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So, I've got a HiJet, bodily in reasonable nick, but with 107k miles on the little 3 cylinder 1 litre engine. It's my daily drive, my occasional van, my 6 seat people mover, and my micro camper, and will shortly be the tow vehicle for my trailer tent. I love it already, but at 40 mpg even on a 55 mph motorway run, it's not that economical, and it's absolutely not fast. I mean, it'll top 80, but the engine is going nuts at that speed, and it really doesn't feel very secure either. I was wondering about the practicality of dropping a diesel in there; there is a diesel version, but it's got a rep for needing a top end rebuild every 5 mins. My initial idea was to put a 1.5 diesel from the AX/106 in there, but I've been encouraged elsewhere to think what it would be like to have something more like the 2.1 TD lump that was in the XM. I love the idea of what would feel like smooth effortless power from that engine, which used to get me 55mpg on the motorway in the XM and would probably do at least as well in the HiJet against the fact that my AX used to get 75 mpg in the same conditions! The challenges I can see include (1) the fact that the HiJet is rear drive, so I'd need to find a way to deal with the gearbox issue (2) the fact that the Hijet engine is canted over at an angle, which might mean working on the sump of the diesel to make it work, and (3) the fact that the the engine mounts for a transverse fwd motor will be all wrong for an inline rwd, making it more challenging still. I'm wondering how easy it is to overcome those things, also whether I would need to consider a different rear axle to handle what would, in the case of the big engine, be more than twice the torque I think (the little one is also more pokey; not sure of the torque, but it's 10 bhp more). I'd also like to band the wheels and put some nice fat rubber on there, possible whitewalls (I'd be respraying and tarting up the interior while I'm at it). The part that I'm wondering about there is how easy it is to find/fit wheelarch extensions. So, I've never done any of this stuff before. I'd be buying another car in order to take the Jet off the road for 6 months. Does it sound completely unrealistic? I've included some HiJet pics to make you all happy        |
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Last Edit: Feb 5, 2013 23:42:22 GMT by samwise
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rodney
Posted a lot
https://www.facebook.com/RD-vehicle-transport-and-recovery-services-525622614268010/
Posts: 1,677
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where do you live?? , if your in or go into london youll need a lez compliant engine,.
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facebook: rodney dean / rd transport  |
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Colonelk
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,742
Club RR Member Number: 83
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best bet...... find something rwd and diesel to start with, preferably cab forward. for ease of gearchange. Then do some maths with gear ratios as diesels don't rev as high as petrols, so your top speed in each gear will be capped.
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What about a VAG TDI from a longitudinal mount car, like a Passat, A4/6 etc, have a transaxle already, you'd just have to sort the linkage. Spent the day removing 1z TDI engines from 2 Audi 80 Avants. These can be converted to m-TDI so only need wiring to a stop solenoid to get it running quickly....
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I reckon you would be better off with a larger petrol engine, of roughly a 1.3 litre four-cylinder from a Daihatsu Sirion or similar. The extra torque of the larger engine would allow you to put in a taller gear ratio for more relaxed cruising rpm. The van will never be as economical as a small hatchback due to aerodynamics. If your main goal is economy, then you're better off keeping the engine that you've already got, because it would take a very long time to pay back the cost of even the cheapest conversion, even with a significant improvement in mpg.
Before you look at any engine conversion, you will want to get out the tape measure. These things have very small engine bays, and in a van the access is difficult enough to start with!
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My goal is more to build a really cool car, and get improved mpg into the bargain. It wouldn't have to pay back; I'd be funding the project because I wanted to do it, but if the van was, as a result, easier on the pocket, that would be great.
There are easier engine swaps; there's a 1.4 Charade version of the 1.3 EFI that went in later vans, but it's not exciting me that much. It occurs to me, talking about VAG, that maybe a V6 diesel would solve one or two problems for me. It would likely not be any longer than the 1.3 EFI four (apparently someone has fitted an Essex V6 to a Bedford Rascal with minimal engine bay metalwork needed), and the v-ness of it might solve the depth issue without me needing to cant a 4 cylinder on its side, and re-engineer the relevant ancillaries as a result. I guess at least the Land Rover one also solves the rear drive issue. Of course, then we're into a LOT more power, and it seems almost certain that the diff, which would probably cope just fine with the 1.5 PSA unit, would have no chance with a big V6. Would be an awesome vehicle though.
I don't live in London, and haven't often driven inside the LEZ, but what are the rules? Are older cars banned?
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light vans are ok AT THE MOMENT next week/ next year who knows its about 100/200 a day for a non compliant transit to go into the zone......
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What about an Aygo/C1/107 engine swap.
Small, light, decent power & do stupid mpg.
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I've heard of people re-engining these with the 1.6 lump from the Daihatsu Grand Move. I understand you need to swap some parts from the standard engine to cope with the angle its mounted at in the Hijet. I think I once saw a guide on the net to doing it.
