64 rescue

[230ohc]

Hey all,
Picked up a 64 all stock wagoneer recently. It had been abandoned 30 years in el dorado national forest , so i brought it home and started fixing it up.
Did tune up, fluid changes, got the dash/ all the lights working new front springs with blocks in the rear, shocks and new tires. Completely replaced passenger floor (Still need driver) added some seat belts and hit the road.
Made it up to lake alpine rented a cabin for couple days and had some family fun at slick rock. Even made it to the local reservoir thenext weekend

But sadly now has a spun bearing. At best i was getting 10 mpg but closer to 4 up the hill, so swapping the motor was allready being thought prior to failure. Even when i picked it up i had low expectations for the motor, but at least we had a good time.

Now im hoping to go with an Om617 . And id like to retain the borg warner as8f and single range t case. The 230 has an adapter plate allready so ive got a good feeling the swap won't be too difficult . But im sort of a dreamer, time will tell.

I do really like all the stock performance of this application, I'd like to retain as much as possible and would gladly rebuild the 230 if not for cost of rebuild, inherent early design flaws and Poor fuel economy.

Im certainly not an expert with this stuff but it seems doable, DOES ANYONE HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH OM617 SWAPS TO AUTOMATIC WITH SINGLERANGE ?

any information pertaining to specific or even remotely similar setups and guidance of any sort greatly appreciated.
*****yes ive googled and various other forum site search but most involved manual transmission ******

[SJTD]

No answers but more questions.

Aren't the trans and xfer case going to be just as expensive and difficult to keep going as the engine?

[243]

Pretty cool, abandoned for thirty years, fired it up and went camping

Pic's or it didn't happen!

[230ohc]

20160616_081830.jpg

[230ohc]

Proof of life.

[230ohc]

....SJTD.... I'm not to concerned about the trans or t case. I think with proper maintenance they should hold out a while longer. Im not looking to build an extreme rock crawler just a family camping rig i can hit the trails with, with better milage.
The stock setup was impressive for a 50+ Year old vehicle and well suited for my needs, with the exception of fuel milage.

[Stuka]

The fuel economy that you were getting is not typical for that size i6. Most likely had some carb issues. It should be able to get well into the mid teens on the HWY, and around 10-12 in town.

I have not seen anybody put an Mercedes diesel into an FSJ yet, but I think it should fit after a quick google search of weight and size. However, as far as getting that transmission to work with it, I don't think its the right way to go. Adapters are not cheap. Buying an expensive adapter for a very old transmission may not be the most economical setup.

The diesel will certainly get better mileage than the 230 did. But I guess it comes down to how much you are wanting to spend on the thing.

[230ohc]

Stuka...
I have a new carb I ordered, in a box. arrived after the motor went. I just like mbz it looks similar to a 230 ohc. And the 230 has an adapter for
Transmission i was hoping to make work with the mbz.

[Renodemona]

Did the 230 come with a TH400 ever? If so Might be easier to adapt it since its a very common transmission (even for FSJs) and the Dana 20 bolts right up to it. Might have to move the crossmember around but much simpler than adapters engine/transmission/Tcase. Are you going to try and rebuild the 230, or engine swap for sure? Could swap in a later driveline (360/TH400/D20) without too much fuss.

[Renodemona]

Stuka...
I have a new carb I ordered, in a box. arrived after the motor went. I just like mbz it looks similar to a 230 ohc. And the 230 has an adapter for
Transmission i was hoping to make work with the mbz.

Also, where are you located? There is an El Dorado NF very near a big group of us in NV/CA not sure if its the same one.

[230ohc]

Yes,
I think the 230 and th400 was available breifly in 65, but not in 64 as far as i know... But i could be wrong, ive only just been digging up info since
Late april when i got this rig .
And yes im in Stockton area .
The motor costs too much to rebuild, and i would prefer diesel.
I do have a 4 speed and t case from toy cruiser with sbc downey housing so thats an option too, ive read a nice article someone did with isuzu 4 cyl diesel into a cruiser that had sbc with a downey adapter .
I had just hoped the 230 adapter would doable witm om617 .

