WillG80 said:In reply to 03Panther :
Nope, it's all current. I've been at it for about 6 months with the ambulance, and the Montero is brand new to me.
After thinking about it some, I think the other one was white... but very similar mods. Including battery location.
Kit the good work up, and keep the pictures coming.
Great stuff
It looks more like they adapted the Station turbo to a Montero engine. It looks carb'ed instead of throttle body injected, and they left the water cooling off the turbo.
That said, a well set up turbo 2.6 should be a real good motor for that thing. The Starion 2.6 got a lot of flak because it was not a very sporting motor- it was a truck motor with a turbo strapped to it. But it makes a lot torque, should be great for a small 4x4. The injectors were an issue along with the jet valves in the heads. There is a block off kit for the jet valves that can be installed by just removing the valve cover. I was surprisingly impressed with the engine in my Lemon's Starion. So much torque, it didn't matter much which gear you were in, it just pulled.
Boost_Crazy said:It looks more like they adapted the Station turbo to a Montero engine. It looks carb'ed instead of throttle body injected, and they left the water cooling off the turbo.
That said, a well set up turbo 2.6 should be a real good motor for that thing. The Starion 2.6 got a lot of flak because it was not a very sporting motor- it was a truck motor with a turbo strapped to it. But it makes a lot torque, should be great for a small 4x4. The injectors were an issue along with the jet valves in the heads. There is a block off kit for the jet valves that can be installed by just removing the valve cover. I was surprisingly impressed with the engine in my Lemon's Starion. So much torque, it didn't matter much which gear you were in, it just pulled.
You're likely right, I was just throwing it out there with no familiarity with either, lol.
I mean, these SWBs aren't very heavy. Mine has the bone-stock V6 in it and running 31s (manual transmission) and it gets up and goes pretty well. I mean, not like a modern SUV, but it can get up to highway speeds in a merge no problem and cruises at 70+ even with all the crap on the roof. A stock 4-banger is probably pretty slow, but the V6 is at most 160hp so you don't need much. These things weigh less than a modern Honda Civic (ish).
irish44j (Forum Supporter) said:I don't know Jack about ambulances but I do know quite a bit about SWB gen1 montys. I have a very extensive build thread on mine in this forum in case you are looking for anything about them :)
In any case interested to see where both projects go!
Thanks, I'm sure I'll have a lot of questions once I start tearing into it. Mine needs a good bit of work, it's quite the hack job. Yours looks way nicer, I'll have to read through your thread. Thanks for the heads up.
Boost_Crazy said:It looks more like they adapted the Station turbo to a Montero engine. It looks carb'ed instead of throttle body injected, and they left the water cooling off the turbo.
That said, a well set up turbo 2.6 should be a real good motor for that thing. The Starion 2.6 got a lot of flak because it was not a very sporting motor- it was a truck motor with a turbo strapped to it. But it makes a lot torque, should be great for a small 4x4. The injectors were an issue along with the jet valves in the heads. There is a block off kit for the jet valves that can be installed by just removing the valve cover. I was surprisingly impressed with the engine in my Lemon's Starion. So much torque, it didn't matter much which gear you were in, it just pulled.
The seller said the head was resuface and the jet valves deleted. I've yet to look into it.
I just remembered I have a giant black tub full of parts that came with the car. I remember there being a wiring harness in the tub. Hopefully its a Starion EFI setup because the blow through carb setup isn't working too well.
In reply to WillG80 :
It's definitely a mitsubishi 2.6l with starion/conquest turbo manifold and using non-intercooled turbo from a starquest. The turbo is definitely not hooked up to the cooling system. You will need a starquest water pump, thermostat housing and some lines. I would also add an engine oil cooler. The weak link to the 2.6l is overheating which will end up with cracked and blown head gasket issues. I am rarely on the boards so checkout the starquest Club forum for info. By the way I did the full starquest 2.6l swap on my mitsubishi pickup about 10 years and still runs fine with normal maintenance.
Chiming in here to confirm as well that is a G54B that has been converted with what appears to be the Starion G54B turbo exhaust manifold and a blow through setup. Should work fine and not detonate much if you run 91 or 93 octane, since the non turbo G54 only had about 8ish:1 compression ratio.
