I know I seem like a mind changing freak who changes his mind like a mind changy muppet..... but at least i'm narrowing it down...

As you know I have a V6 and was all set to go down that road at some point. Then I was talking to MitsiArt the other day while I was in there and he said since i've spent so much on a veg conversion why don't I just put a 2.8TD in. My failing is I didn't realise the 2.8TD wasn't common rail. Quick check on wiki and indeed it isn't. The 3.2 (same block) is the common rail one.

So naturally in my undecidy way this now has me all undecided again 2.8's are easy enough to pick up. I could port match the head while it's on a stand and swap it in my own time just like the V6 plan. Would go back to selling the Triton. And I'd need ancillaries for the 2.8 but probably overall easier than a diesel to petrol conversion. From what everyone is telling me it's such a stronger engine than the 2.5 that I can then go about my tuning.

Decisions...............

If the 2.8 is a non FBW then it'll be fairly straight forward to get it in and running, you have next to no ECU and guages etc would be most likely the same...

Good point. I'll check on that.......

Pump will have a single control wire or poss 3 wire if it has an immobiliser, ( easily rid), alternator 3 wires and the starter 2. temp sensor would be easily swapped for your one and oil pressure switch. Glow plugs, easy as you like... aircon is just one wire too.

Thanks for the input Lez. Think i should have a look inside the bay of a 2.8. But it's a far more common engine in the Pajero so I'll be surprised if it is FBW.

the 2.8 sounds a better fit than the v6 Luke

Well that was the great thing, they both fit without fabrication, cross member moving or the like. Not like GB's V8 project ya know! But I do have a penchant for diesels. The 2.8 is a different beast. Might even be able to bore it out first. Depends if it was bored out by the factory to make the 3.2. But hey, there's more options with that block. And staying on veg. And my current mods plus others (WI, S/S exhaust, FMIC) don't go to waste.

just bear in mind its a chain drive not belt, they are a bit noisy compared and the chain has a change life as well

That's ok. Noise is irrelavent. But thanks for the info.

Will be interested in this thread

Got a feeling I have a couple of timing chains for the old 2.8' about somewhere if you want to fit a new one before you stick it in

Yeah will do Billy. Still need to get you vin numbers for either project to make sure it fits my box.

Which way you go depends on what you want out of the change. Horsepower or torque? Performance or economy?

The old 2.8 is a fairly reliable, if unexciting, engine but can be modded to improve output. This is by far the easiest since it's not fly by wire.

From there you can only go up. Staying with diesel the best choice is the 3.2. Relatively easy to modify and get very high torque outputs (up to 700Nm) using chip, rail mods, exhaust and turbo change. Lots of electronics to factor in though. Still this is one gutsy engine and if you can grab one out of a Pajero, with all the electronics and looms then it would be the best diesel option. In standard form outputs are not as high as the HP2.5 but much more driveable and better low down performance without that horrible lag.

Conversion to V6 is also possible and the sky is the limit in terms of power. 500kW from the 6G72 has been done but, in reality, for a daily driver, a modified 6G74 is a better choice. Add heads, crankshaft and throttle body from a 6G75 with new pistons and you're looking at around 200kW and up to 450Nm.This is the basic plan that I have for mine, possibly with a bore to get capacity up to around 4 litres and square the bore:stroke up a bit for top end. 6G75s up to MY09 were not FBW but still a lot of computerised management. Supercharging the 6G75 is also an option. Again, look at around 200kW without internal mods. Expensive though.

The ultimate petrol engine would be the MIVEC 6G75 as in the Pajero but forget about MIVEC heads on a non MIVEC block - too hard. Maybe if you run a rally team Misubishi might sell you a Dakar engine. Dreams.....

Just about any Mitsubishi engine that was ever offered in the Pajero/Triton ranges will be almost a straight bolt in. Magna/Diamante engines also with a few changes. On the petrols there is lots of information on the US forums while the Oz Triton and Pajero forums may be the best source for information on the 3.2.

Oh, BTW, I'm Chris.

Nice info Chris thanks.

Do you happen to know if the the 2.8 and the 3.2 are the same block? They are both the 4M4 engine code but differ by a 0 or a 1 at the end. If you look for either engine on Wikipedia they are covered by the same page "4M4 series." Wiki also details the bore on the 3.2 as being bigger than that on the 2.8. So my thinking, in case you haven't already anticipated it, is did they essentially bore out the 2.8 to make the 3.2? Doubtless even if they did there was a raft of other changes aka the changes in 4D56. But, the reason boring out a 2.8 appeals to me is that it can run on veg.

Which leads me to your other point you raise. Am I wanting economy or performane? Both. I'm demanding like that, and it is essentially my build brief. But if course i do realise that engineering a solution will require compromise. Using things like veg conversions and HHO kits it is possible to have very good effects on economy. Variable boost control and my water injection can be used to turn the wick down and also give performane when wanted / needed. So I like the 2.8 because it fits this role. And for starters is strong enough, from what I'm hearing, to take some tuning. But if it can be bored out then even better.

If it was to be the V6 then I have one on my driveway. Gearbox has gone. It everything else is there including an LPG conversion. The truck has done 200,000 miles. I don't know what work was done to the engine if any but it runs well. My intention if I was to go this route was to rebuild the engine completely as long as the block is sound. New rods and crank if necessary. I did see that stroker kits are available for the 6G7 range but they seem to be outside of what I am willing to spend. So I would probably build it strong and turbo or supercharge it. LPG and possibly an HHO kit would bring the economy back.

Torque or power? In an ideal world it would be torquey V8. But I'm trying to keep things relatively simple by staying with a Mitsi engine as this is still a daily drive. So let's put it this way. Whatever I do is going to have stack loads more torque and power than my 2.5.

Luke I have manuals for all mitzi engines up to new shape..

1999 K96W Paj sport 3.0 petrol ran the same box as the 4D56T, just food for thought, it had the 6G72 V6 Engine, thinking same as Trojan ?

WOOWHOO!! Thank Lez!!! It is indeed food for thought, as knowing that our 5 speed manual boxes can take the torque of the V6 and have the same bolt pattern makes life a lot easier. It shows what I always suspected - the boxes on our trucks are the polar opposite to the engines. Strong!

I think you're right there bud, I've never (touch wood) heard of serious gearbox probs on the classics (although I'm sure they do happen) so gearbox really is a strong point. Slightly off topic but my mate has a ranger with a noisy gearbox and every second hand one he looks at costs a fortune and usually has a noise in 3rd and 4th so I guess that must be their weak spot.

wot'dya mean touch wood...............................

so your looking at diffs not being the same ratio`s

Quote: Yoda wrote in post #17

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WOOWHOO!! Thank Lez!!! It is indeed food for thought, as knowing that our 5 speed manual boxes can take the torque of the V6 and have the same bolt pattern makes life a lot easier. It shows what I always suspected - the boxes on our trucks are the polar opposite to the engines. Strong!

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The box may be the same as you can unbolt the bell housing, so they maybe different

New bell housing and adaptor isn't a major issue though. I was just hoping I could do it without a box swap too.

good info guys thank you. Lez, great work.

If you bore out a 2.8 to a 3.2 you will be stuck for pistons (unless you buy something custom=expensive)
The 3.2's are a DiD motor no good if you want to keep running on veg