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-   -   Gypsy Diesel conversion with 4x4 (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/4x4-vehicles/48479-gypsy-diesel-conversion-4x4.html)

I own a 1996 Gypsy King. It was a 1.3L carb model and one of he first batches of Gypsy Kings. It had the original factory fitted hard top and we had got the 2 long bench seats at the back replaced with front facing seat. We had got AC fitted to it as well. Even at close to a lakh Kms the engine was as smooth as ever and the 4x4 worked well... not that I had got a chance to use the 4x4 for the past few years. It runs on 215 75R15 Goodyear Wrangler on front and Maxis on the rear.

The vehicle was in Kolkata and I brought it to Delhi in 2005 and had CNG fitted (hated driving it with CNG). I used it for daily commute for close to a year. In 2006 I bought a Ford Fusion for a more comfortable family car but kept the Gypsy as well.

Now the fuel prices have nudged me in to converting my Gypsy to diesel as I did not want to queue up for hours to fill CNG. The most important priority for me was to retain the 4x4. After a lot of confusion and research I got the Nissan 1.7L diesel engine fitted, mated to the Gypsy King 5 speed gearbox. I was more inclined on the Toyota engines but my mechanic suggest against it as they are heavier engines and Gypsy is a light vehicle… plus he swore by the Nissan plant. The work was carried out in Mayapuri (New Delhi) under the supervision of my trusty mechanic. The suspension had to be raised to ensure adequate gap was maintained between the front diff and the sump. The power is 55hp @4800rpm and Torque is 10.6KgM@ 2800rpm (stats kindly provided by Jeepgeorge - thanks). The power on tarmac seems to be nearly the same as the 1.3L carb unit and the fuel economy is close to 18kmpl without AC and around 15kmpl with AC. I have been told that on a Gypsy the non AC economy should go up to around 21kmpl.

I now use it every day to commute to work and the Fusion for weekend city drives with the family (wife and 4 month old son). I have done some light off-roading using the 4x4 and all seems well. I now want to get involved in a bit more serious off road action to test its abilities. I have also retained the old AC unit but it may need changing as it is also 12 years old and is quite ineffective in peak summers. I am getting the hard top removed and a soft top fitted over the front 2 seats. The 2 long bench seats at the back are going to be fitted again. A set of Hella’s for the front bull bar has also been ordered. I am also thinking about a twin cab hard top conversion before the onset of summers next year.

I will post some more pics of the engine and the new soft top look when I get it from the workshop.

The second pikchaar is nice. But, I still think you should have put in something faster.
Why do you want to spend on the soft top when you will get the twin cab thing done anyway??

Hi ,

How much did it cost you to do the connversion from petrol to diesel ......

Thanks
Abhishek

The car look good the same way as it is in the pick.If possible would suggest you to add some alloys wheel's to it they will look realy cool.

if you were using the gypsy (JEEP SEE) (LIKE JEEP) only for weekends, why went for diesel?

enjoy petrol engines when prices are still under 100rs a litre!

anyway, its your JEEP SEE, your choice!

drive safecheers:

The conversion cost 47K. Sold the old CNG kit for 15K and the old 1.3L engine for 8K.

I now use the Gypsy every day for my 55km round trip commute to work and back.

Well, the soft top will cost peanuts compared to the twin cab converion and if the A/C works fine in the 2 seater soft top I may not go in for the twin cab conversion.:confused:

@GoSlow - Have you thought of the fact that if the cops get hold of you, the car will be impounded for a good time and a good amount of moolah will be required to get it free.
1. Now the car cannot be insured as engine no. will not match the RC.
2. RC cannot be endorsed with the new engine.
3. Car cannot pass PUC.

A Jeep builder in Mayapuri himself said that his Gypsy with a Nissan engine was caught and he had to pay Rs40,000 to get it free and this was 7-10yrs back, laws are stricter now!!

Seems a good conversion but for the points abhik mentioned.
I've heard problems happen with engine swapping.

My gypsy has a West Bengal registration and my driving lisence is from there as well. Mostly I dont get stopped but even if I did I am not sure if it falls under Delhi jurisdiction as I can always say I am in town for a week to get the conversion done after which I will take the car back to Bengal to get it endorsed on the RC. Actually let me find out what I need to do to get it endorsed on my WB RC.

You cannot get it endorsed and let me also warn you that your insurance is also invalidated.

Interesting job, GoSlow. How many kms since the conversion? If you have managed to retain reliability, I gotta admit, your Gypsy is more of an exception. Especially since you have mated the engine to the stock 5 speed and retained your 4x4.

How about some under the hood pictures so we can have a look at the installation? Have you experienced an increase in driveability thanks to the torque? How old is the engine? Did you get a compression check done or plan to rebuild in the future?

Have an experienced aircon technician check your system out. My Jeeps air-con is probably over 15 years old now but still a chiller. Most probably, a component change / upgrade (condensor / compressor / new piping / gas charge) would be all thats required to bring your air-con back to life.

Interesting post, GoSlow. You seem to be getting your money's worth out of this vehicle. Shows what kind of fuel average you can get out of a diesel and the light Gypsy. Since the Gypsy has a divorced T-case, I am wondering if it would be difficult to drop a Swift crdi diesel into it, retaining the 4 wheel drive. 1248cc 16 valve, 75bhp@4000rpm, 190nm torque, turbo with intercooler. This should move it adequately. Up here in Himachal Pradesh multiple pictures of Ghandi seem to take care of initial governmental inertia in such matters.

Abhik,
I know petrols can't be endorsed as converted diesel in Delhi. But does it hold true for a petrol-to-petrol engine swap also? Is there any legal way to endorse a new petrol engine (of almost same specs) in place of an old one? I am planning to do so for my jeep, which has an old petrol engine, which is not available now. The swapping engine is still available in the market. So can i site the reason to the RTO that the old engine was gone and since its not available new, I installed a similar new one? Do throw some light if you know.please:

With all the modifications it seems to be a nice catch for the rto .Anyways you enjoying it is great .What i would advice is not to use it as a daily commute to avoid getting into the rto hands !! In a daily commute it s possible to get into an arguement with other road users and ending up with the police who are always looking for a TOD PAANI !! Using same road and getting caught by same cop in a gap of month s time the excuse of being from w b will do no good !!
and yes the mating of 4WD to a diesel engine is one of it s kind do paste pictures of the same
Regards
SaaJaN