putting it out there for discussion, what diesel motors would fit in a mboy? and how gutless would a small diesel be in a boy?
also what kind of fuel economy would u get?
discuss
diesel mboy
I won't doubt a diesel would be found - Daihatsu made one small enough. Trouble is in the engine output in relation to the MB transaxle gearing (provided you could get it to match up). Diesels are generally slower revving & high torque over a narrow rev band & petrol engines lean more toward power (than torque) output over a wider rev band.
You may have noticed the larger trucks have a lot of gears in order to keep the engine within its torque band - they might rev to 4000 RPM but work best between 2500 & 3000 (as an example). Most automotive petrol engines will perform between 2000 & 4000 (with exceptions).
High performance diesel technology has only just begun to 'scratch the surface' I heard an F1 car has been used in recent years with good results. I would not expect the same of converting a MightyBoy to work so well without huge cost.
You may have noticed the larger trucks have a lot of gears in order to keep the engine within its torque band - they might rev to 4000 RPM but work best between 2500 & 3000 (as an example). Most automotive petrol engines will perform between 2000 & 4000 (with exceptions).
High performance diesel technology has only just begun to 'scratch the surface' I heard an F1 car has been used in recent years with good results. I would not expect the same of converting a MightyBoy to work so well without huge cost.
So many delays to getting my MB back in order with 993cc & 5 speed transaxle... neighbor issue gone, donor shell up on rotisserie, new sheds on the way.... another project also..
Manufacturers are currently developing (and producing) two and three cylinder diesel engines for small cars, so the technology is starting to arrive in the right market. The Smart ForTwo now has a diesel engine, and the Tata Nano is scheduled to get one this year.
Fuel economy would be good, but I wouldn't expect it to be enough to offset the conversion costs. Given the MB's light weight there'd be no other gains from installing a diesel.
Fuel economy would be good, but I wouldn't expect it to be enough to offset the conversion costs. Given the MB's light weight there'd be no other gains from installing a diesel.
F8B EFI turbo - Three pots and a snail.
An unlikely return to the old fuel pricing structure would make it worthwhile. Diesel is a by-product of petrol production & used to be priced much cheaper than petrol. Once diesel powered private passenger & light commercial vehicles gained popularity, the fuel companies shoved the price up big time.
I bought a Jackaroo when the F8b in my MB failed, I chose the turbo diesel version over the petrol mainly because it is 4 cyls & the petrol is a 6 cyl. My big saving is in rego alone - fuel price & maintenance narrows the gap too well for my liking. As much as I like my Jackaroo, I would have gone with a Vitara, Sierra or Jimny if I had known then what I know now (The dealers brief was to get me a Turbo Diesel Rodeo or a Jackaroo if the Rodeo wasn't possible).
I bought a Jackaroo when the F8b in my MB failed, I chose the turbo diesel version over the petrol mainly because it is 4 cyls & the petrol is a 6 cyl. My big saving is in rego alone - fuel price & maintenance narrows the gap too well for my liking. As much as I like my Jackaroo, I would have gone with a Vitara, Sierra or Jimny if I had known then what I know now (The dealers brief was to get me a Turbo Diesel Rodeo or a Jackaroo if the Rodeo wasn't possible).
So many delays to getting my MB back in order with 993cc & 5 speed transaxle... neighbor issue gone, donor shell up on rotisserie, new sheds on the way.... another project also..
i have a big portable diesel generator/welder at work with a 3cyl diesel engine in it, revs to max 5000rpm idles at about 700rpm, produces a fair amount of power and torque, has a 10Ltr tank that last about a solid week of working non stop all day long with high loads of current being drawn from welding, it's a CAT engine so i wouldnt think it would have any trouble pushing an mb and by the looks of it the engine would just about slot straight in.
Perkins also make small diesel engines, however anything under 1L generally produces under 20kw of power. (Although they make a mountain of torque compared to an F5A.)
F8B EFI turbo - Three pots and a snail.
Yeah I agree, your biggest issue will be gearing. I used to drive a 4WD Kabota tractor with a tiny, yet incredibly powerful diesel engine, but when you take into consideration the very large tyres driving it and the slow speed, I would not like to predict the final drive required. Amazing engine though!