its driving me nuts!!

Re: Safari 2.8 to 4.2 conversion
Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 8:44 pm
by Pedro
JONO250 wrote:hey guys I have got the td42 all hooked up and completed now, but I have another problem.
Idles and starts perfectly, but when I bring the rev's up past 1200 it just splutters and coughs and won't rev any higher. I have checked all my hoses and fittings e.t.c and they are all tight with new copper washers. I have a clean supply of fuel with a clean filter. Any ideas as to what it could be?? Its driving me nuts!!

restriction in the fuel line??
any mesh filter on the injection pump and is it clear,
or ask skid his has similar problems

Pedro
Re: Safari 2.8 to 4.2 conversion
Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 7:42 am
by DaveM
Has yours got the butterfly valve in the intake? Runs off the TPS on top of the fuel pump
Re: Safari 2.8 to 4.2 conversion
Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 7:57 pm
by JONO250
nope has none of that. Seems to run alot better if I pump the primer while reving it. Got me stumped....
Re: Safari 2.8 to 4.2 conversion
Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 8:30 pm
by tgaguy1
JONO250 wrote:nope has none of that. Seems to run alot better if I pump the primer while reving it. Got me stumped....
Sounds like a fracture in the fuel line somewhere. I have had this on a diesel Jeep. The fuel pick up in the tank had cracked at the soldered joint where it passed through the tank fitting. Try rigging a remote tank for the fuel to be drawn from and see if it runs any better. That will Isolate the engine fuel system from the fuel delivery system of the truck.
Re: Safari 2.8 to 4.2 conversion
Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 10:02 pm
by JONO250
I have had the injector pump hooked up to a jar of diesel but still doing it

.
Re: Safari 2.8 to 4.2 conversion
Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 7:14 am
by mayday
We had a similar issue but toyota, pumping the primer/lift pump made it rev. It ended up the seals in the lift pump had gone.
prob not a fix but just my 2c
Re: Safari 2.8 to 4.2 conversion
Posted: Tue Jul 20, 2010 5:50 pm
by JONO250
I am starting to wonder if the lift pump is faulty.