What modifications needed for a Diesel or an LNG-fueled SL-C?

[TimB]

Actually I should have told you a little more about this engine. It did have a bit of work done to it to raise the compression and increase both fuel and air. However, as it was on the test stand and was to be destroyed (military surplus that was to be destroyed prior to disposal) - our instructor showed us what happens with a runaway diesel. I used a pick to puncture and slightly rip one of the blower seals. Once she got the taste of her own crankcase oil she started to hunt a bit. We went through the checklist and shut off the fuel supply.. The engine just about died as it was registering belowe 500 RPM on the test cell's tachometer. Then she started to grunt an started knocking very loudly.. Faster and faster. We shut off the air intake and a moment later the flex hose ( like that used in brake ducting ) ripped as it was very old and tattered.. It only took a minute for the engine to reach about 4500 RPM and our instructor was a bit frantic and chased us out of the test cell while he continued to try and shut her down. She held 36 quarts of oil as I recall. He finally left the cell when she was freewheeling at 5000. He applied full load to the water brake and she only dropped a few hundred RPM. God only knows how much torque she was making.
The tach in the test cell only went to 6500 RPM and she went screaming well past that before oil pressure was lost and the whole side of the block exploded. The reciprocating assembly was in a few dozen more pieces than it was designed to be in. Once the room cleared of the smoke and firefighting powder, I was one of the chosen that got to clean that mess up.

So yes, they will rev.. But they can only take soooo much...

Randy,

The first time you told me about that I could feel my butt pucker and it hasn't gotten any better
I know my 6-71 redlines at 2150 and I can't conceive of the racket that must have made as it was winding out of control. Time to go check the emergency flap over my blower inlet.....

 

[Fran Hall RCR]

We have a new crew member starting in a few weeks and he is a diesel hotrodder....

I am excited about that alone...regardless of his fabrication skills.

I really want to build a diesel SLC and have some cool plans for it....

 

[marc]

And you guys think that Audi, Banks et al engineered this stuff for free using the internet to show them how too.

 

[Les]

Update on the small diesel engine for the SL-C.

Ram/Jeep Ecodiesel engine has Maserati roots - Autoblog

Ward's also makes note of the fact that the same lump goes in diesel versions of the Maserati Quattroporte and Ghibli.

They're tuned a bit differently, naturally, with the QP putting out 275 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque, the smaller, lighter Ghibli making do with the same number of horses but a lower torque output of 420 lb-ft.

So, this is a production engine, it is the VM Motori V6, and I will contact Banks to find out if they still develop the engine.

Here is Ward's detailed article on the engine, chosen as one of the top 10 engines for 2014.

Ram EcoDiesel Has High-Class Lineage | Vehicles & Technology content from WardsAuto
Ram EcoDiesel Has High-Class Lineage | Vehicles & Technology content from WardsAuto

 

[Les]

Is the VM Motori engine reliable? Here is a quote from the Ward's Automotive article:

The basic engine was developed in 2008 and 2009 by VM Motori in Italy. Motori, like Chrysler, now is 100% owned by Fiat, along with Maserati, Ferrari, Alfa Romeo and Lancia. While the ownership is relatively new, Motori has supplied about 800,000 diesel engines for Chrysler vehicles sold in Europe since 1992, such as the 300C and Jeep Grand Cherokee, says Giorgio Garimberti, Group CEO, VM Motori Italy.(emphasis added)

Les

 

[Justin]

But, can you buy that diesel as a crate engine? I'd LOVE to put it into my JK Wrangler Unlimited.

 

[Les]

But, can you buy that diesel as a crate engine? I'd LOVE to put it into my JK Wrangler Unlimited.

(And, to drop into the back of an SL-C!)

That's exactly what I am checking on, sir!


Les

 

[Matt K]

But, can you buy that diesel as a crate engine? I'd LOVE to put it into my JK Wrangler Unlimited.

