Diesel engines - dimensions & tech spec

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Thu 20 Apr 2006 13:26
Diesel engines - dimensions & tech spec - andymc {P}
I'm trying to work out the feasibility of building a motortrike with a diesel engine - I use biodiesel to fuel the two cars and I hate the idea of going back to petrol for the trike. I had been thinking of the old Merc 300D as the ideal engine, but it turns out that it would just be too long (front to rear) to mount between the rider and the front wheel without having a long horizontal extension on the handlebars.

Back to square one then. I don't really want an engine much below 65 bhp nor any which are especially harsh for an older diesel. However, newer diesels usually have MAFs and other electronic bits to cause maintenance problems - I think it's better to go for something simpler, which means I'm pretty much restricted to diesel engines pre-1998 or even earlier. An auto gearbox would be better so I won?t have to let go of one handlebar to change on a manual.

Based on information gleaned from the CBCB and Parker?s, here are some of the diesel cars/engines I'm trying to find out more about:

Audi 80 Mk1 1.6TD 80bhp (3speed auto?), 1986-1991
BMW 318 TDS 1.7 litre 90 bhp, 1991-1998
Citroen AX 1.5 D 58bhp, 1994-1997
Citroen BX 1.9 D 71 bhp auto, 1991-93
Fiat Tipo 1.9 TD 92 bhp, 1992-1995
Mercedes 190D 2.0 72bhp, 4-speed auto, 1983-1993
Mercedes C-Class C220D 2.2 94 bhp auto, 1993-2000
Nissan Primera 2.0 D 90 bhp auto, 1992-1996 (89 bhp 1996-1999)
Seat Arosa/VW Lupo 1.7 litre SDI 60 bhp, 1997 on
Volvo 440/460 1.9 TD 89 bhp (Renault engine!), 1994-97
VW Passat 80 bhp 1.6 TD, 1992-1993
VW Passat 75 bhp 1.9 TD, 1994-1997

There's a fair variety there but I'm trying to consider several possibilities. My preferred choices would still be the Merc engines. The dimensions of the engine are important in terms of fitting it in a trike frame. Is there a resource on the net that would provide this information? Can anyone advise about the relative simplicity of these c/f complex electronics etc? Any further advice or information on this subject generally is welcome and appreciated, as always.

--
andymc
Vroom, vroom - mmm, doughnuts ...
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Thu 20 Apr 2006 13:56
Diesel engines - dimensions & tech spec - cheddar
Firstly unless you want to really complicate matters you need a RWD donor car so you can use engine, gearbox and diff with a shortened prop shaft, so that reduces you list to:

BMW 318 TDS 1.7 litre 90 bhp, 1991-1998
Mercedes 190D 2.0 72bhp, 4-speed auto, 1983-1993
Mercedes C-Class C220D 2.2 94 bhp auto, 1993-2000

I would add Sierra 1.8 TD however I reckon a petrol engine would be really be favourite, something like a late 80's 2.0 ltr twin cam carburetted (for simplicity) Sierra or Sapphire, quite tunable if you want more power at any time.
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Thu 20 Apr 2006 15:07
Diesel engines - dimensions & tech spec - trancer
Fit the engine behind the seats like the VW engined trikes and you could use Front wheel drive engine and power train. Not knowing much about trikes that sounds like an easier option to me.
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Thu 20 Apr 2006 23:47
Diesel engines - dimensions & tech spec - Andrew-T
Andy - wouldn't any decent-sized car diesel just be too heavy for a trike?
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Fri 21 Apr 2006 08:37
Diesel engines - dimensions & tech spec - kevin babij
An old Subaru engine,compact,balanced flat four,alloy construction.
They`ve been used in kit built helicopters before!!!
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