Smart Turbo Diesel or VW Lugo Diesel

No this aircraft is going to be manly flying to from our Ranch in North
Texas. It isn't going to be a cross country plane. I have several
reason to want to go the route of the Diesel one of which is the
ability to get / use tax free off road diesel.
Thanks,
Bill

Morgans wrote:
"bbutlergps" wrote

I am looking into a power plant for a Zenith 701. I am very interested
in going the route of a diesel. Would anybody have any information on
either the:
Smart (Mercedes) 3 cyl. 95 hp Turbo Diesel (can be chipped up to 112
hp) found in the Smart ForFour or VW Lupo or Fox (euro) 3 cyl. 1.4
liter 70 hp Turbo Diesel (can be chipped up to 108 hp)
What I am most interested in is weight and the PSRU.

Be sure if you go with an auto diesel conversion, that the fuel pump does not
need the oily content of the diesel to keep from wearing out prematurely. Jet
fuel (which I am assuming you will be using) does not lubricate as well as
diesel, and some converters have had problems with their fuel pumps, as a
result.
--
Jim in NC

"bbutlergps" wrote in message
ps.com...
No this aircraft is going to be manly flying to from our Ranch in North
Texas. It isn't going to be a cross country plane. I have several
reason to want to go the route of the Diesel one of which is the
ability to get / use tax free off road diesel.
Thanks,
Bill

Is tax free off-road diesel fuel cheaper than regular unleaded?

Kyle Boatright wrote:
"bbutlergps" wrote in message
ps.com...
No this aircraft is going to be manly flying to from our Ranch in North
Texas. It isn't going to be a cross country plane. I have several
reason to want to go the route of the Diesel one of which is the
ability to get / use tax free off road diesel.
Thanks,
Bill

Is tax free off-road diesel fuel cheaper than regular unleaded?

Tax in Texas on over the road diesel is 44.4 a gallon. However off road
disel is also cheaper than on road diesel even after you subtract the
tax and purchasing in larger quanitites. I haven't priced off road
diesel in quite some time but last time I checked it was around $1.80.
Unleaded at the pumps are at $2.15.
Bill

"bbutlergps" wrote

Tax in Texas on over the road diesel is 44.4 a gallon. However off road
disel is also cheaper than on road diesel even after you subtract the
tax and purchasing in larger quanitites. I haven't priced off road
diesel in quite some time but last time I checked it was around $1.80.
Unleaded at the pumps are at $2.15.

If you were to get a diesel working well in an airplane, you would likely see a
saving not only on fuel price, but the fact that the fuel will last longer in
the air.
--
Jim in NC

I am looking into a power plant for a Zenith 701. I am very interested
in going the route of a diesel. Would anybody have any information on
either the:
Smart (Mercedes) 3 cyl. 95 hp Turbo Diesel (can be chipped up to 112
hp) found in the Smart ForFour or VW Lupo or Fox (euro) 3 cyl. 1.4
liter 70 hp Turbo Diesel (can be chipped up to 108 hp)
What I am most interested in is weight and the PSRU.

Be sure if you go with an auto diesel conversion, that the fuel pump does
not
need the oily content of the diesel to keep from wearing out prematurely.
Jet
fuel (which I am assuming you will be using) does not lubricate as well as
diesel, and some converters have had problems with their fuel pumps, as a
result.
--
Jim in NC

Thanks for some interesting new info. I had been fascinated by the diesel
idea for a while, but gave up because of the weight penalty of the only
diesels commonly available here in the USA. The primary reason for my
interest was the continued availability of fuel (Jet-A) in the event that
gasolene ceased to be available at most airports. I suspect that the fuel
pumps for the newer electronically controlled "common rail" diesels are
fairly tolerant; but, if Jet-A and Diesel fuels are not fully
interchangeable, then diesel conversions could be very difficult to justify.

Peter

"Peter Dohm" wrote

I suspect that the fuel
pumps for the newer electronically controlled "common rail" diesels are
fairly tolerant; but, if Jet-A and Diesel fuels are not fully
interchangeable, then diesel conversions could be very difficult to justify.

This is not to say that some engines are not fully capable of burning jet fuel.
Some are.

It is just saying that you need to find out if multiple people have put some
good hours on the engine burning Jet A, without problems, before you go for it.
If it is out there, it is a good bet that someone has used it. Find out, to
avoid surprises.
--
Jim in NC

On Sun, 3 Dec 2006 08:46:47 -0500, "Morgans"
wrote:


"Peter Dohm" wrote

I suspect that the fuel
pumps for the newer electronically controlled "common rail" diesels are
fairly tolerant; but, if Jet-A and Diesel fuels are not fully
interchangeable, then diesel conversions could be very difficult to justify.

This is not to say that some engines are not fully capable of burning jet fuel.
Some are.

It is just saying that you need to find out if multiple people have put some
good hours on the engine burning Jet A, without problems, before you go for it.
If it is out there, it is a good bet that someone has used it. Find out, to
avoid surprises.
Add a bit of oil to Jet "A" and it's fine in any deisel. Kerosene is
also an option.

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

bbutlergps wrote:
Howdy,
I am looking into a power plant for a Zenith 701. I am very interested
in going the route of a diesel. Would anybody have any information on
either the:
Smart (Mercedes) 3 cyl. 95 hp Turbo Diesel (can be chipped up to 112
hp) found in the Smart ForFour or VW Lupo or Fox (euro) 3 cyl. 1.4
liter 70 hp Turbo Diesel (can be chipped up to 108 hp)
What I am most interested in is weight and the PSRU.
Thanks,
Bill


Go here...................
http://www.ecofly.de/english.htm


And then click on their prices and you will find a smart engine diesel
all ready to install into aircraft.

Hope this helps

wrote:


Go here...................
http://www.ecofly.de/english.htm


And then click on their prices and you will find a smart engine diesel
all ready to install into aircraft.

All the technical information is about the GAS version of the engine.
The listed weight is 57Kg all up for that version. As a SWAG, I'll bet
the Diesel is about 20-30% heavier.

Go here...................
http://www.ecofly.de/english.htm


And then click on their prices and you will find a smart engine diesel
all ready to install into aircraft.

All the technical information is about the GAS version of the engine.
The listed weight is 57Kg all up for that version. As a SWAG, I'll bet
the Diesel is about 20-30% heavier.


That's probably a good estimate. The only solid information that I found
while I interested in the subject was that the diesel option added about 100
pounds to the curb weight of a current production VW Golf or Jetta. My best
guess would be that 90 pounds of that is the difference in the engine
weight.

Peter