Car clutch questions (trying to make something from nothing)

Yanmar is definitely available in Europe, t if you haven't worked in marine or industrial applications you may not have seen them.

www.yanmar.com

YANMAR

Corporate website of Yanmar Europe which contains news releases, products, R&D and CSR information, and much more.
www.yanmar.com www.yanmar.com

I understand your chosen engine is widely available but I thought the size and weight was an issue for your application, I bet if you look around you may find some applications for Yanmar or other industrial engines in your area.

The biggest thing as always for engine swaps is determining your goals. Do you want more power? Higher top speed? More torque, reliability? Also how will your chosen engine affect the balance of the vehicle? Are the other systems up to an increase in power? Will you need to upgrade transmissions, axles, brakes?

Planning is the key to any successful swap, I was just throwing out something that you may not have considered. Definitely using a complete donor car is good since it's difficult to predict what components you will eventually need in the process and sourcing them piece by piece can get expensive. If you go with a donor vehicle definitely try to get one that was rear-ended and isn't worn out but you probably already know that.

You have an advantage being able to do your own machine work. I was just thinking that going through this process it might be nice to look at alternatives that are more outside the box. Obviously what you can source locally is important but getting the right match for the vehicle in question is probably more so with a swap.

I've just seen, (and owned) too many vehicles with failed engine swaps. I doubt that will be a problem with you given your tenacity and mechanical ability, just think it's worth burning a little more oil while you plan something truly awesome.

Cheers,

john
 
I may have missed this in the thread but I would suspect that a gas to diesel conversion would be best if the transmission is also swapped. I expect the ratios in a transmission driven by a gas engine would be different from one driven by a Diesel engine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:
This thread got started me wanting to find use for a engine that i had laying around. But now i'm looking at a engine that is very well know and was used in from the factory in newer nivas. About finding a yanmar, i'm sure if i go looking i'll find one, and in my country there is no marine industry
, i'm sure is hard to imagine, but because we only have 3 very small lakes and no access to any sea that industry simply does not exist. I'll put a link from wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lada_Niva
 
Interesting project. You're pretty much stuck with using a clutch disc that matches the input shaft spline of the transmission. You'll likely use a pressure plate and flywheel that matches the crankshaft so the friction footprint will have to work with the chosen disc. You'll also need to make an adaptor to get the bellhousing of the trans to mate up with the back of the new motor. Be mindful of the distance from the trans to the motor as the pilot bushing (or bearing) has to accept the end of the transmission input shaft without it going too deep or too shallow. The clutch disc should be OK if you don't slip the bejesus out of it. If you can't get parts for the OEM drivetrain you may be better off using a transmission/clutch setup that matches the engine. It's fairly easy to make up a cross member and driveshaft. Alignment is super critical when adapting a manual trans to a different engine if the clutch is going to release properly.
 
The best engine swap will be something the manufacturer has already installed in your car. That way you know it will work out and parts should be available.

As for the Yanmar I just threw that out there as a small reliable diesel engine. There's probably something similar that's used for industrial applications in your country.

If you can get one of these PSA XUD engines https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PSA_XUD_engine

That's probably your best bet, especially if you can come up with a source for free used cooking oil;)


Cheers,

John
 
I d be fitting valve stem seals first.....might reduce the consumption 80% or more,and stop the motor smoking...if you ve been using new .clean ,diesel lube oil ,then stuck rings are very unlikely.....if you ve had a coolant outage ,the a broken ring or two ,but otherwise ,no....it will be oil running down the valve stems........if you ve been using waste cooking oil fuel ,then stuck rings are possible.
 
o_O Wow, Three different themes, epanzella i know that, but i don't know how much torque i can transfer thru a oem clutch with a 200mm diameter
, but this engine will wait for a different project, i'll rather have a reliable simple diesel in a off road 4x4 when i'm far away from home.

Matt, Those XUD9 are everywhere, i've been driving them since 2002 i already have couple of them in my garage, but i don't have a turbocharged one, for the first time being an older naturally aspirated engine may be better because i can get it certificate, and later ether switch it to turbo, or just change the pump and injectors and bolt on a turbo to it.

John, i could change the head for a newer year one with oil seals there are even with hydraulic lifters and oil feed chan thceners but at that pint i'm changing the engine why not put something completely different and better, beside the diesels being more reliable than diesel fuel is 30% cheaper and it uses less of it.

This coronavirus is real hassle many of the inspection stations are closed and government bodies refuse to work if is not urgent. I'll have to phone around to see what is allowed and i'll probably continue this discussion at the vehicle thread on this forum link: https://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/1982-lada-niva.79368/page-7
 
GoceKU said:
4 stroke diesels don't use any oil, from spiking with couple of old mechanics, the engine in my niva is what known as an oil burner, it apparently doesn't have any valve stem oil seals, and the engine probably from sitting has few stuck oil scraper rings. The engine in the little niva is on its third oil jug, i'm not keeping track but its burning close to a liter of oil every 2-300 km. There's something else to consider diesel fuel is 30% cheaper here and those engines are very fuel efficient and very long lasting, there is always the option for me to keep the LPG and have it for extra power, diesels love propane almost like nitrous.
Click to expand...

Is there any way you fit oil seals to it adapted from a similar size engine even try fitting an "O" ring onto stem with a retainer to keep it against the head.
 
Bob, i'm sure there is a way to machine the valve guides, or change them for new ones with the valve seal gruve, but i'm still left with a 50's design engine that isn't that good, those engines are meant to run on the worst petrol, and have almost no compression and don't make much power and somehow are very thirsty. A cheaper option for me is to get a used head 50-100$ then to send my head to be rebuilt at a machine shop. But after what i went thru today, that engine is on borrowed time, i'll write my struggles on its thread.
 
If your authorities are like those in California then the first consideration is definitely what can you do and still pass inspection. I like the two stage process for the diesel if you have one available, do the swap for a normally aspirated one that's legit then either swap in a complete turbo engine or modify the one that's already passed inspection.

If you do end up changing the whole engine later for the turbo model (this would be my preference unless I was sure the NA shortblock was the same) you can always plead ignorance if they ask about it later.

John
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top