Speaking of that, you could probably scrounge up the VW 5-cylinder diesel used in Volvo 240 diesels. With a great deal of work and effort, you could transplant it into an A-body and wind up with a slow, polluting, fragile car that nevertheless got good miles per gallon. :-\

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

So that this thread could stay on topic and we could also discuss the issues related to diesel engines in general (pollution, fuel economy, etc.) I've split this thread. The "issues" thread can be accessed by clicking the image:

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

The text below was posted by Joshie225. I inadvertently deleted it while moving the fuel economy/pollution portion of the thread to the Social Corner.

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The Jeep Liberty CRD engine would be a good choice if it was more common. The bellhousing bolt pattern is the same as a small block. It's built by VM Motori. It's a 2.8 DOHC power: 160 hp (120 kW); torque: 295 lb·ft (400 N m).

Anyone know what the horsepower rating is for a VW diesel motor? If the 225 is in the 100 HP range, the VW 4 banger may have enough. Not sure how to deal with the cannge from front wheel to rear wheel drive? Was the Vanagon (sp?) rear wheel drive?

Yes it was...but it was also rear engine...

Far too heavy for a car. I'm planning to eventually put a cummins 4BT (their 4banger diesel) into my Toyota Land Cruiser, and it weighs just a bit more than the stock iron 4.0L 6banger that's in there now. coupled with the NV4500 that it'll get, it'll weigh a LOT.

I like the idea of a Benz engine in an A-body though...

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'74 Duster w/ HEI ignition, beat to snot suspension, A904, 8.25" 3.55 SG rear, still being tuned up and gets 17 MPG

Know how they always build a better idiot? That's me

The Vanagon was a water cooled boxer engine, and from what I have heard it was loosely based on the bus / Porsche 914 engine. To say that this VW diesel has "issues" would be to put it VERY mildly.

TopHat

hello,
we have a late 2007 VW transporter van with the 5 cyl,2.5litre turbo and that is one amazing engine.
what has astounded me,apart from its good power and performance,is how clean it runs.
it has about 10k kilometres on it now,and the tail pipe is bare metal clean.
ok -I do'nt have gas (nox) figures,but the particles are obviously low.
if it were possible to adapt this engine to an A body,I think it would give equal or better (probably) performance to a good running 225.
I have both to compare,and if both body weights were the same,I reckon the oiler would win.
be lots of plumbing and computer things to hook up to make a swap tho - to hard methinks.

regards,Rod

I've owned in the past a VW rabbit 1.6 diesel, Two Mercedes 300SD 5 cyl. turbo-diesels and now presently own a Mercedes 240D four cyl diesel.
The rabbit would get 50 mpg. but liked to blow head gaskets and eat timing belts.
The Mercedes 300SD turbo-diesels are great engines with decent power and consistently got 30 mpg in a big car. The auto trans that came behind them was the weak link. It's cheaper to junk the car and buy another than to try and replace/rebuild the trans. If you could adapt a 904 this would be a nice motor.
The 240D has a manual trans, is very reliable and gets 30 mpg in town but is dangerously slow.

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Franklin
'61 Valiant

Rabbits were very slow. There was a 70-72 Monte Carlo on Youtube with a 6BT in it. It was cool!

An older Mercedes diesel that was naturally aspirated would be a neat idea to turbo etc. All with Bosch mechanical injecters etc.

There was at one time dealer diesel conversions for A bodies. Nissan maybe?

All I know is my truck just got 20 mpg on it's last tank. Never got it above 17.8 with the biodiesel.

Bio does smell better out the pipe. Just the only 2 stations in my area are in bad parts of Nashville. I can't drop a card into the pump to pay.

Flying "J" I can use my card and it got me my best reading so far. Also they don't sell "AAAY-RABB" oil.

Aren't they owned by the Mormons?

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'72 Duster 198 stock cam, 3:23's Hookers on jack stands for 8 years in the driveway
'79 Maxivan 360 Offy Qjet Comp RV cam/rusting in the driveway.
93 D350 160HP Cummins Auto Dually Clubcab needs a injector pump
2005 Golden Couch Buick

1,5-1,9IDI: 50-80hp
1,9TDI: 90-150hp
2,0-2,5 5-cylinders: 69-170hp
2,4 6 cylinders: 82-112hp

These are stock. It´s easy to get more power from all of these. For example my Scirocco´s 1,7IDI has 200whp at the moment.

The original concept was to trade the slant 6 gas for that elusive diesel and burn french fry grease as a commuter car. That being less than likely now, the next idea was to find a diesel car that was wrecked enough that it was junked but otherwise able to be a donor for everything else (mechanical as well as electronic) and change to a modern diesel.

Although the sl6 is a fairly bullet proof power plant, I think that everyone agrees that it isn't the most efficient at least in 1975 form. So, if the swap to diesel isn't feasable what is the best way to "clean up" and make more efficient the sl6? Or is it even possible? I kind of wanted to avoid the typical swap to a small block V8 and have even considered a modern V6. The Swinger isn't that big or heavy (at least compared to my '69 300) but I think an in line four wouldn't cut it.

I have seen at least 2 '68-9 Darts with small diesel engines in them. I am thinking it may have been a Datsun motor. Apparently there was a conversion kit available at one time?

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Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.

If around town MPG is the goal than a 9 to 1 compression 170 SL6 with a "cleaned-up" (ported) head, short overlap cam and well tuned should be able to deliver 25-30 MPG in a 2800 lb car.
DD

Read back up the thread. Joshie posted (and I reposted) the info on the '05-'06 Liberty engine (it's nothing to do with VW...VM, yes, but not VW). These engines are scarce and costly; a search on car-part.com shows low-mileage used units going for over $2K. A/LA bellhousing pattern, though.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.