UK based 620 - 500bhp Diesel Build

[rustypaint_com]

Hi from the UK 😁

 

620's are ultra rare here, and this one has been imported all the way from Cali (some years ago).

 

I build a lot of hotrod & ratrod stuff, so i need something cool to haul my parts around the UK in - so this 620 is ideal.

 

For anyone interested in video's - i am doing a youtube series, but i will also be posting on here regular updates.

 

 

 

 

[datzenmike]

Welcome to Ratsun.

 

That Datsun is rough but salvageable. Never cared for the 'Mini Truck' look. (or the sound track) Just to pimpy with carpet and interior. It's a '74 by the looks of it so L18, a good engine. But I guess you are determined to stuff an engine that does not fit into it. So will you keep the radiator in the front and cut out the firewall, floor and heater or keep the engine forward, cutting out only the tunnel and mount the radiator in the bed? More often than not this ends in failure. Worse the truck is modified past a tipping point where it can't be brought back and is lost.

 

3 liter 135 hp to 600 hp??? Hows this going to happen?

 

Why not a V6 even if it's a diesel? It'll have a better chance of fitment than an inline 500-600 pound boat anchor.

[rustypaint_com]

14 minutes ago, datzenmike said:

Welcome to Ratsun.

 

That Datsun is rough but salvageable. Never cared for the 'Mini Truck' look. (or the sound track) Just to pimpy with carpet and interior. It's a '74 by the looks of it so L18, a good engine. But I guess you are determined to stuff an engine that does not fit into it. So will you keep the radiator in the front and cut out the firewall, floor and heater or keep the engine forward, cutting out only the tunnel and mount the radiator in the bed? More often than not this ends in failure. Worse the truck is modified past a tipping point where it can't be brought back and is lost.

 

3 liter 135 hp to 600 hp??? Hows this going to happen?

 

Why not a V6 even if it's a diesel? It'll have a better chance of fitment than an inline 500-600 pound boat anchor.

 

I wont keep 75% of it... In all honesty its all junk to me, including the engine. I am determined to install something that's not been done before as i like to be creative and not follow the easy route.

 

I'm unsure where you think the engine is a 600 pound boat anchor, i can only assume you are naïve to the om606 engine! It is used a lot in big drift circles (google black smoke racing), and weighs nearer 450lbs.... but that's negligible when the output is well over 450bhp with the pump and turbo i have for it.

 

The radiator, will be chucked in the bin... and most of the floorpan will be made from scratch - i already have a lot of the front end panels on order so the ugly modifications made to the truck will be reversed.. I think for engine fitment, the rad will be custom and moved as far forward as possible (i may need to make the front end tubular), but i still will have to modify the internal cab and flooring. From memory i think i need to gain around 8 inches somewhere, which should be fun!. The current modifications were done in CA, and not by me i can assure you haha! So yes, the truck can easily be brought back up to scratch. I have nothing against the styling, however its an 80s finish which was cool then, but massively outdated now. 

 

The engine hp is what you must have googled not knowing much about the engine, so i will explain. In 'normal' form the engines run low BHP, and electronic engine management. You then remove the electronic rubbish and use an OM603 manual fuel pump - this is then sent away to be modified with bigger elements (the standard electronic pump runs 5.5mm elements - where as we get 7.5mm or 8mm elements added to the modified manual pump). This then matched with a hx40 turbo, will give you a substantial increase on BHP.

 

The 7.5 dieselmeken 190cc pump has been known to run 733bhp at the crank and 846lbft with just a BorgWarner turbo - Not bad for a 'boat anchor' haha

 

There will be a lot of custom fabrication, but that is half of the fun to be honest! 

[hobospyder]

I dig it

 

Love the tailgate and hood and would try to buy/swap with you (I have a thing for louvered hoods) but the shipping would kill me at this point

 

Interested in where this thing goes 

[datzenmike]

 Ignorant perhaps, but not naive. Diesels are predominantly and by design very heavy. I looked at a couple of forums and it ranges from 475 to way over 600 and depends on the accessories and peripherals. The L18 is around 255 pounds, and as most Datsuns are rare there, sell or donate to someone so they can keep theirs alive. Additionally there is your transmission weight. No idea what that is but almost a safe bet it's over 100 pounds, the current 4 speed is around 70 pounds.

 

Adding fuel alone is not gong to make 360 more hp. You'll need 4 times? the air.

[slowlearner]

Sorry, but that video had way too many words and not enough grinder action for me. Stop typing and start cutting!!! 🤠

 

P.s. I can see why people might thinking it's a nice car, but it's obviously not. Sell your old parts off and make your money back.  

[Lockleaf]

That thing looks straight out of cali in 1989.

 

I spent a good while looking in to swapping an om617 into a 720.  Mercedes makes some cool diesels.

[rustypaint_com]

14 hours ago, datzenmike said:

 Ignorant perhaps, but not naive. Diesels are predominantly and by design very heavy. I looked at a couple of forums and it ranges from 475 to way over 600 and depends on the accessories and peripherals. The L18 is around 255 pounds, and as most Datsuns are rare there, sell or donate to someone so they can keep theirs alive. Additionally there is your transmission weight. No idea what that is but almost a safe bet it's over 100 pounds, the current 4 speed is around 70 pounds.

 

Adding fuel alone is not gong to make 360 more hp. You'll need 4 times? the air.

 

The engine bhp increase (if you are interested) is already extremely well documented online - Just google 'superturbodiesel' or 'om606'... They make huge power on a £1300 pump and a £600 turbo.

 

I have explained i am using a Holset HX40, which is considerably bigger (and would flow easily more than 4 times the air of the standard limiting kkk k14 turbo).

 

You also forgot to ask about rev range, as that also has an added affect to the BHP calculation, as the pump is collaborated for higher RPM

 

.

 

 

 

[datzenmike]

I found one dyno pull and no graphs. Maybe you'll be the first to post one. Should have no problem smoking the tires on an eventual 3,000 pound 620. The H-190 is good for 300 ft lbs. 

[ShutterMeShort]

this... should be interesting.

Both Rusty and Mike make good points.  There will be a LOT of fab work to make this not just fit but functional.  Adding much weight to the front end of these small trucks entails a lot of suspension redesign - along with the modifications you will be making to fit the engine makes for a difficult project!  I'm excited to see how you tackle it.  There is a lot of information and mostly KNOWLEDGE here so do pay attention.

Having recently come from the Daimler diesel world professionally, his numbers seem attainable. That's the beauty of diesels - Give them air and too much fuel and they go insane.  The science is not nearly what needs to be for gas.  Adding that turbo and changing to the modified older mechanical fuel pump should make for some huge increases. 
 

 

Edited February 16, 2021 by ShutterMeShort

[datzenmike]

That's more like it.