6.5 diesel to GQ

Good call Roachie !

Telling factor is the $$$$$

Bloke down here did it, but he had a Tax problem, did it when I first got the Navara,, ( 4 years back ) cost him $22k then, and that included shipping it to Perth and back.

Great tow package, with his massive caravan..


By the way,,, how's those "left handed cooper tyres going" ??? worn them out yet ??

hehehehehehehe

Cheers Mate

Bucky

Cheers
roachie, call it an early middle age crisis. (39) Had V8s for years before going to the GQ which I've had 5 years and for some reason don't really wanna get rid of it...must be sentimental. The old girl has a quite a few mods so if i spent 26-27k on it that would still be cheaper that a good GU and i'd have the v8 back and all the power I'd want. It isn't very sensible but you're only here once and the minister for finance has given it the nod so..... vroom. Did you get diffs done with yours and did the lpg make much diference?
Cheers

G'day Bucky..... Mickey T's are still hangin' in there champ....

Ferrett,
Mine was already done when I bought it in November 2006. In fact the original owner bouught the it in late 2000 as a brand new GU 4.2TD and he immediately got Brunswick's to rip out the 4.2 and install the 6.5. He also had the back chopped off from brand new and the LPG was fitted 4 months later in April 2001.

Being a 4.2 originally, the diffs were already the right size (3.9), so they didn't have to be touched. I've fitted the 35" Mickey Thompson MTZs to try and keep the revs down a bit. She's running @ 2000 rpm at 100k/h in 5th. I would like to fit a Marks Adaptors taller 5th gear to get the revs down to 1800 at 100k/h, but can't justify the $$$ at this stage. (I do already run the Marks Adaptors transfer case gears to get the speed down in low range).

Cheers

Roachie

"constant breakage's" - please explain Eric?

But I have read in the past that parts are v.cheap.

Cheers JD

JD.
The drive line and suspension on the Nissan's is sturdy by most standards but it will brake with the extra load. Because of the noise you tend to drive every where in 5th, so fifth is likely to be replaced after a short while. The king pin bearings flog out and dump the oil. I don't know of anyone who has one of these conversions for a long time , most end up moving on well before they have benefited from any fuel savings over petrol . Eric.

thanks Eric, interesting stuff

Hey Matt,

Do you have any knowledge on any suitable V8 Petrol conversions for a GU Patrol, 3.0 Manual? Would be great if there is something suitable that would utilise the existing box, just to keep the cost down.I don't seem to have seen anything in particular for the GU.....I am just looking at my options for when, probably not if, the big bang occurs!!!

Any advice would be appreciated.

Cheers

I believe that the same conversion can be done to replace the ZD30 with a petrol chev engine although there is some minor issues with electronics on the GU's.

See no reason why you cant change to petrol.

Have a look here.
http://www.marks4wd.com/products/engine-trans-conversions/nisgqe.html

Matt

Greetings, can i ask who did your conversion and what probs you have had. Over heating etc, did you get radiatoror diffs done, how long ago and would you do it again etc etc, what is it like on petrol? Sorry for so many questions but need to be sure of my decisions.
cheers

G'day Wasa,

Mate, seems like the only blokes who knock the good old 6.5 are those who don't own one. (jealousy maybe?) hahahaha

No jealousy here Roachie.

They definately have there place,i just think i could spend the extra 10K i saved on other toys .

OH and my neighbours will thank me for not waking them up every morning.

Matt

I think i'm a bit stupid, can't figure out the mm. Any way, what sort of mileage are you getting and did you have the diffs changed. Who did the job for you?
Cheers

Ferret, mm only available to paid-up members; that's why you can't work it out......

I'll have to let Waza answer the other questions about his diffs and economy figures......

Ferret,

Like I said, I have done about 800k's on the motor, so to early to get accurate economy figures, however I can tell you that my old 4.5 petrol i was using 23.5 lts per 100k's. So far I am getting 16.5 and that is with the standard (4:3) diffs.

I had the conversion done by Brunswick Diesels and it is back in now getting 3:7's put in while the diff lockers are getting done.

Regards
Wasa

Does he know anyone in Perth that'l do it for that price, 13-14 litres 100k is interesting. People i know with V8 pertol gqs say they are very thirsty so i'd like to know how they get that economy.
Many thanks

Ferret,
Have a look at the age of the V8 in these GQ's, most have older style engines in them, ie. carby fed 308's or 350's, or early VL 4.9lts or the vortec inj 350 chev or similar, hence the crap fuel evonomy.
These gen3 5.7 or even the 6ltr I'm talking about are the new technology engines out of 2001 -2 onwards, these engines are getting 12 km/lt or 8.3lt/100 in the sedans and utes they were in, obviously you can't expect that sort of economy when they're in a 2.5tonne truck with the aerodynamics of a brick, but not forgeting that the latest commodores weigh in at somewhere around 1.7 tonne, no lightweights.
The biggest thing is that the commodores run high top gearing so the engine sits on about 1700rpm at 100kph, with the gaering of a Patrol they would sit on about 2100-2300 rpm, big difference in fuel economy, the idea is, since you have the power, to up the diff gearing to 3.9:1 or even 3.5:1 and stick 35's on to lower your cruising rpm's.
When around town the engines have that much torque that you just don't need to work it anywhere near as hard as a 4.5 or 4.2 TD, don't get me wrong, if you were to go across the desert trying to dig 2 trenches and leave a 4 meter high roost behind you at every dune ur gonna chew the fuel.
Basically, you just can't beat new technology.

I have no idea if there is anyone over west that does these conversions, there are a couple of guys doing them over here, Binskins at Pt Macquarie is another one, might have to give them a ring or make a trip out of it.

Cheers
Pezza

D'oh ' now i'm confused

Your only confused because you dont know what you want.

If its already petrol/gas fit a petrol engine like the vortec or LS2, the fuel tank wont hold enough to cover the gas if you go diesel/gas so you will need a long range tank fitted in place of the gas tank,the gas tank will need to be moved to inside or up along the chassis rail,etc etc.

Sounds like a shifight to me.

Matt

Need to do some research on Chev terms, is the LS2 the Gen 3 or....

Yep GEN3 is LS1 or LS2,LS1 is 5.7L and LS2 is 6.0L

Mmmmm, 6.0l, just need to find someone good in Perth who would take the job on

Ring chevpower in maddington and ask for Phil Hardy

Tell him matt from united fuel injection sent you,they do a good job.

MM me and i will give you the phone number.

MAtt

Cheers, not a member so cant mm but will look 'em up. Many thanks for you help, plenty of food for thought.

Horses for Courses i spose Pezza. I'm sure you love the get up and go the TB42 with a s/charger gives you. How do you go on remote travel? What sort of range do you have? Would your rig be capable of doing a Simpson crossing given the lack of lpg in the bush?

The issue with the Chev diesel conversion is $23k.

I think there are better options for $23k.. Like updating the whole rig. Yours + $23k on a tradein = better.