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Sat Mar 07, 2009 4:00 pm

Interesting article for you

Sat Mar 07, 2009 4:54 pm

http://www.ltv-vwc.org.uk/wheelspin/ws_aug-sept-2003/diesel-beetle.html

Sun Mar 08, 2009 11:25 pm

Cool find! I hadn't seen or heard of this... is this mentioned or covered in more detail in "Birth of the Beetle'?

Mon Mar 09, 2009 12:08 am

I've seen this article before.
I think it was last year when Subaru launched "The first Boxer diesel in the world..."

Yeah, right... :roll:

VW have always been first.. :wink:

Mon Mar 09, 2009 2:01 am

The history could be different if Bosch had this pump 30 years earlier

Mon Mar 09, 2009 7:16 am

Hebster52 wrote: I've seen this article before.
I think it was last year when Subaru launched "The first Boxer diesel in the world..."

Yeah, right... :roll:

VW have always been first.. :wink:

Yes, but Subaru will contend that VW never marketed and sold diesel Beetles...

Mon Mar 09, 2009 1:33 pm

I'm actually surprised VW didn't go to production with this. Especially with Europes love for diesel. What kind of fuel mileage is that getting?

Tue Mar 10, 2009 4:07 pm

ovalteen wrote: I'm actually surprised VW didn't go to production with this. Especially with Europes love for diesel. What kind of fuel mileage is that getting?

I'm actually glad that they didn't. A diesel engine is cute in a Ferguson tracktor, but please not in my beloved Beetle :shock:

Tue Mar 10, 2009 5:28 pm

I would think a diesel bug would be sweet, and just think of MPG you would get?????? :lol:

Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:48 pm

The article is from a 1991 VW motoring.Hope you can read the scan and that your eyes dont hurt too much :wink:

Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:50 pm

Hmm.. Wondering how much work would be involved to make one...? :wink:

Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:14 am

http://superbeetle.kaeferpiloten.de/bilder/index.php?folder=/technik/berichte/dieselkaefer
then click on "Originalbild (--x--px, xxxx kB)"

Wed Dec 19, 2012 1:30 pm

posted pictures from auto bild article

i like it :)

Wed Dec 19, 2012 1:45 pm

I imagine weight would have been the primary objection. A diesel engine is a heavy lump.

A lot of engineering and use of light-weight material was required to get the rear-to-front weight break below the 60/40 ratio deemed necessary for a (relatively) safe handling rear-engined car. Once that 60 percent rear weight bias was surpassed the cars would become dangerously tail happy. (Chevrolet learned that lesson the hard way.)

Wed Dec 19, 2012 3:00 pm

Blue Baron wrote: I imagine weight would have been the primary objection. A diesel engine is a heavy lump.

A lot of engineering and use of light-weight material was required to get the rear-to-front weight break below the 60/40 ratio deemed necessary for a (relatively) safe handling rear-engined car. Once that 60 percent rear weight bias was surpassed the cars would become dangerously tail happy. (Chevrolet learned that lesson the hard way.)

the article indicated brutal noise as the main concern, and a 60 second 0-62 mp/h acceleration.

The engine is essentially a 1300cc, 3piece case, porsche engine. Weight should be fairly similar. The fuel pump however might be quite heavy.

Wed Dec 19, 2012 3:10 pm

I think that keeping the heads sealed to the cyls would be the major hurtle. Perhaps a giant "C" clamp, with a tightening schedule could help. :wink:

Wed Dec 19, 2012 4:48 pm

Excuse my ignorance, but what is that perforated metal can on the radio blockoff plate, with the glowing element inside? I've seen that before on old truck dashboards too.....is it an extra element that shows how the glowplugs are heating up, before start-up?

Thu Dec 20, 2012 8:15 am

Zwitterkafer wrote: Excuse my ignorance, but what is that perforated metal can on the radio blockoff plate, with the glowing element inside? I've seen that before on old truck dashboards too.....is it an extra element that shows how the glowplugs are heating up, before start-up?

yep, old benz diesels had a little element like that, and a starter button to pull (not push)

Thu Dec 20, 2012 6:54 pm

a diesel beetle..... weird! :wink:
the 25hp beetle in stock zwitter configuration was already not a speed record breaker :x ... imagine a diesel from back then (did they make flintstone holes in the floor to help the acceleration/topspeed? :lol: ).
Plus a diesel engine is more expensive to produce (must resist much higher temperatures), so I see why the plan didn't make it past the prototype stage. Very interesting though, that VW tried anyway.
And obviously they didn't have a regulatory smog emission test back then, cause that tailpipe looks like a smokescreen feature from a James Bond car to me! :wink:
Haha i want one to smoke out the neighbors :twisted:

Fri Dec 21, 2012 4:34 am

There was mention in Hot VWs letter section some months ago of a currently manufactured and available Kohler small 35? hp diesel. I looked on the Kohler site. There were several application adapters and the weight seemed within reason. This may be a feasible installation.