Lets hear it for Diesels.

[waynne]

There are some seriously quick diesels out there at the moment. Which diesel engined car do you reckon is the most powerful / best value? If you had to buy a diesel for a commuting job that racks up 30,000 miles per year which one would you go for?

Golf GT TDi PD 150
Engine: In-line 4-cyl, 1896cc turbo

Max power: 150bhp @ 4000rpm
Max torque: 235lb ft @ 1900rpm
0 - 60mph: 8.6sec (claimed) Nearer to 7.8 in real life (VW don't want us to know how quick these things are.
Top Speed: 134mph (claimed)
40mpg with the foot flat to the floor all the time or 65mpg cruisin.

£300 remap and you shave 2 secs or so off the 0-60 and increase power to 190bhp! Not bad at all and the economy stays pretty much the same.

[fingers]

I would also go for the Golf GT TDi, or an audi with the same motor. That engine is superb.

[HDi fun]

I have a Pug 406 2.2 HDi which dishes out 192bhp and 329 lbft torque with a bit of sympathetic ECU tuning. These are big numbers, especially the torque which is delivered in a steady stream from 1800rpm to nearly 4000 rpm. No other mods at all, just suggest you get used to shelling out for front tyres, discs and pads.

Needless to say, it goes like a bloody missile - mid range grunt ain't far short of a Boxster!

[waynne]

You can't get 4 kids and the weeks shopping in a Boxter either!

[HDi fun]

Thankfully only 2 kids - but the junk they cart around makes up for the other two, and the shopping!! I've learnt to make use a large chest freezer and buy whole beasts (cut and prepped, of course) from a couple of local farms. But I can get 'em home very very quickly

[StevieDB9]

i know a guy thats a lexus salesman, had a go in a diesel gs model, cant remember any specifics but i couldnt knock it, pretty nice. i also had a go of ma uncles ford mondeo (2004) that got a 2litre turbo, really surprised wouldnt mind one at all. sure some of the big audi diesel models would be pretty good

[waynne]

Just testing the interest in Diesel tuning with a new article in News:-

http://www.torquecars.com/news/index.php

I'm thinking we need a Diesel tuning section on the main site!

[HDi fun]

Waynne, I'll happily promote a diesel tuning section. It's likely to take a bit of time to take off as diesel is a word that doesn't enter the heads of performance enthusiasts too often. It's a close call now as to whether you save much money with a diesel car but the tuning opportunities are superb.

My 2002 Pug 406 (2.2 HDi) dishes out 192bhp and 329 lbft torque after a sympathetic ECU remap with no other mods. That's more torque than a Jag XK8 can manage.

It truly flies, 50-70 takes about 3 seconds and the acceleration available in fifth gear at 100mph is sensational. 0-60, don't care much, but a half a dozen back-to-back runs with a calibrated speedo suggests about 7 to 7.5 seconds. That's with a full tank and a passenger using the timing equipment. That isn't going much lower without the extra load weight as the biggest issue is wheelspin - it can scrabble for grip in third in the wet

I can't find a petrol car under about 3.5 litres that has anywhere near that kind of shove. And I still get around 40mpg in mixed motoring.

[xavier]

A mate of mine let me drive his chipped golf and it was really powerful it just pulled so well from a standing start and I didnt really feel like I was driving a Diesel

[maddaveuk1]

well my astra 1.7tdi gets me to 70 pretty sharpish and is very economical around 45mpg plus on run i got to borth and back to birmingham for a £10 plus ive got the low tax as well.

[HDi fun]

They do go maddave.

I've got a 2001 (so getting on a bit in years) Peugeot 406 with the 2.2HDi diesl engine. It's unusual for its time in having twin cams and sixteen valves (why do they bother with this in a diesel?).

Factory spec also includes twin balancer shafts, hydraulic clutch with servo assistance; dual mass flywheel and hydraulic engine and gearbox mountings.

So, it's a smooth drive.

You also get BOTH front seats with FULL electric adjustment (ie. up/down, incline/decline, angle, backrest etc). Self dipping mirror, cruise control, automatic wipers.

All this adds weight, or body mass.

In spite of all this weighty stuff, it goes pretty nicely in stock tune.

Remap it and you've got some pretty tasty performance available. 192bhp, 329lbft torque.

It moves my car quite nicely, despite it's kerb weight over 1400kg

[Izo Azlion]

I'd go for a Golf GT TDI Sport 07 and Remap it..


... Oh wait, I already did.



If I could have any diesel, it'd be that W12 500bhp R8 Diesel. Screw practicality!

