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Mazda RF diesel?

101K views 31 replies 11 participants last post by  Aero_Dan 
#1 ·
Hello all,

Just found out about this engine recently, and as the owner of an '89 Mazda B2200, I'm interested in possibly converting my truck over to this powerplant.

According to Wikipedia:

"RF
Naturally aspirated SOHC, 2 valves-per-cylinder, displacing 1998 cc with square internal dimensions of 86 mm bore and 86 mm stroke diesel RF engine was one of Mazda's more popular diesel engines. This powertrain is close related to the Mazda petrol FE engine sharing the same bell housing patterns and other block fixtures and dimensions.

Used also in the 1984-1986 Ford Tempo - Mercury Topaz, the 1984-1987 Ford Escort - Mercury Lynx and pre-2001 turbo diesel Suzuki Grand Vitara
Used in the Mazda Bongo and 1999 Mazda Demio
"

From that passage, it almost sounds like a "drop-in" fit, but is it really?

If you know anything about this engine, please enlighten me.

Thanks,



Elvis
 
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#2 ·
From looking at a diesel escort I noticed that the injection pump was driven off of the back end of the engine, and the intake manifold went past the back of the engine, so basically it would not work in a rear wheel drive application. That is not to say that they didnt make this engine for rear drive applications.
 
#3 ·
Richarr9,

Thanks for the info.
This may asking a bit much, as I don't know the extent of your automotive knowledge, but did it even look like the gas engine it's supposedly derrived from?

BTW, failed to mention this earlier (sorry people), but it appears they now make a 2.2L version and that would be the one I'd like to use.



Elvis
 
#4 ·
I have a bit of information on these motors that you are talking about. For starters, I am planning on swapping a mazda RF diesel into my 86 B2000, which is essentially the same as your 89 B2200. The B2000 came stock with the FE 2.0L gas engine. The B2200 came with the F2 2.2L. The older b series pickups (78-84) had an optional S2 (also came in some Rangers) that was 2.2L. Overseas, there is also a R2 2.2L diesel block, which, just like the FE/F2 engines, is a stroked version of the RF.
There are several hurdles when swapping the RF/R2 into a B series pickup. The first you mentioned is the intake and something will have to be fabbed up. Now there is a RWD intake that does bolt onto the head which would solve some issues. Another issue is the flywheel for the escort will not work with the clutch for the B series. The B series flywheel is 6 bolt, the diesel is 8 bolt. What you can do is take a flywheel from a kia sportage 95-2002 (which uses a mazda FE3 block, a twin cam FE engine) and use it on the RF crank. This will allow you to use the B series clutch/pp.
As if there were not enough issues, you would have to fab up a new exhaust manifold as well. Reason being is that the stock RF exhaust manni points down directly where the starter sits.
Now, for the good news. The transmission, motor mounts, and accessory brackets DO bolt on no problem. The rest of the issues that is involved with swapping to the diesel is just wiring the glow plugs, running fuel line, and any other goodies about going from gas to diesel.
 
#6 ·
Emjay,

Thank you!
I was concerned about the tranny bolting up, so its nice to hear that no adapter is needed for that, or the motor mounts.
Do you know if the RF has the exposed front cam bearing, like where the distributor bolts onto our gas engines?
That's another concern of mine, as my F2 has been an oil leaker, due to that "feature", for the past 17 years.
I also remember the older diesel engine you mentioned.
It was made by Toyo Kogyo and we had one of those trucks at a diesel shop I used to work at....took Isuzu filters!

Anyway, I'll check out the link, and thanks again for your help.



Elvis
 
#8 ·
Well, an update. The engine is not in the vehicle running yet. Check on the above link to see how I'm overcomming some of the mentioned articles. Just a taste,
Exhaust Manifold
Before:

During alteration:

After:


Intake Manifold[/1]
Before:

During:


After: (note still cleaning up and smoothing out surfaces)


And how it sits on the head:
Before:


After:
 
#11 ·
Ok, so just to cover all bases, I looked up this "S2" engine.
I found out its a licensed built version of a Perkins 4.135.
When I looked up a Perkins 4.135, I found a Wiki page listing a whole bunch of Perkins engines.
Here's what they had to say about the "S2"...

"Based on 4.154.Produced only by Toyo Kogyo. (Mazda) Variant used in '82-'84 B2200 trucks and in '83-'84 Ford Ranger Diesels. Pushrod, dry sleeves and gear drive"

I've talked with owners of older Mazda diesel pick-ups before and some have complained of cylinder head sealing/cracking problems, not unlike those I've dealt with concerning Cummins 470 V-8's, in the past.