I'm suuper interested in this swap, as I also have a SWB Gen1 Montero! It's the non turbo G54 stock engine, so even MORE gutless.
Ideally, you would want the Starion TBI setup and ECU, since that will get rid of the crappy carb blow through setup. I'm looking into what's needed to convert with the Starion TBI setup, and an aftermarket ECU to control the TBI. Walbro makes an ECU that works great for 2 cylinders or less that should work, since you're only controlling fuel and not spark (spark thru the Starion turbo distributor only). They're pretty hard to find, so something like a Megasquirt might be better.
Adding: appears to be some sort of Weber DG carb which is definitely an upgrade over the factory Mikuni carb. However, those were not designed for blow-through boost applications! There can be some issues with the seals, they weren't meant to see positive pressure. There might be some work arounds for this. That is a reliable and well made carb, we have on our non-turbo 2.6L Montero and it has NEVER not started even in cold temps.
The really hot part for EFI conversion is the Magna Intake Manifold, they're quite rare and need to be converted to right-side throttle body, but gets you port injection!
This is the starion TBI setup
In reply to engiekev :
Thanks for the info. I can confirm the seals being an issue, I've discovered a few rather large oil leaks already.
The Montero also came with a box full of spares, including what appears to be a full EFI setup from a 84/85 Starion with an auto trans based on the part number printed on the ECU. It's been hard piecing together what parts I have, and what I need to complete an EFI swap since I know nothing about these engines. Unfortunately I also haven't had much time to spend on the Montero lately. It's currently parked on the street with a fuel pump issue.
In reply to hotg54b :
Thanks for the info. I'll check out the starquest forums to start educating myself on these engines.
Boost_Crazy said:It looks more like they adapted the Station turbo to a Montero engine. It looks carb'ed instead of throttle body injected, and they left the water cooling off the turbo.
That said, a well set up turbo 2.6 should be a real good motor for that thing. The Starion 2.6 got a lot of flak because it was not a very sporting motor- it was a truck motor with a turbo strapped to it. But it makes a lot torque, should be great for a small 4x4. The injectors were an issue along with the jet valves in the heads. There is a block off kit for the jet valves that can be installed by just removing the valve cover. I was surprisingly impressed with the engine in my Lemon's Starion. So much torque, it didn't matter much which gear you were in, it just pulled.
The jet valves themselves aren't really the issue, blocking them doesn't solve the cracking in that area I don't believe. They crack due to the steel sleeve the jet valves are installed in, so blocking them off won't fix that issue. You would need to totally remove the steel sleeve, or buy a head without the jet valves to really be bulletproof to cracking. Or, just be careful and don't overheat the engine! Fix any issues that may cause it to overheat; re-rod the radiator, replace waterpump, etc.
There are some aftermarket companies that make heads without jet valves, and some OEM applications that didn't have the jet valves at all (and even some with hydraulic lifters, fancy)!
https://dsportmag.com/the-tech/education/engine-tech-g54b-head-development/
Good info here, the 2.6 came in ALL kinds of vehicles and lots of mopars, so there is plenty of development work done on them. If you have the 5spd, going to higher power might be a bad idea, the 4spd auto are much more durable.
https://www.allpar.com/threads/the-mitsubishi-2-6-liter-engine.228993/
Turbocharging the 2.6
Saw your brief personal note about turbocharging the Dodge/Mitsu 2.6 for a truck. I have built a turbo Dodge D-50 4wd 5spd. using an 85 Mitsu Starion turbo set up, fuel injection, wiring harness, intake and exhaust manifold. Yes, the Starion FI system is a little cranky, and the FI control system is not the best Starion system available (probably the worst), but the donor car was only $300 complete. I added an aftermarket head (AMC) with a thicker deck, more cooling passages, and NO JET VALVES. This truck ran like a scalded dog with stock engine specs.
I am currently building an 87 Dodge Raider 4wd 4spd auto with an 89 Dodge Conquest FI and intercooled turbo. in both cases I used the stock computer and wiring harnesses. The biggest problems with the swap were the oil pan (the Starion/Conquest pans won't fit due to interference with the front differential, and the stock truck pans don't have the fittings for or have the fittings in the wrong place for the turbo oil lines and dipstick. I solved this one by cutting the fittings out of the turbo pans and welding them into the truck pan.
