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Post by Evergreen on Aug 1, 2005 12:38:59 GMT -5
Hi all,
I'm back. I have an 83 diesel with 313k on the clock. The engine runs well and I love the torque when I drove it. Mostly I'm in it to be able to run biodiesel in an indestructable engine. I got this ugly truck for a song being told it leaked oil like a sieve. Turns out it really doesn't leak but the transmission's bad. I mean bad bad. Grinding and wailing barely pull its own weight back into the driveway bad. Now it's stuck in 3 3/4th gear and the shifter won't budge. I still have next to nothing in it but I'm trying to weigh my options before I back out of this.
My first question is can a transmission from a B2000 gas be used on this engine? I'm guessing it's the same tranny but I don't know. Also are the ratios the same or would the gearing have to be manipulated another wayto make up for it?
My other question is can this engine be swapped into another Mazda truck? The truck I have now is such a POS (rollover etc.) that it would be much nicer to just stick the diesel into a nicer truck with a bad engine and use the tranny from the gas truck. Any thoughts on this? Are the motor mounts the same or would the mounts from the diesel have to be welded in? I don't have a welder. Along these lines, do you think this same swap would work on a newer B2200 gas truck or would it be too much hassle? I don't know if the block and tranny are the same on the newer engine. I found a nice-looking '86 with kingcab for cheap. Any help, hints, warnings etc are very much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Brian
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Post by tempforce on Aug 1, 2005 13:57:46 GMT -5
i don't know about the transmission, but you would need all of the wiring related to the diesel along with the speedo. (it has a 7mph switch for the glow plugs, after glow). sounds like a involved project. well worth it if done right. check with local dmv codes for installing an older engine into a newer vehicle. if you don't mind driving the truck you have a used or rebuilt transmission is the easiest and quikest fix.
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Post by Evergreem on Aug 1, 2005 14:49:38 GMT -5
Thanks for the response. I have already found a B2000 5-speed locally for only $100. I'm wondering if this tranny will work or if I have to search for a diesel tranny which I imagine will be significantly harder to find.
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Post by Mazdadieselsrule on Aug 2, 2005 5:55:10 GMT -5
I have converted a B2000 to diesel and the flywheel opening is smaller on the firewall than the diesel,real problem there trust me. The later B2200 truck has a shorter nose, engine wont fit, has to be the older body. The B2000 trans is the exact same one as diesel. Just re-use the diesel front section and the input shaft. The gears are the same, they just swapped rear axle ratios on gas and diesel. Just use a pre 1986 trans and it will be the same. For conversions the wires, engine mounts,etc,etc, will have to be done,lots of work. John.
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Post by Evergreen on Aug 2, 2005 9:14:47 GMT -5
Thanks for the info, it's just what I needed. I'm sorry to hear about the headaches involved in a swap but I can't say I'm surprised. When you say to reuse the diesel front section are you referring to the bellhousing? Can you tell me why I need to reuse this and the input shaft? Does it involve starter location or something like that? It's sounds like this is the route I'm going to go. Don't worry, I'm not giving up on this ugly duckling yet.
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Post by DieselDavo on Aug 3, 2005 19:50:04 GMT -5
FIX THE TRANNY! see "howling trans holy grail". Its probably just the front Bearing. Check the magnetic plug on the trans for gear teeth first.
The B2000 has smaller disc brakes and different springs in front, also the whole cab wiring harness will need to be changed out for the diesel.
It's a hellish job!
The Mazda Diesel (unlike the ford version) has the bulge in the front of the oil pan, which makes it real tough to find a later model truck that the motor will fit in. Forget about a Ford Ranger gas truck.
If the frame is gone find a good gas one and cut it off just behind the front wheel and welded (have it welded) in place of the old rotten diesel one. If you use a the gas rear end gears don't use 5th gear up hills or you will take out the trans front bearing.
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Post by Oilheat on Aug 4, 2005 2:19:07 GMT -5
I have the same problem! Mazda diesel and trans in a 88 ford ranger.The trans is stuck in 2nd I guess i will have to look for a gas trannie as well
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Post by Evergreen on Aug 4, 2005 8:46:48 GMT -5
The transmission has severe damage. I would be scared to look in there and it's going to take more than a bearing to fix it. Thanks for the discouragement on the truck swap. I will go with a transmission replacement. Any confirmation that what I need to do is switch the diesel bellhousing onto the gas tranny? Thanks for the help.
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Post by Diesel Davo on Aug 4, 2005 20:08:03 GMT -5
Bell housing is front half of trans on both, but maybe you could take the guts out of gas and put it in the diesel. I know for a fact that the clutch disk and oil cooler are from the RX 7 so I wouldn't be surprised if the gears and bearings were the same.
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Post by tempforce on Aug 5, 2005 0:15:12 GMT -5
oilheat i have a 87 diesel ranger i'm parting out, with a five speed in it. if your near 97466 you can come and take it out of the truck for $100.00.
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Post by Diesel Davo on Aug 7, 2005 15:09:40 GMT -5
Is that 87 diesel ranger the 2.3 turbo? Does it have the cast iron head like the Perkins 4.135?
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Post by Mazdadieselsrule on Aug 7, 2005 21:48:26 GMT -5
Yes just change the bell housing and input shaft and you should be set. Replace the bearings on the input and output shaft while its apart. The bearing that supports the input and output shafts in the center fails over time. Thats why they growl in 1st,2nd,3rd, then go silent in 4th because its a 1:1.0 ratio and they both spin the same rpms. Trans that are jammed in 2nd or wont go into 2nd have been power shifted most of their life because the owner tried to get more pep out of the truck than the snail it was and beat on it in traffic. Those B2000 trannies should be cheap. Check out car-part.com.
The Mitsu in the Ranger was OHC and had an aluminum head. It was a total P.O.S IMHO.
If you can find a rust free B2000 it would be worth the conversion if you have a welder and acetylene torch. Mine took me 3 weeks in my spare time.
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Post by tempforce on Aug 8, 2005 12:39:37 GMT -5
i second the mitsubishi engine is a poc/pos. was hoping the transmission could be converted to the mazda/perkins engine.
my factory four speed has a vibration in the shifter, which starts at about 63 mph. anyone know what may be causing it, and posibly the fix. thanks cc
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Post by Diesel Davo on Aug 8, 2005 21:46:52 GMT -5
Sounds like drive shaft problems. May just be a bad universal joint or one that was put in wrong so the yoke got bent. Check for play at the trans end (bad trans bearing).
Does it go away at 70 MPH?
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Post by tempforce on Aug 10, 2005 0:44:41 GMT -5
there's no driveline vibration, just the shifter buzz. i can touch the knob and it will go away or get quieter. i've checked the output shaft bearing. it's good.
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