Diesel Convertible ?

[Grease Cruiser]

So, I am getting closer to building up my troopie and I still have not narrowed down to which motor I want to use. I go back and forth of keeping it a gasser or dieselizing. Since this rig will be a daily driver and my wife will be driving it a lot of the time, she has a concern of diesels and convertibles.

Her concern is this: When the top is off of the Cruiser, can you smell the exhaust? I imagine that you cannot smell it while driving at higher speeds but what about at low speeds like four wheelin'. Or, at a stop light?

She is also concerned about the noise level of the motor while the top is off. Our 4BT60 is quite noisy with the windows down. Grant it, this are very noisy motors. I can't imagine having one in a convertible w/out some serious soundproofing. I am leaning towards the 13BT so for reference sake, does a 13BT have a tolerable noise level?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

 

[crustyBJ60]

dude,

i love the smell of diesel in the morning... smells like... cruiser.

the smell is the BEST part!

13bt can't be any worse than my 3bt, and it sounds lovely!

really, it's not bad at all, beats the ''rotten egg" smell of a gasser.

hth's
crusty

 

[crushers]

She is also concerned about the noise level of the motor while the top is off. Our 4BT60 is quite noisy with the windows down. Grant it, this are very noisy motors. I can't imagine having one in a convertible w/out some serious soundproofing. I am leaning towards the 13BT so for reference sake, does a 13BT have a tolerable noise level?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

i know from years of experience, the convertable (with the top down) is MUCH quieter than the hard top.
a rattle box 3B 42 is defining with the top on, take the top off and it is one real pleasure to drive...
the 13BT will be a great engine...
cheers

 

[Eric Winkworth]

you won't smell the ehaust at all with a good exhaust system, maybe at a drive thru or something.

 

[Diescipel]

i know from years of experience, the convertable (with the top down) is MUCH quieter than the hard top.
a rattle box 3B 42 is defining with the top on, take the top off and it is one real pleasure to drive...
the 13BT will be a great engine...
cheers

I second this experience with the 42 and the top off. This summer I was amazed what a different vehicle and different pleasure the thing is to drive and get off road with that top off. The only problem is the flopping bikini top on the freeway. I don't recall having any exhaust problems.

Run Biodiesel or WVO and all she'll smell is french fries or fried wontons! Of course, then she might start getting some cravings...

BTW diesels can be made to be relatively quiet, even these classics. Wayne suggested using alu foil covered bubble wrap insulation in the interior when I got mine, and boy did it make a difference. Between this insulation, getting AT tires, using stainless bolts for the hood hinges (and otherwise replacing all bushings, pads etc.), and generally just tightening everything up my 42 is like night and day from when I got it. Yeah the engine is noisy, but boy does it get amplified if things are loose as Wayne alludes.

You can also get more $$$ sound deadeners such as Quiet Kote and others. If you have the body pieces apart you can apply this stuff really easily. My concerns would be for moisture retention against the metal and deviating from the stock look. And everybody has said that turbos quite diesels, so I imagine a 13BT would be a good choice but I'm starting so see a lot of positive things being said here about the 1HDT, including excellent fuel mileage.

(I missed other discussion of your project, so I could be shooting in the dark...)

B

 

[Grease Cruiser]

Thanks for the replies. They are pretty much what I thought but just wanted to check to see what others have experienced. This makes her a little more comfortable with the diesel option.

I don't get it: she drives the 4BT60 just fine. It is our only running vehicle right now and she is worried that a 13BT troopie might be too loud and stinky. Oh well!

I will definitely do the WVO option as someone suggested. I have been trying to do the conversion on the 60 but it is a little more complicated with the 2nd tank location. Still working on a plan.

 

[Island Moose]

I will definitely do the WVO option as someone suggested. .

Diesel smells nice, veggie oil absolutley stinks...sorry environment...it reeks if you;re unlucky enough to be behind someone burning it.

 

[Grease Cruiser]

Diesel smells nice, veggie oil absolutley stinks...sorry environment...it reeks if you;re unlucky enough to be behind someone burning it.

Really? I think WVO kind of smells nice. Of course, we were using high grade sushi oil. Easy filtering and clean burning.

