Re: [Amc-list] A Rose by Any Other Name (still has pricks nearby)

[adh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Sandwich Maker)]

" From: "Jim Blair" <carnuck@xxxxxxxxxxx>
" 
" 
" Ignore the man behind the curtain! <G> I have an even better ideer! I have 
" an '86 Comanche with 2.5L (in need of a rewind since it has @ 250,000+ miles 
" on it but it still runs!) with Renix TBI and 2wd 5 speed. I may be pulling 
" the whole works to play "upgrade" games (including the wiring harness and 
" computer. Probably the rad too).

you've got the perfect base for the diesel swap i've been mulling,
assuming that tranny is an ax5 and not the less common t5 also used
the early years.

toyota also used these aisin-warner trannies, so you can 'adapt' their
engines to the tranny by swapping in a toy g52 or g54 input shaft and
maybe bearing retainer, and bolting the toy bellhousing on.  i'd match
the gearbox years; the ax5 / g-series had some bearing evolution in
the mid to late '80s.  they even have hydraulic clutches, so you just
have to get a hose with the right ends made.

my engine choice would be a 2L-TE, electronic controlled 2.5L turbo,
good for ~100hp and lotsa torque at a peak 1000rpm below the amc 4's
on 7 psi boost - but it can be cranked up to 12 before the ecm starts
throwing codes.  and the turbo setup could be dropped onto a 3L
longblock, or maybe a 5L though they're hard to get and might have
different bolt patterns despite being in the family.  [this series
designation is confusing!  it's the L series, with 1L, 2L, 3L, and 5L
members of 2.0L, 2.5L, 2.8L, and 3.0L displacement, and only the 2L
was factory turboed]

the big stumbling block is cost.  these engines weren't imported here
so you won't find them in junkyards.  the answer is a place that deals
with japanese wrecks, but a 'half cut' [the entire front half,
firewall fwd] which would be complete with engine, ecm, harness, and
even tranny, could cost $2000-3000 and you'd be left with a lot of
useless sheetmetal and odd bits.

all said and done, you wouldn't have a fireball and it wouldn't
probably be worth it unless you drive -a-lot-, but you'd have a real
economical gofer truck with the option to convert to biodiesel just by
pouring it into the tank.
--
if you do have a t5, a whole different raft of oddball engine swaps
are possible.  a caddy 4.1/4.5/4.9 would bolt up to the 4-squirrel
bellhousing...  and i think mcleod makes a stick conversion flywheel
for it.
________________________________________________________________________
Andrew Hay                                  the genius nature
internet rambler                            is to see what all have seen
adh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx                       and think what none thought
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