Posted by R Davis on Tuesday, November 28, 2000 at 01:09:08:
In Reply to: please correct me if I am wrong here... posted by Roy Sanders on Thursday, November 23, 2000 at 16:58:27:
I believe the post was about a 6cyl.103hp diesel as opposed to a 125net hp stock 251L-6
Also the 251 reaches max. torque at 2500 or less rpms according to some post I've read.
Diesels use higher gearing than gas burners due to their lower operating rpms,so a gearchange or OD unit would be needed.This cost plus the cost of adapting and purchasing a diesel is somewhat prohibitive to the average guy.Seems anyone who can afford to do a diesel swap would not be worried about fuel mileage.If the cost of a diesel swap averages $2000 more than a good 251 rebuild with a few HI-PO components,and you could deduct $10 from each fill up in the diesel as fuel saved over the gaser, it would take 200 fill ups or at 1 fill up a week it would take approx. 4yrs to recoupe what you spent on the diesel swap,that is if it doesn't average more for the diesel swap than $2000.
As long as I've owned my WM300 I've averaged about a 100 mi. a week,it would take me years to recoupe the cost of a diesel swap in fuel saved.