Turbo Diesel Minor!!

[rayofleamington]

The 48 mpg is unbelievable

to you, but not everyone.
I was getting mid 40's from my 1962 (948) on longer runs so don't see how or why it's unbelievable - if I'd changed the diff I'd have expected something like that.

I did manage 48mpg in my 71 pick up (1098 and 3.7:1 diff) on the LEO a few years ago but that was slow driving (50 to 55mph) and it was running so lean that it started to missfire. Mileage between fuel stops was an average of 3 other cars just before you say it was wrong. After adjusting mixture & at my normal speeds it gave low 40's.

[bmcecosse]

Which is why I ask what modifications have been done. The original road test figures are well know - and nowhere near 48 mpg. I can just about squeeze 40 from my Trav if driving extremely carefully - which gets boring after 5 minutes........

[MarkyB]

You do tend to carry a lot of cast iron spares to ward off problems though.
5 minutes doesn't really constitute an economy drive either.
I'd say mid 40s is very possible from a Minor, I doubt journalists from the day were any more light footed than you are.

[bmcecosse]

Hahahahah - I just carry a coil (of course) and a head gasket....and a fuel pump....and a dizzy.... My patience runs out after 5 minutes - the car wants to GO!! It has a lovely 'sweet spot' that comes in at 50 and it then flies up to 70* seemingly effortlessly.
*Better not say any more on a public forum........

[twincamman]

Just in case anyone's interested, I've spotted this for sale.
http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/ ... g-somerset

[dp]

Going back to the original question

You may find this thread interesting - and it's links to other places.

Mogmad57 I think mated the Peugeot 1.9 XUD TD FWD to a ?? RWD box.

Someone else suggested fitting a Ford FWD TD to a Ford type 9 box

[Matt]

I must admit... I have thought about fitting the 1.8 TDi engine from an escort/mondeo/sierra. 90HP out the box, and with a simple tweak to the injection pump more like 105 hp.

(But I like Fords... I'm taking my 1996 SWB Transit with the original 2.5Di engine drag racing in a fortnight 70HP originally, now about 120hp (but with added turbo - no intercooler yet) and that goes suprisingly well!

[estwdjhn]

DP - the link itself has escaped...

I'm gradually putting the bits together to fit a Pug 1.9D into my minor.

The green van that's featured on several forums uses a Pug 504 (I think) pickup gearbox (this was one of the few RWD applications for the 1.9D). 504 gearboxes aren't very strong, or easy to find, so probably isn't suitable if you fit the TD engine and turn the wick up a bit...

I'm looking at going a different route with the gearbox, and fitting the 1.9D and gearbox from an LDV Pilot van (this appears to be about the only other common RWD box that goes straight on the 1.9D. This gearbox is a R380, as found in Landrovers (and a development of the LT77 found in loads of 70s/80s BL cars). They are virtually indestructible, although a bit bulky.

My main concern is getting the whole lot to fit past the steering rack - the rest of the fitting should be fairly straightforward.
I expect I'll end up taking chunks out of the bell-housing to clear.

I've got to sort out the sills etc on the car before getting too carried away (that and actually purchase an engine and box - if anyone has one for sale, let me know!). I did start doing some work recently, but proper work has been really busy and I've not had any spare time to go car fabricating...

[Matt]

you could try asking on the LDV forum?

http://www.ldv-sherpa.co.uk/

[Minornut59]

Thanks for all the replies.
NO mods on my 1959 saloon; standard 948cc 4 door saloon running an H1 carb as standard. 48 on a long trip, 42-3 ish around town. driving with a light foot and typically 55-60mph.
My 67 saloon is used harder as its daily hack so driving at 65-70 on main A roads.

[bmcecosse]

Ahh well perhaps the H1 carb explains it - since that is the carb for an 803 Minor - not the 948, which has a larger H2.

[Minornut59]

I think you'll find the H1 was fitted up to 1959 when it was replaced by the H2. Mine is a March 1959 and one of the last to have it fitted.

[bmcecosse]

Doubt it - my old 1958 car with 948 engine had an H2. The H1 was only for SV and 803 engines.

[chuffit]

I think I heard on another forum that opal manta gearboxes were used on the XUD engines too

[Minornut59]

The HS2 with the jet with the little plastic pipe was introduced in September 1959 or early 1960 i forget which; before that the Minor had the H1/H2 which are pretty near identical apart from differences between the fuel connection on the top of the float chamber and where the float chamber was situated; these have the forked type of jet and are generally fitted to a two piece manifold rather than the one piece manifold as fitted to all later cars that have the HS2 type. its all in the Lindsay porter book i think.
Mine was a low mileage car when i bought it and everything that had been done to it in its life was documented so i know mine had the original carb. Seen many more 58-59 models with the exact same set up.

