TD27T Swap into 1996 4x4 PU

#1

Hi, not sure what I am getting myself into but my TD27T with bell housing is suppose to be arriving in Vancouver next week and then gets shipped to Regina the week after. I yoinked out the V6 gas (auto) from my 96 4x4 PU. From what little I was able to read about such swaps it looks like I will need to do the following: find a diesel tank for my truck, modify motor mounts, modify air intake, find a diesel tach. I guess the $2400 question is " will the bell housing mate to the auto tranny" ?? Anybody done this? I seen a couple swaps for sale on e-bay so I know it can be done, just don't know what those guys started with (front clip???) Aside from the motor and bell housing all I got is a lot of bubblegum and haywire.

#2

While I can't answer your Q, I am extremely interested in your progress. Please do keep us informed and take pics!

#3

I have done the swap myself with SDxx engine. The swap can be done it will try your temper. I don't use A/t so no help there.

#4

Good news, my engine arrived in Vancouver late August. Bad news, all the goodies were stripped off of it, no starter, alt, ps or turbo, and the oil pan was not the 4x4 type. I either have extremly poor luck or OPEC is going through some extraordinary efforts to squash my dreams of making a decent veggie burner. In hind site I probably should have bought an engine from those guys in California off of ebay. I told the shipper I wouldn't pay for the other half until he got me some parts as my order placed with him was quite explicit and he didn't come through. He said he would make it right and that he would order the parts needed. Last time I spoke with him he said that parts and engine should be ready to ship mid Nov.

(click on any image for larger)

#5

this is not a turbo engine.

#6

You are right, it is not a turbo and that has me concerned. These engines are not offered in Canada or U.S. so we got no info on them here especially in the middle of the prairies. I'm pretty sure that even my import guy doesn't know what he is doing. Can anybody comment on if this motor can perform as a normal turbo simply by adding a turbo or are there other issues that need to be addressed? Any help from a Nissan diesel mechanic that is familiar with this would be greatly appreciated.

#7

you can turbo these as long as your aware its a NA engine TURBOED.

precombustion chamber in different head gasket is different.
cyl head casting.[compression is only 0.1:1 lower]
gudgeon pin.2mm bigger.
oil sqirter 10 mm higher into piston.
injector pump.

the engine you have is from the early models.later engines have electronic controled fuel systems.the engine to look for is the old van engines or a terano II TD27Ti.euro made.

#8

In addition to the mechanical upgrades that Nissan performed to accommodate the turbo, in particular the IP is a different unit that incorporates a boost aneroid to provide more fuel during boost conditions.

Without that boost compensation, the turbo will provide more air but not significantly more power. There are poor workarounds to this but they are all compromises to the correct IP.

#9

Thanks for your comments and help guys. I'm going to tell my importer to find me the right engine or give my deposit back.

system-f · #10

From the research I had done on the TD27T I thought they had the same bell housing pattern as the VG30/VG33 motors. Also from the reports I read with this engine in a 4500lb truck the turbo charged version was required and ran comprably to the VG33E in the same vehicle plus a LOT better fuel economy. The California importer on EBay had a good condition TD27T with compression numbers, auto tranny and Transfer case for $3k and since this was a mechanical diesel would be a perfect bolt in for my 98 R50 (1996-2004 Pathfinder) Unfortunately this would also remove my OBDII port making vehicle inspection in Texas for a post 96 vehicle impossible. I look forward to seeing how your swap goes as I would have loved to be able to complete mine.

#11

the TD27T I thought they had the same bell housing pattern as the VG30/VG33 motors.

unlikely--the auto trans is similar so you bolt an TD bellhousing to the VG gear box.

reports I read with this engine in a 4500lb truck the turbo charged version was required and ran comprably to the VG33E in the same vehicle plus a LOT better fuel economy

non turbo has enough power for normal duties but very slow for hyway work.VG30E is dutuned for comercial vehicles,the VG30E D21 crew cab i had got scarey to steer over 160Kmh --so comparable performance compared to other diesels is a better way to say this.
my VG30E manual was very good on fuel running around empty.

diesels are excelent at slower speeds or loaded up.idling around a farm or trecking in the bush.traffic light races suck down the diesel.

system-f · #12

unlikely--the auto trans is similar so you bolt an TD bellhousing to the VG gear box.

