Tuned 2.4L Diesel: Experiences & Modifications

Hi!
There's an exotic Tempo Trax off-road vehicle from India that is somewhat similar to the Land Rover. It has a 2.4-liter diesel engine with 90 horsepower.
It's probably the diesel engine used in taxis, if I understand correctly. So, it's quite robust and a good base to modify with a turbocharger upgrade and a larger intercooler.

Have you ever done something like that? If so, they might be able to find the right engine for a T3, although we'd have to consider the mechanical connections. But I actually have something completely different in mind, or rather, I'm dreaming of: completely replacing the entire drivetrain.

Regards,
Dirk.

Hello,

The old DC motors were virtually indestructible simply because they were huge and heavy, offered very little power, and never achieved high speeds, as that wouldn't have provided any real benefit.

There have always been turbo kits and modified ECUs available for the 240/300 models, but with the 'Unbreakable' version, things changed. Then, the engine, transmission, and differential would start to fail.

If you run a TDI engine at only 2500 RPM and without turbo boost, then reaching 500,000 kilometers (approximately 310,000 miles) is definitely achievable (excluding the timing belt).

Hello.

The Tempo Trax Gurkha (what a cool name) has the old 2.4L Mercedes-Benz diesel engine, as you correctly pointed out. In addition to the turbocharger and a different fuel injection pump (which also needs to be able to adjust boost pressure), it also features piston-bowl oil cooling.
I believe the older W123 300TD Turbodiesel model did not have piston cooling.
The engine was also available in the C123 model, as well as the W116 and W126 models, in America.
Especially in a place where they supposedly care so much about fuel consumption.
Was done to keep the fuel consumption of the fleet low.
"If you're going to do it, I'd suggest getting a 300D and doing a complete turbo conversion (cylinder head, intake manifolds, turbocharger, etc.). An oil cooler should also be included. But even with that, it's not really economical; it will still consume up to 15 liters of diesel."
It would be interesting, for example, to upgrade a Mercedes/Puch G ).

Hi!
Sure, when you modify an engine like that, it's obvious that its lifespan will decrease.
However, when I see the 70hp JX turbo-diesel in a T3, it can be brought up to 90hp with an intercooler and adjustable turbo – and the lifespan isn't necessarily compromised as much. Typically, these engines can last around 100,000 to 120,000 km before the cylinder head needs replacing. With tuning, some people even achieve more mileage, as the engine is less likely to be revved highly. Ultimately, it also depends on the driving style.

Tempo is the name of the company. After the German Tempo three-wheeled vehicle production was sold to India a long time ago, they have done more than just build three-wheelers there. Nowadays, they offer a wide range of vehicles.

http://www.kahns.de/KFZ/Tempo/Trax_Prospekte/hauptteil_trax_prospekte.html

Piston cooling is definitely awesome, it's a must-have. Oil cooling is already a requirement. However, 15 liters is disappointing and frankly, unacceptable.
Ultimately, I need a diesel engine with approximately 120 horsepower and 250 Nm of torque, and it should be reliable for 200,000 to 300,000 kilometers. That would be ideal. It should ideally be a 2.4-liter engine. Currently, 1.9-liter TD engines are being tuned to around 100 horsepower and installed in Syncros because otherwise, the transmissions would fail. The 'performance' is moderately tolerable, but not great. That's all there is to it. That's why I'm considering a different powertrain.

Ideally, the motor should be fitted with a suitable 5-speed gearbox, and there should be space underneath for a differential or at least a shaft. An automatic transmission is also a possibility, as it would help protect the gearbox components.

Regards,
Dirk.

.
Ultimately, I need a diesel engine with approximately 120 horsepower and 250 Nm of torque, and it should be reliable for 200,000 to 300,000 kilometers – that would be ideal.
Regards,
Dirk.

Why don't you want an AFN or ALH or something like that? Do they not fit in the T3, or is it more likely due to the price?

Hi!
Sure, people often use AFN (presumably a type of vehicle) to enter the T3 (likely a specific area or zone), and it happens all the time.