I think, in this case, it may be the smarter move to go with the RF/R2.

Thanks for your input, though, 89b2600diesel.



Elvis
 
#12 ·
Well the perkins diesel is heavier and gets less fuel efficiency than a completed RF is supposed to gain. It has been a lot of work for me, I still need to get the head sent back to the machine shop to use my copper head gasket that I got made. I'm trying to bump the compression down to 16-18 range and also had to compensate for the shaving that was done to the head over the years.
The RF diesels are also infamous for cracking heads if they are allowed to overheat, and parts can be interesting to find at times. What I have heard though about these motors is that kept in tune and well maintained they go on forever and you'll only get 40mpg on a bad day. upper 50's to low 60's is common.
 
#15 ·
Elvis, you may want to take a look over at my thread on my link for more in depth updates, however in order to use the RF in a RWD setup, you will need to get a transmission bell housing with the starter on the driver side of the motor instead of the passenger side.
The reason is that the starter will come into contact with an oil passage. This one:
 
#16 ·
Elvis, you may want to take a look over at my thread on my link for more in depth updates, however in order to use the RF in a RWD setup, you will need to get a transmission bell housing with the starter on the driver side of the motor instead of the passenger side.
The reason is that the starter will come into contact with an oil passage.
Emjay,

No time to check your link at the moment (but I will later), but quickly, if you go back to page 1 of this thread, you'll see that you wrote the following:

"...Now, for the good news. The transmission, motor mounts, and accessory brackets DO bolt on no problem."

(I've added a little highlighting to help address my question)

So the stock tranny will bolt up, or not?
Granted, a new flywheel will be needed, but now you're saying I will need a different bellhousing.
So the original bellhousing (bolts to F2 gas engine) won't bolt up, or would IF the oil passage on the RF wasn't in the way?



Elvis
 
#17 ·
yes, the transmission does bolt up to the back of the block with no problem whatsoever. The problem lies with that oil passage on the side of the bloock. it sticks out too far that the starter can not sit in the transmission like it should. the bellhousing that I am getting has the exact same pattern, except the starter goes on the other side of the block. If you were to do this motor from an escort like I did, and use the stock B series transmission, you would have to get that passage surfaced down so the starter can sit, and to put in a threaded plug or something. Had I have known this I would have had my machinist do that, however my block was already assembled before I figured this out.
 
#18 · (Edited)
Here is a picture of the RF block I pulled from the escort mated up to the stock B series trannie. I took this picture when I first got the block over a year ago. This was before I noticed that the starter wouldn't clear the oil passage.


I will also take a picture later of the back of the RF block with the transmission plate in place to get another angle of the pic. I'd put the trans up to it itself however I am currently on medical leave because of my back.
 
#21 ·
The 2.0L RF diesel engine was used in the Ford Escort/Mercury Lynx from 1984 to December 1986 and in the larger Ford Tempo/Mercury Topaz from 1984 to August 1986. Mazda used the same engine in the USA version of the 626 in the years 1984-85, but only in the Luxury trim 4-door notchback sedan.

The 2.2L RF diesel engine was used in the Ford Ranger pickup truck from 1982-84 (but, ironically, it was never offered in its predecessor, the Courier, which was an actual Mazda derivative sold in the years 1972-82) and was replaced by the Mitsubishi 2.3L turbo diesel for the years 1985-87. The Mitsu engine had also been used in the Dodge Ram 50 in the years 1983-86.

The Mazda B2200 Diesel truck was sold here (in the USA) from 1982-85.

~Ben
 
#23 ·
OK, that clears one up I was curious about, I know a guy who was looking for the turbo diesel version, but thought it was a Mazda engine, but the only one I knoew of in thast era was the Mitsubishi engine.
Ive heard mixed opinions on the one put in the Tempo/626/Escort.
 
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#22 ·
Hate to say it, but the R2 diesel (the 2.2 that you are referring to) was never released in any production vehicle in the US. The diesel that you are thinking of is the Perkins S2 diesel which did come in some Ford Rangers and in the B2200 diesels. This was all cast construction, no aluminum. The RF and the R2 came with aluminum heads and was the cause of some issues. That is nice to know that the RF diesel came in the nicer models of the 626, i've never seen one in person in a Mazda and only 1 in an escort (the one that I have.)

for those that are following, I was able to source out a bellhousing that came from an overseas mazda bongo minivan, also in the process of doing a gear swap cuz they interchange. I also got a starter for an overseas Mazda 323 that fits the bellhousing properly. The flywheel from the Kia Sportage 2.0 dual cam works on this crank (the kia engine is a mazda FE3 design used between 95-02) and the clutch from my 86 B2000 works with this as well.
still need to redisassemble the block and get it o-ringed for the copper head gasket. I really want the better heat dissipation and had the block decked due to damage, the pistons stick up .025 above the surface. With the new valve seats and the heat treated head I should be good to go timing and funding permitting.
 