[HDi fun]

Mine's in hospital at the moment - dual mass flywheel is causing vibration problems. Warranty job all being well, and will use this to get the clutch changed at the same time thereby avoiding labour costs.

[waynne]

It complaining at the hard life it leads Hope you get it sorted soon. How long do you reckon you'll be without it? Did you get a good courtesy car?

PS: I'd really love a picture of a flywheel - it is the one part I have not been able to photograph easily as few people change them. If you get a chance and I know it is a long shot PLEASE can you see if you can get a pic of the flywheel (or anyone else for that matter!)

[jarrus]

I love the old XUDT9 engine i got in my pug

Standard it has 92hp and 145lb/ft
and does 42mpg combined

ok in todays terms those figures are quite appaling really but...
with a little tweaking big gains can be seen and these old engines are as reliable as a wood burning stove....and about as complicated as one...
plus they will burn vegtable oil with out it being proccessed to make bio diesel

my gramps had 200k out of his and sold it to his mate and it never missed a beat even when he was towing a caravan

plus the torque curve on them are flat when they peak.....

[jarrus]

Originally Posted by HDi fun

Remap it and you've got some pretty tasty performance available. 192bhp, 329lbft torque.

It moves my car quite nicely, despite it's kerb weight over 1400kg

I would love to swap the 2.0 hdi out of a 306 for this engine would go like a rocket!!!
plus you got to love the handling of those 306's

[HDi fun]

306 with my engine would be quite something. The 406 is heavy at over 1400kg but it's still lively.

I agree that the 306 is a better handler than the 406. Again, this is down to its lighter weight, which, in my opinion is a good thing in any car. Mine can be a bit nose heavy if you push very hard.

Would the 2.2 unit go under the bonnet of the 306?

[Prince]

The 406 wasn't built to be raced though, it was built as a family car.

[jarrus]

Originally Posted by HDi fun

306 with my engine would be quite something. The 406 is heavy at over 1400kg but it's still lively.

I agree that the 306 is a better handler than the 406. Again, this is down to its lighter weight, which, in my opinion is a good thing in any car. Mine can be a bit nose heavy if you push very hard.

Would the 2.2 unit go under the bonnet of the 306?

I think it would....I've heard mutters over the forums of pug306.net

thats it's doable but to find and engine and a car with low miles is hard else i would undertake the project myself...and i would try and get silly power from it...

my cars was 10 years old in jan and it's done about 42000 miles all genuine and to find a hdi in that kinda nick i hard....

[HDi fun]

The engines themselves are pretty tough wearing and will absorb mileage well if they're serviced properly. Which isn't cheap.

The 406's are definitely biased towards comfort but the 2.2HDi has the stiffer suspension that the V6 and Coupe models have. So, it's an improvement over the lower models.

But still no match for my Primera on the twisty stuff. Not much is really, the P11's all handle sensationally with superb steering feedback and a front suspension that keeps the wheels vertical all the time.

[kai_mitsurugi]

Last week I went in a Golf GT TDI 2.0 170 and I couldn't believe how fast it was. I thought my Dad's Octavia 1.9 TDI 110 was fast but this was unbelievable. The only bad thing with it was that it had DSG but no flappy paddles which only comes on the petrol Golf's. I prefer a manual. Much more fun with that kind of power.

I'm planning to get a Fabia VRS in a few months. Few mods planned already like Eibach Springs and a rear anti roll bar to sort out the handling. I may remap depending on my finances as one you push past about 170 bhp you need a new clutch to cope with the torque and they are not cheap. May keep it for a year or two and then get an Octavia VRS TDI. Same engine as the Golf but a good few grand cheaper! People still don't see past the badge.

[Izo Azlion]

Originally Posted by kai_mitsurugi

Last week I went in a Golf GT TDI 2.0 170 and I couldn't believe how fast it was. I thought my Dad's Octavia 1.9 TDI 110 was fast but this was unbelievable. The only bad thing with it was that it had DSG but no flappy paddles which only comes on the petrol Golf's. I prefer a manual. Much more fun with that kind of power.

I'm planning to get a Fabia VRS in a few months. Few Modifications planned already like Eibach Springs and a rear anti roll bar to sort out the handling. I may remap depending on my finances as one you push past about 170 bhp you need a new clutch to cope with the torque and they are not cheap. May keep it for a year or two and then get an Octavia VRS TDI. Same engine as the Golf but a good few grand cheaper! People still don't see past the badge.

Hehe, I have one of those

GT TDI Rocks

[pgarner]

have you seen this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BvjJjL7Z50
quite a lot done to it. inc propane gas and i think nitrous kit.

[kai_mitsurugi]

Yep seen that. I'm on a skoda forum. There's a few on there claiming 300bhp