[Black_GT]

I'm wanting to buy a 2.3 mustang soon and i was wondering if it was feasible to swap the motor for one of the old diesel ranger motors? They are both 4 cyl and i would assume use roughly the same trans. What changes would this entail? Im not really looking to do this for any reason other than it would be unique and i like diesels.

[B's04gt]

[sam89]

go all out and look up what i wanna say was a 7.3L diesel put into a fox. It was freaking sweet. but aside from finding a tranny to work, my guess would be it would be relatively easy putting a 4cyl diesel in. Fuel system needs redone, probably need a standalone system of some sort, and just wiring everything. I'd say at least do a turbo diesel though.

[03 R Code]

If you can find the diesel motor in the ranger that you want, it would make the swap much easier if it still had the entire wiring harness, and you can bet most of your gauges will not read the signal so try to get a gauge cluster that came in that truck as well. Probably will weigh a lot more, so some tougher suspension in front. Then there will be issues with driveshaft length coming out of the trans, and possibly hood clearance if it's a taller engine than the 2.3 gas motor. I have NO knowledge of the motor your talking about so all my suggestions are just coming from my imagination...

[OHC230]

It has been years since I had one in the shop and from what I remember, they weren't all that great. The Perkins diesel only had 59 HP and the Mitsubishi had maybe 75 HP on a good day, despite the factory rating of 85 HP. Both engines were mechanically injected. so some of your under-hood wiring could be eliminated. I really wouldn't recommend either one of these engines for a swap. They were pretty disappointing, from a reliability stand point.

Now if you are talking about the New Ford Ranger 3.0L DURATORQ TDCi engine. that's another story. What a nice engine, but boy that ought to be an expensive swap! $$$$$$$$$$

Of course you could always do some mods to a 2.3L to bump the gas mileage and performance up.

[blaten22]

87 mustang with cummins turbo diesel - YouTube

87 mustang with cummins turbo diesel - YouTube

[Black_GT]

Thanks guys im not really worried about performance, i have my gt for that, the 4 cyl will just be a dd and i think it would be cool to have it a diesel. Ill post it if i go through with it.

[WickedSnake00]

Originally Posted by blaten22 87 mustang with cummins turbo diesel - YouTube

That's pretty bizarre. It's got to be the quietest diesel I've ever heard. No turbo hiss, no diesel knock, no nothing. He doesn't even spool the turbo, which I'm assuming it should have since I doubt he's got a Cummins old enough to not have a turbo.

They should be loud and nasty like this:

RAM Diesel goes 9.68 - YouTube

RAM Diesel goes 9.68 - YouTube

And as far as engines to drop in, why not something like the Cummins 4BT? It's a 3.9L straight 4, and even has an entire forum dedicated to swaps with it. Or you can go with the all mechanical QSB 3.3/4.5's that are typically found in off-highway construction equipment. Not much wiring to worry about on those types of things.

[blaten22]

Originally Posted by WickedSnake00 That's pretty bizarre. It's got to be the quietest diesel I've ever heard. No turbo hiss, no diesel knock, no nothing. He doesn't even spool the turbo, which I'm assuming it should have since I doubt he's got a Cummins old enough to not have a turbo. They should be loud and nasty like this: RAM Diesel goes 9.68 - YouTube And as far as engines to drop in, why not something like the Cummins 4BT? It's a 3.9L straight 4, and even has an entire forum dedicated to swaps with it. Or you can go with the all mechanical QSB 3.3/4.5's that are typically found in off-highway construction equipment. Not much wiring to worry about on those types of things.

I was thinking this. I know one of my dads first work vans, was a F-350 Econ with a International with no turbo. 7.3 If I'm not mistaken, but I'd have to ask him to verify that information.

[WickedSnake00]

Originally Posted by blaten22 I was thinking this. I know one of my dads first work vans, was a F-350 Econ with a International with no turbo. 7.3 If I'm not mistaken, but I'd have to ask him to verify that information.

Yeah, the Navistar (International) 7.3 originally came as an NA engine. It was a dog.

However the video description states Cummins, and you'd have to go back decades and decades to find an NA Cummins engine.

Even for an NA engine, it should clatter like hell, especially if it's a vintage engine like the 7.3 with mechanical injection.

[Mikel89us]

Originally Posted by Black_GT Thanks guys im not really worried about performance, i have my gt for that, the 4 cyl will just be a dd and i think it would be cool to have it a diesel. Ill post it if i go through with it.

If yo really want to do a diesel mstang for fuel mileage, there is one way to do it. TDI Volkswagen swap. It will most likely be a difficult and time consuming job, but you can probably get 50- 60 or more mpg if you do it right.

[OHC230]

Thanks guys im not really worried about performance, i have my gt for that, the 4 cyl will just be a dd

With 75 HP you might be worried about performance, especially when you consider how slow a stock 2.3 is.

And as far as engines to drop in, why not something like the Cummins 4BT? It's a 3.9L straight 4, "+1"

[Mikel89us]

Originally Posted by WickedSnake00 And as far as engines to drop in, why not something like the Cummins 4BT? It's a 3.9L straight 4

the only reason i am completely against a cummins 4bt is because it weighs close to half a ton itself! they are huge engines, and i know you can make a lot of power with them, i just dont see myself putting that big of an anchor in the front of a mustang. I have thought about a diesel swap into my 4x4 ranger, and even that i would use a VW TDI engine.

[ranger50toy]

A Diesel in a mustang is the equivalent to adding a 8' snow plow to the front.

[Mikel89us]

Originally Posted by ranger50toy A Diesel in a mustang is the equivalent to adding a 8' snow plow to the front.

Not always, a VW TDI is actually more than likely lighter than the stock 2.3. it is an all aluminum engine. I have put a lot of thought into this, and i want to do this in either my mustang or ranger, and if it wasnt extremely expensive (on my budget) i would do it.

[WickedSnake00]

There's aluminum Cummins diesel blocks out there you know. Aluminum blocks with steel sleeves. In fact we've got a 5.9 one sitting on display at work, aluminum block and head.

...and many of the newer engines have aluminum heads to begin with. The ISX11.9 has Teksid aluminum heads. Granted I think an 11.9L engine might be a bit big for a foxbody...

[Mikel89us]

Originally Posted by WickedSnake00 There's aluminum Cummins diesel blocks out there you know. Aluminum blocks with steel sleeves. In fact we've got a 5.9 one sitting on display at work, aluminum block and head. ...and many of the newer engines have aluminum heads to begin with. The ISX11.9 has Teksid aluminum heads. Granted I think an 11.9L engine might be a bit big for a foxbody...

The crank in that 5.9 atill probably weighs the same as the entire 1.9L jetta engine, that will but out 200 HP and 300 Ft Lbs with 40-50 mpg (rough guess on mpg) with minor tuning.

[Matt Cramer]

I once found a Lincoln Mk VII with a BMW six cylinder turbodiesel in it at a local salvage yard. At first I thought it was some weird, hairbrained swap, but no, that was a factory option for Continentals and Mk VIIs in 1984-85. As these Lincolns were Fox chassis as well, if you could somehow find one of those setups, it should bolt right in. You might also be able to find one of the engines in a BMW and order the motor mounts from a dealer.

[Mikel89us]

Wasnt the Continental built on the Crown Vic chassis?

[OHC230]

Ford apparently produced less than 900 of these cars with the BMW M-21 engine. I know that the M-21 engine was produced for quite a few years. The later version of this engine is a 2.5L with 30 more HP, commonly found in 525 and 725 BMW's. I personally have never come across an 84' Continental or Mk VII TD.



Pictures of an 84' Continental below.