The VW diesels are a more expensive swap and dont have the power potential of the 4bt. 200lbs does not make that big of a difference. You just have to plan suspension accordingly AKA V8 grand cherocar lift springs.

 

Just a random thought after reading through this but swapping a VW, Mercedes, or any forgein car engine into a jeep seems un-american to me. Again that's just my opinion. Continue on

 

 

While I find your comment a little bit ridiculous, nothing is more "American" than a Detroit in a CJ!

 

I eventually want to do a diesel swap in my XJ once I get another daily driver so I have the time to work on it. And I wasn't sure what engine to go with but this thread has shed some light on that. And I agree, with enough time, money, and experience you can do almost anything to a jeep

 

his point was that they are foreign motors into an American Jeep

I see his point but im already on track to do mine sooo yep

 

There hasn't been an American Jeep since 1980 when Renault got involved lol

 

I JUST SAW ONE TONIGHT. I met a guy off Craigslist to buy some black steelies, and he pulls up in a '99 XJ with full-on 4bt diesel hard-on. It was quite a sight (and sound). We were talkin Jeeps probably half an hour in the frigid cold. I was intrigued. He said he has about 8 or 9 of the 4bt engines laying around in addition to 2 other XJ's. He said that the engine can get 27mpg on used motor oil! Totally blew my mind.

 

200lbs don't sound like a lot more but if your rock crawling or hardcore off road a nose heavy front end can get hairy.Around here a 4bt goes for 1200 for a block and head if it runs 2k ish.I can get a running vw diesel for less then that.If your looking for cheap power its hard to beat a 350.The 4bt about 450hp most blow apart i have seen one make around 800 but its a mud drag racer triple turbo and probably rebuilt a lot.

 

This is the reason that I ditched the idea of a 4bt. I really want a diesel powered XJ but the more I look at all of the possible options, the more it seems like there is no perfect motor that is 1;cost effective 2;light weight and 3;can make descent power. Every option that I find is too much of a compromise in one of those aspects.

I'd really like to do a swap from a 10' to 13' diesel BMW. I'm a BMW tech by trade and work on them already. They make ridiculous power, get awesome fuel mileage and weigh about as much as their gas counterparts. It's just the cost and complexity to make it work outside of the doner vehicle.

 

vw diesel swap http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1058224 said he got 24mpg with leaking injectors,If i remember right the 1.9 tdi weights around 300lbs so it would be 200 pounds lighter then a stock 4.0 is.

 

Few years ago I was looking for a replacement for the 4 banger that's in the TJ. Thought a 4BT would be awesome and had seen a few on you tube. Knowing I could never do the swap myself I found a few places online that did them. Long story short and $20,000 short that dream was crushed. My point is if you can do the work yourself go for it. If not then you better be rich.

 

Thats what learning is for! If you dont know how to do it you can learn!

 

Very true but there is a lot involved in a 4BT swap.

 

This is true but but very worth it. Its not to bad if you do a basic swap, the biggest tasks are motor mounts, cross member and electrical. There are endless threads that basically tell you how to do it, so for a person that has decent fab skills its not very hard.