My latest crazy idea. Anyone done this?

 

I'm probably gonna be speaking for everyone on this one. No Joey, no one has ever done this before. And I'm not trying to sound hateful here. Come to think of it, you live pretty close to me. I'm gonna try and be nice.

 

I love the open-mindedness and out of the box thinking that some folks on this board have.

 

It would be a unique swap for sure. But those diesels are generally so heavy, I doubt that the front suspension and chassis in general are up to the job.

There's an article I was reading in a Brit car magazine about a Peugeot (sp?) turbodiesel sports car and the writers said it was an absolute blast to drive! The car was built to show that it was feasable but it wont be produced.

 

Anything is possible but the big question is why?
As an alternative fuel? It would be easier to switch a gas engine to propane.

Low end torque for pulling? A third gen isn't designed to pull or carry heavy loads.

Any other reason for a swap to diesel? The GM diesel 6.2 and 6.5 engines are junk. Maybe you could drop in a 4 cylinder Audi diesel engine.

 

Why Diesel? Well, granted a diesel hardly fits the muscle/sports car image, but in Europe diesel cars are very popular. The technology nowadays allows them to start up & run like a gasoline engine but with incredible fuel economy.

You could have a turbodiesel in a 3rd gen with decent power and 40 miles per gallon!

Now when I say decent power, I'm not saying sub-14 second quarter miles or anything...

With the good aerodynamics of the F-body they would be quite efficient at highway speeds. However, especially with the additional 400 or whatever pounds of diesel under the hood it would plow like a sick front wheel drive in the corners.

And stink. And make industrial rock-crusher noises...

 

If you want insane torque that will make diesel owners hang their heads, just stick in a big block and blow it.

 

Many vehicles in Europe are diesel because gas is so expensive. Fuel mileage of 40 mpg can be achived in a third gen if they weren't so heavy.

 

Actually this is just a discussion, adding a little spice to the same ole, same ole, SBC swapparoo.

I doubt I'd ever do this. I won't do anything until the faithful 239,000 mile LG4 dies.

I did not realize deisel blocks are so heavy, i guess you need to control all that compression. There are many deisels in Europe that are quite capable in performance/milage ratio.

The camaro is a commuter car and I would like to increase the mpg, which isn't bad for what it is (high milage heavy automatic V8) at 27 hwy.
I would like to get 35 out of it. Any performance mods are reserved for my Corvette

Thanks for the replies.

 

Interesting thread. I was speaking with a guy who going to propane charge his F350 diesel V8. In the diesel world propane is the equivalent of nitrous however it is more stable.

Though I have not done any research on this he was claiming that the power can rival that of gas V8s in terms of acceleration.

Anyone else hear of this?

BILL

 

Although a diesel engine can be converted to run on propane or natural gas the common conversion is to add a propane injection system.

It's similar to a NOS system. When the engine is under load, the turbo builds higher boost pressures. When the boost reaches 7 psi, the propane injection is activated. It's like adding another 100-150 hp and like NOS, isn't on all the time.

 

Thanks Stephen. Do you know of any diesel boards? I hear a few guys are running 12's with this system. Verry cool!

 

I know a bunch of people with diesel pickups with standard trannies. They take off better than my bird. They can burn out in almost any gear also. THey actually are making more power than my old 305. THey make some 250 hp and 400 lbs. torque. compared to my 170 hp and 250 ;bs of torque. I couldn't get by them til about 75 mph. That's when aerodynamics come in. If it's available in your area, check out a transport drag race.It's pretty neat seeing them go with trailers, but when they are going bobtail they put it in 4th gear , floor it and pop the clutch. THey're usually 475 hp and 1500 lbs of torque. You can just imagine the amount of take off they have. Makes almost any car look like a **** burner.

 

That's just a matter of your setup. I guarantee they don't have a prayer at any speed against a hot rodded car.

 

An LG4 305 has a whopping 155 hp.

 

I have seen and heard of guys using the Oldmobile 350 deisel and changing them over to gas. You can bore and stroke them to like a 421. Really bad *** motors, but would not be great for the street. If I recall the guys I were taking to were getting somewere near 700 hp na. Yes with a bored/stroked 350 deisel!!

 

Some one asked about this long time ago on here, but everyone just started to flame him. Its not an idea I would run with, but the passot TDI * turbo deisel injection* that my ex's father had made 90hp and lots of tourqe it got 50 mpg and he could cruise in 5th all the way over crest hill ( very steep and curvy hill, its the same road that has dead mans curve) but it was not as fast as I would want and the car was light as hell and felt like a toy.

 

Acually, there is a guy down the the street from me who has a 440ci Olds small block in his Firebird. It was a Diesel 350 converted to gas and has a bunch of BBC parts that were "massaged" to work with it. The sound is so cool... puts my sbc's exhaust note to shame, lol :hail:

 

i was watching some **** on espn. and they were drag racing peterbilts(sp?)

one was qaud turbo or something and ran 12's or so
the other was stock and ran 15's

 

Yeah, a buddy of mine got completely walked on by a semi tractor without a trailer hooked up, it was surprisingly fast!

 

that qaud turbo in a camaro would kick ***. too bad its so *** damn gigantic

 

A quad turbo makes way too much power, You'd burn the tires off with a tap of the throttle.

 

I am closeing this post It is not a tech?