The only other problems were with the wiring harnesses mating up for stuff like 12V power and speed sensor connections. The turbo down pipe and catalysts fit under the truck, and are only about 2" too long to bolt straight up to the truck exhaust. This was another simple welding fix. The oil pickup tube in the pan had to be extended about 3/4" to have the correct reach. I used the stock turbo oil cooler, re-cored the radiator, and will use the stock intercooler on the Raider. Future plans include a custom multiport intake and programmable FI control system, probably a Simple Digital Systems FI and ignition timing controller.
As engine swaps go, this one is very simple. I have no experience with this swap in FWD cars, and do not recommend it due to suspected driveline weakness. I am also reluctant to recommend it for manual transmission trucks, as I have had a transmission failure in the D-50 (which may not be torque load related). The folks at Mitsu customer service asked some questions of the teck folks, and assure me that the 4spd auto in the Raider will handle the 250-300 ft.lbs. of torque the modified turbo engine will produce. This leaves only a few RWD 2.6 cars and a fairly large number of trucks and SUV's as candidates. I'll be happy to answer any questions I can.
Back when I did the 4x4 conversion I hacked off the tailpipe because it was hitting the new springs. I finally got around to fixing it.
This is where I hacked it off.
Then used some of these old and new parts
And ended up with this. The rattle can is some old engine paint I has laying around. Turns out the mandrel bend I bought wasn't aluminized and quickly started to rust. It also hides my poor welds pretty well.
Some other projects I've been working on.
-Replaced the CPS (crank position sensor) a common failure point on these engines. It was leaking and when I removed it I quickly discovered why.
Next up was the power steering pump rebuild. It was leaking between the pump and the reservoir, but the seal kit includes everything for a complete rebuild so I thought I might as well. Unfortunately I didn't take any photos. I clocked it wrong the first time so I got to do the rebuild twice.
While the engine bay was stripped I also changed the fuel filter. That was rather uneventful.
The van also decided to die while I was driving, luckily in the alley behind the house. Turns out the fuel bowl heater was bad and kept blowing the ignition fuse. The result was a cranking engine but no start. I'm trying to eliminate failure points so the heater was deleted. My research showed that it was more about emissions than anything else so I didn't think it mattered much.
I noticed a water leak coming from the base of the thermostat neck. I pulled the neck and got it all cleaned up. Unfortunately the leak is still there. A bit of reading and I learned that the base of the housing isn't thick enough and warps, so it will keep leaking. The result is a new thermostat outlet that I'm currently waiting for. Picture of the old one after I cleaned it up, and the new one waiting for. You can see the new part has a much thicker base.
Nice projects! Any more photos of the front axle swap on the ambulance?
I drove an 87 swb montero/raider for years. Great vehicle, very reliable but horrible on road ride and a bit squirrelly with 31's! Kind of like riding a horse....you learn to move with it than fight it.
In reply to Ben_Modified :
Ben, here's more pictures of the 4x4 conversion. First of, part of the reason for the big lift is to make clearance under the crossmember for the axle. I had to trim the bottom inch off the crossmember already. The kit uses a Dana 50 or 60 front axle from a 99-03 F250/F350. The rear spring hangers are cut into the frame and a thick sleeve welded in. The fronts are a bolt in spring hanger. Sway bar is OE from the axle donor, new end links included with the kit. Van steering box is original with a new pitman arm.
Pulled the turbo today because of a leaking EBPV (exhaust back pressure valve). I ended up deleting the unit completely. Mechanically this engine has been a PITA so any potential failure/leaks that I can eliminate I'm doing.
The connector will be jumped with a 470 ohm resistor to keep the CEL happy. I'm still waiting for that to show up.
Turbo and pedestal removed from the comfort of the drivers seat
Ready for surgery
flapper valve removed and welded up. Hopefully my crappy welds hold. The housing is cast steel and not cast iron, so "they" say its safe to weld.
valve gone
pedestal gutted
I'm just waiting for new o-rings for the oil passages then it can go back in.
