Diesel conversion???

[325icabby]

Hello guys n gals pleasure to be here as a new member, everyone seems to be friendly and helpful!
Right among others i own and am currently running every day a H plate facelift 325i cabby.
now i know most of you are going to want to hang me but i want to do a diesel conversion on it. I t doesnt have enough torque for me to warrant the fuel it uses so it needs to come out. im hoping to put an m51 (325td) in it with a manual box. anybody know if its been done by any chance??
Thanks in advance guys
(oh and please go easy on me!)

[maxfield]

Don't think I've ever seen one done!

I really want to though, as do a few other members!

But in a cab?

[m-dtech]

id probly be looking for a 525td or 525tds as a doner vehicle

pretty similar to shape of m50 engine so thats always good.

[325icabby]

in a cab indeed maxfield, i drove a horrid e36 thing with said running gear a few months back and was impressed with the power. plus apparently they are doing 40 mpg?? i dont drive the cabby enough due to fact its a greedy pig, and with the increase in torque and a manual box from a diesel conversion i reckon it will go just as well??
im looking out for a 525tds as the s has more power than the td.
if anybody knows for a cheap one let me know!!

[gareth]

i've thought about doing thes myself. i reckon it would be a nice conversion.

the clearance around the steering column may be tight so i suspect you may have to knock up a custom dowwnpipe...?

the diff ratio will be way off buy if you have a E36 donor, you may well be able to pull the CWP out and stick it in your casting.

i've not looked too far into it though as you can see, it's all a bit speculative
with a bit more boost and running on chip fat, you'd have a fairly rapid, torquey, eco-friendly car that always smells like a summer BBQ!

[Quaser]

be careful of the diesel pumps though - when they go, its a £1200+ job for rebuild and fitting!

i would have thought a m50 engine would be more economical then a m20 - smoother, more powerful quieter in a cab!

[m-dtech]

i recon it will be just like an m50 to install the engine is designated as an M51

so e36 m50b25 engine mounts, 318is box and custom manifold

525tds box


318is box


good conversion mate but id chuck it in a touring and make it a car that is usable and will give back some £Â£Ã‚£

[maxfield]

In fact yes i have seen it done, my dad tried at gaydon services, he didn't succeed

<<< look at my avatar for the outcome

[MJG]

Errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.....

Think the extra £10 - 20 on fuel per 500miles would outweigh the cost and embarassment of a diesel engine swap....

[m-dtech]

Errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.....

Think the extra £10 - 20 on fuel per 500miles would outweigh the cost and embarassment of a diesel engine swap....

i think it would be good in a touring and would be interesting on its value.

[kimble325i]

is there any 324d's left as i would like one just for running about in! gonna have to get a diesel due to my millage an e30 one would be my first option! allso was the 324d a uk car or just german? thanks. 325's are greedy but would never sell up! just buy more cars lol!

[325icabby]

I have also thought about a 320d conversion but i cant get an engine for less than a grand!!
I thought long and hard about the m50 conv but i want to do something different, if i do it though i think i would go down the 2.0 route as they go well and would have better economy. im not really after speed from this one as its just a cruiser. one that would do far more cruising if it wasnt so gutsy!!

[Speedtouch]

gareth wrote: "with a bit more boost and running on chip fat, you'd have a fairly rapid, torquey, eco-friendly car that always smells like a summer BBQ!"

I certainly wouldn't fancy the stench you'd have to put up with in a diesel-converted cab running on normal derv, particularly when reversing in summer with the hood down

[325icabby]

Im a trucker anyway so im used to the smell the bm diesels are remarkably clean i think anyhow

[Andyboy]

Sounds like a great way to ruin a nice car.

[m-dtech]

Sounds like a great way to ruin a nice car.

def ruin the whole cab experience, buy a 318i touring and use that as a base.

[max318i]

Would indeed be better in a non-cab E30. Good idea tough, i've always secretely dreamed of a E90 2.0d with a tiny chip in an E30....

[325icabby]

after looking into the 2.5 diesel the idea has been binned. i think a gas conversion would be similar money better spent! anyone got any experiences please??

[m-dtech]

if i had a 318i touring id do the derv conversion.

