Simple Retrofits?

[SHINTON]

Ok - as I puzzle my way thru possibly putting in a used engine into my Toyota...got me thinking, why is this so "hard" to find / and do.

Maybe the target population is too small, but it seems to me, if I was someone like cummins (or isuzu diesel crew, etc)

I would come up with a pkg. 4cyl diesel, 5spd, tcase, sell it for say $3500-5000. Have the pkg come with a set of gauges (speedo, tach, temps, etc)... and then maybe a standard set of stock alternators, ...

Wow as I write this maybe I am answer my own question, but somehow I would think it would be easy to come up with a kit to retrofit into the "clunkers" New engine mounts, couple options on the driveshaft to axles and wahlah?

Am I really just OVER simplifying this or? Maybe the price is just too high, 3-5k, but cater this to the various enthusiast groups. So you can slap it in your dune buggy, rat rod, etc, everywhere that the 350v8s might normally go?

 

[RatLabGuy]

Well part of teh problem is that the manufactirers don't really have the time, facility, manpower or reason to bother with selling directly to consumers. I mean what you mention is a great idea, but who is going to actually package, market, and sell this? Cummins is already making snotloads of cash via thousands and thousands of OEM contract sales.

And re: clunkers, if you mean specifically the C4C trade-ins, remember it's actually quite difficult to purchase one of these whole and impossible to re-title it.

 

[Ron]

Nah the real reason is warranty and legality.
I am not going to sell you a kit and warrant it unless I can ensure adequate air flow, vibration absorbtion, fueling etc. Despite thoughts to the contrary OEm manufacturers spend MILLIONS engineering proper fits and applications.

there is simply no way to ensure all those things in a retro fit application.

Secondly, is the issue with EPA emissions. In order to earn EPA certification you have to either test a specific vehicle after production (cost around 7500 per vehicle) or submit certified prototype test results that show imminently repeatable processes that each unit will be identical to the submitted prototype. Just not possible with Sambo and Bubba in the backyard doing install.

next factor in NHTSA crash tests yada yada yada.....

Cummins was deep into talks with the ford cummins guys to retail their kits in our distribution chain, but the above prevented it.