trinituner.com

Got a bt50, love the truck but hearing all this about the wl, always has me nervous...whatgas engines are available that will bolt onto the gearbox

WL Tip, remove the Catalytic Converter, should help keep temps down near the manifold.. and install a coolant temp gauge (murphy switchage)..

Interested to know what else bolts to those gear boxes directly..

streetbeastINC. wrote:Got a bt50, love the truck but hearing all this about the wl, always has me nervous...whatgas engines are available that will bolt onto the gearbox

Head cracked at 65000kms. Replaced and I removed thermostat, installed 3 core rad and condensor fan...kept van for 75000kms after...had no problem. Present owner has no issues either.

Yes I admit I was bummy driving everyday on highway for that 75000kms thinking it wud crack again.

What i noticed was the temp in the engine bay was far cooler than when it was stock. Given the distance I did everyday I usually opened my bonnet evernight when I got home from work so heat can escape...within the hour it would still be like a volcano however after I did the stuff metioned above I coukd have actually changed a fuel filter etc. Also when I started back the temp would be less than the half mark where it resides when stock ..

bt50 wrote:

streetbeastINC. wrote:Got a bt50, love the truck but hearing all this about the wl, always has me nervous...whatgas engines are available that will bolt onto the gearbox

Head cracked at 65000kms. Replaced and I removed thermostat, installed 3 core rad and condensor fan...kept van for 75000kms after...had no problem. Present owner has no issues either.

Yes I admit I was bummy driving everyday on highway for that 75000kms thinking it wud crack again.

What i noticed was the temp in the engine bay was far cooler than when it was stock. Given the distance I did everyday I usually opened my bonnet evernight when I got home from work so heat can escape...within the hour it would still be like a volcano however after I did the stuff metioned above I coukd have actually changed a fuel filter etc. Also when I started back the temp would be less than the half mark where it resides when stock ..

Did you do a lot of high speed running on the highway with the BT50?

We notice that the temp on our B2500 stays around 82degC in city driving, but it will rise up to 95degC+ if you run the highway fast (120km/h+).. We did hit 100degC on highway running already. Off road use we barely get near 90degC. Clutch fan / water pump and radiator (3 core) is all good and checked / changed.

I wouldn't recommend too much high speed driving with these vans.. Note that the temp will still rise to 95degC even with the thermostat removed! Van idled poor without the thermostat as engine temps were too low. Thermo was put back in.

Lol yeh my htermo off. Nah i baby this truck....its .my weekend toy to go beach n exploring ...yes the thermo off and cold nyts it idles aryt just a lil smoke..the temp guage is always less than 1/4....

Regarding the topic of finding a new engine to replace the WLT's, I'm still hunting around. Rumor has it that that 3.0L Ranger engines are more reliable (meaning the head is stronger and more resistant to cracking). I don't know how true that is, but I am looking into it, once time permits.

I was also considering to work a Toyota 1KZ. I believe it's just to build over new engine mounts and probably an adapter plate to mate it to the transmission. Not sure of the electrical parts yet. But again, I haven't put much effort into it yet.

A friend also found a Mazda flatbed truck engine that suppose to fit as well. Lol. I heard people in Australia did a swap with it already (massive torque for off-road). Don't think for everyday use will be good though. Low RPM, low top speed.


Now I share your interest in finding a new engine (I want a diesel though) because of the engine head issues, but at the moment, I am trying to find a solution into preventing the engine head from cracking. I will have to make a thread and explain all the information I gathered so far, but for now, do this.




Go in Lenny Sumadh (not sure of the spelling). That's on Coffee Street, San Fernando. It's just after the funeral home (coming from Southern Food Basket Grocery side) on the same side. They have the Murphy Gauge (as 3stagevtec stated earlier) for around $550. If you search the forums, someone already posted about the gauge and I explained how to wire it up. Basically, it can switch off your engine, or if you prefer, turn on an LED light to notify you that your engine is running too hot. I connected mine to the heater line in my van with some simple couplings.

Also. Put back in your thermostat. It's actually doing more harm to your engine in my opinion. The thermostat regulates your temperature to keep it at a constant temperature. When you drive your engine hard for a while, then run it easy after, everyday, the temperature rises and drops everytime causing fatigue on the engine head. Expansion and contraction weakens aluminum. Also, running the engine too cold doesn't allow for the engine to expand to normal operating temperature, so the pistons and other components don't seal properly. I don't know if my theory is correct, but I rather play it safe. All you are doing is creating a big buffer which takes the engine a little longer to heat up when you get on the highway. It DOES NOT help keep the engine temperature down on the highway. It will rise to the same temperature as when the thermostat was in, just take a minute or two longer. I've done it already and monitored it with the Murphy gauge. My suggestion to you (which is the same thing I did), was drilled 3 small holes in the thermostat to allow the engine to run a little cooler. Reason for this is that I believe there is a hot spot in the engine (from examining the exhaust manifold). So I decided to run the engine temperature a slight bit cooler than normal for everyday driving around. Note that it's only on the highway, in the hot/mild sun and driving over 120km/h causes the engine to reach an average of 93degrees on the highway. Anything past 120km/h can cause it to reach and sometimes surpass 100degrees. In the night, it doesn't pass 95degrees even when you run it hard.

Another thing with the thermostat removed is your fuel efficiency. It drops like a brick. I can get 500km on a full tank if I drive efficiently, but with the thermostat removed, I struggle to reach around 430km. Your engine may be newer and better tuned (I have a B2500, and there are differences between mine and the 2008 Ranger, which is the same engine as your BT50), so you may get more distance on a tank, but it should suffer from similar efficiency loss. I also stutter and smoke when the engine is cold due to the removed thermostat.