[Brianmoooore]

after looking into the 2.5 diesel the idea has been binned. i think a gas conversion would be similar money better spent! anyone got any experiences please??

There's several of us on here with gas conversions. I've been running a 325 touring now for seven years on the stuff.
In spite of the mystique that surrounds it, it's dead easy to convert, and can be done in easy stages without taking the car off the road for more than a few hours at a time.
About £600 of parts new, or you can get lucky on ebay like I did a couple of months ago, and get a good kit for £160 + about £40 of new parts to fit it to an E30.

[Brianmoooore]

I'd still like to see someone try a diesel conversion in an E30 though!

[m-dtech]

I'd still like to see someone try a diesel conversion in an E30 though!

ditto, ive only seen a m51 lump once in a scrappy and thought it was an m50 at first.

i might do it one day lol

[325icabby]

Thanks brian, i must say that the torque the m51 has would be really useable in an e30. saying that though i think the gas would be an easier and probably cheaper option. and of course then i get to keep the silky noise

[Brianmoooore]

LPG slightly improves the noise! Even more silky.

[325icabby]

ooh nice! does it shut the injectors up by any chance??

[ZedOne]

Do you guys want to hear an idea that'll really get the purists hopping??

When I was starting to look for an E30 touring I did wonder about sticking in a PSA XUD9 engine (commonly found in the Peugeot 405)

I know it's a french engine - but why are you looking to go diesel in the first place?? ECONOMY!

The PSA XUD engines would make a superb choice for the following reasons:

VERY easy to source and cheap to buy (unlike BMW diesel engines)
VERY easy & simple maintenance (unlike BMW diesel engines)
VERY reliable & robust (not sure about BMW diesel engines?)
VERY VERY economical (compared to BMW diesel engines)
VERY tolerant of veggie conversions (unlike the sensitive fuel pumps in BMW diesel engines)
VERY easy to find spares for IF they ever go wrong (unlike the complicated and expensive BMW diesel engines)

Want me to continue??

They aren't as powerful as the BMW diesel engines, but in an E30 would be plent powerful enough to make it comparable to the 318i because the 22bhp loss in power is gained in the 23lbs of torque - which is more useable power generally.....(318i: 114bhp/122lbs/ft - XUD9: 92bhp/145 lbs/ft)

I reckon the economy in the E30 would be around 40mpg with an enthusiastic driver - run it on veggie (known as one of the best engines for doing this) and gain even more mileage per £

I didn't get any further with this idea (i.e. converting the FWD engine to fit the E30 box) because I ended up buying a 325i Touring (no way am I putting a diesel in that!!)

I personally reckon an XUD engined E30 Touring would make the most practical/economical and easy to maintain BMW £ for £. Great motoway engines and long life too....

....anyone else brave enough??

[Brianmoooore]

ooh nice! does it shut the injectors up by any chance??

Shuts them up completely - they're switched off and not used!

[Andyboy]

The Pug is a good engine but useless for RWD - no way of mounting any mountings on the side. Better still is a 190D Merc diesel - put the whole lot in with the box. Or buy a diesel Merc Estate. or a LHD 324td Touring, or.............

[325icabby]

For some reason my injectors are really noisy so that would be nice!!
Another ideal diesel donor if you want to do the purists heads in Zedone, is the 1800 turbo d from the escort/sierra. Good engines, and all the same advantages you mentioned with the pug lump BUT this one can be mounted for rwd

[oldroydsr4]

All this talk of old diesel technology from substandard car manufacturers in an e30 makes me want to cry.

If you want a diesel e30 by a 324d and if you want a fast diesel e30 get your cheque book out and use a modern bmw or vag engine.

Now that would be something special

[325icabby]

From what ive heard the 324d lump is about as sub standard as any ford lump, and pre year 2000 ish the peugeot lumps were the best on the road imo.
i did want to do a 320d conversion from an e46 but i cant get hold of the bits for less than 1500 quid! hence gas is the only way forward for me i think.

[Demlotcrew]

I'd still like to see someone try a diesel conversion in an E30 though!

I will soon but not with a BMW engine

[gareth]

ooh, do tell!

[Brianmoooore]

Seen a '95 325TDS engine and box go for £160 today.

[gareth]

that's the obvious choice and a conversion i was tempted with a while ago.