PICS! Econo Car conversion to Kubota Diesel. 1997 Geo Metro, Kubota D1005 3 cylinder

[planejob]

Ok, Update on the throttle linkage:

Sunday I went out and planned to do some more CAD work and build a "throttle linkage motion translator" - yep, something that turned a pull into a push.

I broke out the handy dandy Michelob Ultra box from the recycle bin and set about cutting the piece to fit. I ended up with a neat little box that folded up fine and when welded together seemed to be somewhat structurally sound.










I had a brake rod from a motorcycle that I was going to use as the pushrod, but it would have been non-adjustable once installed. I studied a bit more on the design (that's code for 'acquired CAD materials', which is code for 'drank beers that came in a box') and decided that some 1/4" rod ends would do the trick perfectly, especially when combined with a 17" piece of all-thread. I'm not sure the all thread will be strong enough, we will see - the failure mode of the all thread would cause the engine to not be able to go to full throttle - so a failure woul dbe an inconvenience, not a safety issue and wouldn't blow up the engine.

I ordered some rod ends from Amazon after visiting Tractor Supply, Home Depot, Lowes, Auto Zone, Oreilly's, and Napa. I pulled up a picture of them on my phone to show the guy at Lowe's... blew his mind. I saw the purple dust come out of the top of his head like in that commercial.

I also purchased insurance for the Geo today. It was like 95 dollars for the year. This insurance business is a scam - how many cars am I going to be driving at once? Why not insure the driver, not the cars? scam scam scam.

Anyway, tonight I will work on the wiring. I still need to find two unused wires ("on ignition and start" and "on start") from within the nest of the wiring harness that can be used to control, either directly or by relay, the fuel shutoff solenoid. I'm slightly annoyed that it requires power to keep it open - I wish I could track one down that was normally open and used power to turn off...

I removed the federally mandated 'face-bomb' from the driver's side and took out the control module. I will remove the bomb from the passenger side also and fill the cavity with foam, then recover the dash (with suede, I'm sure). I got a new steering wheel and adapter to install, I'm stoked about it.

[iveyjh]

I also purchased insurance for the Geo today. It was like 95 dollars for the year. This insurance business is a scam - how many cars am I going to be driving at once? Why not insure the driver, not the cars? scam scam scam.

I've been saying that for years

[Joe of Loath]

Originally Posted by iveyjh

I also purchased insurance for the Geo today. It was like 95 dollars for the year. This insurance business is a scam - how many cars am I going to be driving at once? Why not insure the driver, not the cars? scam scam scam.

I've been saying that for years

Hahhah think yourselves lucky, here in the UK you insure both at the same time. Want to drive someone else's car? You'd better have ticked that box when you bought insurance for your own car.

I pay about $95 equivalent a month for my 14 year old grandpa mobile.

Anyway, cool project. I love a good diesel engine. I've got plans for a track car powered by 2L Ford Transit diesel engine. According to the tuning websites you can get 250ft/lb and 150hp out of one, and that's before adding a turbo. And because it's a diesel, if you re-map and drive it carefully you'll still get stock MPG too. Sorry, I'm rambling.

[planejob]

well, it has been a few weeks without an update.

Today I installed the Racor 2 micron filter in the same location as the gasoline Evap can. I primed the filter by running the electric (original EFI) fuel pump until I no longer heard bubbles in the fuel tank (scientific!). Then I checked "the business" and saw that no water had accumulated in the 2 micron filter - winning.

next I chose to install the throttle linkage. what a *****.
I had order 2 1/4-20 rod ends, thinking I could find some 1/4-20 rod. well, i could have but the vendor was actually selling 1/4-28 rod ends. those 8 make a difference.
I ended up welding two fine pitch 1/4-28 bolts to the end of a piece of 1/2" flat plate that I cut to 9 inches. it worked fine. The thing is THROTTLED! woot. woot.

[kimer6]

Its quite the job putting a Kubota in a Metro, isn't it? Soooo many loose ends that nobody knows about. I am glad you are progressing.

