Converting a 280GE to a diesel engine. Whats invloved and is there some better way to save fuel
I've been restoring cars (generally Italian) for a very long time and have recently aquired a manual 1987 280GE LWB petrol.
The car hasn't turned a wheel in 10 years and the engine isn't running because for starters its missing its fuel distributor and lord knows what else is wrong.
I understand that they are a very heavy car on fuel and cannot be converted to gas, something to do with no electrical injection. I am considering fitting a Mercedes 300 TD engine to the car to try to get it to some sort of reasonable fuel ecconomy so I can use it on a regular basis.
Has anyone done a conversion and can advise me what's required/pitfalls and also is there an alternative way to make the petrol a bit more realistic on fuel.
Any thoughts would be very much appreciated.
Ta, Stuart
Hi Stuart,
Good luck with the conversion. Have you tried to do a search on our website? I know there has been a number of posts over the past few years and you maybe able to access the archives to look/see.
I am currently looking at these Hydrogen Generators to see if I can improve on my fuel consumption which, at best gives me in the high teens. Apparently they reduce one's emissions (maybe people looking at the new London LEZ issues may consider) to zero and improve the fuel consumption between 30-50% (claimed). Once I have found out more will try and post my findings.
Best of luck
Spider1V
have a look at the threads on LPG, the engine and ancilliaries need to sound for this to be a complete sucess but as you have a manual box it shoould be less traumatic than with an auto.
With petrol a manual should get you nearer to 15/16 mpg than an auto where it will be 13/14. When I had a swb diesel I was unable to better 25 mpg but I suppose they will run on anything so there are savings potentials if you know the local chip shop owner.
There is much work in swapping to a diesel engine, will the number of miles you intend to do justify the cost in time sweat and cash. If you do change the engine why not fit a 3 litre petrol engine, with a manual in a 460 you should get 20 mpg, a much nicer option than the taxi engine? Or even go the whole hog and fit a V8; the work involved in any engine swap will be considerable so why not have the best rather than the worst?
Great collection of cars there Stuart, have fallen in love with the Delta HF!
Spider1V
Thank you. the integrale is my 6th, they're a car I keep coming back to. I decided early on it was going to be my last so I put a lot of effort into it. The paint for instance took 3 afternoons to mix the right colour as its pearled and candied but in a way that it only shows in bright sunlight.
I just sort of fell into the Panda's after looking after one for a mate and now they are like a wart, they just grow on you.
I suspect this G Wagon is going to go the same way. I finally thanks to the help of a man named Peter decided I'm pretty much going to keep it original apart from arch extensions and wheels. The front ones are missing so that would be the first mission to find ones.
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Thanks guys for the replies. I've been getting great advice from a man over here who really knows his G Wagons and has very kindly been keeping me right but its always good to see if someone has come up with a solution no-one has thought of.
For instance I was offered a Chevy blazer 3.0 v6 thats is gassed and the mad idea occured to me to transplant it.
As the car needs a lot of work the original plan was to restore it to a close replica of the G55, Paladine Silver all the arches bumpers etc but the more I look into it and with the above mans guidence I've more or less decided to bring the car back to original spec and use it as a classic.
Oh and here's the link to were it is on my little web site (just about the cars I own and restore) were I'll be doing its restoration if anyone has an interest. http://www.maranellohouse.com/gwagon.html
Ta, Stuart