I'm a fellow JK owner, Justin. Sure you don't want to spring for the 4BT?
Jeep Wrangler Diesel Conversion

 

The only performance diesel engines that I've seen locally are the big and bulky Duramax engines. These are obviously too chunky for a sports car application, but the amount of torque they produce is almost hard to fathom. Without spending much money, these are making 600+rwhp and over 1200lb/ft torque. Bringing that back to a smaller capacity engine and assuming that you could still be looking at say 700lb/ft (?), I wonder what type of transaxle you would use without breaking the bank?

 

[Jeff]

Good to see this discussion back from the dead! I believe there was mention in another thread about an SLC diesel that is near completion... Fran?

Jeff-

 

[Fran Hall RCR]

We have one sitting here on the ground at the shop waiting for the never ending winter to relent...then its test and tune time and off we go cross country...

 

[Jeff]

We have one sitting here on the ground at the shop waiting for the never ending winter to relent...then its test and tune time and off we go cross country...

Are you releasing any details of the build yet? (which engine, trans, expected hp, weight difference?)
Thanks!
Jeff-

 

[Fran Hall RCR]

Its a tuned VW 2.0L TDI. with an Audi 6 speed euro diesel transaxle....slightly smaller wheel, tyre and brake package than a standard SLC so it will be approx. 200lbs lighter which allows us to have larger fuel capacity for no weight penalty over a stock SLC.

 

[Les]

Its a tuned VW 2.0L TDI. with an Audi 6 speed euro diesel transaxle....slightly smaller wheel, tyre and brake package than a standard SLC so it will be approx. 200lbs lighter which allows us to have larger fuel capacity for no weight penalty over a stock SLC.

Sweet!

 

[Les]

Banks Speaketh!

Here is the text of the e-mail that Gale Banks Engineering sent back to me in response to my inquiry about the VM Motori diesel V6.

They are working on it!

Les

"Yes, we are currently working on that motor and additional products are under development. Unfortunately it is too early in the development stage for us to provide you with an estimated release date for any available products. We invite you to visit our website periodically to stay apprised of the latest product releases.

"Thank you for your inquiry and your interest in Banks products.

"Regards,

"Email Response Team
Technical Support Group
Gale Banks Engineering
546 Duggan Avenue
Azusa, CA 91702
Phone (626) 969-9600
Toll Free (888) 839-2700

"Visit us on the web: Banks Power | Diesel Performance and Gas Performance Products "

 

[Matt Whitbread]

You would be much further ahead to use the VW/Audi 3.0L V6 over the VM unit if you plan on power modding. Will also make your transmission package easier as a fwd 01E will bolt right to it. Tuners long ago cracked the bosch edc16 and edc17 ecu's for immobilizer deletes and full tune ability. Standalone ecu's aren't needed at all with VAG engines.

A 240hp 3.0 v6 with emission deletes, set of larger nozzles, and a larger single or small set of coumpounds can do 450+whp and 600+lb/ft without much trouble. They'll put down 325whp on the stock turbo with a strong tune and better intercooler through a slushbox and awd.

The 4.2 v8 TDI audi motor is a very nice unit as well and can make another ~25% more power over the v6 from it's displacement advantage, however it's more than 25% more $$.

If anyone wanted to get really silly, the 5.0L v10 is actually very easy to get running outside of a T-reg as immobilizer deletes and custom tuning are only a few emails with a tuner away. Worst part of that swap would be removing 80% of the unneeded wiring. Good luck getting a trans that will happy with 1000lb/ft at 2500rpm though! There's an old gutted 7 series bmw turned drag car with a VW 5.0L V10 with ported heads, race nozzles, reground cams, and a pair of parallel turbos running around in Romania (or somewhere around there); he's making over 650whp and (defueled to) 1200lb/ft.

What can be done these days with electronic diesels is simply amazing. If you're totally bonkers, here's a brand new 6.0 V12 TDI from a euro Q7.