Question 1

How do I get the process started?

Accepted Answer

To get started, we ask that you email our sales team HERE detailing your vehicle’s specifics as well as any additional items you would like done during the conversion process. We will take this information and create a personalized invoice your project. On this invoice will also be your project’s time-slot which is the date your project is scheduled to begin. To secure this conversion time-slot, we’ll need the deposit outlined on the invoice, a signed copy of the invoice and Diesel Toys® policy page. The average deposit for a D-4D conversion is $18-20k.

Question 2

I'm looking to do my own conversion. Can you supply the powertrain?

Accepted Answer

We DO NOT sell diesel powertrains independent of our conversion services.  In the past, we have attempted to support shops and individuals in the form of building custom wire harnesses, selling immobilizer delete kits, mounting kits, etc. Unfortunately, this just did not make financial sense for us to continue. We found that most of the time, we ended up assisting WAY more than we intended because the person either overestimated their abilities to install what they purchased from us, or the shop overestimated the competency of their technicians. It boiled down to always causing more issues than it was worth for us.

Question 3

The DIY Diesel  Conversion Kit Myth...

Accepted Answer

We receive emails several times a month from companies and/or folks attempting to do their own conversion(s) that simply want to purchase DIY kits for our conversion offerings. So, naturally you would think that there was quite the robust market for these services. In the 24 years that we have been in this business, we have attempted to sell DIY conversion kits several  times; all with disastrous results. But, we learned a few hard truths about the DIY conversion market. Firstly, the DIY conversion market is a financial dead end.  It is essentially an attempt to bypass our core services by people that we really don't want as customers. By their very nature, the DIY people do NOT want to spend money and are willing to do so by doing everything themselves. Secondly, we sold a VERY limited number of kits through the years as the market is not nearly as large as people think it is. It is not enough to sustain the intense bottleneck of research, development, and implementation of modern powertrain development. One can easily spend 6+ months developing a wire harness only to sell 2 conversion kits per year. Working your butt off for no money does not make financial sense. However, when a customer hires you to install that wire harness as part of a larger project, the finances start to work and can support a company. Lastly, people often overestimated their abilities to such a degree that even when we supplied them with a mounting kit, wire harness, and programming, they still could not make things operate. As a result, we ended up spending a ton of unpaid time trying to assist people in getting their conversions up and running because they were just not suited to the task of connecting everything up and making it work. I cant tell you how many times we exchanged dozens of phone calls and emails over the course of several weeks trying to figure out why their conversion wasn't working only to find out that the ground wires were not hooked up or a connector was unplugged etc...

In closing, we make our living/feed our families converting vehicles, period. Seems like a no-brainer, but we get quite a bit of hate mail every month from people upset that we wont sell them an engine and/or dole out a bunch of free technical information on conversion methods, etc.

Question 4

What is my deposit used for?

Accepted Answer

The deposit serves two purposes. First, it allows us to acquire the diesel powertrain from overseas and get it shipping to our facility in Texas. Second, it secures you as a conversion customer. We do not require a Diesel Toys-specific deposit as we feel if the customer has purchased a diesel powertrain, they are serious and intent on completing the conversion.

Question 5

Are these new or used engines?

Accepted Answer

In order to have all the components needed for a diesel conversion, we have to buy complete, low-mileage vehicles and strip them of all of their usable parts. We do this for two reasons. First, the engine, transmission, all wiring, accessories, instrumentation, computers all need to be diesel-specific and from the same vehicle. All of these components need to match. Toyota does not sell new “complete” gas or diesel engines, only long-blocks. So, one would have to piece together hundreds of parts to have an operational powertrain. This would drive component costs into the stratosphere (e.g. $40,000-50,000). Due to the technical requirements of performing an engine conversion, we need to buy year-specific components that are as similar as possible to your conversion vehicle. This way we can ensure vehicle compatibility as much as possible. New long block assemblies are available through Toyota, however we would still require the aforementioned parts to have a functional powertrain. Unless otherwise specified as is the case with our DT630 powertrains, which are new, all powertrains are used, low mileage.

Question 6

My vehicle has an existing issue when it arrives to begin the conversion project. How is this handled?

