Project Kubger has begun. Turbo Diesel Ranger

[drnickriviera]

I got the old engine out of the ranger this past weekend. Today I bolted up the stock 5 speed to a Kubota 2203 engine. Luckily someone else has already done some of the head scratching and has made an adapter plate for the trans and modified the oil pan. Now I have to get a turbo on it, add the power steering pump, A/C and alternator. Vacuum will be provided by an electric pump.

There are a handful of others that have done this conversion. Expected fuel economy, High 30's city, mid 40's highway. Fingers crossed. Lots of pictures to come

 

[RavenSEAL]

Sweet, can't wait

 

[skyking]

I got the old engine out of the ranger this past weekend. Today I bolted up the stock 5 speed to a Kubota 2203 engine. Luckily someone else has already done some of the head scratching and has made an adapter plate for the trans and modified the oil pan. Now I have to get a turbo on it, add the power steering pump, A/C and alternator. Vacuum will be provided by an electric pump.

There are a handful of others that have done this conversion. Expected fuel economy, High 30's city, mid 40's highway. Fingers crossed. Lots of pictures to come

Cool! I have an Isuzu 4BD1T that is begging for a conversion rig. I got the engine before the car/truck.
Can't wait to see what you do with it.

 

[jlee]

Awesome! Pics! What do you expect for hp/tq? 80/170ish?

 

[drnickriviera]

Awesome! Pics! What do you expect for hp/tq? 80/170ish?

Yup in that range.

Almost 4 months later and I finally have it started. I still have a bit more work to do and lots of tidying up. I don't have the throttle cable attached, but it has enough torque that I was able to idle it around the block in up to 3rd gear. It's off to the exhaust shop tomorrow, then time to tie up all the loose ends


Shot of some of the serpentine system. This was a real pita to get everything lined up. I had to weld the original crank and water pump pulley to the kubota ones, then make all the brackets to hang everything.

Water to air intercooler and turbo

Turbo boost KITT! Garrett GT1544 turbo off some kind of renault.

Vacuum pump off a Passat and the vac reservoir tank

Intercooler radiator

Bosch cobra intercooler pump

 

[Arkaign]

Should be a great great little truck when done. They don't weigh very much at all, so that shouldn't be fast, but very stout.

 

[Throckmorton]

What is the engine from? A tractor?

Is it more efficient with or without the turbo? Apparently they only have 48hp but I don't see a torque number http://www.kubotaengine.com/products/03m/v2203_m_e3.html

 

[drnickriviera]

The engine is out of a reefer truck. If you see a carrier name on the front of a tractor trailer, this is the engine that powers the refrigeration unit. They started taking these out because they don't meet modern emission standards.

This engine is almost the same as the one in the link, except this is direct injected. Although it has glow plugs, I didn't need them. Feels weird to me to not have to glow a diesel.

More efficient in a power sense, obviously not more efficient for fuel. I'm sure I could turn up the boost for more HP, but with it comes transmission shredding torque. The stock transmission can't take too much more torque reliably.

 

[Throckmorton]

Also, I think Rangbuto is a better name