That sounds more familiar. I think the engine had a bellhousing adapter to use the VG30/33 transmission. The pictures I have seen of the bellhousing on the TD27T look identical to the bellhousing on my VG33, but of course looks can be deceiving. Regardless I know they both take the TX10 transfer case.

non turbo has enough power for normal duties but very slow for hyway work.VG30E is dutuned for comercial vehicles,the VG30E D21 crew cab i had got scarey to steer over 160Kmh --so comparable performance compared to other diesels is a better way to say this.
my VG30E manual was very good on fuel running around empty.

diesels are excelent at slower speeds or loaded up.idling around a farm or trecking in the bush.traffic light races suck down the diesel.

I'm not sure if I understand the wording here, but my original post was simply what I had been told by other R50 owners (overseas) that had driven TD27T equipped R50s VS VG33E equipped R50s.

For the long highway drives at 65mph to trail runs the TD27 would be nice due to mileage and perfect for crawling up trails...I have little need for fast acceleration. It is rare when my VG33E gets better than 14mpg (5.9 km/l) on highway trips around 67mph. If only I could stuff the 4.2 under the hood, but that would come with a whole new host of problems.

#13

did a wiki--for the hp numbers.

I havnt driven R50 pathfinder with TD27T.125HP.
These tend to be in imported WD21 with auto trans or terano II.
this is why i refered to common D21/D22.

australian sold R50 models are from mexico[?], i have worked on and driven many in the suburbs,these are mostly VG33E 125KW auto or the 3 L (4cyl 2953 cc, 180 cu in) ZD Turbo Diesel 168 hp (125 kW).
the diesel is probably better.shared with patrol and isuzu and is flybywire with OBD.

the spainish made R20 terano II is sold here as a wagon with TD27T 99HP and has a KA24E [power house] option so the diesel feels good..

R50 TD27Ti horse power is listed as 125HP--about 3/4 of that of a VG33E
at higher speeds,65 mile/h this power drop will be felt.

#14

Just an update on what has happened with my project, I got my deposit back from that guy who got me the wrong engine and put it towards the purchase of a sacrificial 1990 RHD Terrano with TD27T 4x4 Auto tranny. The Terrano only has 137000 kms on it, I drove it home from Calgary, Alberta about 1300 km trip and it ran pretty good it does have a few issues that include turbo slobber, clutch fan, and a troublesome engine noise that sounds like to metal rods banging together when cold but disapears when the motor is warm. I plan to get the kinks out while the motor is in the Terrano and then transplant it into my 1996 LHD 4x4 PU

TURBO SLOBBER

I have also posted links to some video I took of the Terrano running cold and hot.

WARM

http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/4691/t ... 500rpm.mp4

COLD

http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/2041/td27coldidle.mp4

You will notice that even when the engine is cold the fan is going full tilt and the sound like metal chop sticks banging together is pronounced. Does anybody have an repair manual and a service manual for the TD27T that they would be willing to sell either hard copies or CD would be ok

indigent · #15

There is no electronic version of the TD service manual, only printed form. However, don't waste your money on it. It is just the EM section of any rig that has a TD27 in it. Search the net for the R20 terrano factory service manual, and check out the EM section. It will have pretty much everything you need. I believe it covers the TD27Ti, but all of the mechanics are the same. The only difference between the T and the Ti would be the injection pump is electronic on the Ti.

Hope this helps.

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TD27T Swap into 1996 4x4 PU

TD27T Swap into 1996 4x4 PU

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