Accepted Answer

Communication of your vehicle's condition is absolutely paramount here.  If you are aware of a mechanical or electrical issue with your vehicle, you need to disclose this before the vehicle arrives at our facility to begin the conversion process. If during the conversion process, we discover an existing issue, we will immediately contact you and discuss additional costs and the approach we will take to repair the issue so we can resume the conversion project. 
**Please DO NOT ASSUME ANYTHING during the conversion process. Be honest and transparent so we can discuss it and form a plan**

We have had customers fail to mention their vehicle was purchased as a flood vehicle, that the vehicle had been in a MAJOR accident which bent the frame, their vehicle had been rewired by morons using CAT5 wire, plumber's putty used to hold relays in place (see image below)  so it has major electrical issues, the list goes on and on. As ridiculous as it seems, these customers assumed, "well since you are replacing the engine, rewiring our dash, or straightening our frame should be included!" etc...

Bottom line: the best way to avoid issues during the conversion process is to be up front, honest, and transparent with any known issues on your vehicle so we can discuss options with you prior to signing a contract. If this repair is not listed on your initial conversion contract, it will not be done. If the repair prevents us from doing what IS on the contract, you WILL be charged for it. Sometimes thousands of dollars (depending on the nature of the issue).

Example of what NOT to do

Question 7

I dont see my vehicle listed on your website. Can you convert my....

Accepted Answer

While we do attempt to put pricing and availability to the most commonly converted vehicles on our website, please do not consider this an exhaustive list. If you have a vehicle you are interested in converting, send us an email with vehicle specifics and we can get back to you with an itemized quote.

Question 8

How do I service my converted vehicle?

Accepted Answer

We recommend finding a local diesel technician that specializes in TDI Volkswagens. These TDI specialists are typically more familiar with modern 4-cylinder diesels than your domestic diesels. If you cant find one or need a recommendation, hop on TDICLUB.com and look for their Trusted TDI Mechanics List by state.

Question 9

I would like to come by and meet you and talk about my project. Is this possible?

Accepted Answer

We ask all customers that are genuinely in the market for a conversion project to use email as a first point of contact. We do not accommodate walk-in customers nor do we appreciate folks just showing up at our facility without an appointment demanding that we spend an hour discussing a theoretical project. We have literally had people drive 4+ hours to our facility (without ever emailing/calling) demanding to see customer's converted vehicles. Obviously, we do not show customer's private vehicles without their expressed written consent nor do we have a wide open facility so anyone can just stop by and look at all of our proprietary intellectual property.

Question 10

Do you repair things during the conversion process?

Accepted Answer

Through the years, we have had vehicles show up with serious mechanical issues. Sometimes, the owners “assume” that we are rebuilding the entire vehicle so they forget to tell us the fact that the vehicle was totaled, or there was an engine fire etc. The diesel conversion process does NOT include rebuilding items on the vehicle and all pricing is based off a stock, running driving vehicle in good order. For example, we modify (shorten or lengthen) driveshafts in order to suit the diesel powertrain but we need good driveshafts to start with. If you snapped a driveshaft off roading, we will need to replace this at additional cost. If the vehicle has been in a major accident, it is company policy to reject this vehicle outright. If the frame has been compromised through an accident, it can affect fitment and functionality that can cause issues for years to come.

Question 11

How do you calculate conversion pricing?

Accepted Answer

We take the cost of the power-train + misc. components required for the conversion + the nationwide average shop rate of $125/hr and we end up with the total for the conversion project. The typical diesel conversion has 100-120 hours of labor factored into the price. So, that translates into $12,500-$15,000 in billable labor hours. The average cost of a low-mileage D-4D powertrain is around $18k. Using a cost of components + labor model, one can expect to spend in the neighborhood of $30-35k for a completed conversion. This can vary wildly depending on the type of conversion project and model of the vehicle. But, this should serve as an effective guide for accurate pricing.

Question 12

What happens to my original gasoline powertrain?

Accepted Answer

Anything we remove from your vehicle is yours to keep. We will place the components on a pallet, shrink wrap it, and get it ready for immediate transport.

Question 13

Where can I get parts and service?

