78 replies to this topic

[clubmanreece]

wow 2 years of posts and still no build hmmm ne wayz surely it would be better to use a modern diesal as diesal engines have progressed so much ova past 10 years for eample the commonrail i agree wiv previous posts fiesta tdci the vw 1.4 or the citroen pug number id stay away from the corsa engine if u want serious power and feel to rwd it got for the vee dub 2.0 tdi my friend had jetta as courtesy car 150 bhp wheel spun all the way into 3rd wiv traction control switched off although longitudial mounted would the merc 2.6 be any good heaps of torque and 160bhp in the van surely more in car dew to differant gearing anyways get back with forts

[level7]

There was someone on here looking to put a TD into their van, the other choices are the small 1.4 PSA diesels ( Pug/Citroen ), but I think the 3 pot charade is the favourite as it is tiny

That might be my van your talking about there, I put a Daihatsu cl50t motor in it (1l turbo diesel 48hp and 85nm torque) fairly easy to fit to a mini because its so small and is the same mounting as the petrol version that was used in innocenti minis after 1983.
the hp figures are probably a bit better than stated due to running bio diesel but still a great motor in a mini

[Memphis]

A conversion with the PSA XUDT9 engine in it would be brillant(the 1.9 td out of a 306/zantia 406 etc..)....would have to be RWD though...would be far too big to fit in the front

This enigne has pritty much no ecu wiring to contend with and it's the last mech inject enigne psa made so they have ironed out all the bugs so it's very reliable

just make sure it has the bosch fuel pump as it is easier to tune and can run higher pressures....handy when upgrading to better parts....you'd be surpried what you can get off the shelf for this old td

piper does a fast road cam for it...
turbodynamics do a hybrid turbo...

this list goes on...

[m44rkr]

I'M New to the Mini Forum and browse often,

I am glad to see people for the Diesel engine. As the usual story you get from people is - no Good , Its Heavy,Smokey,Noisy.

But , the newer cars have excellent engines which are ripe for using.

All of the most recent diesels are quieter and generally pretty good for torque.

And you don't need to wring it's neck to get the torque. Torque generally being lower in the revs.

PLUS , it can be a daily driver which can still be serious fun -Without watching the needle drop.

I much prefer diesels. general drivability and reliability is great. not that petrols are that unreliable.

I've had two BMW Works mini's (210Bhp)and a 1980-1380cc (apprx 100BHP) mini and have to admit that watching the gauge drop is pretty annoying.
the people at the petrol station used to see me quite often.

I always return to a Diesel car , So what better than to have a HDI Classic Mini.

thought about one of these for a year or two.

I'll be keeping an eye on this forum.

[beejay]

Could use an A-series diesel
Not going to be that refined or powerful tho I think

[1989flame]

how about the turbo diesel vauxhall astra engine ??

[DoubleHB176]

There is an old 'classic' tractor, I can't think of the name right now, but.......

It had a diesel 'A' series engine ! May be worth looking in to.

[monkeyjim]

Hi guys ,

The 106 diesel had 2 capacities in its life 1.4 and 1.5 . The Metro uses the same PSA group based engine i believe . Actually I think the bmw Mini has used a modern PSA group diesel engine too.
Trouble with the latest HDi engines is when the high pressure pumps go they really go . Psa group diesels with metal filings in the bottom of fuel filter bowl is a recipe for new lift and high pressure pumps and a potential £1000 bill. I work in the trade , we send our dodgy diesels to a Diesel specialist . They have late Hdi vehicles sitting round the streets because they are beyond economical repair . Had issues with my partners Citroen C3 hdi .......... fine one minute , dead the next . Cost me over £700 trade to sort .
Also the latest pumps run at such high pressure you need to be very careful .

I am not poo pooing the idea of a diesel Mini or a Hdi , I love it ( just missed out on a Octavia 130hp myself for the same reason) i am just letting you know some info and that the latest generation td may not be as good in terms of reliability and repair costs as the previous generation .
Chat to your local specialist and see what they say .

The Isuzu diesels have always been good ones and if given the option of Vauxhall with a GM engine or Isuzu, go for Isuzu.

[samg.t]

just wondered has anyone on here made a turbo diesel mini yet and as i have not much mechanical knowledge is there anywhere that will do engine conversions for you was thinking along the lines of nova/corsa/pugeout td

[minimicra]

I saw this mini van at a car show last year with a metro diesel in it.

[sonikk4]

That looks like somebody has grafted a mini van shell onto a metro platform or some other type. Looks neat though.

[m44rkr]

Can't believe it was Feb 2009 that i posted something about this topic.

Well, i now have a prime vehicle that is ripe for building into a 200 bhp + inter cooled + heavily tuned DIESEL powered
performance car beater............

i have a classic shell with removable flip front that is shouting to have a diesel engine.

My plan is - to strip it to the bare essentials, fit it with the lightest carbon and light weight metals.

Make it a tarmac terrorist - minus the neck wringing petrol.

Produce 200 bhp +
Rear Wheel drive......
Weight nothing ( or as close).
Look the mutts nuts
State diesel on it.
Tune it til it hurts.

then see what it can do against the petrol fraternity .

It might take some time to build and develop correctly .....

Something as fun as a 500 kilo caterham super 7, but quieter, just as many smiles per mile, but something to get people thinking ...... D I E S E L do nicely
Stay tuned for URCHIN DIESEL .....

Edited by m44rkr, 08 December 2011 - 01:31 PM.

[Jordie]

I saw this mini van at a car show last year with a metro diesel in it.

As suggested by sonikk, this is the complete bulkhead, steering, brakes,subframe and engine from a metro diesel. he fabricated the bulkhead into the shell, its well smart and a tidy job. see it at a show a while ago so had a look around it.

Jordie

[malynch27]

Just done a bit of reading on all the Diesel ideas and bigger is not always better in my opinion. I drive a lot of Vauxhalls through work and the 1.3 Corsa Diesel is punchy as. It is pretty high revving though and pootles along on the motorway quite comfprtably returning decent mpg. The slightly bigger astra 1.7 Diesel is even better with 6 forward speeds. Neither have much torque though and you do have to work them hard to get away from the lights but in a mini they could prove much fun! I suppose the benefit of the larger engines is the low end torque (my daily drive at the mo is a VW Golf GT TDI which goes like the clappers!) but this wont matter so much in a mini.

[scotty_1987]

there is a mini-pickup over here that has a peugeot 1.9tdi in the front..neat buil and goes well from what i hear...was for sale not that long ago