[twisted frame]

Proof of life.

Awesome story. So great to see a truck like that brought back to life. 2 questions if you don't mind:

Did you do the angle job on the front fenders?

What tires did you buy? I can't say I've seen that tread on any of the mainstream brands lately.

[230ohc]

The fenders were cut when I got it, due to the front springs being so bad that the tires where rubbing on turns. Stock size mind you. I put new Rubicon express springs and it gave me 4" of lift in the front, I put 2.5" blocks in the rear to level it out.
The tires are interco 28x8.50-15 super swampers. They are the closest to original that I could find. This is not a daily so I wasn't shy of the bias ply.

[mud89]

Yes,
I think the 230 and th400 was available breifly in 65, but not in 64 as far as i know... But i could be wrong, ive only just been digging up info since
Late april when i got this rig .
And yes im in Stockton area .
The motor costs too much to rebuild, and i would prefer diesel.
I do have a 4 speed and t case from toy cruiser with sbc downey housing so thats an option too, ive read a nice article someone did with isuzu 4 cyl diesel into a cruiser that had sbc with a downey adapter .
I had just hoped the 230 adapter would doable witm om617 .

The TH400 was not available with the Tornado
BTW here it's forbidden to replace a gas engine by a diesel or conversely, more freedom in the US.., the swap doesn't bother me if the rest of the truck like ulphostery is already non-original. Good luck for your project

[Stuka]

The TH400 was not available with the Tornado
BTW here it's forbidden to replace a gas engine by a diesel or conversely, more freedom in the US.., the swap doesn't bother me if the rest of the truck like ulphostery is already non-original. Good luck for your project

Yeah, you Europeans have it rough :/ Even here in California engines swaps are common place.

As for the adapter that is already on there, I do not see it just working with the Mercedes engine. It has an adapter because the transmission uses a Nailhead pattern, which does not fit the AMC engine pattern.

[230ohc]

The 230 adapter im hoping to modify for the om617 or at least use as a template. But if it looks too iffy then I would rather do as stuka suggested and source a th400 get an adapter for that to mate an om617.
Thank you STUKA for the guidance ive looked into it and it seems viable. More so than dealing with that borg warner.
At least that way if i ever acquire a purist hair somewhere and decide to rebuild all original ill have a busted 230 and obsolete as8f just laying about.
Ill need some fenders and quarters and all original interior too though. ._._._._.Sarcasm ._._._._.
The main reasoning for choosing this era is the freedom to do with it as i will.

[230ohc]

Sorry credit for suggestion aswell to RENODEMONA. Thank you all for the weath of information generously provided on this off topic . Im very pleased with this build so far hense show and tell, well despite engine failure. I suppose maybe now I should start a build thread. Unless this is allowable ?

[Renodemona]

Lots of people like/dislike the 6.2 Diesel from GM. Its not as refined an engine as the Merc but easier to adapt. Some of the Isuzu diesels might work too, I seem to remember some chassis-cabs has Isuzu engines with GM transmissions.
Which 4-speed do you have in the Toy? Total driveline swap might not be so bad from a service point of view. Just get or make a period looking gearshift and nobody will know the difference.
The good news is you have tons of options. The bad news is that you have tons of options

[bigun]

Lots of threads over on the mother ship over the years
Source for adapters
http://www.mercedesdiesel4x4.com/Default.asp
http://www.transmissionadapters.com/Mer ... diesel.htm
Them what has done it
http://www.4btswaps.com/forum/forumdisp ... x4Labs.com

[230ohc]

The toyota 4 speed i think is from a 70s model with a downey adapter for sbc, an early setup. Ive got the earlier 3 speed setup in my 43 mb with sbc.