Diesel engine

[ADO16]

Hello again,

Sorry, forgot to mention my brothers car was a 1959 Morris Minor with a 948cc in it!

Steve

[bill773mini]

The thinking behind this isn't just an exercise in efficiency and costs.

My delivery Xsara 2.0 HDI does 45mpg on it's 5 hour 100 mile daily route. It costs £110 per year in tax and is reliable (ish) and will happily do 80 -90 mph when safe.

However with proposed changes in tax legislation for both private and business car ownership and use I could see a 10 fold increase in the VED paid per year alone.

A pre 73 and therefore free VED classic would be ideal, however subjecting a 40 + year old car to that daily grind would be impossible without masses of maintenance and cost. It would be slow, I'd be lucky to get 30 -35 mpg as it's all around towns and stop start.

1 brake down can cost hundreds of pounds in added costs too. Therefore a tax free 60+ mpg modern engined classic would offer the best of both worlds plus it would look fabulous and gain lots of attention to boot.

I have had an LPG car and it was a nightmare. In 12 months it spent a total of 14 weeks in the garage being fixed.

It's not just about mpg it's about driveability and reliability.

I think 160 odd bhp and 200 + lb ft in a moggy would be great fun too.

Petrol is better and nicer yes but way more expensive and the end of the year.

[jonathon]

Must not forget the structural aspects of putting 200ftlbs of torque through a Minor shell, especially the traveller and convertibles which flex terribly with descent power and torque through them.
There ia also the upgrade costs and a possible requirement to re tax the car as SVA tested.
Totally agree a modded Minor is jut such good fun giving the best of both worlds without the unreliability aspects. (Before you deride the last comment, just about all mechanical posting on here are about a failure of some sort.)

[pauln]

It does occur to me that one day Classic cars with their greater emission levels might be restricted in their use. The people with the imagination to put in an engine with the potential for lower emissions (maybe one day a fuel celled minor with no emissions at all) might just be the saving of the car for everyday use (a car restricted to show or weekend use would be no use to me). I don't want to be forced into a nearly new car with all its nasty depreciation. As for the huge torque levels why not look at the smaller diesel engines, even a corsa 1.5 diesel goes ok when compared with a minor.

[jonathon]

Yup,I'd agree with that

[bill773mini]

The only reason I was thinking bmw or Mb is rear wheel drive, would it be possible convert a front drive diesel to rear?

Quite agree with all the above, it all needs looking into. When we put other engines in Mini's we don't need to re test them as sva tested so is it different?

I have a pile of Mini's that are for showing and driving on high days and holidays only and one that's an everyday car.

[jonathon]

'When we put other engines in Mini's we don't need to re test them as sva tested so is it different?'

Officially each modification to the rolling gear, attracts a certain number of points. Once a level of points has been achieved then the vehicle is no longer deemed a modified one but a stand alone vehicle, ie the need for a SVA.
Not many folk bother to adhere to these rules, and so long as your insurance company has an engineers report and 'full' list of mods done and agree to insure it ,then I see no reason to comply

[bmcecosse]

Surely that's only if you are building up a car from parts - and applying for a registration ? A car that is already registered can be modified any way you like - just tell DVLA the new engine capacity and the engine number. Insurance co is another matter!

[paulhumphries]

Even changing an engine (say 1098 to 1275) now can be a hassle with DVLA.
From their web site -

Change to engine and cylinder capacity (engine size)

DVLA will need written evidence of any changes to engine number and cylinder capacity (cc). Written evidence can be:

a receipt for the replacement engine
written evidence from the manufacturer
an inspection report provided for insurance purposes
written confirmation on headed paper from a garage if the change in engine size took place before you bought the vehicle
Change to fuel type



Paul Humphries

[8009STEVE]

You can be an idiot like me.

[pauln]

Surely that's only if you are building up a car from parts - and applying for a registration ? A car that is already registered can be modified any way you like - just tell DVLA the new engine capacity and the engine number. Insurance co is another matter!

Depends on how much has been changed, heres the points system.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Bu ... G_10014199
One of mine can only get up to 5 as all that is left is the shell. All the running gear is from the same manufacturer and on the same pickup points but is not from the same car. Luckily it MOted last year so fingers crossed. My insurance company is perfectly happy, I told all and they just wanted to know the new engines power output.

[jonathon]

Thanks for finding that Paul, I'd lost it from my bookmarks.
Our mods add up to 7 points our most radical cars, but I can see many Minors trundling around with new bespoke chassis and the full gamet of mechanical mods that should be Q plated.

[pauln]

Thanks for finding that Paul, I'd lost it from my bookmarks.
Our mods add up to 7 points our most radical cars, but I can see many Minors trundling around with new bespoke chassis and the full gamet of mechanical mods that should be Q plated.

Oh yeah bodyshell plus steering=7points get those Minor drivetrains sorted.

[jonathon]

I was just adding susp =2,axle=2, transmission=2 and engine =1, our bodyshell remains virtually standard.

[pauln]

I was just adding susp =2,axle=2, transmission=2 and engine =1, our bodyshell remains virtually standard.

Hang on am I misreading this, I read it as any non standard component, engine/axle /gearbox scores 0.

[jonathon]

Hmm, it does on re reading this link that the points are for std parts as you need more than 8 points to retain the original registration and not require a special test.
I had read else where that the points were awarded for non std parts which would require a special test.

[Robins]

Seems none of you read 'Minor Monthly' then. My van was featured couple months ago with my turbo diesel conversion. Noise levels are no worse than a normal moggie, and grin factor for me is usually on full when that turbo kicks in, and 60 + mpg brings a different sort of grin to my face.
Why would you want to modify a moggie? Why would you not?
I have seen the traveller mentioned earlier with the NA peugeot diesel engine, he has cut the bulkhead and still had to put the rad sideways.
I did it with out cutting any original structure and put the rad in front but is very tight.
Steves 6 wheel traveller a few posts back is also another work of art, he pobably had the better idea for ease of future maintenance, soon to be featured in minor monthly. We diesel nutters are out there, would not recomend it though, don't want to many about do we Steve .

[Matt]

I want to put one of the duratorque tddi engines in a mog - but I cant afford the engine!

[8009STEVE]

Steves 6 wheel traveller a few posts back is also another work of art,

More like 4 1/2 years of headaches.