diesel conversion
 

there's plenty of info about converting bikes by changing the motor for a diesel, but is there any such thing as converting a petrol engine to run on diesel?
out of interest as much as anything, but a TDI boxer might be fun...
cheers,
andy.

I`m certainly no expert, but I am sure diesel engines require much higher compression than petrol ones to facilitate combustion and therefore it would not work. I would also like a diesel bike. There is one commercially available which is Adventure style I seem to remember. I don`t count the Royal Enfield thing by the way.

Anything is possible -:)

Looking at the costs... buy a ready diesel engine instead -;)

However, if you really want to do it, sure it can be done.

Petrol engines use 6:1 to 12:1, diesel engines use 17:1 to 23:1.

The flamefront is different so one must use compleatly different pistons and combustion chamber...
To best understand what you are embarking on - start with reading:
Internal Combustion Engine Fundamentals by Prof John B Heywood at MIT.
ISBN: 0-07-100499-8.
Guess it costs about 80USD - well worth it and very easy reading -:)

Keeps us posted on your progress!

-:)

I recently sold a boat that was powered by a petrol motor that had been commercially converted to diesel, (Watermota Sea Panther) it was a Ford motor with a flat cylinder head and only needed special pistons in order to achieve the desired compression, a custom made timing chest with an extra long camchain driving a rotary injection pump, injectors aimed down the plug holes and away it went, I always thought that the old K series BMW motors might lend themselves to a conversion of this type, even accommodating a turbocharger underneath the engine where all of the exhausts come together, a diesel boxer motor would be interesting.

Stewart

cheers
 

thanks for your interest and replies, guys.
i knew i'd have to change pistons and thought that would suffice as far as combustion chamber.
i'm keen for the diesel boxer, not interested in buying another motor and making it fit in the bike. injectors through the plug holes, of course!
this idea's been banging around my head for a couple of years now, and may stay an idea for a while longer too. i've got the book on order though...

I think you are looking for something like this.

http://www.dieselbike.net/gordongloverarticle.JPG

they don't make them like they used to :)

Diesel BMW's
 

Enough! This must be blasphemy! No more diesel talk (please!!) Wash your mouth out with soap! :)

Would love to test a R100PD converted to diesel Tim!

Can you imageon the 30L tank filled with diesel using somewhere around 2-3L/100km instead of about 6L/100km gasolen?! What an operation range one would get -:)

Go for it Andy!
K75-1100 diesel - wouldn't that be something?! -:D

BMW is no longer a beemer producer - they've switched to making "rise-cookers". That -is- sacrilegious! -:D