Gotta keep 4x4 though? Where do I get custom mounts?

Easily Fabbed mate, just make a wooden one or do a techie drawing

Ok ok all good. 4x4 though? Need to keep my gear box or use one that has a transfer box with it. Correct? With a small block chevy we then have the question of whether the box can handle the torque. I present these merely as problems to over come. Not reasons to not do it....

There's no substitute for cubes,but you do have to work out how to get that amount of power down.Trans,props,axles,suspension and brakes,all need to be sorted out.300hp+ is a hell of a lot in a 4x4 and the torque that kind of motor makes can spin the tyres off the rims in an offroad situation.So there is a lot to consider when doing big motor transplants....But they are fun......

Not that I don't love a challenge. But I am leaning towards the 3.2 if the gearbox match up issue works out somehow. After all it is still 700cc bigger than our 2.5's and has as much bhp in standard trim as I can could dare eek out of the 2.5. Meaning I can sort things like suspension, brakes and drive train while leaving plenty of scope for increasing the horsepower.

Had a look through the epc, waiting for tech to email me back with the bolt-up patterns.

Still don't see how you are going to get a di-d to run on veg though and it's a bit pointless trying to lose the common rail system and 16v head as thats responsible for pretty much all the extra power gained on them

Thanks Billy. One thing at a time...... preparation is the key to success....

Just thinking outside the box here...... brain storming if you will....... if we lose the common rail we will have 4 holes where the injectors went right? So if we could find some injectors that fit, or make them fit with shims, then fab up some injector fuel lines and hook up to a pump? Just a matter of what parts? Custom ECU to get round the lack of a common rail - we're putting a custom ECU in anyway. You''ll still have the extra cubic inches and jut need to feed enough fuel in. Other route for exploration is the belief by Oilybits that they can do it.

Please don't tell me this will all be expensive. I know it will. As Woody says it's all for the fun of it an engineering a better truck that negates the need for a new one in years to come Just humour my imagination and help me find a way to do this

nice idea but classic injector wont work. The whole point of common rail / direct injection is to generate the massive fuel pressures needed to inject atomosised fuel directly into the combustion chamber.

On your classic the combustion chamber is built into the head, It's 'indirect injection', the combustion chamber runs cooler and stops the fuel burning to early which in turn stops the engine knocking itself to death.

On a di-d the combustion chambers are built into the tops of the piston. You need an electronic injector (and high pressure rates) plus various other bits to inject EXACTLY the right amount of fuel at EXACTLY the right time. If either fuel or timing are out it's very bad news, excessive knock will distroy an engine pretty quickly as will those high combustion temps that you know about.

That's also why you can't run veg. not only is the fuel itself the wrong spec - so you have an ecu programmed for diesel yet you feed it something with the wrong cetane rating but veg itself is not capable of atomising like diesel is and you will either get pre-inigition (putting egt's up) or droplets forming which lead to bore washing then melted pistons.

Also, oilybits etc may well belive they can do it. At the very least, I would say you need to treat the veg so it falls within the specs for automotive diesel (as specced in your handbook) or change most of the fuel system to suit veg, plus re-map the ecu to suit veg oil.

As we have yet to rebuild ANY 2.5did engine that has come in with a parts bill of less than £2k I would want them to give me a pretty decent warranty on 'subsequent damages' before fitting a kit to mine

Sound advice. As I say we can approach this next. Knowing we can or can't bolt to my box is step one.