Project: Rebuilding an '01 Honda Insight as a nonhybrid

[stevey_frac]

Just seems to me it would be easier to chip then to replace. Most diesels are chipped fairly easily if your looking for a power boost.

[kane66]

going with the diesel from a smart for two would get awesome millage, and be really cool. But it would also be very.... very expensive, and complicated, and importing all the parts would be a pain int the a$$. If it where me this is what I would do. VWvortex Forums: 1985 vw diesel swap into honda crx ... but with a turbo diesel instead. Advantages, still really great fuel economy, my jetta diesel gets between 47 and 50 every day all day, much much easier as the parts are available locally anywhere you are. The assurance that any parts you need will still be available locally for the next decade. And the fact that the whole shebang will only set you back about 1000 dollars as apposed to the 5000 to 10000 I would expect you would end up paying in total for a diesel out of a smart for two. And even better no ecm to deal with. Anyway my two cents

[stevey_frac]

Originally Posted by kane66

going with the diesel from a smart for two would get awesome millage, and be really cool. But it would also be very.... very expensive, and complicated, and importing all the parts would be a pain int the a$$. If it where me this is what I would do. VWvortex Forums: 1985 vw diesel swap into honda crx ... but with a turbo diesel instead. Advantages, still really great fuel economy, my jetta diesel gets between 47 and 50 every day all day, much much easier as the parts are available locally anywhere you are. The assurance that any parts you need will still be available locally for the next decade. And the fact that the whole shebang will only set you back about 1000 dollars as apposed to the 5000 to 10000 I would expect you would end up paying in total for a diesel out of a smart for two. And even better no ecm to deal with. Anyway my two cents

People have been quoted $18000 (cdn) to replace the existing engine in a Smart Fortwo. The cheapest quote i've heard is $12000. This is to replace a blown engine IN a diesel smart. Never mind all the custom fabrication required. Expect to pay upwards of $15000 to $20000 to get it running in another car. And expect the engine to not last long in a vehicle that ways over 2000 lbs. Even in a smart car, that engine chews through turbos every 80k kms and a lot of engines seem to be dropping vales at under 100k miles. In a REAL car expect to be doing a $1200 turbo every 40-50k kms like clockwork.

[theunchosen]

I think the OP, might be looking for the best possible outcome for the least possible expenditures.

Dropping in a diesel won't even come close to cheap. The other issues is. . .Even though its a VW. . .Honda parts are still more common lol. The insight might not share alot with others in the Honda fleet but. . .any parts you have to replace will be cheaper than vw ones. VW valves train pieces are more expensive than Ford ones and those are more expensive than Honda ones. In the last few weeks I had to rebuild a Pissat engine, a mustang engine and a civic engine. Pissat was far and above the most expensive for parts despite having fewer cylinders than the mustang and obviously the civic has half as many as the mustang but was cheaper still than 1/2.

Honda ICE's are comparable to diesels in lifetime. I've replaced several fuel assemblies for diesels but so far only 1 honda as come in with trouble and it had more miles than 2/3 of the diesels.

[Deezler]

Look up an VW "ALH" engine. They can be found with decently low miles for ~$3k, with full wiring harness. With trans for around $5k maybe?

These engines can go 300k miles. Without ever being opened. A new turbo once, maybe. There is considerable free information on the web regarding how to properly operate these engines for long, long life. 90 HP stock, 140 HP for ~$2k of mods, including a gearing reduction. I would LOVE to see that powertrain in an insight. Man that thing would fly.

My worry is that its too large for the insight engine bay.

[Matthijs]

Is this the same guy? How is the project coming along?

Red Light Racing builds the worlds first Diesel Insight

[1337]

Originally Posted by evolutionmovement

I probably average seeing about a collision a day commuting to and from work, yet despite what looks like expensive damage (and I'm sure it is as even some idiot denting my Mazda3 in the parking lot cost $2500), everybody involved are usually standing around looking bored awaiting state police/tow truck (while raising insurance rates for the rest everyone).

Unless it's an insurance claim, I would not pay $2500 to fix a dent unless the dent decreased the car's value by at least $2500.

It seems like the majority of Ecomodders don't give a crap what their cars look like, so long as they turn out great MPG numbers.

[1337]

How about this: buy a beater Metro, CRX, VX, or VW Diesel, and put the extra money in certificates of deposit until retirement?

Originally Posted by theunchosen

Anyone who tells me they bought a hybrid to save the environment I usually scoff.

I then give them two suggestions for next time.

1.) Buy an old used Metro, crx, vx and use the extra money to buy solar panels and get off the electrical grid.

2.) Buy an old used metro, crx, vx and use the extra money to give to some charity(the dozen people who are arrogant about it like to brag about their charitable giving so it shuts them up two fold ^_^).

The impact of producing any new car will almost never outweight the pollution savings of buying one that gets good or bad mileage but its already here. Second. . .If it gets the same mileage or better as the Prius you aren't really noticeably hurting the environment so they extra 15 grand you spent was for luxury and status not the environment. 15 grand is almost enough to put my house on Solar(with federal tax credits it is) and thats infinitely better value than the Prius by itself. . .

[evolutionmovement]

Of course it was an insurance claim—the car was 6 months old. I'm not going to leave a $18k car looking trashed, sounding damaged (broken airbox under fender), and with bouncing headlights (broke $400+ headlight housing's mounting points) over a $500 deductible. Sure, i wouldn't bother with an old car, but then my whole point was that I wouldn't have to. The same hit on my old Subaru would've been a $10 marker light from a junk yard and I could have banged the dent out myself. That's why I'm putting that car back on the road and wouldn't be surprised if it made it another 20 years while the Mazda at 16 years newer would likely have long met the crusher by then. And the Subaru has personality.

[ik04]

The Diesel engine from a Smart would be a dumb idea. They are too small, rare and expensive. A tiny Diesel from a euro VW lupo would be perfect. You can get the mass-produced VW drivetrain complete for cheap on eBay. Sure, the mounts would need to be fabricated from scratch, but that is the case with ANY engine transplant.

Removing the battery pack would actually make some luggage space! It looks like there is plenty of room for a conventional drivetrain once you remove all the junk in the engine compartment...

There is no reason a Diesel in a car that light would not get 70+ MPG.