My everyday car is a Golf gt tdi 150. Has anybody ever built a locost using one of these engines? or is it too big?
The golf does 85mph @ 2100 rpm in 6th and returns 49mpg whilst doing this, could you image the speed and consumption you would get in a locost. The standard engine is 150bhp which is quick for a diesel but with one of these you get 190bhp. http://www.revotechnik.com/products/softwareProduct.aspx?pvID=168
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But it'll sound like a fork lift truck and weigh as much as a narrowboat.

The winner of the PPC Westfield is going to fit a diesel of some sort, he was picked as winner because of his alternative ideas for the car, the other being a rotary engine.

This months PPC has the build progress on the diesel Westy - should be good, but I'd be a bit sceptical about having so much torque in such a light car

The current issue doesnt really tell you much, just introduces the bloke & talks about plans for the car.

I have been a fan of diesel for a long time and driven and owned many diesel cars.

But I dont think they suit a locost.

They have fantastic torque at low revs and huge traction through the gears , but the responce time is lacking in every gear, and although the diesels give a wide torque range, most locosts are driven at higher revs than standard cars and thats when a responsive petrol engine comes in.
Are we really worried about fuel consumption, if range is a problem fit a bigger tank.

If you want to improve miles /gallon then fit a bigger engine , I know it sounds daft but i get around 30 mpg whilst getting 200bhp. thats because the engine does not work very hard when throwing 800kgs of locost around.

I have thought about this before and i think i will stck with the petrol version for the near future.

As a bonus 2nd hand value of a petrol donor is always much cheaper.

a mate of mine's brother has a diesel westfield. i have seen it and it looks great, sounds poo though!!!!!

He reckons it goes like sh1t off a shovel with loads of low down torque.
I am not sure what engine but i am sure it is a ford turbo diesel

For what it's worth I had a 150Bhp Bora and loved it.

Wouldn't have a deisel in my locost though.

My impressions of a diesel engine was the same has most people, but I have seen them in a different light know i've got the gt tdi 150, its very responsive and pulls like a train in all gears and upto the redline. It's a hell of alot quicker than most petrol engines. But I must admit it's no bike engine.

I was seriously considering using a diesel when I was designing my car - I love to be a bit different when ever I can just for the hell of it.
Having owned several diesel turbos (presently a 3 series 325 td) I am constantly reminded of the effortless way the engine pulls (174bhp and buckets of torque) It suprises a lot of so-called sports cars and still does 35mpg despite being chipped.
Having said all that I am glad I stuck to a petrol V6 in my kit - the sound of a diesel just doesn't float my boat

Gav - I have the same 150 TDI engine in my Leon and yes it realigned my thoughts on diesel driving. For tin top/everyday driving (IMHO) you can't beat a top notch diesel, low revs, easy overtaking and high mpg.

But I'm not sure about in a 7 type car - too noisy, smelly and heavy plus the low down torque and turbo rush would have you kicking around all over the show

True.
I was thinking of something like a tourer rather than a fast road/track car. I know if I ever did one of those long distance rallies in a kitcar, I'd like to do it in one of those six speed mile munchers.

I heard that Judd are developing a racing V10 diesel engine for LeMan (I think). Also it supposedly revs to over 6000rpm or something rediculous.

And before you say it, I know, diesel doesn't burn fast enough to hit those engine speeds, don't ask me how they do it!

My point being, diesel not such a silly idea.

Just found a link.... it looks pretty...

http://www.mulsannescorner.com/ricardojuddv10.html

I saw a Volvo tractor puller at Gt Eccleston years ago & they reckon it revved to 5500rpm. It sounded like it did too

Is it just me or has Ricardo completely missed the boat?
Horsepower: 600 bhp @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 627 lb-ft @ 4000-5000 rpm
Audi's 5.5L V12 TDI revs to nearly the same speed, yet produces 175 lb-ft more torque. Peugeot's diesel may be producing even more power than Audi's.

I'd gladly drive a diesel sports car, but not a Seven-esque car. I have a concept for a diesel middy (running on bio-diesel) for commuting, yet can handle like an Elise. Time will only tell if it ever gets off the ground.

There's one major thing missing from the plans......... a suitable gearbox.
I can't think of a VAG RWD car that runs the turbo-diesel engine so the only way you'd do it is by having a custom bellhousing made up, but even then you've got to find a gearbox thats strong enough to take the torque yet small/light enough to go down the tunnel of a Locost.

If you had it mid engined and transversely mounted it would be more feasible, but its a heavy engine and at the end of the day a 150bhp petrol engine'd car will be far easier to fit, much lighter, and just as quick if not quicker, even if it only has half the torque.

Only gearbox I can think of would be a tdi audi a4/a6 quattro which is inline with the gearbox suitably modified/welded up to make it 2wd/rwd only.

Ned.