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Old 08-18-2013, 01:24 AM   #1 (permalink)
Christ
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Troy, Pa.
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Pasta - '96 Volkswagen Passat TDi
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1988 Festiva LX 'Red' (diesel conversion)

So I had this Festiva that I used to drive around, and no matter what I did to it, it always seemed to run really stupid rich once it warmed up. I did literally everything I could think of to that carburetor, including taking it completely down, soaking it in carb clean and immersing it in a ultrasonic bath. Still no help [although it did seem to have more power after that...]

So I thought to myself... I'm gonna put a VW diesel in there.

Then that never happened, because, well, matching things up and blah blah blah was just gonna be too much work for me to do in my available funds and work space.

So I thought again - Maybe I'm gonna put a smaller utility diesel in there.

Ok, yeah. I can do that.

And so here we are.

I've already got the engine out [and after tearing it halfway apart, found the reason it was running so poorly to be a temp sensor that was never connected under the intake manifold... :doh:], rad, A/C components, etc.

I have a choice of a couple engines to use... one of them may be a 20HP Lombardini diesel [ideal], the other is a 18HP opposed twin Briggs and Stratton motor.

The design goals going into this were 45MPH capable and... um... nope, that's about it. I'm hoping to see about 60MPG from it, maybe more.

What I want to do with it ideally is use a starter/generator in place of the engine's original starter so that it works sort of like an electric/gas golf cart. To start moving, you press the pedal slightly, and then the engine takes over once it's spinning fast enough to start.

Since it'll never be able to idle, I won't be tempted to... well, leave it idle.

The point I'm at right now is making a template for the bell housing/utility engine adapter, figuring out how far out the engine needs to be spaced from the transmission, adapting the 1'' keyed output shaft of the engine to the .75'' 12 spline shaft of the transmission, and engine mounting.

At some point, I'd like to attach a PTO clutch and the OEM alternator with a low-voltage and manual turn on switch, so that I'm only driving the alternator if the battery gets low or if I need extra power for something [A/C inverter, etc].

Now, on to pics:



This is the 12 spline clutch hub. It's what's left after you disassemble a junk clutch disk.

I have a few full-length pulley sets from 1'' shaft motors laying around, so what I think I can do is make an adapter by boring the 1'' ID of the pulley sleeve to 1.180'' [the OD of the center part of the spline hub] and welding it inside the pulley sleeve. The end result will give me a 12 spline on one side and a 1'' ID keyed sleeve on the other side. If I get really frisky, I can bore the 1'' motor shaft 15mm to fit the pilot of the trans input shaft and bring the engine and trans about 1/2'' closer together as well. I may do just that because it will also help keep the two shafts from being able to flex in awkward positions and stress the coupler.

Also:

That's the victim.

Plenty of usable parts will be taken off and I have a bunch of spares around for Festivae if anyone needs anything.

This one had a good running mid-mile motor in it, carb'd intake and the carb, usable [but used] clutch disk, flywheel and pressure plate assembly with good pilot bearing in it, Factory A/C components, radiator, among other things that will be parted/removed from it.

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