Pajero engine swapped into Delica

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Rattlenbang
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Pajero engine swapped into Delica

Post by Rattlenbang »

I recently had the odious challenge of retrofitting a Pajero 4d56T engine into a Delica, and I thought I’d describe the difference between the two engines in case anyone else ever has to do this. I looked all over the web and couldn’t find anywhere that described this, yet according to the boys up at Malahat it’s been done a number of times. I would have preferred a stock Delica engine of course, but the only one I was able to find in a hurry was in a Pajero.

Note that some of the differences might possibly come from the fact that I was putting a 91’ Pajero engine into an ’89 Delica.

Injector pumps are different as the Pajero has an intercooler and it has a quite different throttle linkage setup. I didn’t notice any untoward smoking when running but I imagine the engine is running richer absent the intercooler so I plan on tweaking the mix down.

The Pajero throttle linkage uses a kind of rocker with a yellow plastic link rod that is far too far forward for the Delica cable. You have to remove the link rod and jerry rig the throttle cable a bit to another throttle fitting closer to the rear of the pump. Or swap the whole injection pump over.

NOTE: If the plastic link rod is left loose it can bind against the timing cover giving a stuck wide-open throttle situation (ask me how I know).

The bracket for the power steering pump is only slightly different but enough to make it useless, so swap it over before you install the water pump fan and belts. It hurts when you go to all the work to get all the belts on and adjusted then find out it all has to come off to remove the one mounting bolt. Why in god’s name they thought they needed 4 bolts and a long brace to mount that little pump is beyond me.

Starboard engine mount is very different. You can get the port one to fit, but you have to swap out the other.

The intake manifolds need to be swapped.

The vacuum dashpot for the wastegate is mounted higher in the Pajero intake manifold than on the Delica, making running the steel intake pipe (the one in between the air filter and the turbo) a total pain to install, and it won’t sit properly. You can just make it fit, but it looks like hell and pushes up against the steel cover above it.
But the control rod on the Delica dashpot is thinner, and the pin this control rod goes over on the Pajero wastegate is much thicker, so you’d have to drill out the hole in the Delica control rod to allow it to fit over the thicker Pajero pin, and you’d have precious little metal left. You can’t swap the control rods between the two because the Pajero one is a lot longer (which is probably why it’s thicker). No doubt something could be done here with a little thought.

I was told the water pump needs swapping but actually it’s just the water pump pulley, as the Pajero doesn’t use the two-belt system. Ditto for the harmonic balancer.

The biggest PITA in the whole thing was discovering the Pajero oil filter bracket uses a different THREAD PITCH for the oil cooler lines. In case you never noticed, the area where the oil filter screws in is actually a separate component, with distribution lines to the turbo, the vacuum pump, and the oil cooler. It’s held onto the block by 4 long bolts that are almost impossible to access with the engine in the car.
It was when I tried installing the oil lines that I found out the Pajero doesn’t use banjo bolts but hydraulic fittings, and though they are the same diameter, the Pajero fittings are a coarser pitch. It took me hours to get that part off, seeing it’s jammed in between the alternator/vacuum pump, engine mount, and turbo.
My new novel A Dark and Promised Land has just been released by Dundurn Press. "On the eve of war he is compelled to reclaim her love, setting himself against his people amid a conflict that will form a nation." http://www.darkpromisedland.com/
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Mr. Flibble
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Re: Pajero engine swapped into Delica

Post by Mr. Flibble »

You could always add in an intercooler like Growlerbeans did.
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winelover
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Re: Pajero engine swapped into Delica

Post by winelover »

Good info to know, thanks for sharing it!
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Growlerbearnz
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Re: Pajero engine swapped into Delica

Post by Growlerbearnz »

Sounds like one of those easy-looking jobs that slowly turns into a frustrating nightmare! Glad it all went together in the end though.
Nothing says "poor workmanship" more than wrinkles in the duct tape.
Rattlenbang
Posts: 647
Joined: Sun Dec 16, 2012 8:29 pm
Member's Photo Album: http://www.delica.ca/Photos/
Vehicle: delica
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Re: Pajero engine swapped into Delica

Post by Rattlenbang »

Thanks all, and it did turn into a bit of a nightmare. I'm just surprised nothing was on the net to guide me through it. Some differences were so subtle you only find out when it's too late and then you have a fight on your hands. Oh well, it's out there now for the next poor sap who has to go through it. The job really is no problem once you have the info and can swap everything over beforehand.
My new novel A Dark and Promised Land has just been released by Dundurn Press. "On the eve of war he is compelled to reclaim her love, setting himself against his people amid a conflict that will form a nation." http://www.darkpromisedland.com/
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