Corvette V8 diesel conversion - 40 mpg (US) avg.

[MetroMPG]

Well... I wouldn't call that Corvette aerodynamically excellent. I can't find the Cd for that body style, but I'm betting it's well above .30.

[Big Dave]

I think the 'Vette' Cd is about 0.30.

All the same, starting out with a 'Vette sure beats starting out with a pickup truck or station wagon or SUV.

[dremd]

Originally Posted by Big Dave

2008 Sprinters come with a 3.0 V-6 that looks a lot like their Blue-Tec engine. There is no chance of getting one on the used market right now. a crate motor might go over $15,000. That will change with time.

The corvette is a very seductive start. It is light, sturdy, and aerodynamically excellent.

I'm a huge fan of sprinters, that would be awesome.


Any idea on frontal area on a vette?
CD may not be all that great, but should be reasonable.
Could do a lot of different small front engine rear drive cars similar to this.
I wanted to do a Diesel Supra for a while, but the Idea never got off the ground.

[dcb]

Along similiar lines, a .32CD vw corrado (19.4 sq ft area) and a tdi might bolt together pretty well, add a hiway gear and off you go.

edit: oops the tdi corrado has been done, a few times:

swap thread:
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=2303271

[Who]

I'd like a 3.8 V6 gas... 6 speed manual. With overpumped 205s and geared high enough, that would get amazing highway numbers while truly being a gran turismo.

[diesel_john]

vette's for sale

http://www.usedcorvettesforsale.com/..._price&a_d=asc

my specs
92 LT1 auto, Dana 36 2.59 ratio, 700R4
6.27 CdA
Weighs 3200#, 800# per wheel
Tires 11" wide
Best one tank highway mileage 30.

The engine from the bottom of the pan to the top of the intake it is 24" high.

[Chris D.]

my buddy started hypermiling his 90 vette and hes pullin off 38mpg..

up from his 29mpg average..

if hes only pullin 40mpg with that serious of an engine swap,
he needs to learn how to drive..
The cost of diesel vs premium isn't that big of a deal..

but the torque combined with the low weight of the car would make that a serious hypermiling machine..

[apgrok1]

I know this is a scary thought for some of you, but what about the 5.7L Olds diesel in a Vette? Those things got 30 MPG in Fleetwoods and Lesabres. GM even made a 4.3L V-6 diesel off the Olds block. I also know that they put the 5.7Ls in trucks with a manual trans.

[Big Dave]

Finding a working 5.7 or 4.3 diesel will take some serious looking. They would bolt right up, though.

6.2s and 6.5s are readily available and are generally more reliable engines. Newer ones (still avaialble through Hummer dealerships) are quite a bit better than the old ones but at the price of increased weight. 1000 lb for new vs 700 lb for old. a well rebuilt 6.5 T would last forever in a Corvette. Again, these engines are bolt-ups. The Vette's T-56 has a 0.5:1 ratio top gear that can take advantage of the tremendous torque of the 6.5 or 6.2. 70 MPH @ 1200 RPM. GM diesel guys will tell you that the 6.2 - with its smaller pre-cups - gives better MPG but these engines have cooling issues.

Putting a 6.5 in a C5 Corvette would be a fairly easy engine swap project as such projects go. The gearing would be optimized from the git-go and a perusal of Bonneville 'Vettes would give good insight into aero improvements. No point re-inventing the wheel if somebody else has already done the work.

[diesel_john]

'93 Corvette Calloway CR-1 aero package best Cd

what can you do about the 275/35/17's? (11" wide)


5.7L Olds diesel, the engine that single handly changed the motor car as we know it.