Noticed something when I had the turbo out today. Oil underneath both intake plenums.
Off to the hardware store...
Pressure tested the intake plenums at 25psi. Unfortunately both leak. Berkeley. Another thing to fix. Soon this engine is going to be brand new.
In reply to WillG80 :
Looks great!
Ben_Modified said:Nice projects! Any more photos of the front axle swap on the ambulance?
I drove an 87 swb montero/raider for years. Great vehicle, very reliable but horrible on road ride and a bit squirrelly with 31's! Kind of like riding a horse....you learn to move with it than fight it.
I'm constantly thankful I picked up an '89 SWB, the one year they got smart and put the coil spring setup in the rear from the LWB. Makes a HUGE difference. Mine is pretty comfortable at 70mph on the road (also with 31s) and not squirrely at all, other than the sloppy steering box. I also have the suspension seat, which helps :)
Does take a bit of getting used to the short wheelbase movements...
irish44j (Forum Supporter) said:Ben_Modified said:Nice projects! Any more photos of the front axle swap on the ambulance?
I drove an 87 swb montero/raider for years. Great vehicle, very reliable but horrible on road ride and a bit squirrelly with 31's! Kind of like riding a horse....you learn to move with it than fight it.
I'm constantly thankful I picked up an '89 SWB, the one year they got smart and put the coil spring setup in the rear from the LWB. Makes a HUGE difference. Mine is pretty comfortable at 70mph on the road (also with 31s) and not squirrely at all, other than the sloppy steering box. I also have the suspension seat, which helps :)
Does take a bit of getting used to the short wheelbase movements...
Have you driven a leaf spring SWB Gen1? Maybe a coil spring swap is in my future! I believe you have to swap the rear axle and diff, I have the 4.625 LSD rear axle.
This is a fantastic thread! Where did you manage to find a 4wd ZF5? The tailshaft that it takes to convert it is apparently made of gold? I have 94.5 7.3 DI I was wondering if I could convert to 4wd...
In reply to accordionfolder :
I found mine on car-part.com for just over $1000. I had to drive 5 hours to pick it up too. Well...my second one anyway. The first one I bought was for a big block but the seller claimed it was for a 7.3. Luckily I sold it and got my money back.
The real unobtanium part is the bellhousing/clutch inspection cover. Those are NLA and very hard to find. People want $200 for a little piece of sheet metal when they do pop up somewhere.
Did I spot Pumba when I drove into Ouray yesterday? I mean it is Colorado, but I figure there aren't THAT many lifted 4wd converted red ambulances running around. 
Ok, so just starting a jeep tour right next door to the Western hotel in WillG80's pics. The lady behind the counter knew the vehicle, but didn't know who owns it, .
I have lurked on here for years and just jumped in to add to what everyone is saying about the G54B.
I've owned two Conquest TSi's over the years. It's the Chrysler badged Starion. I hate the G54B, passionately. It's a decent enough (power and torque-wise) motor for an older sports car but that's the last good thing about it.
Jet valves and cracking heads, TBI to EFI swaps, balancing shafts (didn't seem them on yours, but I'm not sure they're gone), etc. etc.
Once you've fixed all the problems and updated it, you have an okay-ish cast iron block turbo I-4 and a lot of time and money spent. Or you could spend about the same amount and probably less time for a hundred other motors that are way better and use their own ECU.
But that's all old hat with the G54B. The real thing I hated about that motor was parts availability. Go to StarQuestClub.com and see what fuel injectors are going for (and how many people are looking for them) AND what people are going through to repair/replace the old ones or retrofit new ones (besides EFI swaps). As far as I can tell, no one makes factory or upgraded replacements and no other injector from another car fits. I sold a pair of working factory injectors for ~$300 once on StarQuestClub. I looked today to be sure and one guy sold one rebuilt injector for $175 back in 2020. Other highlights include a water pump with the turbo coolant line that no one stocks but they will happily sell you one off a Mighty Max (with no line).
My dream car is a TSi with an LSX because I can get parts for it from AutoZone. If it were my project, I'd run it until it dies and then make it a coffee table.
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