Installing Diesel Motor???

[Dargo]

Somewhere in the late 80s A buddy of mine had a 1981 Olds Cutlass with a 350 olds diesel motor. Me and 3 other buddies took that car for a 1200 mile rode trip. The 4 of us with the air conditioning on and cruising 70 mph down the highway consistantly got 29 miles to the gallon on that trip. Kind of makes you wonder why we aren't driving diesels now?

They were complete junk. Same sort of question; why don't you see 20 Yugos at every stoplight. You may have had one of the miracle engines, but I could not name one single diesel mechanic who would want any part of them. They were so bad that it nearly killed GM way back then. Now that I think about it, I wish it would have; it would have saved the taxpayers hundreds of billions in tax money given to GM that we will NEVER see again. Sorry, but GM is a case in study (literally in some college classes) in how you can still wreck a giant company when you simply rely on perceived customer loyalty and deliver total junk to those customers. Eventually they do go away.

 

[vpd66]

They were complete junk. Same sort of question; why don't you see 20 Yugos at every stoplight. You may have had one of the miracle engines, but I could not name one single diesel mechanic who would want any part of them. They were so bad that it nearly killed GM way back then. Now that I think about it, I wish it would have; it would have saved the taxpayers hundreds of billions in tax money given to GM that we will NEVER see again. Sorry, but GM is a case in study (literally in some college classes) in how you can still wreck a giant company when you simply rely on perceived customer loyalty and deliver total junk to those customers. Eventually they do go away.

I really wasn't praising the Olds 350 diesel. I must have converted about 10 of them to gas engines back in the 80s including that one. I was just using it has an example how a car that was built 30 years ago could get that kind of mileage by being diesel powered. Image what they'd be like now if the auto manufactures would have stayed with diesel power and improved on it.

 

[Renze]

I have never done any swaps but have thought about swapping JD 3029T into a 90s jeep and turn it up just a little (~10hp).

JD engines are offroad engines and weigh 20% more than a comparable Cummins. In the wheel loaders we build at work, the Deere 6068 lives twice as long as the QSB5.9 at 190hp because the Cummins is too light to generate this amount of power 24/7 but the Deere weighs 670kg dry, vs. 440 for the Cummins.

A 4BT 3.9 would probably weigh less than the 2.9 three cylinder Deere.

 

[Dargo]

I really wasn't praising the Olds 350 diesel. I must have converted about 10 of them to gas engines back in the 80s including that one. I was just using it has an example how a car that was built 30 years ago could get that kind of mileage by being diesel powered. Image what they'd be like now if the auto manufactures would have stayed with diesel power and improved on it.

As someone else said, Europe is dominated by diesel vehicles. GM had a good idea, but their concept was in line with taking advantage of their huge base of loyal customers. Rather than put in a real diesel engine, GM simply 'made' a diesel out of a gas 350. Clearly, that doesn't work on many levels.

 

[Heavy Metal Doctor]

Cummins 4BT. There's oodles of swap info out there for these engines. Check out Pirate 4x4 for lots of stuff on this.

2nd that idea -- search around the web and you seel plenty if info on it.

 

[Rancher Ed]

JD engines are offroad engines and weigh 20% more than a comparable Cummins...

A 4BT 3.9 would probably weigh less than the 2.9 three cylinder Deere.

You are right. I looks like it weighs ~200 pounds less dry weight vs dry weight than the 2.9L JD. It also makes more power.

 

[PoorMansCat]

To the OP..... why not just spend some $$ on the current setup and acheive much better fuel efficiency without the 10K price tag?
First, install an overdrive unit for highway use.
Second, improve efficiency by throwing the carburetor in the trash and installing a throttle body injection system.. Talk with some of the mail order catalog tech lines about making a camshaft/cylinder head swap to improve flow characteristics and upgrade the electronic ignition system....
The little gasser CAN be made to get better F/E... its just a matter of selecting the right parts for what you want to acheive !
IF you jsut want a diesel, just go buy one already equipped with a diesel, you will NOT come out money ahead by doing a conversion on the current truck.
As a side note: didnt the Blazers have the light weight wanna-be 1/2 ton axles and X-fer case? If so, NONE of that can be used with the diesel..... it will simply destroy it..

 

[Boeing]

Interesting suggestions about the gas engine....I put a "torquer" cam in it along with roller rocker arms and a holley 4BBL. The heads are stock basic 350" 260HP (I think). It does have headers. The tranny is a 700R-4 w/overdrive. The transfer case is also new (both tranny and transfer were for a '86 Blazer. This required the driveshafts to be shortened... The axles are DANA (or is that the pumpkins?) I think the ratio is 4:11.......I could change those for something higher but I'd have to change BOTH front and rear. expensive. I've done NOTHING for a year awaiting body work...... I need a body guy/welder to finish up the restoration project.
The truck is in Columbus, Ga but can be brought to Roanoke (area)Virginia or S. Florida.... suggestions....offers? HELP WANTED...

 

[jetboat]

those 4:11's will kill your milage, put in a highway gear like a 3.56 and you will see a big improvement. I still say a 6.5 diesel is your best bet for power and milage. Its an easy swap and dirt cheap.

 

[PoorMansCat]

I think the ratio is 4:11.......I could change those for something higher but I'd have to change BOTH front and rear. expensive. ...[/I]

I would look into a Gear Vendors unit.... you can keep the 4:11 and run the OD unit on the highway.... that will drop the RPM and save some $$$$$