Need more power? Check out the six engine conversions you can expect to see more of – and four on their way out the door.
Zed’s dead baby. Of course, by Zed, we mean the ZD30 common rail power-disaster known for leaving more 4X4s stranded on the side of the track than busted CVs and knee-deep bog holes could ever hope to. It’s not the only 4X4 engine people are throwing in the bin at rapid rates either. All across the country, there are TD42s boiling for the last time, 1HZs struggling up their last hill, 3.2 Duratorqs holing their last pistons, 1KZs cracking their last heads, and 1VD-FTVs slapping their last thong.
The days of yanking out one boat anchor to replace it with another and the age of intelligent engine conversions are here. We’re taking a closer look at some of the up-and-coming engine conversions you’ll see in 2022, and why so many older engines are on their way out the door.
WHAT’S HOT?
ISUZU 4JJ
WHAT MAKES THEM GOOD:
If there’s one thing that draws D-MAX buyers towards Isuzu it’s the 4JJ engine. A commercial-grade 3.0L common-rail turbo-diesel four-pot putting out no more torque or horsepower than any of their competitors. So, what makes it such a popular conversion 4X4 owners are lining up down the street to swap out their 4+ litre turbo-diesel sixes? The answer is easy. Reliability. The 4JJ engine is one of the toughest engines in its class and as a result capable of putting out some serious performance figures while still returning solid fuel economy.
In factory offering, they punch out just 144hp and 294Nm but that’s comparable to a factory turbo TD42 for a fraction of the weight. Count in then that rebuilding TD42s are getting thin on the ground and 4JJs have been known to push out near on 1000hp and 1700Nm in diesel drag racing and it’s obvious why this oddball conversion is gaining popularity.
WHAT THEY MAKE:
In stock- form expect 144hp/294Nm to 187hp/450Nm depending on the model. Turbo upgrades and matching tunes can see outputs double.
WHERE YOU’LL FIND THEM:
RA Holden Rodeos, Isuzu D-MAX’s and MUXs.
WHAT YOU’LL PAY:
$25,000 drive in drive out (engines can be purchased for sub $5,000).
FORD BARRA
WHAT MAKES THEM GOOD:
You’ll have to forgive us for getting a little teary-eyed every time the Barra gets brought up in conversation. It’s hard not to hear that word and be proud. For those who don’t have a clue what we’re yabbering away with here, the Barra is Ford’s 4.0L double overhead cam multi-valve inline-six that puts fear into the hearts of V8s all over the world. And it was designed and manufactured right here in Australia. You can pick up an ex-taxi donk pushing out 244hp and 380Nm for under $500 and confidently expect it to last hundreds of thousands of kays with vegemite for engine oil. In factory turbo guise they can put down nearly 500hp and 650Nm thanks to Ford’s clever over-boost technology.
Conversion kits are dirt cheap too. With a few weekends on the spanners, you could have a Barra sitting in your Patrol for under $4k ready to wire and plumb so it’s not hard to see why 4X4 owners are flocking to them in droves. What’s not to love about bulk torque, cheap power, decent economy, and affordable parts. It almost makes a bloke want to don a cork hat and sing Waltzing Matilda at the local drag strip.
WHAT THEY MAKE:
244hp/380Nm in non-turbo guise with FG XR6 Falcons pushing out 362hp and 586Nm.
WHERE YOU’LL FIND THEM:
Every straight-six Falcon and Territory between 2002-2016.
WHAT YOU’LL PAY:
Engines as little as $500. Conversion kits from $3k. Drive-in Drive-out, expect to pay $20,000.
CUMMINS 4.5L
WHAT MAKES THEM GOOD:
There’s never been a cult around engines quite like the Cummins line-up of diesels, and for good reason. The U.S. based mob have been doing nothing but perfecting diesel engines for over 100 years now, even against critics who thought diesel would never take off. Their latest generation ISB engines are a direct replacement to the aging B family (6BT and 4BT) that have been in service since the 1980s and have everything on paper to be the perfect 4X4 engine.
Weighing in at a similar weight to a TD42 or 1HD-FTE and costing similar to what a built engine will cost, the ISB4.5 is an absolute torque monster. The low-revving four-cylinder might only push out 150hp in its lowest tune but that’s paired with 650Nm giving the four-cylinder comparable grunt to a V8 LandCruiser in stock form. Factory offerings bump that up to 200hp and 850Nm with the engine officially rated for 18t trucks and buses. Diesel Conversions Australia in Sydney’s west are the go-to company for these swaps and claim up to 400hp from the engine and as little as 14L/100km for fuel consumption.
WHAT THEY MAKE:
150/200hp – 650/850Nm
WHERE YOU’LL FIND THEM:
Crate engines through Diesel Conversions Australia.
WHAT YOU’LL PAY:
$30,000-$40,000 drive-in drive-out.
