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Engine Specific Info and Questions => IDI Engine => Topic started by: overdrivegear on March 05, 2010, 02:01:28 pm

Title: 87 Diesel Cabriolet mod
Post by: overdrivegear on March 05, 2010, 02:01:28 pm
There's just some thing awesome about a diesel convertible...

1.6 NA (code ME) Hydraulic lifter head, stock pump, injectors, and nozzles.   AGS transmission with 0.71 fifth.  I used the gasser exhaust and plugged the lambda sensor.  Now I'm working on tidying up the gasser electronics spaghetti and adding a circuit for the glow plugs, indicator on cluster, and relay. 

(http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww289/markzoller/87%20Cabriolet/IMG_1798.jpg)

(http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww289/markzoller/87%20Cabriolet/IMG_1799.jpg)

(http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww289/markzoller/87%20Cabriolet/IMG_1804.jpg)
Title: Re: 87 Diesel Cabriolet mod
Post by: Quantum TD on March 05, 2010, 04:53:24 pm
Let us know how those sweet fumes treat you when your rollin with the top down.  IIRC, the wind blows from the rear to the front when you're driving. You may need an airscreen behind the front seats to keep the fumes down.

Good luck.
Title: Re: 87 Diesel Cabriolet mod
Post by: GEE-BEE on March 05, 2010, 05:13:23 pm
BOSCH has a universal glow plug kit, fast type glow plug's with relay box  , less than 100.00 thru wolrldpac

GB

I had to do the same with the coolant neck for my swap also , gas to AAZ
Title: Re: 87 Diesel Cabriolet mod
Post by: rs899 on March 06, 2010, 04:32:01 am
Quote
Let us know how those sweet fumes treat you when your rollin with the top down.  IIRC, the wind blows from the rear to the front when you're driving.

If you don't like the smell of diesel fumes...don't drive one...

My next project (well maybe) is to do something with an '81 Cabriolet that I bought about 2 years ago to do just this conversion.  It had a gummed up fuel system and has a tired 1.7 EN engine.  Just after I bought it, that was when diesel prices went through the roof as opposed to gas, and I thought I had better have myself a gasser in my fleet ( we have 6 diesels that are daily drivers), so I "invested" in two other gasser engines, CIS tester, Weber carb...etc etc.  Now I am sorry I didn't just rebuild a 1.6NA I had lying around and plug it in.  It still may come to that, but I need to do something with these crappy gas engines I bought...

Rick
Title: Re: 87 Diesel Cabriolet mod
Post by: lovinthedeez on March 06, 2010, 06:10:20 am
get to work and clean up those wires son  ;D
some of the wiring(and other crap) I pulled out of mine during my swap

(http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/3016/img5232m.jpg)
(http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/2904/img5246.jpg)

but that lead to a needing for clean, so i got the right diesel harnesses....all of em
(http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/495/img5468.jpg)

good luck.  should be fun with spring around the corner
Title: Re: 87 Diesel Cabriolet mod
Post by: overdrivegear on March 09, 2010, 10:41:18 am
get to work and clean up those wires son  ;D
some of the wiring(and other crap) I pulled out of mine during my swap

I got all the basic wiring done which includes the starter, and other heavy stuff.  I'm not going to pull out any old gasoline wiring, but rather I'm going to just pig-tail it all up and zip tie to the bulk of the harness.  I put the gasoline alternator back on it and swapped the pulleys, but I might go back with the diesel alternator with the W terminal so I can eventually have a functional tachometer by replacing all those components on the board. 

Do you think I should remove the catalytic converter?  I don't think it's going to hurt anything by being there; obviously it's going to get sooted up but it also does create some back pressure.  Then again, I could get it for scrap value...
Title: Re: 87 Diesel Cabriolet mod
Post by: GEE-BEE on March 09, 2010, 12:46:25 pm
REMOVE THE CAT, BYPASS PIPE IS EASY TO MAKE

INSTALL FUEL FILTER ON THE RH FENDER STRUT WHERE THE SMOG VALVE WAS BOLTED ON

need a pic

Email me at [email protected]

You should also install a better battery and cables.

GB
Title: Re: 87 Diesel Cabriolet mod
Post by: OM617 on March 09, 2010, 07:38:52 pm
Let us know how those sweet fumes treat you when your rollin with the top down.  IIRC, the wind blows from the rear to the front when you're driving. You may need an airscreen behind the front seats to keep the fumes down.

Diesel soot is healthier than the CO and other poisons g@s engines spew out.
Title: Re: 87 Diesel Cabriolet mod
Post by: rabbitman on March 09, 2010, 08:06:17 pm
Let us know how those sweet fumes treat you when your rollin with the top down.  IIRC, the wind blows from the rear to the front when you're driving. You may need an airscreen behind the front seats to keep the fumes down.

Diesel soot is healthier than the CO and other poisons g@s engines spew out.

Very true, and I'd rather smell diesel smoke all day over gasser stink anyways ;D. The only problem is if you over fuel it you'll coat the interior with soot.........
Title: Re: 87 Diesel Cabriolet mod
Post by: 8v-of-fury on March 10, 2010, 06:54:12 am
Very true, and I'd rather smell diesel smoke all day over gasser stink anyways ;D. The only problem is if you over fuel it you'll coat the interior with soot.........

I thought black interiors were the hype? ;)
Title: Re: 87 Diesel Cabriolet mod
Post by: Quantum TD on March 12, 2010, 10:50:16 pm

Diesel soot is healthier than the CO and other poisons g@s engines spew out.

Tell that to the inhabitants of Mexico City and Guatemala City (and probably every other major Latin American City). They have absolutely no laws governing air pollution and the air is black with soot. I know maybe 30 people from Guatemala City, and at least 7 of them have had cancer, died from cancer, or have family members who survived or died from cancer. This includes an 18 kid with testicular cancer.

I'd estimate that about 20-30% of the cars on the road in Guatemala City are diesel, and all of the ancient buses are diesel (most people use the buses for transportation).

For comparison sake, I don't know a single person in the US that has been affected by cancer, either directly or indirectly.
Title: Re: 87 Diesel Cabriolet mod
Post by: MJF on March 13, 2010, 12:28:02 am
Why is your breather plugged?
Title: Re: 87 Diesel Cabriolet mod
Post by: 8v-of-fury on March 13, 2010, 06:49:52 am
Plugging the Crank Vent will introduce high pressures inside the engine and oil will start to puke out of every orifice (ie, Dipstick, past the rings, valve cover, and any other old seal in your engine)

I highly recommend taking that little red cap off, and at least venting it to atmosphere.
Title: Re: 87 Diesel Cabriolet mod
Post by: theman53 on March 13, 2010, 06:53:57 am
I wouldn't worry about it. Without that timing belt covered it probably won't make it long enough to push his seals out. If he drives on roads like I have around here.
Title: Re: 87 Diesel Cabriolet mod
Post by: Rabbit on Roids on March 13, 2010, 12:26:20 pm
I wouldn't worry about it. Without that timing belt covered it probably won't make it long enough to push his seals out. If he drives on roads like I have around here.

X2 in the timing cover. they are there for a reason, and the reason is not just to look ugly.
Title: Re: 87 Diesel Cabriolet mod
Post by: overdrivegear on March 30, 2010, 12:38:14 pm
Plugging the Crank Vent will introduce high pressures inside the engine and oil will start to puke out of every orifice (ie, Dipstick, past the rings, valve cover, and any other old seal in your engine)

I highly recommend taking that little red cap off, and at least venting it to atmosphere.

Relax, it's just there so junk won't get down in there before I get the breather hose.  It's on order.