Texas....flooding? Maybe you should add a propeller on the back and seal the doors real well. Keep us posted, please.

[planejob]

Originally Posted by kimer6

Its quite the job putting a Kubota in a Metro, isn't it? Soooo many loose ends that nobody knows about. I am glad you are progressing.

I appreciate the encouragement. So far the most technical/difficult thing has been this throttle linkage - I'm still not sure the system I have set up (that translates a pull motion into a push motion) will survive the long haul. I experimented with flipping the throttle arm on the injector pump 180 degrees - that lined it up perfectly with the backside of the starter... fail.

Anyway, it runs, the 'gas' pedal works.

next up, the electric fan and a trip around the block.

[kimer6]

The governor will take some getting used to. Just when you are ready to shift the power cuts back. It was annoying for the first mile. Then I played the game....foot to the floor in neutral, slowly put it in first, go through the gears normally without ever taking your foot off the gas. With the clutch in and foot to the floor, it just won't rev any more.
Put it in first gear and go...it revs to the governor setting and just stays there. Its weird. You'll see.

I recall making a clevis for the throttle arm. I made it a pull only type. Here's a pic that shows some of it.

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by planejob

And I'm pretty excited to get it on the road (hopefully this year, 2015) and start playing with the aero stuff. I want something that seats 3, sounds like a tractor, gets great mileage, and looks insane.

Subscribed, because this is such a cool vision. Frankencar. Monstermetro!

[bikeprof]

Nice going on the project !
BTW-You got too many bikes in the way, that's a sign of a healthy soul, LOL...

Originally Posted by planejob

I think I fixed the pictures. let me know. I had to switch from photobucket to google photos - Google normally rocks, but their photo album is convoluted.

So, you may have noticed that the engine has to be rotated a few degrees in relation to the transmission/gas engine position in order to expose 1 of the 2 bolts at the top of the tranny. Tip o' the hat to Kimer for the heads-up on this - I went into it expecting to have to make the rotation and it worked fine. I was careful to rotate it in such a manner that the starter hole did not interfere with the engine block. Oh yeah, it would have been all too easy to Leeroy Jenkins this thing and end up with an adapter plate that had all sorts of interference.

I've been talking about the factory dipstick for several posts now (that means...... ahhhh... more than a month. sorry about this.) I used an expanding plug from the Home Depot to push into the dipstick hole and the <gasp> I put a 1/4-20 bolt into the plug and snugged it up, causing the rubber to expand and lock, as designed. I can't believe I mixed in SAE bolts

Stream of consciousness recap: I still need to drill the new dipstick hole. Perhaps today? who knows. Anyway... here's a few pictures of the mated assembly. Notice the starter and injection pump and on the same side of the block - they will be to the rear when mounted in the car. The transmission case supplies 2 of the three needed mounting points, so I will only have to fab up 1 motor mount for the right/passenger side. Half good news half bad news: I'm switching from an auto to a manual tranny so my axles are not compatible, the CV axle ends vary between auto and manual and the length of the axle varies between the 3 cylinder and 4 cylinder mounting points. I'm changing from 4 cylinder mounting point to 3cyl mounting (maybe, hopefully, my measurements are right and there will be enough room.) and changing from auto to manual. So I had to order new CV axles. That's bad news. RockAuto had the axles for 23 bucks a side. SOLD, SHIP THEM. That's good news. This means I have the current axles and nothing to do with them... wait, I need to be able to roll the car out of the garage to install the engine. So I'll deconstruct the automatic CV axles and use the stubs in the wheel-end to hold the bearings together while rolling. That's some good news.

Enough rambling, Here are the pics I promised:

[bikeprof]

We are overworked readers here..., share the stuff !
Knowledge of using too many red wires to too fewer greens, info on the burnt engine and yes, what happened to Mari n Juana? LOL...

And yes, what is MPG ging to be ?

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

What have you done with the weed and the paraphernalia? Anyway, at least you found it before it could get you in trouble.