 

[bj42turbo]

Mine exits just behind drivers side door opening dont notice smell


BJ

 

[roscoFJ73]

If a diesel starts quickly and runs clean then there is almost no diesel odour

 

[crushers]

a couple side points about he exhaust, if it is pointed straight out he back the air flow as you are drving will bring the smell into the cab area whith the top off but if you dump it out the side right behind the rear tire 1?2 way the width of the tire the air flow takes the sound and the smell with it away fromt he truck.
a loud exhaust sounds cool for about 3 runs and after that it can get irriating, i recommend the 2 1/2" with a quiet muffler run tucked up above the level of the bottom of the frame for protection.

 

[Hawke]

Really? I think WVO kind of smells nice. Of course, we were using high grade sushi oil. Easy filtering and clean burning.

A yuppie cruiser.

 

[Grease Cruiser]

A yuppie cruiser.

Wow, that is the first time I have ever been called or my Cruiser(s) called "Yuppie Cruiser"! WTF does that mean anyway? If you are referring to the high end Sushi oil that we were using for WVO, then I guess it is appropriate.

The sushi oil is from a very high end restaurant in Aspen, Colorado. The restaurant disposes of 70 gallons a week of very clean peanut oil. I get it for free! A little filtering is necessary but not much. It burns really nice and smells like Tempura. This is why I want to run on WVO. Free fuel!

 

[sandcruiser]

I've got to chime in on the smell: I've been mixing in SVO that is fresh from the grocery store (on sale it costs less than diesel fuel). I notice a smell difference, but it definately smells better to me than diesel does. Regardless, the smell isn't very strong.

 

[crushers]

Wow, that is the first time I have ever been called or my Cruiser(s) called "Yuppie Cruiser"! WTF does that mean anyway? If you are referring to the high end Sushi oil that we were using for WVO, then I guess it is appropriate.

The sushi oil is from a very high end restaurant in Aspen, Colorado. The restaurant disposes of 70 gallons a week of very clean peanut oil. I get it for free! A little filtering is necessary but not much. It burns really nice and smells like Tempura. This is why I want to run on WVO. Free fuel!

70 gallons a week? WOW!! that is a lot of fuel...
good for you...

 

[Grease Cruiser]

70 gallons a week? WOW!! that is a lot of fuel...
good for you...

Yep, it'll keep me and quite a few others running for free. I don't necessarily get the fuel from the restaurant. A guy here in town has a side business of collecting WVO from many of the restaurants in Aspen. They pay him to collect it and he gives it out to whoever wants it. He sets aside the best oil for those who run WVO or make bio-diesel. There is lots of oil to go around. He collects about 1000 gallons a week!!! It's not all great oil but there is enough for all us Greenies to use.

One of this winter's projects is to build a filtering/storage system where we can all filter and fill up. so many projects......so little time.....so little money.

Sand Cruiser: Are you mixing WVO (SVO) with regular diesel? Have you researched this method much? Are you heating it? I know that you live in a very temperate climate where the oil is hotter to begin with but as I understand it, this can be very bad to your motor. The veggie oil needs to be heated to 160 degrees F before it catalyzes like diesel fuel. If it does not reach this temperature, the fuel does not burn completely and causes coking. After time, serious engine damage can occur. Just a head's up, In case you were not aware of this.

 

[crushers]

good for you, sounds like your buddy there is doing you all a huge favor...
cheers

 

[Kalawang]

Yep, it'll keep me and quite a few others running for free. I don't necessarily get the fuel from the restaurant. A guy here in town has a side business of collecting WVO from many of the restaurants in Aspen. They pay him to collect it and he gives it out to whoever wants it. He sets aside the best oil for those who run WVO or make bio-diesel. There is lots of oil to go around. He collects about 1000 gallons a week!!! It's not all great oil but there is enough for all us Greenies to use.

One of this winter's projects is to build a filtering/storage system where we can all filter and fill up. so many projects......so little time.....so little money.

Sand Cruiser: Are you mixing WVO (SVO) with regular diesel? Have you researched this method much? Are you heating it? I know that you live in a very temperate climate where the oil is hotter to begin with but as I understand it, this can be very bad to your motor. The veggie oil needs to be heated to 160 degrees F before it catalyzes like diesel fuel. If it does not reach this temperature, the fuel does not burn completely and causes coking. After time, serious engine damage can occur. Just a head's up, In case you were not aware of this.

160F is way more than I ever expected. Looks like I'd also have to do a heater thing if I made the conversion.


Kalawang

 

[Tapage]

Dude that is a beauty pic .. !

So, about the noise, the 13B-T is much quite vs 4BT, so 2H is by far much quite than other both, with also less vibration.