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The Diesel Jeep Build
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<blockquote data-quote="RangerRick" data-source="post: 430434" data-attributes="member: 19360"><p>Yes the OM617 is a battle axe of an engine with many having gone a half million miles or more in cars all around the globe. Mercedes OM engines aren't the most powerful but they are miserly in fuel consumption and can push a Jeep down the road alright especially when turbo charged.</p><p></p><p>Lucky for you, parts are plentiful for the OM series engines and used engines that can be rebuilt as a replacement for you are frequent, even 40 years on today......</p><p></p><p>The 4-cylinder non turbo engines found in the older 240D cars were very under powered and took a long time to get up to speed especially if there were an automatic transmission behind it, however all of them were misers at the pump and run forever if proper maintenance schedules were followed. These were two reasons they were some of the most popular models in the late 1970's and early 1980's diesel craze that hit before GM and some VW engines ruined the image of a durable power plant that was super on fuel. The oil embargos of the 1970's forced American drivers to look at alternatives to big V8 gas powered cars and trucks as fuel costs spiked and supply shortfalls caused huge lines at the pump.</p><p></p><p>Dozens of manufacturers jumped into the diesel fray with Nissan, Volvo, Mercedes, Peugeot, Audi/VW, Toyota, Isuzu, AMC/Renault and others importing small to moderate numbers of diesel powered vehicles into the US auto market by 1980 with varied success.</p><p></p><p>The problems with GM and some VW diesels soured a lot of people in the idea of a diesel car in their driveway when early attempts were made at converting gas motors to diesel (GM) or design flaws in cylinder heads or castings caused abnormally high failure rates (VW) as examples. This and supply parts on some were hard to get being not very popular or the car companies no longer importing diesel vehicles after just a few short years. Think parts for a Peugeot or a diesel Renault.</p><p></p><p>The stink didn't help either because remember this is before electronic diesel engine management so soot and smell along with an increased cost of service for periodic maintenance for twice the oil capacities and big filter changes over their gas counterparts made people think twice about a diesel. Those who jumped on the diesel bandwagon though were mostly rewarded with a good reliable long lasting vehicle for the most part. I know my family was real pleased with our 1983 Chevrolet 3/4-ton 6.2L diesel van we had. My dad sprung for the extra $2,500 cost to have a GM-Detroit diesel over a 350 C.I. gas engine and other than the fact that the 700R4 Hydramatic transmission was a P.O.S. in the early days, (we had no less than 6 installed in and out of warranty) the diesel engine was far better than our neighbors 1984 gas version van of the same type. Our van lasted longer and literally got TWICE the mileage of the gasser by comparison. It also had a ton more power at altitude when going over mountain passes in California and Utah as compared to the gas equipped model.</p><p></p><p>We consistently out paced them in both power and fuel economy on several long distance trips of 500 miles or greater with less trouble and nearly DOUBLE the range at each fill-up. Made them think twice about gas and when it came time for a new truck to pull their trailer 10 years later, they chose the (new back then) Dodge RAM 2500 Cummins 6BT diesel power over the V10 gas and they never looked back again.</p><p></p><p>I have seen several Damler-Benz OM powered diesel Jeeps over the years and actually considered the conversion myself using a later 6-cylinder electronic controlled diesel to convert my TJ Wrangler and keep it smog legal. I ended up nixing the idea when it was discovered that the later 300SD ECM controlled cars were wired with a bio-degradable wiring harness of all things and were having massive harness failures over time. The problem was so bad that Mercedes offered free harnesses and to replace the harness for almost 10 years on several of their cars to customers who were affected with this problem.</p><p></p><p>Corporate "woke-ism" even played a role all the way back in the mid-late 1990's and that's how it happened to Mercedes customers again with the bio-time bomb wiring. This souring many off of production diesel cars again when a second wave of popularity started to hit in the late 1990's. Very unfortunate.......</p><p></p><p>I believe that the diesel engine is still the "greenest" of the internal combustion engines especially considering the all the advancements in technology. However, I still don't believe it's popularity will ever gain again as it has in Europe and the far east now that hybrids and electric cars have such a hold on the market today. However, if you are a prepper type who likes to be prepared for anything I still say the diesel is the best way to go because the range alone makes it superior to electric or hybrids when some diesel powered vehicles can travel 600-800 miles in a single fill-up without adding auxiliary tanks. Add some auxiliary tankage and the range can be well over 1,000 miles + in a single filling.</p><p></p><p>Diesel is superior to gas for range and that is one major reason why no production sailboats have been outfitted with a gas motor since 1978. That and the safety factor over gas where fumes from gas are heavier than air and sink causing potential explosions etc. Long distance cruisers in the sailing world all have diesel auxiliary engines for their safety, durability and range period. Do these cruising sailors know something the car world people don't get? Perhaps.