[bmcecosse]

An H1 is only 1 1/8" bore - with smaller bolt fixing centres........ The H2 is 1 1/4" bore and was fitted to all early 948 engines, later the HS2 came along but still 1 1/4" bore and no performance improvement.

[Minornut59]

Yes, thats right.

[estwdjhn]

Via another forum, I've now seen pictures of an XUD mated to a LDV box in minor - so clearly it can be made to fit.

My 1.9TD engine is currently sat waiting for me to finish the shell.

As for why - why not. I want cheap cheerful motoring that isn't in a modern. I've had motors on LPG before - not a massive fan at the best of times, certainly not where the engine in question is fairly small, and the car doesn't have loads of room to fit the tank. Oh, and my nearest autogas is 12 miles away in the opposite direction work, and last time I checked was about 3/4 of price of petrol anyway.

Diesel (or similar oily liquids) are the fuel of the future as far as I'm concerned (and even when everyone else is on hydrogen cars or whatever, I'll still be able to get chip oil).

Also, I like a challenge.

I've googled opal mantas, but none of the specifications google returned seemed likely candidates to donate a RWD gearbox that mates to a XUD - however I'd love to be proven wrong.

[Nodbad]

"Wouldn't it be easier to simply buy a diesel powered car?"

"If you're not happy with a Minor's performance, why buy
one in the first place?"

For myself it would not be dissatisfaction with the Minor that led me to a diesel conversion but major dischuffment with modern cars. I just spent an hour reconnecting a gear change linkage on a modern Peugeot; I had to lie on top of the engine scraping skin off my arms to access the bits down the back of the block; horrid!
Like all modern cars it stinks of plastic in the sun which I swear can't be healthy- plasticisers are artificial oestrogen's, gents. Do you enjoy breathing those?
Its gearbox is bust and I could swap it out myself but I just can't be bothered to face the unpleasantness of working on that fag-paper tight modern engine bay. I just don't want to invest the time to learn the new complexities of a car I don't love.

Worst of all it is impersonal to drive. Fast, yes, but boring; give me my old '57 Moggie 1100 or my old MG Midget or a Marina for heavens' sake and I'll be grinning as I balance it out of every bend.
BUT it's a Peugeot Partner Combi; it will do 55mpg carrying 500kg of paving slabs.

I'm a Greenpeace activist now and desperately trying to kick a lifetime habit of being a petrol head and stick with my folding bicycle and trailer, but if I ever get another car I'd gravitate towards old BMC metal which I can weld, strip and rebuild with my eyes shut, would smell of leather, steel and oil leaks and would give me the bliss of picking smooth tight lines across the faster Cotswolds lanes...

BUT I'm so jealous of those little modern diesels waving 70mpg Extra-Urban certificates at me.

My plan was to use the in-line 5-speed from a Suzuki 4x4 mated to a small Peugeot engine, the 1.4 HDi, and dropped into a cheap 1500 MG Midget. The Suzuki off roaders do this installation with 1.9 Pug XUD diesels so I hope the smaller engine will join the Suzuki box . Every bugger uses a Ford type 9 and they're heavy, rare and expensive now.
I think I could face the extra complication of having an ECU up under the dash.
The power, 68bhp, is that of a mildly tuned 1275 so I might just keep original chassis and rebuilt standard brakes. Axle should be OK, maybe add better half-shafts.

A 1275 engine is 125kg. I've read that the alloy diesel is LIGHTER not heavier. So the suspension can stay untouched.

My mum has the 1.4 diesel in her 206 and gets 60mpg +. The Midget would be just over half the weight and much less than half the frontal area. 80mpg would be likely and as an eco project with aero rear wheel-arch panels, wheel spats, under-tray, limited grille aperture, rear vortex shedders, I reckon I could beat 100mpg.
It revs to 5,000 sweetly so the 5 speed would be all the gearing change needed, although a diff change would be nice.

So imagine the sheer fun of driving your Minor with the power of, and more torque than, a tuned 1275 and economy better than a Toyota Prius.

This bloke put a Vauxhall Corsa diesel in a Midget; sounds quite nice to me!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2Cib0gA9O8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp6BvLwC ... t4wHHhvrtA

...and here is a hand-held account of the XUD peugeot into a Suzuki Vitara with contact for the fitting kit....

http://www.shropshire-suzuki.co.uk/foru ... 15&t=13306

[bmcecosse]

If going for economy I doubt a 1.9 D is the way to go.......I had a Citroen 1.9D and it was hopeless - and barely 40 mpg....... A small diesel with turbo will be better - but you still have to face the miles per 1000 revs challenge... My 1.4 turbo D Fusion gets a steady 52/53 overall - but will do 60 mpg at steady 60 mph. An LPG conversion is BY FAR the best way (bump up the CR to take best advantage of the 108 Octane rating of LPG...) to get top miles per £ - and still retain decent top speed in a Minor.