Hills, hills, hills

[CIDE]

I've been looking through the site and I've been curious about the power that I'd need for my area while still keeping the economy that I'm looking for in a diesel bike. If anyone knows the region I'm in Eastern Washington State (USA) with my town sitting at the bottom of a valley. To go virtually anywhere it's uphill with varying degrees of incline. To top it off I'm not exactly a small guy coming in at 250 lbs (114 kg).

Would the smaller generator motors be enough to tote me around?

[Byrdman]

Hello and welcome to the nuthouse.

I think the first question is how small a genset (and engine) are you thinking about? The very small air-cooled, single cylinder engines will get you up the hill but you will not be doing it with any sort of speed. The larger, multi-cylinder, liquid cooled engines are probably what you'll need.

I've spent quite a bit of time in the Seattle area as well as down by the mountain and I would lean toward a bigger engine.

[CIDE]

I wouldn't mind the smaller engines at all. Be easier to work on, better economy, etc. But it'd end up being more than just a commuter bike. I'd eventually be making trips to other places in the state. Even going from Yakima over to Seattle over one of the passes. I guess this was more a common sense issue with me now that I think about it. I'd need one of the bigger motors.

If it wouldn't likely cost so much to do it though I would go as far as to put a car motor (like the Jetta) into the bike. I did hear about the smaller Lupo (did I spell that right?) being used but I'm not sure I'd be able to get a hold of one of these motors. I'm not sure with going that big either that the economy would be worth it anymore.

[TedV]

the VW 4 cyl car motors out of Rabbit/Jetta/Golf are easy to get here in the US. You can get the 3cyl from the Lupo and Polo shipped here. The problem and weak link is the transmission. I want something dead reliable. I'm waiting on a transmision to come to market that will solve the reliability issue. keep in mind I have sheared 2nd gear out of my autocross car with a built 1.6 turbo diesel. That trans has been used and abused for years tho.

[CIDE]

Oh, yeah. A friend of mine is sitting on a Jetta right now that he'd sell (entire car) for $500. The transmission too is kind of a weak link with the second project I had in mind and haven't even bothered touching for that coupled with financial reasons (it'd be way more expensive than anything else I'm doing or planning).

I've heard the same thing about importing engines too. I just don't seem to have the same kind of luck/skill involved in finding them. Otherwise there'd be a few things I'd be working on with cars going all the way back to high school.

[Sphere]

CIDE, I'm in your "class". The only reason I have faith in my conversion is that Holland is flat as a pancake, not counting a certain region we should give away to Belgium...

[CIDE]

TedV:

Do you know how I'd get a one of the Lupo motors shipped over here? My googling isn't really getting me anywhere. Same with the diesel Smart engine.

Sphere:
Yeah, that'd be convenient. Problem is I love the hills and the mountains. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

[TedV]

Go search Freds' tdiclub forum for bleachedbora. From time to time he can get the 1.2 and 1.4 motors. They are PD type. from memory he can import the new long block, and used wire harness & computer for $5K US or there about. Maybe more now. Do not tackle unless you are real good at fabrication and working out VW wireing harnesses.

Diesel smart engine you can source via canada, if I rumor is true.

[pietenpol2002]

A more reasonable option would be a 3 cylinder Kubota or Yanmar which are plentiful here in the states, and quite inexpensive by comparison. Additionally, new and used parts can be had right down the road from you. You'll find a good number of them utilized by builders here on dieselbike.net. Numerous models also with turbocharging to tackle your high altitude pulls.

[CIDE]

I have been looking at some of those as well. Thing with them is whenever I look on ebay I'm still looking at prices of $3k+ unless it's a junked motor. Generally speaking too I see "local pickup only". Maybe I'm just not looking at the right places for all this. I did find a site where they're claiming to sell 25hp V Twin Punsun's for 800+ with only $280 shipping fee. But I got a bad vibe from the site.

[TnFan]

Try the A1biofuel.net website.
They have a lot of good information there.
They are out of their main stock, but they may
have an oddball V-Twin Punsun or Winsun laying
around that you can get.
TnFan