</p><p></p><p>RR</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="RangerRick, post: 430434, member: 19360"] Yes the OM617 is a battle axe of an engine with many having gone a half million miles or more in cars all around the globe. Mercedes OM engines aren't the most powerful but they are miserly in fuel consumption and can push a Jeep down the road alright especially when turbo charged. Lucky for you, parts are plentiful for the OM series engines and used engines that can be rebuilt as a replacement for you are frequent, even 40 years on today...... The 4-cylinder non turbo engines found in the older 240D cars were very under powered and took a long time to get up to speed especially if there were an automatic transmission behind it, however all of them were misers at the pump and run forever if proper maintenance schedules were followed. These were two reasons they were some of the most popular models in the late 1970's and early 1980's diesel craze that hit before GM and some VW engines ruined the image of a durable power plant that was super on fuel. The oil embargos of the 1970's forced American drivers to look at alternatives to big V8 gas powered cars and trucks as fuel costs spiked and supply shortfalls caused huge lines at the pump. Dozens of manufacturers jumped into the diesel fray with Nissan, Volvo, Mercedes, Peugeot, Audi/VW, Toyota, Isuzu, AMC/Renault and others importing small to moderate numbers of diesel powered vehicles into the US auto market by 1980 with varied success. The problems with GM and some VW diesels soured a lot of people in the idea of a diesel car in their driveway when early attempts were made at converting gas motors to diesel (GM) or design flaws in cylinder heads or castings caused abnormally high failure rates (VW) as examples. This and supply parts on some were hard to get being not very popular or the car companies no longer importing diesel vehicles after just a few short years. Think parts for a Peugeot or a diesel Renault. The stink didn't help either because remember this is before electronic diesel engine management so soot and smell along with an increased cost of service for periodic maintenance for twice the oil capacities and big filter changes over their gas counterparts made people think twice about a diesel. Those who jumped on the diesel bandwagon though were mostly rewarded with a good reliable long lasting vehicle for the most part. I know my family was real pleased with our 1983 Chevrolet 3/4-ton 6.2L diesel van we had. My dad sprung for the extra $2,500 cost to have a GM-Detroit diesel over a 350 C.I. gas engine and other than the fact that the 700R4 Hydramatic transmission was a P.O.S. in the early days, (we had no less than 6 installed in and out of warranty) the diesel engine was far better than our neighbors 1984 gas version van of the same type. Our van lasted longer and literally got TWICE the mileage of the gasser by comparison. It also had a ton more power at altitude when going over mountain passes in California and Utah as compared to the gas equipped model. We consistently out paced them in both power and fuel economy on several long distance trips of 500 miles or greater with less trouble and nearly DOUBLE the range at each fill-up. Made them think twice about gas and when it came time for a new truck to pull their trailer 10 years later, they chose the (new back then) Dodge RAM 2500 Cummins 6BT diesel power over the V10 gas and they never looked back again. I have seen several Damler-Benz OM powered diesel Jeeps over the years and actually considered the conversion myself using a later 6-cylinder electronic controlled diesel to convert my TJ Wrangler and keep it smog legal. I ended up nixing the idea when it was discovered that the later 300SD ECM controlled cars were wired with a bio-degradable wiring harness of all things and were having massive harness failures over time. The problem was so bad that Mercedes offered free harnesses and to replace the harness for almost 10 years on several of their cars to customers who were affected with this problem. Corporate "woke-ism" even played a role all the way back in the mid-late 1990's and that's how it happened to Mercedes customers again with the bio-time bomb wiring. This souring many off of production diesel cars again when a second wave of popularity started to hit in the late 1990's. Very unfortunate....... I believe that the diesel engine is still the "greenest" of the internal combustion engines especially considering the all the advancements in technology. However, I still don't believe it's popularity will ever gain again as it has in Europe and the far east now that hybrids and electric cars have such a hold on the market today. However, if you are a prepper type who likes to be prepared for anything I still say the diesel is the best way to go because the range alone makes it superior to electric or hybrids when some diesel powered vehicles can travel 600-800 miles in a single fill-up without adding auxiliary tanks. Add some auxiliary tankage and the range can be well over 1,000 miles + in a single filling. Diesel is superior to gas for range and that is one major reason why no production sailboats have been outfitted with a gas motor since 1978. That and the safety factor over gas where fumes from gas are heavier than air and sink causing potential explosions etc. Long distance cruisers in the sailing world all have diesel auxiliary engines for their safety, durability and range period. Do these cruising sailors know something the car world people don't get? Perhaps. RR [/QUOTE]
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