If you then LPG'd it, you'd get good cost equivalent MPG, good performance and a quiet, smooth engine. A diesel in a Hijet is gonna be mega noisy and a load of hassle.
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Vauxhall Omega V6 Estate
Landrover Defender 300Tdi
Ford Puma (winter smoker)
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How about a V8: Or a Rotary? Ford V6? Not very helpful I know  |
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Last Edit: Feb 6, 2013 12:42:17 GMT by joem83
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Vauxhall Omega V6 Estate
Landrover Defender 300Tdi
Ford Puma (winter smoker)
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The sensible route, for sure, is one of the bigger H series engines. Why do I want to put in a diesel? Sheer bloody mindedness. I like them, I like the torque, low down power, and my perception of their smoothness, which suits my driving style. With the original "bang in a TUD 5" idea, it was about what felt like a simple swap, that would get me more power and torque, but not so much that it would outdo the capabilities of the drivtrain, and significantly improve my mpg (with the miles I'm doing right now, a 10 mpg improvement would save me around £6-700 per annum). As I got more into the idea, having a relatively poky diesel in a tiny van appealed more and more, and if a V6 solves the clearance issue, rather than having to cant a 4 over and deal with all the ancillary issues, then we're golden. The reality is, though, that I could probably pick up a 1.6 H series for less than £100, whereas a diesel V6 is going to cost nearer £700. Whichever I buy I'm going to want to rebuild a) because I want to learn how to do it, and b) because I don't want to do all this work and then be pulling the engine out in a year, and no doubt rebuilding a simple petrol 4 is cheaper than a big fancy diesel V6. So yes, a bigger H series is sensible......but it's not exciting. It doesn't give me the thrill of a turbine smooth pull from hardly any revs. So, what I'm weighing up is, I know the diesel approach is stupid, but HOW stupid? Probably, so stupid I shouldn't consider it, in which case I'll just go the 1.6 H series route, but maybe only so stupid as to be inadvisable, which frankly describes everything I can be bothered to do |
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If the diesel tickles your pickle, then by all means go for it. I have had strange thoughts about putting a big Nissan 4.2 litre turbo diesel straight six into my Holden ute, but a V8 swap would be a lot cheaper and easier, as they were optional fitment for the car.
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It does tickle my pickle, but my lack of experience just means I don't know how deep the water is I'd be entering.
I think I've reached the conclusion that canting over an engine that's normally vertical is going to require me to do things I probably can't do with the sump, dipstick etc. I can probably work out whether a given diesel V6 will fit in the hole, but I'm not at all sure how to set about identifying a gearbox and transaxle that would work with it, nor how to modify the kit from something else to fit the Jet's narrow track. Who can give me a clue where to start? I really don't want to spend out for an engine and then find myself with a duffer.
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Not sure about what kinda space issues you're going to have (any engine bay pics?) but if you grab some parts from a vw t25 (sump, dipstick, etc) you can fit almost any vw 1.9 derv at a pretty steep angle. Something around 55 degrees IIRC
vw 1Z engine, Land rover 300TDi pump - good for well over 150Bhp with the right intercooler
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You're like a crazy backyard genius! |
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Not sure about what kinda space issues you're going to have (any engine bay pics?) but if you grab some parts from a vw t25 (sump, dipstick, etc) you can fit almost any vw 1.9 derv at a pretty steep angle. Something around 55 degrees IIRC vw 1Z engine, Land rover 300TDi pump - good for well over 150Bhp with the right intercooler It must of course be the 1.6d/td sump, not the petrol engine's  |
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I would've thought that would be fairly obvious - but I guess for some, that train of thought may not apply, lol
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You're like a crazy backyard genius!
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RobinJI
Posted a lot
"Driven by the irony that only being shackled to the road could ever I be free"
Posts: 2,995
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The issue you'd have with most V6's, is that although the actual block and head assembly's quite low slung, they're still designed to fit under the same bonnet that the 4 pot versions of the same car has, so all the ancillaries end up being placed in positions that make them actually not much lower. Chances are to make use of how low slung they are, you'd have to re-engineer the inlet manifold and maybe even the diesel pump position as well as other smaller things. I certainly wouldn't have said it would be an easy option.
The VW engines would be fine, like the other guys have said, a T25 diesel sump and oil pick-up plus dipstick and it's tube would allow you to lean it right over, and the Audi engines even have the bolt holes for the mounts in the right place for inline mounting. I'd be tempted to use an AAZ (1.9td) or SB (1.6td) as they'd keep the wiring minimal, and would both provide enough power to shift the hijet along nicely. The main issue would be a gearbox, the only real option with the VW lumps to get them to provide power to the rear wheels is an adapter plate onto another manufacturers box.
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Last Edit: Feb 6, 2013 21:24:16 GMT by RobinJI
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