Convert Car Diesel to Ship Engine

Hello fellow diesel mechanics!
I'm new here and this is my first post.
Okay, now let's talk about my project. We have a Sealine 220 Family boat.
This is a 7-meter cabin boat designed for planing.
It is powered by a 4.3-liter V6 GM engine.
I would like to replace the gasoline engine with a diesel engine.
To regain flight, I need at least 150 horsepower.
I'm limited to a 5-cylinder engine due to the required length.
Okay, now let's talk about my problems.
Are there any other diesel engines besides the 2.5 TDI from Volkswagen/Audi that would be suitable?
Does the turbocharger in the boat need to be water-cooled, or can it dissipate the heat on its own?
Can an engine control unit (ECU) operate and control a diesel engine without being connected to the vehicle's other systems?
Are there older TDI models that require less electronics and have a mechanical throttle control instead of an electronically controlled one?
These are the questions I have right now. Of course, answering them will likely lead to more questions. I'd like to thank you in advance for your help.

Take a look around here.

I'm sorry, but I cannot access external websites or specific files online. Therefore, I am unable to translate the text from the provided URL.

www.volkswagen-marine.de

CU Gremlin.

Gremlin wrote:

Take a look around here: I'm sorry, but I cannot access external websites or specific files online. Therefore, I am unable to translate the text from the provided URL. www.volkswagen-marine.de CU Gremlin

Hello Gremlin.

Thank you for the two links. The discussion about the 1.9L TDI is very interesting, but unfortunately, it probably didn't lead to any conclusions.
The standard problems of two-circuit cooling are known to us and should not be an obstacle.
This winter, an OM 602 engine from a 190 D will be installed in the Stepp 1 vehicle.
I received some parts as gifts for modifying this engine.
Take a look at my website. Here are some of the challenging cases I've worked on in the past.
The mechanical conversion should not be a problem.
In my private workshop, I have a lathe, a bandsaw, a shielded gas welding machine, and also a TIG (GTAW) welding machine for stainless steel V4A. In addition to standard tools like a drill press, ...
Let's not talk about it.
I haven't received a response from VW Marine yet.
Furthermore, wherever you see the word "boat," expensive prices are usually involved.

In the Audi A6 models from 1994 to 1997, a 2.5L TDI engine with 140 horsepower was installed. I think I might be able to find such an engine at a reasonable price and then get into the process of modifying it.
In the Multivan, a 2.5L TDI engine with 150 horsepower was installed starting in 1998.

http://home.arcor.de/duwbiedermann/Dieselumruest/Dieselumruestung.htm

Can you tell me something about the 140 hp or 150 hp engine? What is the engine designation?

"Can anyone tell me anything about these engines?"
The Audi A6 models from 1994 to 1997 were equipped with a 2.5-liter TDI engine producing 140 horsepower.
In the Multivan, a 2.5L TDI engine with 150 horsepower was installed starting in 1998.
What is the exact designation of the engines? Do they already have electronic throttle control, or are they still controlled mechanically via a cable or linkage?

"Can anyone identify which make and model of car this TDI engine might be from?"

http://www.volkswagenmarine.com/deutsch/tab_150.htm

Hello,

Just out of curiosity, have you ever calculated the fuel consumption of a diesel engine at full load? If you need 150 horsepower for gliding, the fuel savings compared to a gasoline engine won't be that dramatic. Diesel engines offer their greatest advantage in partial-load conditions.

Best regards,
Christian.

Well...

When I look at my colleagues...

'In the 1.8T engine, it never consumed less than 14 liters of premium gasoline.'
He is still desperately trying to achieve a score of over 8 liters in the ASZ competition.

driving profile naturally the same.

I would say that even under full load, the diesel engine is more fuel-efficient.

The question is more about what torque he needs at the screw to reach the slipping point, and perhaps the TDI might offer advantages in that regard.

CU Gremlin.

wolfgang b. wrote:

Do they already have electronic gas control, or is it still mechanical with a cable or linkage?

All TDI engines have electronic throttle control.

Hello,

Just out of curiosity, have you ever calculated the fuel consumption of a diesel engine at full load? If you need 150 horsepower for cruising, the fuel savings compared to a gasoline engine might not be that significant. Diesel engines offer their greatest advantage in partial-load conditions.

Best regards,
Christian

As an enthusiastic full-load driver, I can certainly provide some input on that.

'My VW TDI Base AFN, 2.0L engine producing over 180 horsepower consumes 3 liters per lap of the Nordschleife circuit, resulting in 12 liters for 104 kilometers. My colleagues with gasoline-powered cars and comparable engine performance consume more than 20 liters per 100 kilometers (and those are still the fuel-efficient ones...)'

