I am new to kit car building, personally, but have helped a few people with their builds. after many years rebuilding/modifying landrovers I am looking to build my own kit car as a new challenge.

Basically I know this idea of diesel enginges seems to be a taboo subject with kit car builders but, I do realise the many pitfalls with such an idea but I do have reasons!

my aim is to build a budget haynes roadster from the ground up using the standard sierra running gear outlined in the book.

where I differ is the intention to make it a daily drive so I.e. economical.

after all many more modern deisel engines are lighter than a 1.8l pinto! and can produce the same power.


wiring and ecu problems are not really an issue as a good friend cand do this sort of work!

my problem is how to mate a suitable engine to a type 9 gearbox or other suitable rear wheel drive gearbox. after a few engine conversions using adapter plates in other vehcles I dont think this should be too much of an issue, afterall people use k series engines and the like from fwd cars mated to a type 9 using adapter plates and a mix of clutch parts!

so why not a diesel?


any thoughts on this please coment! or equally has anyone done this?

The lt77 and r380 will go onto the XUD (big boxes though), or use a RWD BMW setup? You can fit a type 9 to just about anything if you have the time/money/skill (although Caterham and Reliant did a K series to type 9 "factory fit", so that's easier than most )

There is a MEV car kicking about somewhere that's powered by a Ford TD out of a Focus IIRC.
Although I'm sure that used the orig Focus box due to it being rear engined.
It was quite highly tuned, and I remember it looked a right handfull when the turbo started to boost and the torque was high!

yeah I had thought of the LT 77 and converting the transfer box to use just as RWD purely as I have one laying about but the only problem is all engines that mate too it are too big and heavy not to mention uneconomical.

thinking more along the lines of a TDCI engine out of a focus or fiesta.......small lightweight and economical and in a lighter car should be plenty fun enough. .....just wondering how difficult to mate to rwd?

If you search the rhocar.org site you ll find a diesel powered 2b that spanked
A lot of cars on a track day. The beauty of this one is that it runs on veg oil

just a thought a mondeo diesal fits mondeo gearbox so should have same bolt patern as duratec and you can get bellhousing to fit type 9 sounds like a plan

apparantly a 2litre TDCI or 2l TDDI out of a mondeo will bolt up to a type 9 if you change the flywheel for a solid one and use the type 9 clutch parts.
the same can be said for the 2.4l tddi andv2.4l tdci transit engines

the popular conversion for a sierra is the 2l but has to use a complete mondeo wiring loom, then there will be sensor issues on a kit car!
the 2.4l would be easier as you can use the seperate engine wiring loom and ecu off an ldv tipper this has no other sensor stuff like the transit does, would just wire it up to a standad sierra loom or a bespoke self made loom.

only problem is I think the 2.4 litre will be too big and heavy to fit in the roadster

so am now gunna look into wether the ecu and engine wiring loom off of a 2.4 ldv will be reprogramable to run the mondeo 2l tdci!

any ideas on thet score?

Volvo d5, mates to m90 gearbox.

needs an aftermarket ecu to start with .....

i would probably avoid the TDCI engines although it would go like shi*t off a Shovel there are alot of associated issues with needing the original clocks etc
(theres an mev rocket using the focus set up and he ended up boxing the clocks up and hiding them in the engine bay)
Also the fuel pumps are shite and kill the injectors, i had 3 sets in my TDCI mondeo and 3 pumps before i gave up on the car.

Id proably go down the D5 route.


Also with building a haynes as a DD there are a few issues, at the moment there are no people making windscreens to fit the roadster scuttle.

Cant wait till someone does cause id love one and some weather gear on mine.

hmm interesting I like the d5 idea good torque and hp! will look into the aftermarket ecu

yeah I have thaught of yhe windscreen issues and relevent iva and havent come up with a solution yet! hopefully someone will start making the approriate glass with relevant markings.

surely there must be one of the other locost seven style cars I can modify a scuttle and windscreen surround from that would be iva compliant?

I would be looking at BMW diesels - they are RWD already, with a gearbox, and they tend to go very well!

after a bit more research I have found that the endura d engin or "lynx" that was fitted to the sierra was developed through the years in a few different variations all with the same block basicaly I am now thinking as a budget build the one that was fitted in early focus cars namely the endura di which was turbocharged and intercooler produced 90hp which I feel is adequate.

it bolts up easily, has simple wiring which I could ust use in the kit car. and basically is a cheap simple solution

I had one of theseengines in a fiesta van.....it was heavier and still pretty nippy, got 50mpg and was still going strong at 160000 miles.

cheers for all imput

What about the Saab/Vauxhaul diesel units? Do they fit the Omega 'box? The 2.2TiD Saab 9-3 I bought the other week goes like a frshly poked cat and still manages 40mpg.

quote:

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Originally posted by MarshallArb
after a bit more research I have found that the endura d engin or "lynx" that was fitted to the sierra was developed through the years in a few different variations all with the same block basicaly I am now thinking as a budget build the one that was fitted in early focus cars namely the endura di which was turbocharged and intercooler produced 90hp which I feel is adequate.

it bolts up easily, has simple wiring which I could ust use in the kit car. and basically is a cheap simple solution

I had one of theseengines in a fiesta van.....it was heavier and still pretty nippy, got 50mpg and was still going strong at 160000 miles.

cheers for all imput

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Why not go down the route that caterham is going small turbo petrol? Maybe the Suzuki cappuccino engine?

Be more fun for sure and good on fuel, your limiting mpg factor is the house brick aero of a 7

The vag tdi engined Weisel was fast and managed 90mpg!

Loads of tuning options for the vag motors as well.

Vag 1.9tdi engine is the same block as the 1.8 turbo petrol and I believe that someone put one in a westfield and that a dutch tiger agent used to do an adaptor plate.
Matty