Strange questions

[Freight_Train]

Are the 70s and early 80s Autos behind the diesel electronic or Mechanical?As if I didn't have enough projects I got a wild hair up my butt(thank GOD 95% of the time it never gets past the drawing boards!) on a new one.Found a couple 70s model Postal jeeps real cheap and thought about putting a 5Cylinder MB turbo diesel engine in one and strip the other for parts(one runs one don't so I might be able to sell un-needed parts and come out in the green).Would a MB diesel even fit in a jeep originally equiped with a Straight 6 AMC gasser?My other option is maybe a 4 Cylinder diesel from a ranger or maybe a 4 banger Cummins with an C6 or maybe a gear rower but really don't want a gear rower since I would be shifting with my left hand and I have enough trouble shifting normally on the right side.

 

[Meta6981]

Yeah that would proably work the older engines are mainly mechanical operation.

 

[The Warden]

Sounds like a fun project!

Are the 70s and early 80s Autos behind the diesel electronic or Mechanical?

Completely mechanical. There is one electrical connection, though (in addition to the neutral safety switch and the reverse light switch). The full-throttle kick-down is electrical; there is a pressure switch that the throttle pedal hits when it's pushed to the floor. BUt, otherwise, that should work nicely. BTW, the trannies are 4 speeds, but 4th gear is 1:1. If you get a tranny out of a 300SD, the tranny will start out in 2nd gear unless you hit the kick-down switch or manually shift the tranny into "L".

Would a MB diesel even fit in a jeep originally equiped with a Straight 6 AMC gasser?

I don't see why not. The AMC 6-cylinder engines aren't exactly small, and the 617 isn't all that heavy as far as diesels go, so it should fit in (with considerable modification).

My other option is maybe a 4 Cylinder diesel from a ranger or maybe a 4 banger Cummins with an C6 or maybe a gear rower but really don't want a gear rower since I would be shifting with my left hand and I have enough trouble shifting normally on the right side.

You're no fun! Seriously, I would use a 617 over a Ranger diesel, simply because with the Ranger engine, you then have to deal with aluminum heads. A 4BT would be pretty heavy, but it's got more readily available power potential if you want to BOMB it (many 12 valve 6BT performance upgrades can be used on a 4BT); the 617 has the same issue as our IDI's in that it has a high compression ratio, and 15 psi is about all you can safely put into the engine.

This could be cool!!

 

[Jarlaxle]

A high, short-wheelbase DJ with an 850+lb Cummins just scares me to even consider.

 

[Full Monte]

Now there's a guy who doesn't have enough to do! If I had that much time on my hands, would I choose to put a 30 year-old engine in a vehicle that prolly has 2 million miles on it, requires left-hand drive and can't go past a mailbox without stopping? Nah...I think I'd go fishin' instead.

 

[The Warden]

Now there's a guy who doesn't have enough to do! If I had that much time on my hands, would I choose to put a 30 year-old engine in a vehicle that prolly has 2 million miles on it, requires left-hand drive and can't go past a mailbox without stopping? Nah...I think I'd buy a used diesel and a camper instead.

There, fixed it for you