Cruze Diesel Swap?

[Swordsmith]

Over in the new members forum, discussion about swapping engines lead to the suggestion of a Cruze Diesel swap. I know we aren't supposed to discuss anything of substance there, and most people don't even read those posts (heck, I don't read most of them!) so I thought I would start a new thread here.

The Cruze has a turbo diesel engine available. No sign I have seen of them offering it for the Sonic. What would it take to do the engine swap? I push my Sonic hard enough I don't expect the engine to last forever, when it blows up, I would love to do this:

Standard Specs and Dimensions
Engine type I-4
Engine displacement 119 cu.in.
Engine horsepower 151-hp @ 4,000 rpm
Engine torque 264 lbs.-ft. @ 2,600 rpm
Valvetrain DOHC
Valves 16
Engine bore x stroke 3.4" x 3.4"
Compression ratio 16.50 to 1
Fuel tank capacity 15.6 gal.
Fuel economy city 27 mpg
Fuel economy highway 46 mpg

Of course the fuel numbers might vary, and the fuel tank would still be the Sonic 12.2 one. The peak HP isn't all that impressive to those of us with even modest mods on the 1.4T... but look at that diesel torque!

 

[CheapFuneral]

I've been considering an engine swap... I refuse to discuss my ideas but it's not diesel makes more hp for probably the same cost.

 

[Eric Smit]

I'd offer any help I can muster to assist.

 

[Stew]

Just a thought since you mentioned torque... Almost every time diesels are brought up someone will invariably mention how awesome their torque is. Diesels do not have great torque because they are diesels, they have great torque because they all have turbos. What was the last diesel car that did not have a turbo, I'm not sure, the early '80's VW's?

A 2.0 gasoline burning turbo engine would have twice the HP of the diesel and the same or better torque, plus the swap would be much simpler since you are not changing fuel types. Now the trick is to find a 2.0 gas engine that would fit the Sonic.

 

[Luv2xlr8]

Give it some time and someone one day will get the 2.0 turbo verano in a sonic. Anything is possible.....if you got the money. Ppl are putting Acura v6 engines in civics nowadays with Grand Prix superchargers on it. Lol

 

[Chevy2012sonic]

I wanna do the ss turbo in mine just Trying to figure out money wise what I need


2012 chevy sonic

 

[Eric Smit]

just get a ballpark number in your head and then just triple it.

 

[Dogz]

Now the trick is to find a 2.0 gas engine that would fit the Sonic.

Opel Astra OPC. 280hp, 400nm of torque. The Cruze is 360nm of torque.

 

[Chevy2012sonic]

just get a ballpark number in your head and then just triple it.

Lol true my luck if it can go wrong it will


2012 chevy sonic

 

[Swordsmith]

A 2.0 gas engine isn't going to deliver that torque while sipping along at an EPA 46 highway, and it isn't already set up to go in our big sister Cruze. My thinking (and I could be wrong of course) is that the Cruze diesel would be the simplest swap because our cars share the other two engines. To me the beauty of the Sonic is that it is fun and sporty while simultaneously being very fuel efficient; that's why I went with the 1.4T over the 1.8, why I am not interested in the 1.8 turbo project (other than rooting for it from the sidelines), and why I am not interested (except again to applaud it from the sidelines) in the various 2.0T swap plans. The 2.0T Diesel looks like an exception. MFab's bigger turbo for the 1.4T also has my full attention, for the same reason; more power, same fuel efficiency, and (relatively) simple swap.

 

[94383Z71]

I've been thinking this for a very long time.

I've been meaning to get to Warren and play with some CAD models to see how far off bellhousing patterns would be, bay clearances, etc.

Big concern of mine is getting a clutch to hold up, then the transmission itself.

 

[94383Z71]

Just a thought since you mentioned torque... Almost every time diesels are brought up someone will invariably mention how awesome their torque is. Diesels do not have great torque because they are diesels, they have great torque because they all have turbos. What was the last diesel car that did not have a turbo, I'm not sure, the early '80's VW's?

A 2.0 gasoline burning turbo engine would have twice the HP of the diesel and the same or better torque, plus the swap would be much simpler since you are not changing fuel types. Now the trick is to find a 2.0 gas engine that would fit the Sonic.

well then why do we use diesels at all, if the same displacement gasser makes the same power? How come my 6.6L Duramax puts down my 6.2L Stroker even though it's in a 2000lb heavier truck? It's not the .4L....

I get that diesels are far less desirable N/A, but for all intents and purposes it's useless to reference them as such because, as you mentioned, nobody makes them that way anymore. And they respond SO well to forced induction....mmmm...

 

[laborsmith]

Swordsmith, Chevy indirectly said no Sonic diesel when announcing the new 1.6T would go in the Sonic but not the Cruze because the Cruze got the diesel engine.


Laborsmith

 

[CheapFuneral]

Diesels are great torque producers even before the turbo. Why else would they have been putting them in work trucks since forever. It sure isn't for speed or price of fuel.

I love diesels but I agree with the other guy, your issue won't be the engine itself but swapping all the gas stuff over. Your gonna spend 2k in an engine trans combo (because why would u put a weak trans to a more powerful engine?) and at least another 1k in swapping parts to the diesel, and probably 2k in stuff you didn't realize u needed.