3 holes drilled in my thermostat:





Note. The holes are only to keep the city running temperature a slight bit lower than the normal 83degrees operating temperature. This is to help with my theory of the hot spot in the engine by running it a little cooler. It does NOT help with highway driving. Also help with the slight flow increase you get with removing the thermostat. The thermostat doesn't restrict coolant flow that much when fully opened, but the 3 holes CAN help eliminate that slight restriction.

Btw. I have a 3core radiator installed (which I intend to upgrade to a 4 core very soon). Anyone fit a 4 core in a B2500? I changed my water pump as well and ran a few cleaners through the cooling system to ensure that there wasn't any faults in my cooling system. I didn't rod out the radiator to ensure its clean, but I'm almost sure it's completely clean. If anyone has any other ideas, please let me know. Any modifications, theories, etc. I will accept all and probably test them.

Kool info buddy runing without thermo for a year, i wonder how a qd32 will lin up in terms of 4wd.....
To tell u the truth ah wl still heaper to repair than many disesl engines out there buddy just spent 30 gran on a navara repairing what i dunno

Kool info buddy runing without thermo for a year, i wonder how a qd32 will lin up in terms of 4wd.....
To tell u the truth ah wl still heaper to repair than many disesl engines out there buddy just spent 30 gran on a navara repairing what i dunno

Trust me though reliable a qd32 will not give u d wl performance.

oh! 1 more thing, there is a 2.6 12 valve gas engine that came in the b2600 that fits.

So been speaking to some ppl in an oil company down guaya , they own a fleet of bt50s and b2500 and they have quite the opposite to say bout thexe engines, also spoke to a ttec mechanic and they actually stand by the wl engines......weird......that the experience they have are good ones so much that theyupgraded to bt50s...

@ 3stage...highway running everyday for 4 years at approx 130km. Didn't have any problems with idling when thermo removed.

streetbeastINC. wrote:Kool info buddy runing without thermo for a year, i wonder how a qd32 will lin up in terms of 4wd.....

I understand your concern for the health of your WL, but cross breeding just aint you bro

put in the extra fail safe's to protect the engine and do some extra preventative maintenance

and enjoy

as a certified Mitsu whore, I have to admit I like the WL power

Yeh the top speed easy to reach but seriously i am not into driving these trucks over 100 ..... lol if i can get a 4wd v8 set up in this id be soo happpyyyyy

Yeh the top speed easy to reach but seriously i am not into driving these trucks over 100 ..... lol if i can get a 4wd v8 set up in this id be soo happpyyyyy

good info so far

i saw a car already using the wl transmission with a td27 bell housing. the engine was a pathfinder td27 turbo ( its different from the normal td27). Tyres at WOT

so to the guy thats asking, its verry possible to get a td27/qd32 to work with the gearbox

If that is indeed true, that would be phenomenal, wont ,mind driving my wl till it gives up then slapping a qd32 or even a turbo td27 in the truck.......we need confirmation...... that would still be cheaper than repairing or replacing the new model toyota engines....guess how much for a lux or fortuner engine n train

the wl non turbo versions are more reliable than the turbo version . right now our ranger is hard starting and losing a bit of water, gonna ride it out until it gives up .

there is a 2.9 maz engine (donno the engine prefix) that lines up perfectly with the 2.5 tranny . believed the rangers came with the engine.

streetbeastINC i've had my B2500 which is a BT50 with a slightly different body for the last 9 years 240,000km. 1 owner and I mistreat the van and I've never felt nervous towards the van, in fact its my donkey. When I need a pull out its always there. I am in the TTRC rally club so its used as a pace note vehicle, service van, fixed 2 houses, transport gravel a few times, offroading, never painted, only changed the front shocks a few months ago from the original 9 years ago and used to pull a 18ft boat and launch and recover with it. Its a tough little van and when I consider selling it everyone says keep it. So I don't think you need to be nervous. As for swaps i'm interested in your ideas and if you want go for it, you seem like the person to tinker with stuff. There is a 3.0 form the B2500 era that you can use too not sure of engine code however. Keep us posted on what you do with it.

guys where can i find a 3 core radiator for my bt50 and wats d cost?

Nice read on the WL
Currently with a B2500 and also considering precautionary measures such as 3 core radiator

Its weird .wasa n ttec anda few oil companies got the bt50 and b2500 and swear they are the best trucks ever created, then you keep reading, nytmares about the engine

Guys one of the best engine on the market is the WL but owners have simply neglected to change coolant at required intervals. I changed and upgraded my coolant for an expensive brand. Bought my B2500 new from the company in 2006 and its doing 150,000 km and no overheating issues. works like it does when I bought it.

My wlt is dying. Smoking, loosing compression and somtimes just won't start. But with a simple pull or push she starts right up.I am looking for a gas engine and box to put in. The engine is in a mazda b2500. Any suggestions? I have a ca18 engine and box on the ground, the 8 plug carburated one. Wanted to know if parts are available for these.

I won't advise that.
The only gas engine would pull the van proper is a rb.
If its a 4x2 you can get away with a sr20. But the cost of the conversion. Is best you stick back a WL and go back running.

I'm aware however a td27 bell housing can be swapped over to the WL transmission. Unsure about the gearbox but that's a good start.

u guys still have all u wl engines . how it working . i looking for a front lower bumper . where have the best price