BOMBing an Isuzu diesel?

[AnthonyF]

I've got an 81 Isuzu pup with a n/a 2. 2 diesel and am in the process of rebuilding it and adding a turbo that came off a benz. My turbo guy says that this turbo is capable of producing at least 30 lbs. and it has an adjustable waste gate. I'm wondering if any of the diesel gurus here have any advice. Questions i have are how much boost can i safely run, will changing the cam duration be better, how about bigger injectors, should i do any pump mods, and will this poor little four cylinder hold up to this added power. Anything will be an improvement because my 02 KW loaded at 105,500 lbs. will blow the doors off this 326,000 mile wonder, and God forbid there be the slightest hill ahead of you, but it still gets 40-50 mpg. This truck i going to be mostly an off road toy, but I want it to be reliable enough to be an everyday driver if need be. Also being done right now is adding power steering out of a Trooper, an independent rear suspension out of an RX7 four linked, modified IFS, 3" body lift, 35" BFG muds, all of this custom fabbed by me and my buddy in his shop. Any help would be greatly appreciated because all I've ever bombed before is V8 gassers, and all my knowledge about diesels is what I've learned from this awesome site. Thanks in advance.

 

[Blakers]

Start with the same advice we all get... . get exhaust gas temperature and boost gauges first, before anything else. Then experiment.

 

[bigkid59]

I had a 1982 Isuzu diesel p'up and loved it. I have a friend who bought one of the first of the factory turbocharged ones in 1985 or so. He drove it about 75,000 miles and it broke a connecting rod. The service manager at one of the dealerships told him that they had seen this on some of the early turbo engines and that Isuzu had released a stronger rod later in production that cured the problem.

Even with his mileage, Isuzu installed one of the new engines with the better rods under warranty. He went on to drive it several more years with no trouble.

You may never have a problem, but it appears that if there is a weak link it would be the connecting rods.



Good Luck!

 

[AnthonyF]

When I first took the engine apart, the con rods were the first thing I thought would be a weak link. Just by looking at them they look weak. Does anyone know where a guy could get aftermarket parts for this engine. And how about the injection pump, it is a Bosch VE type pump. I've heard that the timing and fuel pressure are fully adjustable at the pump, but thats just what I've heard. As for gauges, I've already got a boost and pyro, and a pod to mount them on the dash. This is probably a lot of trouble to go to for an Isuzu, but I just love the truck. It's very nimble in the woods, I don't care if I scratch or smash it, and hey it's a diesel. Thanks

 

[JoeBioDiesel]

I used to wrench for Isuzu back in 85-88. I saw many turbo Troopers and P'ups break rods, and then the blocks. I never saw a NA Isuzu break. I drove an '87 P'up to 300K, and then sold it. It is still going today. If you're looking for reliable, then leave the turbo off the P'up.

My 2 cents.



Joe

 

[AnthonyF]

One more thing I thought I should add, the reason it's being rebuilt is the guy that owned it for the first fifteen years of its life made two ten mile trips in it a day. It rarley got a chance to fully warm up. He had the head rebuilt due to lack of compression, thinking that was the problem, but when I took it apart the rings were wore done to almost nothing. I don't know how it ran at all.