Possible sure. Cost effective? No way. Your going to spend half what the cars worth and cut the value in half (you might find someone here to buy it but no dealer would want to touch.) So before you start, just realize your going to own it forever or sell it for nothing.

When I started looking at new motors for the sonic it wasn't about fuel economy or because how much I love my sonic, It was about having a light weight car with high horse power for rally cross. Spending crazy money for a crazy race car. I have the whole thing designed but haven't pulled the trigger because of the reasons stated above. I would need to own it forever and I'm not sure I want to.

If u decide to do it good luck my truck went from diesel to gas. What a pita.

 

[Scot]

Now the trick is to find a 2.0 gas engine that would fit the Sonic.

They're all over the U.K.
Z20LEH / LET

Motor Z20LET Ecotec Opel Astra G OPC Zafira A OPC Speedster 2 0i 93176810 603208 | eBay

 

[ChrisJ]

Diesels are great torque producers even before the turbo. Why else would they have been putting them in work trucks since forever. It sure isn't for speed or price of fuel.

I love diesels but I agree with the other guy, your issue won't be the engine itself but swapping all the gas stuff over. Your gonna spend 2k in an engine trans combo (because why would u put a weak trans to a more powerful engine?) and at least another 1k in swapping parts to the diesel, and probably 2k in stuff you didn't realize u needed.

Possible sure. Cost effective? No way. Your going to spend half what the cars worth and cut the value in half (you might find someone here to buy it but no dealer would want to touch.) So before you start, just realize your going to own it forever or sell it for nothing.

When I started looking at new motors for the sonic it wasn't about fuel economy or because how much I love my sonic, It was about having a light weight car with high horse power for rally cross. Spending crazy money for a crazy race car. I have the whole thing designed but haven't pulled the trigger because of the reasons stated above. I would need to own it forever and I'm not sure I want to.

If u decide to do it good luck my truck went from diesel to gas. What a pita.

Actually, I believe Diesel used to be a fraction of the cost of gasoline. The word "torque" alone is useless. You can make something that will produce 100000ftlb or torque and yet not do any work (slab of concrete). Power is all that matters in the end whether you measure it in Horsepower, Calories, Watts, whatever. Diesels were and are used in trucks because they produce very good low rpm power as well as lasting longer because the fuel has better lubricating properties than gasoline. I suspect the cheaper cost of the fuel played a roll years ago as well.

That said, what costs are there in maintaining a diesel vs a gasoline engine? A friend told me you have to replace all of the injections from time to time and they are insanely expensive. Not sure if the same is true for DI gas as well?

Also, how many MPG would a diesel have to get to be the equivalent to a gas with the current price difference between the fuels?

 

[CheapFuneral]

Actually, I believe Diesel used to be a fraction of the cost of gasoline. The word "torque" alone is useless. You can make something that will produce 100000ftlb or torque and yet not do any work (slab of concrete). Power is all that matters in the end whether you measure it in Horsepower, Calories, Watts, whatever. Diesels were and are used in trucks because they produce very good low rpm power as well as lasting longer because the fuel has better lubricating properties than gasoline. I suspect the cheaper cost of the fuel played a roll years ago as well.

That said, what costs are there in maintaining a diesel vs a gasoline engine? A friend told me you have to replace all of the injections from time to time and they are insanely expensive. Not sure if the same is true for DI gas as well?

Also, how many MPG would a diesel have to get to be the equivalent to a gas with the current price difference between the fuels?

Actually all the horsepower in the work won't move u without torque. "Torque is a measure of how much a force acting on an object causes that object to rotate." It's like having a cheaper 35000 rpm dremil vs an expensive 30000 rpm dremil. Free spin the the cheap one moves faster but when u apply pressure it stops because it doesn't have enough torque to keep the momentum going with resistance, while the more expensive one will hardly feel the difference the pressure against it makes. In other words you need both torque and horse power.

 

[ChrisJ]

Actually all the horsepower in the work won't move u without torque. "Torque is a measure of how much a force acting on an object causes that object to rotate." It's like having a cheaper 35000 rpm dremil vs an expensive 30000 rpm dremil. Free spin the the cheap one moves faster but when u apply pressure it stops because it doesn't have enough torque to keep the momentum going with resistance, while the more expensive one will hardly feel the difference the pressure against it makes. In other words you need both torque and horse power.

Er.

What?


Zero torque = zero horsepower.

 

[94383Z71]

Hahaha

At first I thought it was the fact that HP is calc'd from torque, which is true. But the momentum=torque part...

 

[ChrisJ]

Hahaha

At first I thought it was the fact that HP is calc'd from torque, which is true. But the momentum=torque part...

Torque is force, horsepower is power.

Typically on a gas engine horsepower is torque x rpm / 5252 = horsepower.

An engine producing 100ftlb @ 5000rpm running through a 2:1 transmission will produce the same exact amount of torque as an engine producing 200ftlb @ 2500rpm 1:1. They both result in 200ftlb @ 2500rpm. Or 92 horsepower.