Posted by Chris Lube Lublin on Monday, August 02, 2004 at 2:02AM :
In Reply to: Way OT diesel question posted by Scott T on Sunday, August 01, 2004 at 3:30PM :
Sorry to say, but the terms 'light duty' and 'Diesel' really dont go together. in order for a diesel to last ANY time at all and NOT blow apart, it cannot be light duty. You have to build them MUCH Stronger, as they run much higher compression ratios, etc. If you want a really 'light' duty diesel, Id suggest a VW Rabbit Diesel, a Ford Escourt Diesel, a Diesel Chevette, etc. Even tho those little engines are quite light duty by diesel standards, They last quite a long time from what most people tell me. What gets me is in automotive use, the gas engine converted to diesel is a total FLOP! But for AG and industrial use, alot of AG and industrial gas engines, have a Diesel engine of the same size that was converted from a gasser to Diesel, and they hold up well! Oliver tractors of the 1960s are an example, as well as lots of Contenential OHV engines, Perkins engines, etc.... For another example, my neighbor has a late '50's Massey Harris 444 RowCrop Widefront tractor that has a Contenential HD277 Diesel. Well, Massey offered a 444 tractor with a Contenential H277 Gasser as well. My Neighbors tractor engine must be a gasser converted to diesel, as the intake manifold is the same basically as a gasser, there is a knock out hole for where a distributor should be. etc. THe tractor is close to 50 years old and was overhauled once in the mid 80's, so thats not bad. It runs super now.