1KD-FTV Swap

Hi All, new member here. I've been looking at the forums on and off for a few years (basically every time I needed info on my truck), but never had an occasion to post until now.

Introduction. I'm a security systems tech in interior BC Canada. My wife is a farrier and the Tacoma is her work vehicle and our mode of transportation when traveling out of town. It's a 2007 Tacoma TRD sport. 4L V6 with an auto transmission.

We love the truck, but the fuel mileage is terrible (my 99 dodge 2500 (diesel) gets significantly better mileage.

Diesel is much cheaper for us (1.06/L compared to 1.26/L for gas), so the thought comes to swap in a diesel. She drives about 4500 KM/month, putting on 90k or so a year.

Searching seems to indicate that the 1KD-FTV from the Hilux seems to be the ideal swap, and I see several available locally in Canada with the auto trans. We believe the swap would be cost effective, given we intend to keep the truck long term and it has no other significant damage or rust.

Does anyone have any more information on this swap, and potential pitfalls? To give a brief portfolio I've rebuilt several 12 and 24v Cummins, and rebuilt/swapped a 4bt into a 96 K2500. I do see several old threads from a certain shop on here, but it appears that the photos and any pertinent information was removed to garner more business (can't blame them, but I'm not about to fork out 25k for something I'm perfectly capable of myself).

Any input would be greatly appreciated. As a starter I'm wondering whether the 1KD will fit its own engine mounts, or whether customs will need to be made. Also wondering about custom driveshafts and the ability to reuse the stock transfer case included on the Tacoma can be re-used.

Thank you in advance!!

 

Did you ever do this swap?

 

Nope. Don't plan to either.

I couldn't find a used drive train that was any less than 8k, and also noticed something else that I don't like.

The 1KD-FTV uses Denso common rail injectors. They are currently unsupported in NA, and getting parts/rebuild is near impossible. They would need to be sent to Australia or the UK for that.

I bought a Bobcat skid steer with a blown engine that had the same injectors. Went to hell and back to get a new one, that's how I found out. That engine is useless here until it's supported.

As well, you need a denso DST scan tool to do any ECM adjustments (necessary if changing an injector). That tool is well over 1k, and no one here has it.

 

So you stuck with the 4.0L then?

 

Yep for now. We plan to either buy an older diesel version, or sell this truck eventually and buy a newer diesel.

 

Sounds great but that is one stupid expensive swap. Also as you have found out, support is a headache here in NA.

You can have it done turn key for roughly 25k.

I looked into it, for the future. But I can buy a lot of gas for that. Even at 11.5 mpg.

 

Toyota is currently testing the 1GD (replacement for the 1KD) with the EPA.

We may yet see a diesel Toyota again in NA.

I know up there in Canadia ya'll had better availability on the diesels, in the US ours stopped in 85.. when did your's stop?

 

Yep, I saw that certain shop's advertising. It turned me off in a big way when they chose to privatize any information regarding the swap, especially considering they could have made a fair chunk importing drivetrains and selling them and swap parts to DIYers. Knowing what I do now, I wouldn't bother.

The injectors are about 12-1300 CAD each. They contain a unique QR compensation code printed on the injector head that has to be programmed into the ECM to ensure proper fuelling rates. Otherwise idle etc can be erratic. Denso DST is required, and unless you want to pay the 1+K for the communication box and another 1K/year for the software license, it's not worth it.

For reference, a top down rebuild on a Kubota 4cyl diesel that was in that Bobcat cost over 6k. About 2k of that was just 1 new injector and the service fee to have a Bobcat technician come out and reprogram the ECM, which took all of 5 minutes. I called every well-known injection shop in Canada and even Denso NA. They basically laughed at me and told me to send the injectors to a distributor in Australia.

I agree, I can drive quite a while before paying the swap off.

 

It seems the easiest and cleanest of the swaps available. The $1K for the scanner is just rolled into the cost IMO, the parts availability is however an issue to some degree. The issues and fixes as well as improvements for the 1KD FTV seem to be known quantities IMO. It boils down to cost. All in around $10K for the parts makes it a maybe, much more than that and maybe it would be better to go all in on a late model Loaded Tundra with the 1VD-FTV twin turbo. Or do nothing at all and slap some exhaust on the 4.0. Meanwhile it's all good learning. I'm a career mechanic with a great home shop so I'm at a bit of an advantage in that it's not magic to me as long as I don't need to build my own CAN modules. I would love to find someone who has done it and go for a ripp to see if I like it.

