JK130 | Custom TDI Diesel Parallel Hybrid Jeep Wrangler with composite camper build.
- Thread starter straypoet
- Start date
nickw
Adventurer
I will definitely add another crossmember. I need a driveshaft carrier bearing since I don’t want that long of a driveshaft, so I am intending to crawl under a gladiator and check out how it is set up. Might be able to use that arrangement. In any case yeah, I will be adding another support.
I intend to build my own aluminum diesel tanks. ( Unless I can find inexpensive 20 gallon rectangular plastic tanks that will fit) They will be mounted behind the front cab, under the camper. I will fab them up, and figure out mounting once the engine is in, and the driveline is sorted out. ( that way I can be sure I have clearance)
I intend to have dual 20 gallon tanks. So I can carry 40 gallons of Diesel if needed; though I will likely rarely have them both full at the same time.
I will just swap left/right each time I fill up, that way the diesel stays fresh in both tanks. I am hoping to have a 1,000+ mile range with both tanks full.. nice to fill up in Fairbanks, and do the Dalton round-trip without buying fuel on the way.
I think you have a few things working against you for your 25 mpg goal, namely wind resistance (between camper and lift), tire size and if in the Northern Climates, the temperature. I had a Jetta TDI (and seriously thought about converting a Jeep later on) and the winter mileage was a few % lower than summer, between that and my little skinny winter tires I bet I was down 5-8 MPG (at least) over the std setup. If you really need 1000+ mile range, I'd consider larger tanks. I know some of the samurai & jeep conversion guys were getting 30+ (not all of them), but most were on lighter stock rigs with std tires. Regardless, my opinion is just bench racing at this point, looking forward to seeing what it does in the field!
straypoet
Active member
Yeah, 25mpg is an ambitious goal.
I am hoping that the additional 1-2mpg that I hope to gain with the parallel hybrid drive will get me there, but only time will tell.
The mild-hybrid adds only about 1mpg to the 1500 5.7 hemi, so I am just guessing that I will gain 2mpg in the lighter diesel application.
Most of the gains would be from capturing regenerative braking and then dumping that back into the drivetrain on acceleration, but on long trips, there really isn't a lot of stop/go anyway, so then it is just a matter of turning hydrocarbons into mechanical energy.
MPG and range aren't necessities. I will be happy with what 40 gallons and the TDI give me. Can't beat physics; there is only so much energy in a gallon of diesel.
I do remember 18 years ago driving a brand-new 2003 F250 PowerStroke pulling a trailer loaded with a 1993 YJ on it from long island back to Pennsylvania and getting 20mpg average for the trip.
So maybe I will be pleasantly surprised.
Oh, and I think that most of the MPG loss in winter is because of the lower cetane rating of the 'winter mix diesel', and also the longer idle-warm-up-times. Or at least that is what I remember from when I used to live in the land of snow.
Was that hand calculated or going off the gauge? My 2000 Stupid duty gauge has said 20MPG since I bought it. Stop and go city traffic? 20MPG, Towing 20K? 20MPG LOL.....
straypoet
Active member
Off the gauge. Lol.
I had borrowed the truck from a friend for the trip, and I always remembered that mpg reading. When driving the YJ after I fixed it up and painted it, I would lament getting 15mpg, and wonder how I could load it up on a trailer and tow it, and still get better mileage. ?
What kind of mileage do you get when hand-calculating? And do you have the 7.3?
kootenay
Intergalacticsuperintendent
Yep I had an 02 7.3 20mpg empty, with 1.5yards of dirt or pulling two bobcats over a mountain pass it did not matter. Those old 7.3 are dead head motors, no fuel return line. The 7.3 was a great motor, but loud. I still get to drive one weekly, I have a hard time hearing dispatch on the radio if going up a hill.
straypoet
Active member
I am going to keep this short, as it is after 9PM, I just got back from the garage and I am beat.
Got the frame mounts moved forward, and the modified areas of the frame painted:
I put on new copper nickel brake lines.
Don't buy this kind of tubing bender: It kinks the tubing, and you will end up just doing it by hand anyway:
I rolled the frame under the body tub, and though my method for raising and lowering the body is low-tech, it seems to work ok.
And: here it is on the frame:
Spent $60 on paint, and another roll of flux core wire.
