Saturn TDI for S-Series - Gas Savers

cfg83 · 09-23-2007, 09:53 PM

Hello -

I just found this over at saturnfans :

Saturn TDI
http://www.saturnfans.com/forums/sho...41#post1128641

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Heres a thread from the Sixthsphere.com forums of what I've been up to.

http://www.sixthsphere.com/forum2/vi...=311131#311131

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This came about from the first big price spike in oil we had a couple years ago. I had done some reading on running a diesel on vegetable oil and biodiesel, and the idea of running my wagon on it became very appealing. Thus was born the idea of swapping a diesel into a Saturn, and a couple years of reading, researching, and thinking. The project finally got started in early August with the purchase of a 1.9 litre VW Jetta TDI drivetrain, and mocking it up into a 1995 SL2 to sort it all out before making the swap into my '95 SW2. Most of the time I've spent on it so far is in getting the motor located and fabricating the mounts. Once I get it bolted in place, I can forge ahead with the axles, shift linkage, wiring, cooling system, and intercooler plumbing.

CarloSW2

Fourthbean · 09-24-2007, 05:50 AM

Hope he can pull more than 50MPG with that setup. Will be interested to see this project through and see the outcome.

Erdrick · 09-24-2007, 09:25 AM

...why?

I could see doing this with an ultra-low-weight car, but why move a TDI from a VW to a Saturn..?

I guess if you had a non-running Saturn and a TDI engine just sitting around, then it might make sense, but otherwise you would be MUCH better off just getting a VW with a TDI in it to begin with!!!

cfg83 · 09-24-2007, 09:57 AM

Erdrick -

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Originally Posted by Erdrick

...why?

Because he can! If he's registered at sixthsphere, then he is probably a Saturn junkie.

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I could see doing this with an ultra-low-weight car, but why move a TDI from a VW to a Saturn..?

He may be going from 3000 lbs to 2300+ lbs. But, again, see above.

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I guess if you had a non-running Saturn and a TDI engine just sitting around, then it might make sense, but otherwise you would be MUCH better off just getting a VW with a TDI in it to begin with!!!

See above.

CarloSW2

omgwtfbyobbq · 09-24-2007, 04:25 PM

So far I've seen 'em stuffed in a Suzuki Samurai, Toyota pickup, and all sorts of VWs (Corrado, Rabbit, etc...).

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Originally Posted by Erdrick

I could see doing this with an ultra-low-weight car, but why move a TDI from a VW to a Saturn..?

A Saturn weighs as much as an older VW, and has half the drag coefficient/reference area. Should be good for ~70-80mpg@55mph.

cfg83 · 09-24-2007, 04:36 PM

omgwtfbyobbq -

Quote:

Originally Posted by omgwtfbyobbq

So far I've seen 'em stuffed in a Suzuki Samurai, Toyota pickup, and all sorts of VWs (Corrado, Rabbit, etc...).A Saturn weighs as much as an older VW, and has half the drag coefficient/reference area. Should be good for ~70-80mpg@55mph.

Thanks for the correction. I was going off of the curb weight of the newer 2006 models.

CarloSW2

omgwtfbyobbq · 09-24-2007, 04:54 PM

Wow, considering the only four door TDI available was the Jetta, that engine's gonna have ~1000lbs less to pull around. It'll be similar to a TDI in a bunny, some of which run high 13s quarter miles w/ mods and can get ~50mpg@70mph, except it'll be a little slower, and get significantly better highway mileage.

cfg83 · 09-24-2007, 05:12 PM

omgwtfbyobbq -

Quote:

Originally Posted by omgwtfbyobbq

Wow, considering the only four door TDI available was the Jetta, that engine's gonna have ~1000lbs less to pull around. It'll be similar to a TDI in a bunny, some of which run high 13s quarter miles w/ mods and can get ~50mpg@70mph, except it'll be a little slower, and get significantly better highway mileage.

I think I will ask him more questions on saturnfans and/or join sixthsphere because there is a sixthsphere "member-only" thread on his "how to do it" musings over the last year or two.

CarloSW2

Erdrick · 09-24-2007, 06:05 PM

Alright then, I stand... informed. Perhaps I should have looked at some weight references before commenting.

I should say that I own a Jetta TDI.

omgwtfbyobbq · 09-24-2007, 06:43 PM

It's np. If I lost a tooth for every time I had to stick my foot in my mouth I'd need dentures before I hit thirty.

Dust · 09-25-2007, 07:48 AM

They also have one in a 4runner. The Samurai/ Sidekick conversions use Toyota mounting hardware and parts, so someone went a step further and dropped it into a 4runner with a blown 3L V6.

Lincoln · 09-25-2007, 12:51 PM

It will be interesting to see how the project turns out.
I have been researching putting the TDI engine w/ Toyota RWD trans in a Triumph Spitfire.

cfg83 · 09-25-2007, 04:20 PM

Erdrick -

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Originally Posted by Erdrick

Alright then, I stand... informed. Perhaps I should have looked at some weight references before commenting.

I should say that I own a Jetta TDI.

I would say you're more right than wrong. Here are the specs :

1997 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Sedan Specifications
http://www.automotive.com/1997/101/v...ons/index.html

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- Weights: curb weight (kg) 1,215

1215 kg = 2673 lbs

1995 Saturn S-Series Specifications
http://www.automotive.com/1995/12/sa...ons/index.html

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- Weights: gross vehicle weight rating (kg) 1,429 and curb weight (kg) 1,070

1070 kg = 2354 lbs

Sooooo, 2673 - 2354 = 319 lbs lighter, but that is not taking into account the difference in weight of the engines. The Saturn engine is an aluminum block, so it's gotta be lighter. The dude says that he thinks the VW engine weighs about 290 lbs. Finally, I think the Saturn wagon (the dude's future/final car target) weighs more than 2354 lbs.

CarloSW2

Lug_Nut · 10-02-2007, 02:39 PM

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Originally Posted by omgwtfbyobbq

Wow, considering the only four door TDI available was the Jetta,...

Four door TDI In the US/Canada:
1996~97 Passat (B4)
1997~99.5 Jetta (A3)
1999~present Jetta (A4, A5)
2000~2005 Golf (A4)
2001~2005? Passat (B5.5)
Touareg (if that beast counts as a 'four-door') to present
There were also reportedly three B5 Passat (1998) and two A3 Golf (not known if 2 or 4 door) brought in, but like the Loch Ness monster and Sasquatch, these have not had benefit of irrefutable photographic evidence.

omgwtfbyobbq · 10-02-2007, 03:24 PM

I was referring to new sales. For some reason (Doh!) I thought Erdick was talking about new TDIs.