Diesel fixer

[Waipio Rim]

Found this ad while browsing, but I can't do anything with it:

RVs: 1981 airstream RV - Ocala, Florida

Who knows how to rebuild an Isuzu?

[Mike Leary]

Originally Posted by Waipio Rim

Found this ad while browsing, but I can't do anything with it: Who knows how to rebuild an Isuzu?

I do, if it was out here, I'd jump on it, even though a divorce would be in the offing. The only problem could be the piston liners, everything else is still available. It's a bullet-proof industrial engine, someone put their foot into it , did not check the pyrometer, and toasted it, I'd bet. Heard it before, a sad trashing of one of the best engines ever made.

[Melody Ranch]

Come on Mike! Lets bring it here to Texas...rebuild it and sell it to someone from the UK.

[Mike Leary]

Originally Posted by Melody Ranch

Come on Mike! Lets bring it here to Texas...rebuild it and sell it to someone from the UK.

Hey, I thought you were a trailer guy. Honestly, that is a heck of a deal if the jugs are o.k, even if they're not, it can be rebuilt. Those industrial engines were (and are) used in most of the fishing fleet up in WA, and parts are still available, maybe even the liners. The bearcat is getting that engine out of there, yet it can be done with not a lot of hassle if you can raise her off the ground. From what I can see,a pretty nice coach that does not deserve to be some kind of "hunting lodge."

[handn]

I have a friend who has one like the one in the add. When the Izusu went South he replaced the drive train with a Cummins Dodge. He said it was an easy installation. Hundreds of thousands of Cummins, Dodge powertrains in junkyards across the country. Probably cheaper to repower than rebuild the Izusu.
The Izusu is a good industrial engine (commonly used to power refrigeration in over the road trucks) but greatly underpowered for a motorhome. People floor them to get any speed out of them, heat up the exhaust and burn them up.

[crazeevw]

handn, everything I've read so far about the Cummins engine swap, most try to find the oldest model Dodge Cummins diesel, since they have virtually no electronic controls, making the swap a bit easier. Any idea what year engine your friend used?
Thanks, Derek

[Mike Leary]

Trouble with those old Cummins was they we're noisy as all get out, as well as getting pretty bad mileage. I'd re-build an Isuzu any day before attempting to retro another engine. With overdrive,and 15 pounds boost from the turbo, Bess gets 15 mpg @ 65 mph @ 3200 rpm, which is right on the money for the Isuzu.

[idroba]

Originally Posted by Mike Leary

I do, if it was out here, I'd jump on it, even though a divorce would be in the offing. The only problem could be the piston liners, everything else is still available. It's a bullet-proof industrial engine, someone put their foot into it , did not check the pyrometer, and toasted it, I'd bet. Heard it before, a sad trashing of one of the best engines ever made.

I had a friend with a 81 with an Isuzu and I had a 454 310. At first the 454 would run rings around the diesel, but then he found that the mufflers were installed backwards(!!) and that kept him from developing any power. They were repaced, and then he rang rings around me, and got 50% better fuel milage to boot.

Sadly, the original diesel had an aftermarket turbo put on by AS. The oil line for it was taped into the block and somehow that line broke from fatigue. Toasted the engine. He had a new one put in for a huge amount of money, and the new one was equipped with a Isuzu factory turbo, much better designed than the original add on by AS. However, he did have to raise the doghouse to accommodate the new engine. All I can say is both engines were noisy as heck, but he loved them.

So, we never did figure out how the mufflers got installed backwards. Was it a factory issue or did the original owner do it somehow? All I recall is that the pyro temp would go up very quickly if he was not careful. I wonder if anyone toasted their engine for that reason. The oil cooler line on the AS added turbo was also questionable, and was responsible for the death of his first engine. The second was running like new at about 170,000 miles, when I sold the coach for him a couple of years ago when he could no longer drive it.

Just more stories for the group.

[dadstoy]

My 454 and I are very happy!

[Jimbcole]

I'd like to have a crack at fixing it, or a cummins re-power if somebody wants to buy it and tow it to my shop! Looks like a nice one. Heck you could even get the Cummins engine and transmission shipped to my shop too! I'll get it in there! :-)

[perryg114]

I believe a lot of the Chevy Diesel engines were Isuzu so they are not all that uncommon. I am not that sure I would pay that much for a project.