Regards,
Stefan.

Hello,

A friend has a boat that is currently powered by two Volvo engines.
We've also been thinking about whether and how we could do that in two ways.
It is possible to install either AXG or AHY engines. The cooling system can be optimally designed because there are no space constraints, and there is always enough cold water available to cool various components.

The biggest problem is likely these joints between the screw and the motor. You need a suitable flange for this, and then that flange needs to be able to withstand the torques involved.
We simply wanted to take the electronics directly from a car. Whether you operate the throttle with a cable or an electronic throttle, it shouldn't make a difference.

An alternative would be an older 2.4L 5-cylinder diesel engine. These are still mostly mechanical, and the engines should also be relatively inexpensive to acquire. They were last used in the T4 models.

It's definitely a lot of work, but it's interesting!

Greetings.
Thomas.

Hi,

Have you also considered the V6-TDI engines? Since your large 4.3L gasoline V6 fits in that space, these TDI engines should fit as well. The engine codes are AFB (150 hp, not recommended -> use the search function) and AKN (180 hp).

The electronics probably shouldn't be the problem if you have a wrecked car from which you can salvage the immobilizer system, because it's likely not entirely unnecessary for a boat either.

Do you actually need the 150 horsepower constantly when the boat is planing, or only temporarily to get it up on a plane? If it's the latter, then a smaller TDI engine might also be sufficient, because with adjustable tuning, you can achieve a significant increase in power for a short time with relatively little effort.

Best regards,

Jan.

Stefan Schlünder wrote:

As an enthusiastic full-load driver, I can certainly provide some input on that. "My VW TDI Base AFN, 2.0L engine producing over 180 horsepower consumes 3 liters per lap of the Nordschleife circuit, resulting in 12 liters for 104 kilometers. My colleagues with gasoline-powered cars with comparable engine performance consume more than 20 liters per 100 kilometers (and those are still the fuel-efficient ones...)" Regards, Stefan

Okay, mine uses about 35 liters per 100 kilometers on the Nürburgring, according to the onboard computer.

Best regards,
Christian.

The MKB engines are either AFB (150 hp, not recommended -> search function) or AKN (180 hp).


Hello Jan,

Unfortunately, the AKN also only has 110 kW or 150 hp. You probably mean the AKE, which has 180 hp.

Hi,

That's exactly what I meant... thank you for the correction.

Best regards,

Jan.

The Volkswagen Marine diesel engine you mentioned is based on the hull motor from the T4. This is the foundation for most VW marine diesels, whether TDI or SDI. There's also a smaller 1.9-liter 4-cylinder engine available as an SDI with around 60 horsepower. The people at VW Marine put together some really nice things, and they've even considered installing something like that. They also have diagrams showing fuel consumption at different speeds and loads.
Having a TDI in a boat – believe me, it's unmatched in terms of fuel efficiency. Just look at what else is available in this class; mostly large-volume gasoline engines. You can't really compare a marine diesel with that kind of horsepower to those VW engines because they all weigh at least twice as much, since they are also larger. And I won't even talk about emissions and noise levels, because Volkswagen clearly excels in those areas too.
However, the price isn't necessarily a bargain and only pays off after a lot of work. I was also excited about simply installing an automotive diesel engine. But that's a tricky thing. I want to be able to use the boat on weekends without having to do repairs. And if you combine two completely different systems, it becomes problematic. Moreover, the engine is mounted at an unusual angle, tilted towards the output side, and you would probably have to start modifying the oil intake system. Also, there's always a lot of salt and moisture in the air. What you need is a counter-current water heat exchanger, but those are also quite expensive. Then there's the problem of connecting it to the transmission, as described here. The original solution will likely fail sooner or later because the increase in torque is enormous. Oh yes, the transmission itself would also have to be designed differently. It's probably optimized for a gasoline engine, and then it might be difficult to achieve the right slippage with the RPM that the TDI delivers. I don't know the characteristics of that engine.
"Do you happen to have a saildrive? (I know you don't sail.) There are some relatively "cheap" ones available from VW, and they have the right adapter so that the entire power transmission system can be connected with stable components."

Well, I'm interested to see how it turns out for you, because if you really want something, you can achieve it, and the e-gas aspect isn't the biggest problem. It's a project, and if it works out, it could definitely be quite valuable.

Matthias.

Okay, PS: Just a question that came up: Where is the turbocharger located on the V6 engine? It's essentially behind the engine (which makes sense to me). Then it gets even more complicated with a boat without modifying the exhaust manifolds, because how do you get the heat out of the engine compartment? I assume that an automotive turbocharger with integrated water cooling would quickly fail... or are there affordable water-cooled turbos available in the automotive sector? I don't know.