At Proffitt’s Resurrection Land Cruisers, we’ve performed hundreds of engine conversions. On each conversion we strive to meet or exceed OEM quality form and function. The answers to these questions come from experience and education from being part of the Cummins Builder Program.
[stm_color_separator align=”text-left” color=”#cc6119″]Q: Is the 2.8 a good option for my (insert your Land Cruiser model here)?
A: Because the R2.8 is so compact, yet performs so well, we are confident that it is a great fit for any model Land Cruiser 1999 and earlier. In our opinion, it is the best diesel engine option available today.
Q: What transmission options do you offer?
A: We are familiar with several automatic transmission options including the GM 4 speed and 6 speed automatics. We are also familiar with a few manual transmission options including the Toyota H55F, and W56. There are other transmission options as well. The transmission option that’s correct for you will really depend on your preference of a manual vs an automatic and the ways you will be using your 2.8 powered vehicle.
Q: Can I use my existing transmission?
A: Maybe. It depends on what you’ve got! Most Toyota manual transmissions can be mated to the R2.8, but the transmission really needs to be a 5 speed to get the performance out of the engine. If you’ve got a Toyota automatic, chances are you either can’t use it or don’t want to. The only Toyota automatic transmission we can think of that will work is the early non-computer-controlled A440 that came in the FJ62 and early FJ80. While this transmission is certainly strong enough to work with the 2.8, it’s inefficiency makes it a poorer choice than a more modern GM automatic.
Q: What kind of mileage can I expect?
A: We’ve seen as low as 20.1 MPG and as high as 25 MPG. Both of these are with winter fuel and mountain driving with periods of 4WD driving. We are optimistic that higher miles per gallon are achievable in other conditions.
Q: How can I expect it to perform?
A: We’ve driven a lot of Land Cruisers with many different engine options so we can offer our completely subjective opinions. The 2.8 certainly out-performs all 40 and 60 series OEM gasoline engine options in our opinion. It also easily outperforms most Toyota diesels available pre-1999, with the 1HDT and 12HT and 15BT as possible exceptions. In Proffitt’s Resurrection Land Cruisers TV we compare 2 FZJ80s, one with a 1FZFE and the other with a Cummins R2.8 and the Cummins performed better in most real world driving situations. Lastly, after performing something like 50 4BT swaps, we can happily say that the R2.8 performs as well or better than its older, much more obnoxious brother.
Q: How much does an R2.8 conversion cost?
A: This is the most common question we get. The answer is a bit complicated because every Land Cruiser is different and almost no 2 conversions are the same. It is important to remember that the conversion is usually an engine and transmission conversion. In addition to the big parts (engine and tranny) there are also lots of small parts to procure such as cooling system parts, intercooler parts, air conditioning parts, shifter(s), isolators and mounts, drive shafts, plus lots of other small items and fluids. It is safe to say that there is a range that most conversions fall in to. Preliminary estimates and data from all the engine conversions we’ve performed indicate that a full 2.8 AND transmission swap will start at about $40,000, parts and labor. A conversion such as the 80 series we built for Cummins can cost much more. If you are serious about considering a 2.8 conversion for your Land Cruiser, we can provide you an estimate for your specific application.