Perry

[Mike Leary]

The engine is prolly a 6BD1A, I'd doubt it's a California model. If anyone buys it, I'd be glad to supply the info for my three suppliers. Sure like to know how fried the engine is, tried to call the guy last night with no luck.

[Smartstream]

Originally Posted by Mike Leary

The engine is prolly a 6BD1A, I'd doubt it's a California model. If anyone buys it, I'd be glad to supply the info for my three suppliers. Sure like to know how fried the engine is, tried to call the guy last night with no luck.

Like Mike said it's tough engine and parts are around. The problem is it's an obsolete engine that was last manufactured in the 80's. If it is rebuild-able you will have a lot of bucks in it and still have 30 year old technology with a limited parts supply that will have to be shipped from the 2 or 3 vendors that still carry them. Remember Airstream bought a normally aspirated engine and added an aftermarket low pressure turbo from a company that no longer exists. They then coupled this to a GM transmission. The drive-train was set up for a 4800 rpm gas engine and the Isuzu is governed at 2300 rpm. This gives you a top speed around 67 to 68 mph.

If the coach is in decent shape and one wanted to stay with an Isuzu I would recommend picking up a later model turbo take out from a wrecked truck. You will have a more powerful, more efficient engine that will pretty much bolt right in with few modifications. Parts will also be much easier to find.

If it was mine I would drop in a late model Cummins with a matched 5 or 6 speed overdrive transmission. It would be a relatively easy transplant that would have lots of power and efficiency, a great engine with lots of support and parts available everywhere.

It could be a good project for someone who lived a little closer to it than I do.

Cheers, Dan

[Mike Leary]

I'd sure like to know what's "obsolete" with a power house, that, though a tad slow, was built like a brick, and 90% of the fishing boats in the N.W. still use them, hence the parts still available up there.

[Smartstream]

Originally Posted by Mike Leary

I'd sure like to know what's "obsolete" with a power house, that, though a tad slow, was built like a brick, and 90% of the fishing boats in the N.W. still use them, hence the parts still available up there.

They have learned an awful lot over the years Mike. Drive a new Dodge pick up with a Cummins and then drive a 20 year old one and you will be shocked at the difference. I don't advocate taking out a good running Isuzu but I would think real hard before putting much money in a destroyed one.

Cheers, Dan

[Mike Leary]

Originally Posted by Smartstream

They have learned an awful lot over the years Mike. Drive a new Dodge pick up with a Cummins and then drive a 20 year old one and you will be shocked at the difference. I don't advocate taking out a good running Isuzu but I would think real hard before putting much money in a destroyed one.

Cheers, Dan

Agreed, the new ones are nice and quiet, but geez, Dan, the RETRO-FIT? $$$$$$ On a second point, I'm on our second turbo, it's not a big deal to buy; the big deal is removing and replacing. It is a bearcat to work on from underneath.

[Smartstream]

Originally Posted by Mike Leary

Agreed, the new ones are nice and quiet, but geez, Dan, the RETRO-FIT? $$$$$$ On a second point, I'm on our second turbo, it's not a big deal to buy; the big deal is removing and replacing. It is a bearcat to work on from underneath.

Nobody ever said owning a classic Airstream moho was going to be cheap.

Who did you get your turbo from? The guys I talked to said the BAC was a 10 psi. unit. I don't know that I've ever seem mine make 10 psi. You must be pushing things pretty hard to make 15 psi. Also what kind of gears are you running? At 3200 in direct I can make 65 mph. The overdrive drops it to about 2600 rpm at 65mph.

Cheers, Dan

[Mike Leary]

Originally Posted by Smartstream

Nobody ever said owning a classic Airstream moho was going to be cheap.

Who did you get your turbo from? The guys I talked to said the BAC was a 10 psi. unit. I don't know that I've ever seem mine make 10 psi. You must be pushing things pretty hard to make 15 psi.

Cheers, Dan

You know me, Dan, I don't push it because I believe my fresh gauges and drive by them, screw the speedometer. Your coach should be able to run 15 to twenty pounds boost without the pyro maxing above 1200 degrees. What I think happened to you,(other than bad factory gauges) is when that engine was re-built, they "ran the rack" and did not adjust the pump for the turbo. There is an adjustment screw that can be tweaked on the pump to prevent the smoking you had last time I saw you. How do I know this? Same thing happened to me when I rebuilt the top end and neglected to tell the shop Bess was Turbo-Charged. I'll search the files and get back to you about what turbo we got, which might even be an Isuzu.