using a diesel power plant

boxboy · Jul 24, 2007

I was watching this vid http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fh45CBDc5iw

Would a diesel engine work in a wheeler, truggy or buggy or as an all around go any where trail rig?

What engine would you use, like a big Cummins or a little jetta TDI or something else?

Would it be an easy task to get the right gearing in the transfer case and rear-end keeping in mind most everyone thinks about the RPMs a gas runs at... but most of your diesel don't go over 3000RPM's or so?

any who lets hear your thoughts?

Binder · Jul 24, 2007

boxboy said:
... but most of your diesel don't go over 3000RPM's or so?

any who lets hear your thoughts?

That prety much sums it up..

uke:

KarlVP · Jul 25, 2007

I'm sure they would make asswhoopin HP and Torque for going slow and crawling, but I would think you would want a hefty automatic to handle the gear shifts for the hammer down moments. The drivetrain behind the engine can only spin as fast as the engine wants to go.

boxboy · Jul 25, 2007

Binder said:
That prety much sums it up..uke:

oh but you could idle her down to next to nothing and still have power.

Get an over drive auto and an atlas 3speed you would have lots of gears to play with to find the right choose:corn:

Eric · Jul 25, 2007

Most moden small diesels will rev to about 5000rpm, its only the bigger ones that wont.....

The problem with a diesel is it takes a little longer to spin up

Look at Unimogs, they idle over lots of stuff and they started with a little 4cly with about 65 hp, but you dont put it on edge and use the skinny pedal to get you out or over stuff

The other issue with diesels is all it takes is about a table spoon of dirt in the intake and you will have serious issues, when a gas motor can digest much more dirt

Other issue is how much a diesel weights in at

Diesels are most effient at constant rpms and med to high load, not constant changes.

My .02$

Jay W · Jul 25, 2007

boxboy said:
oh but you could idle her down to next to nothing and still have power.

So what about the time you need to wind it up and blast a hill climb or blow through some deep snow?

1 grumpy · Jul 25, 2007

Just go out and get a Mazda rotory engine problem solved:awesomework:

boxboy · Jul 25, 2007

Jay W said:
So what about the time you need to wind it up and blast a hill climb or blow through some deep snow?

put a bigger turbo on it to add some more boost

Bunk1 · Jul 25, 2007

1 grumpy said:
Just go out and get a Mazda rotory engine problem solved:awesomework:

Hardly, wheeling in a core description requires torque. I say a dizzle would work in a 4 by rig with a 6 speed automatic and t/case-axle gears to make the engine smoke early. Every diesel wheeling rig ive ever seen has always had to Krawl everything.

CrustyJeep · Jul 25, 2007

RPM range and rev speed. Without those, you ain't got nuttin' honey.

boxboy · Jul 25, 2007

I thought it was all about the torque and the gearing?

64FJ40 · Jul 25, 2007

boxboy said:
What engine would you use, like a big Cummins or a little jetta TDI or something else?

If I ever ran out of projects (not likely any time in the next 10 years), I've been toying with the idea of picking up and rebuilding the turbodiesel from a Benz 300SD (mid- to late-80's IIRC). Seems to be a good midpoint between the weight/redline/power tradeoffs. It should be tweakable - at least the turbo; don't know about the injection setup. And Luke at 4x4labs is supposedly working on a plate adapter, but hasn't released anything official yet that I know of.

CrustyJeep · Jul 25, 2007

boxboy said:
I thought it was all about the torque and the gearing?

Torque and gearing is great until you need to do some dynamic RPM work to bump over a rock or whatever. You know this...

Binder · Jul 25, 2007

Torque does absolutely nothing but that's another topic.
Think about it this way. Diesels have been tried in competitive rock crawling where people have gone to extreme measures to find what works and what doesn't. This is one of those things that didn't work.

Jay W · Jul 25, 2007

boxboy said:
put a bigger turbo on it to add some more boost

You must be an import fan. :;

skrause · Jul 25, 2007

As cool as it would be, not worth it.

GRW · Jul 25, 2007

Everyone has there opinion

The question you have to ask first is what size of rig are you talking?
With a smaller (less weight) rig you can do well with a VW TDI

For a mid sizzed rig you need something bigger Cummins 4

& for the Big heavy rig the Cummins 6

The diesel's are a differant animal, they like the lower RPM range, were the gassers prefer higher RPM's. :stirpot: :corn:
The diesel will not require all the gearing (for the most part) that a gasser requires.
But most do not like the high RPM's.
The exception would be the VW TDI (to a point).
But when you have that much torque through out the RPM range does it matter? If you like mud (high RPM's) you may want to lean towards a rotery.
I drive a Dodge with the Cummins in it

I also have a 4BT Cummins & have been shopping for a good deal on a TDI.
The sami would be sweet with the TDI (if the drive train would hold up).
But with the gears I have (required for a gasser) it would be SLOW. That would require me to swap in my old T-case to keep the RPMS down. Bigger axles would most likely follow.

:stirpot: :corn: :stirpot: :corn: :stirpot: :corn:

SnoFalls · Jul 25, 2007

I think in a zuki, a TDi swap is a decent powerplant ...
http://www.acmeadapters.com/store_engine.php

But spendy too ... (TDi's aren't cheap to come by, then there's the adaptor kit too).

LWB Samurai Joe · Jul 25, 2007

Binder said:
That prety much sums it up..uke:

Wrong answer boys. My TDI jetta (146hp 245 lbs torque) revs to 4500 rpm easy!

So do all the newer technology non one ton truck diesels. By all I mean those around the world and the few that have made it into the states.