Diesel power, need more

[Science Abuse]

Long story shourt: Mercedes 240D entering a $500/car 24hr race, has only 74 hp on a good day. Want reliable power addition for under $150. Thinking LPG dump, intake and exhaust.

 

Tips or suggestions?

[desperado]

Small turbo. find something down at deercreek truck off a small truck like a Mitsu or a Renault. You don't want some 88 or 90 MM deal for this. Even a smallish TO3 off a RX-7 or some small 4 banger would get the power up. Remember you are not trying to make 1000 HP off the motor, just get it awake.

 

LPG (propane) is like nitrous if that is what you are talking about, it's only good for bursts of speed, and brings the exhaust temps way up fast, can't really put a 100 lb tank in and go like hell the whole time.

 

Look at your pump design and see if there is a way to turn up and down the pressure remotely from the drivers seat. (other than the throttle of course) If it's a 24 hour run, during the evening, when the air is cooler and denser, you could put more fuel to it and make a bit more power. I would try to run a EGT gauge if at all possible if you are planning to do that though.

 

Other than that, make damn sure that you have capacity with the trannie cooler, oil cooler and radiator to run the 24 nonstop hours.

Only other thing I can say is look at running bio-diesel and not straight petroleum based stuff. I have heard/read a couple articles saying that it can make a bit more power, but I don't know how the sanctioning body will feel about it, so I would check into that first.

[Science Abuse]

Teh junkyard turbo was brought up and promptly shot down (I've got a pair of FD3s turbos). Though getting one to "work" is doable for $200 and a bunch of labor, getting it to be reliable and not kill the engine would cost more, as it would involve things like BOVs and waste gates.

 

From what I've read about Propane, it will actualy bring EGTs down and, if you use the right amount, be better for your diesel then just diesel. It makes the engine run more efficiently, burning more fuel in the chamber, turning that heat energy into mechanical motion rather then burning it off on its way through the manifolds. Cooling the engine may be an issue.

A biodeisel conversion would definately break the budget, since there is gear required for processing the fuel. Plus we'd have to brew enough for the whole race. It's in California, so this simply isn't practical.

 

The FPR adjustment sounds doable. We'd either have to roll rune it or pay for dyno time. Installing an EGT sensor/gauge counts toward cost, not practical.

 

The nice thing about Diesels is, you dont have to dick around with the right intake or exhaust, because more is always better. No worries of backpreasure et all, just make it big.

 

We'll want to set the car up to run forever, making time on reliability rather then speed. In the history of this race, 7 of the top ten don't even finish. If the car lasts, we'll get a top-five. The propane would be a push-to-pass set up. I'm sure our pack will be agressive in braking and cornering, but you can't pass if the slow cars walk you on exit. This will be just to get by, 3-4 second bursts. A grill tank would be enough, we're allowed unlimited spares, so we could just change it out when it get's empty.

[Lustalbert]

Teh junkyard turbo was brought up and promptly shot down (I've got a pair of FD3s turbos). Though getting one to "work" is doable for $200 and a bunch of labor, getting it to be reliable and not kill the engine would cost more, as it would involve things like BOVs and waste gates.

 

 

BOV? Wastegate? Not so much. Most diesels that I have worked on had neither. Boost rises as you put more fuel to it, as long as you arent going nuts on turning up your pump you should not have a problem with to much boost. A chepo boost gauge and and a basic analog EGT shoud get you by, just keep an eye on them while you are getting into it.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ALCOR-EGT-GAUGE-AIRPLANE-AIRCRAFT-PARTS_W0QQitemZ330070055020QQihZ014QQcategoryZ419QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Alcor-Single-Probe-EGT-Gauge-Probe-Leads_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ26436QQihZ014QQitemZ330069210682QQrdZ1

[desperado]

I was thinking the same thing that Andrew is. I don't think there are BOV's at all on a diesel, mostly due to the fact that you control the fuel and not the air to a diesel. As far as a waste gate, it really depends on if the turbo is big enough to build more boost than you are capable of dealing with on that motor. Here again , I am no turbo expert, but if the turbo is going to run ok down the line and you need only to watch the top side boost, I would consider a hobb's switch in the cold side connected to a light on the dash. Set the hobb's so that the light come on as you are reaching a point where you need to lift slightly.

 

Like you said, this isn't a drag race, it's more of an indurance thing, and if you take it easy, and have the ability to kill the thing with boost for the last few laps and win the race, then why not.

[twistedfocus1647545489]

Long story shourt: Mercedes 240D entering a $500/car 24hr race, has only 74 hp on a good day. Want reliable power addition for under $150. Thinking LPG dump, intake and exhaust.

 

Tips or suggestions?

 

Doing the 24 Hours of Lemons?

 

I was looking really hard at getting in with another group putting a team together locally. I think they're going with a 240Z. I decided I couldn't spare the money to chip in on the car and such - and get myself to California. It would be interesting to see a bunch of cars show up from Columbus.