'Just a heads-up: it doesn't last very long! The gearboxes are designed for a maximum of 200 Nm of torque, of course, depending on the driving style and the actual load caused by the vehicle's weight and driving habits.'

Furthermore, a proper center differential is missing (the Viscodose is only a moderately suitable substitute with small advantages and large disadvantages), you effectively only have 5 gears (the 1st gear is a low-range gear), and most importantly, there is no low-range gearing .

If you were to retrofit all of that (of course, it would be a huge undertaking, but bigger things have been done), you would end up with an absolutely amazing off-road campervan.

The T3Syncro 16' is already very good, as even experienced 4WD drivers are constantly impressed by it, but it has limitations in terms of its lifespan, especially if you want a reasonably powerful engine. And unfortunately, it's simply not possible to get a powerful engine for it.

The mentioned 120 hp/250 Nm could also be considered a lower limit; 130-140 hp and 300 Nm would be preferable, but that likely wouldn't be possible with the existing Trax components.

Regards,
Dirk.

Hi,

Or how about an AAT or AEL engine?
These are the old 5-cylinder TDI engines from Audi.
With the AAT engine, you get 115 horsepower and 265 Nm of torque, with a fuel consumption of around 6 liters.
The AEL engine produces 140 horsepower and 290 Nm of torque - probably a bit too powerful for the T3.

I'm bringing this up because I've occasionally seen T3 engines used with Audi 5-cylinder gasoline engines online. Maybe it could work with diesel engines too.

If you replace the timing belt with every refueling, it will last much longer than 300,000 km...

Hello,

Unfortunately, the 5-cylinder TDI engine in the T3 Syncro causes significant vibrations in the drivetrain. Furthermore, the gearbox suffers quite a bit from the 265 Nm of torque. I recently saw one that was completely worn out after only 100,000 km, despite having reinforced gears, and you should expect similar issues with earlier models.

I don't know which engine is in the Trax, but there used to be a turbo conversion kit from the company TSH Tuning for the Mercedes 290GD, which included a variable turbocharger from Aerodyne. This was in early 1996, just before VW released their own version. The whole thing then produced 115 hp and 250 Nm of torque. I still have a brochure for it.

Hello.
Wolfgang.

What do you think of this website?

http://www.syncro-bernd-jaeger.de/

If I only had more money

Bernd Jäger is considered a reliable source for T3 Syncros and is definitely cheaper than VW. He's also friendly and helpful on the phone, and what he does seems to be well-executed. I haven't done any business with him yet, although I already own many items from his inventory.
What is probably most interesting is his mechanical TDI engine, which many VW bus long-distance travelers would love to have. However, I prefer to learn to live with the electronics, which is why I read here in the forum.

Hello.
Wolfgang.

Hi!
Sure, that's possible. Many people have tried it before, but the results were either vibrations (people dreamed of using split drive shafts) or destroyed gearboxes because they were too powerful for the T3 gearboxes.

My solution, or rather my idea, is to completely change the drivetrain of the T3. Specifically, I'm thinking of using the axles with individual wheel suspension from a Trax, and then adding a nice engine and a proper 4WD gearbox with a reduction gear.
The Trax diesel has a 2.4L engine, 180Nm of torque, and a 1:2 reduction gear. Therefore, the differentials should be able to handle a reasonable amount of stress, as long as you're not doing extreme off-roading.

With a completely different drivetrain, hopefully, the problems with vibrations will also disappear, as it will have completely different drive shafts and suspension.

As mentioned, the engine would have a respectable 120-140 horsepower and around 250-300 Nm of torque, which would be great if you could finally accelerate without worrying about the transmission. AFN engines with 110 horsepower and 250 Nm are already used with the standard transmission, but they typically last only 50,000-100,000 km, which isn't ideal for a vehicle intended for long-distance travel.

I know BJ; I've done business with him before. He's a seasoned professional, and I trust him, even though as a mechanical engineer, I might approach some things differently.

Regards,
Dirk.