Diesel cruiser - street & oval

[Fahlin Racing]

I have had this project idea in mind for quite a while now. I plan on installing a diesel engine in the latemodel asphalt car I have. At the moment I am searching for a diesel engine & trans to buy for making this work-out here. Been busy quite a bit so its going slower than wanted.

~Engine : Ford 7.3L PS (hoping for) and probably a manual 5 speed with the tall shifter like a hot rod out the roof
~Upgraded suspension most likely.
~Body style - Hand made Kustom design possibly a sleek looking Peterbilt/Kenworth, maybe something else of my own imagination
~Paint color unknown at the moment
~Axle, it already has a franklin quick-change
~Street driven - Yes, so it will have running lights, head & tails with blinkers (maybe I will use something off my 70 Nova). But being myself, I will not be getting generic, boring, late model plastic assemblies. Uniqueness will be the focus here
~2 seater, maybe if the room is there in the end.

I will get some pics up here of what I am dealing with soon.

[Fahlin Racing]

Update on my project here. I have found a 7.3L IDI non turbocharged diesel engine. Hopefully I can break into the beast soon for diagnosing why it would not fire and modify it until I am content

[mike moore]

Jim sounds like a interesting project. I have thought about the same thing for road racing /track car, worried about the weight of the diesel up front as they then to be a bit on the heavy side.

[QuickGt]

Have you thought about the acceleration rate of the diesel? I have always heard, even with gearing, they do not accelerate well, and that a gas motor will always beat them off the line, or out of the corners? The 7.3 PSD is huge, and HEAVY! Any thoughts for a lighter motor?

QuickGT

[mike moore]

The weight would be a real concern with the 7 liter motor, a nice light weight V-6 diesel with twin turbos would be great. I think the diesels would have a ton of grunt coming off the corner which would give you a good run down any straight. It may just take a while. I feel the cost and the weight are the two big factors right now. You can make any thing work if you throw enough cubic dollars at it, can you say Audi, Peugeot in road racing

[Fahlin Racing]

Jim sounds like a interesting project. I have thought about the same thing for road racing /track car, worried about the weight of the diesel up front as they then to be a bit on the heavy side.

Yeah, so far my thoughts are modified oil pan etc. for lowering the engine height in the bay. Grinding any unwanted iron (within reason) from the block, heads etc.

Have you thought about the acceleration rate of the diesel? I have always heard, even with gearing, they do not accelerate well, and that a gas motor will always beat them off the line, or out of the corners? The 7.3 PSD is huge, and HEAVY! Any thoughts for a lighter motor?

QuickGT

Yes, The acceleration rate is pretty different. Especially with a N/A diesel, the Turbo-diesels are a bunch faster. I know I will be beat off the corners, just how bad I have no clue. For now, its going to be a car show piece with the occasional trip around the track at the spectators. Once I get everything the way I want it, then I will be digging deeper for more power. Yes, the 7.3L is a heavy one, 1000lbs I believe it is. It will be one low tank I will say that

I have another update for the project.

I started thinking about using my fabricating skills to design and build a new intake manifold for this engine and learn more about induction while I do it. I don't have any money for a turbocharger kit so it will be naturally aspirated for now. The factory one is pretty flat and is probably quite restrictive. I figure, the new design in relation to the factory one would flow more efficient, hopefully. Thus far I have only gotten to discussing possible designs in rough detail.

If any of you want to chip in with any opinions or ideas feel free!!

Here are my ideas thus far:
Thoughts on the layout:
~ Individual runners with a plenum ("high-rise" category)

~ Individual runners without a plenum (high-rise category again, but with the opening only the size of the factory hole -> pretty much a open bore single-plane intake manifold for example.

~ Medium height, with the opening by the windshield ( "J"/ horizontal position for non-IR tubing sections and IRs for each port a few inches in length).

~ Medium to tall overall height, with opening in front of the injection pump by the belts.

[Fahlin Racing]

Another induction idea that came to mind recently are just building bell mouthed velocity tubes going almost straight from the intake port. Probably end up looking like Bart Simpson's spiky hair on the top end. Another thing that was able to observe more closely are the size of the intake ports, for the operation range of a diesel and being N/A, the ports a pretty big making cylinder filling slow. I might have to fill some of the port with epoxy to get air speeds up.

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

[Fahlin Racing]

Well, the project is going on hold for a while now. Although I have been looking at the heads closer to see what I could do in terms of producing more swirl, hopefully.