A silly idea that may happen.
I am being offered a 1986 Porsche 944 with a bad engine.
What is the smallest MB diesel with manual trans?
I am giving this very serious thought.
Imagine me driving a Porsche 944 with MB diesel to the Porsche owners club meets.

I can't answer the question about the motor size, but, if you ever pull that off I would love to see pics

That would be one of the sweetest mods concocted. Quirky. . .like a Fiero with a built 350 in the back.:p

__________________
1983 300SD - OLLIE
1985 300D-HILDA (SOLD)
2002 VW Jetta TDI - Puddles
____________________
Diesel passt mir leid!

Doesn't the 944 have the tranny mounted in the rear, like the 928? Great for weight distribution, but might pose a problem with fitting another motor. Still, sounds like a cool project!

Good luck.

__________________
J.B. Hebert

--------------------------
Current Vehicles:
'76 Ford Bronco
'78 Volvo 262C Bertone V8
'80 Alpina B7 Turbo Coupe (For Sale)
'94 Ford Explorer
'95 Mercedes E300D Sportline+

I think those out of 1980's 190D's are pretty small engines.
That would be a fun project
My dream is to build a nice custom T-bucket type hot rod, but put a 617 turbo-diesel in it.

__________________
past MB rides:
'68 220D
'68 220D(another one)
'67 230
'84 SD
Current rides:
'06 Lexus RX330
'93 Ford F-250
'96 Corvette
'99 Polaris 700 RMK sled
2011 Polaris Assault
'86 Yamaha TT350(good 'ol thumper)

J.B. Herbert is correct, the 944 has a transaxle mounted at the rear. The engine connects to the transaxle via a Torque Tube that is rigidly mounted to the engine & transaxle with the drive shaft located inside by bearings.

Original 944 engine is all alloy and is canted over to the right quite a way to give a low hood line. It might be quite a job to fit a M-B Diesel in there even if it is a 190 4-Cylinder.

Wouldn't be the first Diesel Porsche though. Porsche made a number of diesel tractors in the 1950's & 1960's. Also, Porsche did use M-B Automatic Transmissions in some 944's & a lot of 928's, so there is definite synergy there!!

Andy.

Sure would be a cool car but I would be looking at a VW direct injection engine ,should be smaller engine and related family sure would be a big project.............

William Rogers..........

How about the V10 of the VW Tuareg?

That puppy should have some up and go too!

Louis.

Saw one at a local dealer.... awesome.....almost $80K wow

__________________
Enough about me, how are you doing?

Just what we need, another 13 mpg Suv with enough torque to haul a bulldozer carrying a person or two commuting to work...

__________________
'84 300SD veg-oil bliss
'83 300SD veg-oil beater

Actually the V10 in the Toureg gets 17mpg/city and 23/highway. That's better than what the S500 gets for instance.

Well, thats the rated milage on one running on rollers, in a perfectly heated room, at optimal engine temp. The average trip somebody is going to use that thing for where it's started, run without reaching full engine temp, with a heavy footed driver punching away from stoplights showing off it's acceleration, I don't think it will achieve it's estimated mpg.

__________________
'84 300SD veg-oil bliss
'83 300SD veg-oil beater

I wonder if this will fit: I-12 Diesel :p

__________________
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/imag...e_steering.gif
1998 C43 ///AMG
1999 C230 Custom 5-Speed Manual

1.9L VW turbo diesel with custom oil pan, fab a mount using old VW manual bellhousing to attach to torque tube, other odds and ends. From memory, I think it'll fit, and there tilted stock. Run you $3-5K if you do the labor.



You might even have room for an intercooler.
That water cooled GT car they made with the V8 would be a better canidate, more engine bay, can handle more weight on the front stock, etc..

__________________
One more Radar Lover gone...
1982 VW Caddy diesel 406K 1.9L AAZ
1994 E320 195K

The 944 went to the bone yard.
Another friend is selling a 928 for $1000.
I am still considering the idea.

So, you cannot hate it based on its EPA ratings, so you're gonna trash it by bemoaning those ratings. The same ones that you'd be bragging about if MB brought us a 60 mpg CDI engine and plunked it up for sale tomorrow right?

So, what's your REAL issue with it, is it that VW built a status symbol that not everyone can afford?

I can easily BEAT the EPA figures for my Prius, which was tested in the exact same manner.

Personally, even though I cannot afford it, I still like it. The thought of owning a very tow capable vehicle, that can be off roaded as well (at least to the extent that I would want to), and also haul family in comfort when they are in town, gets decent fuel mileage, and that can also run on biofuels.........

Sounds like an awesome combination to me.