FORD COYOTE V8
WHAT MAKES THEM GOOD:
Love the idea of the winning combination of smart tech and the big capacity of the Barra, but have your heart set on the dulcet tones of a V8? Fords got you covered. The 5.0L Coyote is the perfect example of old school grunt done smarter. They’re packed with a whole heap of features to push out maximum power for a minimum weight and a compact design. The four valves per cylinder are controlled by double-overhead cams, each independently controlled allowing the onboard computer to advance and retard exhaust and intake timing separately. Even the casting of the block uses webbing rather than thicker casting, a clever design to increase strength without increasing weight. In high-power Mustang variants expect around 460hp and 570Nm. A more sedate version is available in F150s pushing out 395hp and 540Nm. In recent years Ford has released 750+ hp versions with nearly 850Nm of torque and factory warranty so it’s safe to say there’s huge potential from the Coyote.
Brand new crate engines are available to slot these powerhouses into anything your heart desires, but QLD based Killa Kustoms are the go-to for the swap. They specialise in shoe-horning the engine into Raptors and Rangers but expect to pay a pretty penny for the privilege.
WHAT THEY MAKE:
395-750hp – 540-850Nm
WHERE YOU’LL FIND THEM:
Late-model Mustangs, F150s, high-performance FGX Falcons.
WHAT YOU’LL PAY:
Expect to pay $30,000 for an engine and suitable transmission. Killa Kustoms offer a drive-in drive-out conversion for $56,000.
HYPER 9
WHAT MAKES THEM GOOD:
Think of your dream powertrain for a 4X4. It’d have ungodly amounts of torque, would be whisper quiet, and free to run. Unfortunately, that’s ridiculous and is in no way possible, but the Hyper 9 gets damn close. EV conversions are taking over and thanks to a few Australian companies they’re a bolt-on affair. Putting out 120hp and 230Nm the Hyper 9 might not seem overly impressive until you bolt two together, whack in a few batteries and have yourself a silent running setup with 237hp available from idle and a cool 440Nm. And that’s the entry-level setup.
Evolution Australia down in Victoria offers a single Hyper 9 setup in a complete bolt-in kit for Early Land Rovers for a little over $30,000 that they promise can be installed in a couple of weekends at home. Their kits come complete with everything you need including motors, mounts, wiring, and batteries. The kits are scalable so you can dial in your desired range and power figures. Sure, you wouldn’t swap something like this into your fully-loaded LC100 tourer, but that old 60 in the shed you’ve been thinking about restoring would be a prime candidate.
WHAT THEY MAKE:
120-460hp – 220-880Nm.
WHERE YOU’LL FIND THEM:
Crate motors only.
WHAT YOU’LL PAY:
$30,000 – $60,000.
HELLCAT REDEYE
WHAT MAKES THEM GOOD:
Like an LS Swap for Evel Knievel, the Hellcat range of motors from Stellantis have been thrown into everything from mini-vans to drag cars, depending on what needs to make an offensive amount of power on the day. First seeing the light of day in the Dodge Challenger and Charger 7 years ago the Hellcat engine is one of a kind in the modern world. With a cast-iron block and a whole heap of forged goodies on the inside, Stellantis built the Hellcat motors knowing they’d spend every day of their lives having their neck rung. Pushing out 880Nm and 707hp from its 6.2 litres of displacement thanks to a factory fitted supercharger, the Hellcat is no joke. It’s enough to hurtle some of the Jeeps they come standard in from 0-100 in just 3.4 seconds That’s enough to blow the doors off a lot of Ferraris…in a Jeep!
Of course, it’s not the most practical engine conversion you can think of. In fact, it might be the least practical for anyone touring. But it’s made our list regardless because of the sheer factory support Stellantis have thrown at their crate engine program. They want you to buy it and put it in your 4X4. They’ll even sell you a brand new one with 808hp and 970Nm but expect to pay $40k just to have it sitting in your garage. Alright, you got us, we mainly just included this because we wanted to talk about them.
WHAT THEY MAKE:
707-808hp – 880-970Nm.
WHERE YOU’LL FIND THEM:
Dodge Challengers, Chargers, Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, RAM 1500 TRX.
WHAT YOU’LL PAY:
$40,000 for motor supply only.
WHAT’S NOT SO HOT?
GENERAL MOTORS LS V8
It’s probably a little premature to say the LS is on its way out, especially with the supercharged LSA engines being a solid foundation. But they’re not ‘the’ motor to have any more. There are more fuel-efficient, torquier, and more unique motors catching people’s attention.
CUMMINS 6BT
The 6BT is still one of the best engines ever built, but it’s also one of the heaviest. If your 4X4 has one stock, keep it forever. If you’re dropping $40k on a conversion there are smarter options with better results
CHEV DIESEL
Everything we just said about the 6BT rings true for the Chev diesel, except the part about being good. Chev diesels were common swaps for yank style grunt but dollar for dollar your money is better spent elsewhere these days. You wouldn’t swap a 12HT into an LC200 no matter how good a motor they were.
SMALL BLOCKS
Chev or Ford, it doesn’t matter. The price of the donor motors is more expensive than modern offerings with more power and less fuel consumption, and the kits are more expensive too. Save the small blocks for the classics.
TOYOTA 1UZ-FE
If you were a Toyota fanatic in the early 2000s the 4.0L double overhead cam V8 was THE motor to have. Sadly, now they’re obscure, outclassed, and underwhelming. They sound fantastic, but so do better motors that you can have for cheaper.
