engine and drivetrain Green Diesel

[Guest Anonymous]

So with the advent of "green" diesel fuel and at-home diesel brewing kits has anyone contemplated a BMW turbo-diesel swap into a 2002?

I know there are several turbo-diesel BMW engines to choose from I'm not sure about the size and fit though. Any insight or been-there-done-that’s?

Thanks,

Chuck in AZ

73 2002

[winstontj]

I think the easiest one to find is the 524td and it's based on the M20 Eta crank so it's actually a 2.7L M20. With all that added weight why would you do it? I get a consistant 30-33mpg from a tired stock M10, 32/36 and 5-spd. A new Honda Civic gets about 38 on the highway. How much better is a 15 year-old TD going to give you?

Just my $0.02

[PSloan]

Maybe it has something to do with pollution. Some people care about that kind of thing, you know.

[winstontj]

PSloan if it were just the pollution I'd copy the guy out in Cali that installed an electric motor in his 02. Then all you have to worry about is the pollution it took to produce the electricity.

BUT

I'd think that adding all that weight without the power would completely change the 2002. A nicely tuned - or maybe even a nicely tuned de-stroked 1.8L M10 with a 5-spd OD and 3.45 rear end could get closer to 40mpg with pizza pie-cutter tires, air dam and a decent EFI system. In terms of actual pounds of pollution I'd think that it would be very close to equal between the gasoline and the green diesel. but again, that's just me.

[PSloan]

From what I understand, bio desiel has almost 0 emissions. Do you know how much that car in cali must have weighed? Didnt he have something like 40 batteries? Talk about adding weight - for only 75 hp. In any case - I agree I wouldnt put a desiel in a 2002 - but it wouldnt be a bad idea if you were that interested in that kinda thing.

[winstontj]

I'd look for a 4-cyl diesel rather than a 6. I know it would be harder to find but something possibly VAG (think some of the audi's had a decent front to back 16V diesel) or possibly a Benz? Just not the M20 - WAY too heavy for not enough power...

haha.... 40 batteries... you're probably right. Better to put plates and brake lights on a golf cart!

[H_Krix]

If you're worried about pollution, start growing your own food. Your commute to work everyday isnt doing anything.

The average plate of food travels over 1500 miles before it reached our plates (here in the US) Gasoline, depending on where you live, travels an average of 3,000 miles before it ever lands in your tank.

This Country runs on its Semis, and thats doing more to the environment than your M10 ever will.

as for a Diesel engine... I'm with everyone else. Why?

[CJ_AZ]

One of the main reasons I was looking at it is because you can "brew" your own diesel fuel for about $.75/Gal.

Also as the show "Trucks" on Spike TV stated - wouldn't you rather buy fuel from your buddies in Iowa (green diesel made from vegetable oil produced in the US) rather than from some guys half way around the world who would like to kill you?

Being environmentally friendly is just a bonus.

[winstontj]

I believe that the only (US at least) diesel cars BMW has made are 6-cyl cars. Diesels do have considerably more torque but they also have considerably less HP. If it's something you're into go for it! I'd reccomend getting a car that came as a diesel though.

Here are some things to think about with Diesels and TD's:

Vacuum - TD's have positive intake manifold pressure. You'll need to come up with a way to deal with your brake booster issues. Maybe check out a few Mercedes and see how they did it??

Weight - or Power to weight ratio. I'd actually think that if you did everything the M20 powered 2002 guys did (suspension wise), you'd be happier than some guy in an E12 524td because your car would be lighter and therefore almost have BETTER power to weight ratio.

Fuel Delivery - Have to do some modifying in that department but you could probably just nab everything from the 524td - Diesels from what I know operate under VERY high pressure fuel wise.

OR

Convert your M10 to a diesel - With all the work the M20 guys do to the subframe, firewall, tranny tunnel, radiator/front valance, etc. How about this: Why not rig up a few glow plugs (although they are usually found on the intake side) in the spark plug bungs of your M10, throw in some diesel pistons (different rings & design) and boost your compression up to 23-25:1, use an E30 intake manifold for your TB and injectors and run a turbo just like the turbo M10 guys do. I would think it would be easier to convert an M10 motor over than to install a diesel M20 motor... but I'm just talking out of my rear end here.... although I have seen a few conversions but mostly on generators and boats....

Good luck!

[BarryA]

are actually 2.4 liters (technically 2443cc), NOT 2.7 liters - the forged 528td crank has the same dimensions as the 2.7 eta/super eta, but bore diameter on the diesel blocks is significantly smaller to yield thicker cylinder walls to cope with the increased compression / detonation pressure.

Second, regarding the idea of converting an M10 to diesel, reread the above - odds are that as stout as the M10 block is, it wouldn't survive the stresses as a diesel without sleeving the bores and running much smaller pistons (which also significantly reduces displacement) - by the time you bore the block, sleeve it, have custom pistons made, figure out a workable cam grind and do all the other conversion work necessary, you're gonna have god's own money invested, and the bottom end still might not survive without a forged or billet crank.

If you want a relatively light BMW diesel on the cheap, the best option is probably to round up a clean E21 320i, a euro-issue E21 6 cylinder (M20 323 or 320/6) front crossmember, a 524td engine and an '82 M20 528e Getrag 265 transmission. With the 6 cylinder crossmember, the 524td engine should be a bolt in, the 265 trans has the proper bellhousing to bolt up to the M20 engine, will take a speedo cable, and can easily handle the diesel's torque; and the only significant fabrication that'll be required is to put an E28 flange on the E21 driveshaft. Given the diesel's much greater torque, you'd probably want to run a taller diff gear and at least 14" wheels as well.

[c.d.iesel]

...... DO YOU KNOW THE WEIGHT added with a corn-ball idea like dat ?!

if you want a diesel - leave the 02 alone. Dream another dream.

[GetOuttaMyWay]

There's a whacky shop in my neighborhood who got a motor shipped over from the UK.. they said it was from a 320td i think, not sure what chasis or year. They're putting it into a bmw motorcycle and aiming to set a land speed record for biodiesel AND for SVO. I'm guessing its a m10 variant like most 4cyl BMW motors and thus adaptable to the 2002. Sounds sick as hell when that turbo spools up.

But I'm with the poster above, I have a old Mercedes that I just pour straight vegetable oil in for tooling around in.