#24 ·
there was no R2 turbo diesel ever made to my knowledge, but there are some RF turbo's out of the JDM.
There is the IDI version, the direct injection version, and the common rail one.

here is a pic of an IDI version found in JDM Mazda bongo vans.



I have heard of people fitting turbos to the R2, however the turbo motor has some stronger internals and a slightly lower C/R
 
#25 ·
I tried to get her running again today. Using the clear line to see what was going on I first tried to get her to crank using my electric lift pump. I learned that the pump is worn/old/clogged and not pumping anymore.

So next I tried removing the electric pump and just hook up my fuel supply directly to the IP. I used my hand vacuum pump to pull fuel from the tank to the pump (also seeing if I had a clog in the tank/lines) and I got some fuel up. Then I cranked her with the injector lines cracked at the injectors. I noticed that there was an air bubble in my supply line and it wasn't going away. I figured, eh, reconnected the injectors, and tried again. I believe that the internal lift pump does work as I saw fuel being lifted and flowing, I also earlier noticed that fuel was splashing from the injector lines (but not very much.)

Determined to try to get that air bubble out of my supply side at this point, I used my hand pump again at the return side and started pumping. I was getting fuel to flow into my collector but that air bubble was going NOWHERE. I then disconnected power to the fuel disconnect switch, removed the vacuum pump (which still held 22 in/hg) and I saw bubbles coming back up the fuel supply line!

Question here, if the disconnect isn't energized, shouldn't the fuel return being disconnected NOT allow air to go back to the supply line, or does it only cut fuel from going to the injector rails?

If that air bubble refuses to go inside the pump, wouldn't that indicate a weak internal lift pump?

With the injector lines cracked, shouldn't I see large splashes of fuel or little piddle splashes? (I'm talking a very little amount here, an empty spray bottle with a very small amount of liquid/mostly air in the tube sized splash.)

One more thing, when I was pumping with the hand pump, I saw a lot of little bubbles in the pump line. I figured some of it was due to the loose connection that the vacuum pump had on the return line (it was only a slip on connection, I didn't clamp it or make it secure.) I will try tomorrow using clamped hose nice and air tight to see if it goes away or if it's the same.

Will too much air in the IP make the lift pump seem weaker?
 
#29 ·
Emjay,

So its now early December.
What happened with the air problem?
My guess is you've either got a cracked line or an ill-fitting line on the high pressure side, or you just haven't run enough fuel through the system.
Sometimes it can take a lot more than it would seem to, to get everything "on-the-square".


Elvis
 
#27 ·
I have a 1986 Ford Tempo with the Mazda 2.0 RF Diesel Engine with the 5 speed. It's not pretty, it was sitting in my uncles yard for 12 years out in the country before saving it. But it was given to me free. Wasn't even interested in the car until I found out it was diesel. Went through each wheel and fixed the brakes. Replaced the starter and cleaned it up. Been averaging over 50 mpg in it. Last fill was 362 miles and had to squeeze in 7 gallons.
VT247
 
#32 ·
Hello, Just found this site. I have a 2006-ish RF-T powertrain, complete, out of a JDM truck or van (I think). So far, I have found out it came out of a Mazda Bongo Brawny. The "Brawny" is made as both a long wheelbase, 1-ton pickup and a van. I really don't know for sure, since there is so little posted on the web for these engines and how to identify them. The eBay seller said it was a 1-ton pickup engine. It is clean and new looking, with no signs of high miles engines. Last I looked at it, it looked like it has a common rail electronic fuuel injection system on it.

I have tried several sites to discover more about it, without success. I currently have "feelers out" to a couple of JDM importers asking for more information, manuals, tech data, and possibly a scanner.

So far, I can say I think it is a 2.0L (possibly 2.2L). It is factory turbo equipped. It is a 4wd, automatic tranny. It has an ECM of some sort, with connection plug and colour-coded wired ends.

When I bought it, it came with a data tag off the vehicle. The tag says it is a model SKF6M.

I have had this unit for about 2-4 years now in covered storage. I had hoped to put it in a Ranger or Bronco II. But I doubt that will happen due to electronic interfacing and current lack of a scanner with an appropriate database. I can say that I am still looking for information and would like to see it in a vehicle soon. If anybody has real world information with the RF-T engine, I'd love to hear from them. If I get more information, I will post it here.
 
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