Hello, I recently acquired a 1995 Suzuki Sidekick JX 4dr with a manual 5 speed and 4wd.  My intention is to convert it to a VW diesel and get the best mileage I can with it.  I live about ¾ of a mile up a rather rough and rocky dirt road, and I purchased this vehicle to eventually replace an aging honda civic that was much happier (and had a straighter undercarriage!) when I lived in the city.  I am happy to have more low end torque, etc, but this is primarily going to be a commuter vehicle, so mileage is the most important factor.

My thought is to grab an ACME kit, a VW diesel engine and rebuild the engine myself.  I have the opportunity to purchase a 1.5L VW diesel engine that currently runs strong, though it does have some blow-by.  My thought is that this is likely rings, and that it would be a good candidate for a rebuild.  The best mileage claims I have come across are from people running the 1.6L non-turbo rabbit/golf engines from the late 70’s and early 80’s, but I don’t see  that many are running the 1.5L variety.  Once I have figured out the optimal gearing and/or tire size with the diesel engine, does anyone have any knowledge as to which would yield the better mileage between the two, assuming my commute is 95% highway mileage?   I live in the mountains at 3000 feet and work 38 miles away at about 300 feet, so there would definitely be a good amount of uphill on the way back.  Curb weight on this vehicle is 2762 pounds according to KB.  Normally, I average about 60mph on a 2 lane highway for about the first half of the drive, until it gets into the city and then people get up to about 75mph unless there is traffic, which is pretty rare …

According to the FAQ on the ACME site, here are the power outputs of each engine:

   1.5NA (CK): 48 HP and 58 ft lbs torque
   1.6NA (CR, JK, ME, JP): 54 HP and 74 ft lbs torque

… I have not found the actual power band anywhere, and also do not know what the items in the parenthesis (CK, CR, JK, ME, JP) are all about…

My worry is that I see people getting these high mpg numbers with their 2 door samurais and sidekicks, which generally weight about 2100lbs and 2400lbs, respectively.  Of course, the original rabbits (as far as I can tell) only weighed about 1800 pounds!  I also plan on running power steering and A/C … Which engine would overall be the most efficient for me?

Thank you for your time!

Haven't had experience with the 1.5 but have a fair amount with 1.6 NA and 1.9 TD. For highway driving I would stay away from the 1.6 NA engine. In a Samurai, you can pedal to the metal for as long as you want and about 55 mph is what you get. Mileage is in the mid-low 20's at best. 1.9 TD will go faster but is only 15% more efficient over gas on the highway which gets you from 26 mpg to 29 but in reality you're pedal to the metal to get 65 mph and the mileage drops to low to mid 20's

So, for mileage and driving pleasure... pass

Rattle and smell... get it.

YMMV

-Eric

ACtually, I went with a 1.9 TDI, and will starting work on this in the coming weeks...  I think the reason many get bad mileage with their diesels is because they are winding the RPM's too high.  For example, the TDI engine I am using is in a Passat that is at about 2050 rpm at 60mph.

That's very possible.  Good luck with your build and I hope to see some pictures of your project, it sounds cool.


Eric

Yep.  Likely I will be ordering the kit in the coming week or so, and will likely start wrenching on it after memorial day.  Still getting things together.  I have yet to start shopping for diffs, and am not yet sure if I am going to need a radiator...