 

Not sure exactly, but it was somewhere around the same year. I've seen the rumors about a diesel Tacoma. Even then I'm very hesitant paying 50+K for a brand new, untested diesel. There's a reason I prefer older engines like the 7.3 or 5.9.

BTW for the record, the EPA compliant engines that use an EGR/DPF system have a very short shelf life. That Kubota motor lasted less than 4k hours, and several shops I talked to said even that was a miracle.

 

OP, you're absolutely right! The Cummins gets much better fuel mileage and it's at least a ton heavier. Prior to my Tacoma, I had a 96 Cummins with marine injectors and a ground fuel plate. Even with those modifications, it turned an average of 5mpg better. Unfortunately, Tacoma's aren't known for their good MPG.

 

Mercedes injectors are the same. The computer needs the coded fuel flow rates from each one for tuning. I think if one committed to this swap you would do it once up front and never have to touch it again. Just need to change the washers every 40K when checking valve clearances. There are also aftermarket injectors...but yeah that's not cheap.

 

Unfortunately there are not currently aftermarket injectors provided. Believe me. I tried. The exact answer from Denso is "There is currently no plan to release injector specifications to the NA market, or create a rebuild/exchange program similar to the ones used in Asia and the UK".

In other words, they just don't care.

 

Yep. I drive a 99 24v that I rebuilt last year. It makes somewhere in the low 600s, and still gets about 3-4MPG better than the wife's Tacoma, as long as I keep my foot off the skinny pedal.

 

There's something you missed. The scanner software is 1K/year just for the subscription. In other words if you ever need to plug in again (general recommendation is every year or so to do a fuel compensation adjustment on the supply pump), if it's past that year you have to spend another 1K. Denso really has the auto-electrical market by the balls. I have a relative that just retired from Delphi. He basically (very politely) insists that Denso is doing their absolute best to bankrupt anybody else in the market, and they do whatever they have to.

 

Yeah modern diesels are not the same as old and simple. 100 percent true haha.

Epa trash has kept me out of a new diesel so far. And the trucks they come in has kept me out of the old ones.

If Toyota brings it, I will buy a 1st year just to make sure I get one! That and, assuming they try it, they only way they will stay in the market is good sales off the bat. I have driven the 1KD over seas, and other Toyota's and they are great. Not as simple as an old one, but old Toyota hilux diesels left a lot to be desired.

The newer ones are still reliable, and more powerful, and efficient. The real headache will be the EPA. I will have to find a way to ditch the new fangled emissions bullshit, which should be relatively easy.

 

Yep a delete can be done. Basically block the EGR with a plate and removee the DPF if it has one, then just use resistors to fool the sensors. That will void warranty in a damn big hurry though, and I wouldn't want to risk that on a brand new truck with a brand new year 1 engine.

The old mechanical 1K motor can be made to generate a good bit of power, with the right tuning and injectors. That part doesn't bother me, but it comes with the cost of maintaining something that's home built as opposed to OEM.

 

I caught that yeah. I don't think it needs doing every year in my experience. It's not a race car in need of optimal tuning. the rest may be an issue. One other question is are JDM vehicles OBD 2 compliant or is that a North American thing?

 

The engine harnesses that I've seen are not OBDII, they're some other sort of 4 pin CANBUS that only works with the DST.

I do agree, it's not something that's needed every year, and could certainly be shared across members if more went that route.

 

True on the warranty. I am sure I would ride out the warranty, and delete those bits once they were not covered.

Not that I have had much luck with Toyota warranty services. Have had some things fixed, but I have also been driving my 2015 with practically no usable 5th gear since it was new. After a dozen trips to the dealer and hours talking on the phone, I decided to stop trying. I am hoping it explodes on the highway, and leaves me stranded. I am so tired of southeast Toyota.

After my springs, clutch and transmission I will never deal with the southeast regional Toyota again if I can help it.