Accepted Answer

All of our D-4D conversions include a USB thumb drive that contains a FACTORY TOYOTA SERVICE MANUAL, a New Owner’s Packet containing part numbers, our internal list of overseas sources for any and all parts, and a complete project booklet containing pictures of the project from start to finish. Windows-based diagnostics software and a USB cable can be purchased through our online store HERE. Through the years, we have put together a comprehensive list of trusted diesel-specific service facilities throughout the USA. These are shops that are familiar with our company and our vehicles. Moreover, they are folks we trust to work on our converted vehicles in a manner consistent with our standards. We have also had excellent results telling customers to find an experienced Volkswagen TDI mechanic. Why Volkswagen mechanics? Volkswagen has been producing modern, small-displacement diesel vehicles for years so these mechanics are familiar with the similar layouts of these Toyota 4 cylinder diesels. We also sell parts on our online store, however most parts etc. are available through your local Toyota dealership. If you need something specific, give us a call.

Question 14

How much is the typical conversion deposit?

Accepted Answer

Depending on which type of project it is, the deposit required can range between $18-20k.

Question 15

How long does the conversion process take?

Accepted Answer

All Diesel Toys conversions are done on an individual basis and are custom by nature. We focus on quality, not getting your vehicle slapped together and out as quickly as possible in order to bring the next guy in. Our conversions can take as little as 3 weeks to as long as a year. This depends heavily on what we’re doing to your vehicle, and the options being installed. For example, a solid axle swap v.s. a frame off restoration.

Question 16

Do you offer TDI Conversions?

Accepted Answer

We pioneered the TDI-Toyota conversions 18+ years ago with VERY lackluster results. The biggest issue we had was that the small displacement TDI (1.9 liter) and a larger 4WD truck simply did not mix well. The last reliable TDI engine Volkswagen produced was the ALH and at 90hp it is far too small to adequately power a Toyota Tacoma or 4runner. The stock 90hp ALH TDI engine we installed into a 1998 Tacoma  did not have have enough power to be driven safely; often having difficulty maintaining highway speeds. A proposed remedy to this shortcoming is that you can "tune" the TDI engines to achieve better performance. While this is true, once you do that the fuel economy goes out the window.  So, any economy gains you would realize by converting your vehicle to diesel are lost. Furthermore, as the owners of a TDI specific service center for the last 20+ years, in our opinion the TDI engines do not have what we would consider to be a stellar reliability record. We saw the exact same issues with different vehicles over and over again. We had a saying around the shop with TDI's "anything you save in fuel economy you'll spend in maintenance and repairs". This has held overwhelmingly true over thousands of TDI's repaired and 20+ years in servicing strictly TDI VW's and we have the paid invoices to prove it. So this all begs the question, why use an underpowered, unreliable powertrain?

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Conversion FAQs

Frequently asked questions

How do I get the process started?

I'm looking to do my own conversion. Can you supply the powertrain?

The DIY Diesel Conversion Kit Myth...

What is my deposit used for?

Are these new or used engines?

My vehicle has an existing issue when it arrives to begin the conversion project. How is this handled?

I dont see my vehicle listed on your website. Can you convert my....

How do I service my converted vehicle?

I would like to come by and meet you and talk about my project. Is this possible?

Do you repair things during the conversion process?

How do you calculate conversion pricing?

What happens to my original gasoline powertrain?

Where can I get parts and service?

How much is the typical conversion deposit?

How long does the conversion process take?

Do you offer TDI Conversions?

NEWS

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Phone

EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE IS STRONGLY PREFERRED

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EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE IS STRONGLY PREFERRED

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Conversion FAQs

Frequently asked questions

How do I get the process started?

I'm looking to do my own conversion. Can you supply the powertrain?

The DIY Diesel Conversion Kit Myth...

What is my deposit used for?

Are these new or used engines?

My vehicle has an existing issue when it arrives to begin the conversion project. How is this handled?

I dont see my vehicle listed on your website. Can you convert my....

How do I service my converted vehicle?

I would like to come by and meet you and talk about my project. Is this possible?

Do you repair things during the conversion process?

How do you calculate conversion pricing?

What happens to my original gasoline powertrain?

Where can I get parts and service?

How much is the typical conversion deposit?

How long does the conversion process take?

Do you offer TDI Conversions?

NEWS

In The Press...

Phone

**EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE IS STRONGLY PREFERRED**

Email

Connect

**EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE IS STRONGLY PREFERRED**

**BY APPOINTMENT ONLY - NO POP INS**

SUBSCRIBE

Terms and Conditions

EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE IS STRONGLY PREFERRED

EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE IS STRONGLY PREFERRED

BY APPOINTMENT ONLY - NO POP INS