Gas to diesel engine conversion?

[Pittoale]

Has anybody ever done a gas to diesel engine conversion with a Thing? I was wondering how in depth it would be- total engine replacement and more or just a few parts swapped out?

I am possibly looking into converting to biodiesel...

[xeno]

I don't think the old air cooled will take that kind of compression. But with some hacking you could get a 1.6l or 1.6td or heck you could through one of those 1.9tdi in it. Has anyone done it? I doubt.

X

[markie61]

Here's my line of thinking:

Bus went from Type I to Type IV then to wasserboxer engines.
There are diesel buses.
Things can be converted to Type IV.
ACVWs have been converted to WCVW, Porsche, GM, Subaru, and other engines (saw a 70s Bay with a GTI engine at Bugout).
Perhaps there is some compatablility.
With a welder and machine shop, anything is possible.

Mark
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Whut is that-there Thang!?
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Chicks dig my Thing - so what if it's little and yellow...!?

[Ferretkona]

The buses with diesel have water cooled Rabbit motors. Anything is possible
I was thinking of a syncro drive line with 4 wheel drive under a Thing. Too much work and the new 4 door jeeps are out.

[danfromsyr]

with a Kennedy engine adapter and a clever fabrication of a rear radiator in lieu of the engine cover it would fit rather nicely.

you will want to SOUNDPROOF all over the inside and outside of the rear parcel area.. Diesels are LOUD.

and yes this is on my plans to do list.. was going to TD my baja bug, but the flat typeIV fits nicely in the baja.. and the thing could use some cruising economy.. would expect to get 40+ mpg using a beetle tranny gearing.

best of luck, and yes anyTHING is possible.. well maybe not the syncro driveline.. a new jeep would be cheaper.

[bmwloco]

My crazy as a fox father-in-law put a Datsun/Nissan 1.9 liter diesel in an old bus.

If you can do it in a bus, you can do it in a Thing. All it takes is time, money and effort