Feels great to have the body back on the frame!!!!
Im going to bed.
Got the frame mounts moved forward, and the modified areas of the frame painted:
I put on new copper nickel brake lines.
Don't buy this kind of tubing bender: It kinks the tubing, and you will end up just doing it by hand anyway:
I rolled the frame under the body tub, and though my method for raising and lowering the body is low-tech, it seems to work ok.
And: here it is on the frame:
Spent $60 on paint, and another roll of flux core wire.
Feels great to have the body back on the frame!!!!
Im going to bed.
Highway is 17. Towing my giant goosneck toy hauler at 15K it gets 12-13. Worst ever was going through Colorado towing 20K at 10MPG. But with 35 MT's and a 6" lift it's not that bad. My 97 at stock height and tires was the same towing but would actually get 20 if you were nice to it on the freeway.
Also, nice choice on the brake lines. They will last forever.
straypoet
Active member
Ordered a cheap diesel lift pump for the test-stand ($20), and a replacement coolant flange, that was originally for a 2002 VW Beetle TDI. ($15) (It has fewer connections than the original part), and will allow me to just use the coolant output, and the heater core output, plus a temp sensor. The original flange used a connection for a heat-exchanger on the oil filter. I am thinking I will just use a regular oil cooler if needed. That will simplify things.
Total: $35
I am working on the engine today; hope to pick up some oil, and a filter and get the fluids in there at-least. Probably won't actually have time to start it up until next week.
Total: $35
I am working on the engine today; hope to pick up some oil, and a filter and get the fluids in there at-least. Probably won't actually have time to start it up until next week.
straypoet
Active member
I was able to get the body bolted to the frame, and do some minor things to the engine, and do a general clean-up of the work area.
I am now moving into the driveline side of the conversion.
Things to be done and figured out over the next month or two:
I am now moving into the driveline side of the conversion.
Things to be done and figured out over the next month or two:
- Build adaptor plate between engine/transmission
- Make flywheel adaptor
- Decide if I need to move the rear transmission mount forward an inch or so.
- Decide if I will mount one or both of the etorque motors on the adaptor plate, driving the rear of the crank. (Oil bath chain most likely, if I do this.)
- Figure out engine mounts.
- Make, or buy remote oil filter adaptor.
- Fab up additional frame crossmember.
- Install carrier bearing on crossmember.
- Lengthen rear driveshaft.
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How much power do they actually put out?
straypoet
Active member
According to the published specs, they are 12KW (15HP), and with the reduction drive that they originally came with (about 2.5:1) they can deliver 160ftlbs of torque to the crank.
Which is really a lot of power for their size. I think that the 12KW is a peak measurement, I am really only expecting to be able to drive them at about 8-10KW constant.
Still, that is a lot of power for something so small. The physical size of these are about 1.5x the size of a normal alternator.
My original plan was to use one of these only, and mount it on the front like all other Belt Driven Starter/generators, but after thinking about it, and looking at how the front of the crank on the TDI is made, I began to wonder if it was a wise idea to put 160ftlbs of additional torque on the very front of the crank. I know that a TDI (specifically the BHW TDI) has a strong crank, and I have seen dyno results with over 400ftlbs of torque.... but that torque is generated along the whole length of the crank, I worry that if I apply 160ftlbs of torque to the front of the crank, that it will spin the keyway, and ruin the engine.
After all, this is from a 5.7 liter Hemi engine. the 3.6 in the (2021) wrangler has a smaller BSG, and the 2.0t, had one smaller yet. (I understand the 2.0 is discontinued in 2022)
I may be over thinking, and could just set up the controller so that it never puts that much torque on the engine at low speeds... I am still pondering this.
My current solution would be to use a chain inside the adaptor plate, to drive a sprocket in between the engine and the flywheel. (I would have this in an oil-bath, separated from the engine, and the clutch/flywheel)
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Not all the power would be transmitted to the crank. You would have a fair amount of loss in the PS pump and water pump. I don't think 1 of them would be an issue. 2 on the other had might start to push the limits.
On some of the race trucks we would run a second alt off the trans output shaft. You might be able to do this also if packaging becomes an issue.
On some of the race trucks we would run a second alt off the trans output shaft. You might be able to do this also if packaging becomes an issue.