Diesel to petrol engine

I've got an Autosleeper Symphony based on a Peugeot Boxer chassis. It's powered by a 2.5 diesel. Given the fuss about diesel pollution I'd like to know whether it is feasible to replace the diesel engine with a petrol engine. What modifications would be needed? Could a Boxer petrol engine slot into the bay of a diesel engine? Any ideas?

its might be possible but the engine characteristics of a petrol engine are very different to a petrol engine. The torque curve on a petrol engine is much more peaky than a diesel and that might mean that you need to change the gearbox as well.

None of the discussion about how bad diesels are, include the fact that diesels are much better for van and lorries than petrol engines, how many HGV do you see with petrol engines, none. As for replacing diesels with electric vehicles then the weight of the batteries make this impractical. That's before we discuss the generation of electricity in the UK, we are already at peak supply, any increase and we will have power cuts...

Sorry this was not meant to so negative but I get cross with the narrow view of most of the media when they discuss pollution and how bad diesels are.

cheers
mike

I'm not familiar with Peugeot but there's no reason why not. You'd need to look at the mountings of a petrol to see what mods would be needed if any.

Be prepared to see the value of your camper go down though. Despite the fuss about diesel few people want a petrol camper or motorhome. Different if you lived in US as the majority of motorhomes and RV's are petrol because fuel is dirt cheap. Unlike us they don't get seriously stuffed with heavy taxation on fuel.

You have a cracking engine there, pretty much bulletproof and economical.
Personally i would leave it as it is.

Dave

MartynD wrote:I've got an Autosleeper Symphony based on a Peugeot Boxer chassis. It's powered by a 2.5 diesel. Given the fuss about diesel pollution I'd like to know whether it is feasible to replace the diesel engine with a petrol engine. What modifications would be needed? Could a Boxer petrol engine slot into the bay of a diesel engine? Any ideas?

I would not be concerned about diesel pollution. My view is the petrol engine on that model is the best.Cost to change will be expensive though. If you are really worried change the van.

regards

Micky

Hi.

I have a Symphony with a petrol engine.
We bought it as it was at a very good price, probably because it was petrol!

I ran a small fleet (40 cars) some years ago that were high mileage service engineer's cars; all Diesel. We moved away from Diesel as the servicing costs and unreliabillty had become issues, together with the greatly improved economy of petrol with modern mutli point injection.

The legendary reliability of Diesel has taken a battering since the introduction of HPI systems, so it is a point to consider.

All that said, I feel that on the pollution front, you have little to concern yourself about. Your tiny engine will not contribute much in the great scheme of things.

I would consider fitting a Diesel to our van if I could get on without HPI, i.e. a traditional injector pump.

You would need to check for lots of small details such as exhaust systems and the different ECU. 

A big job, and has been stated, you would end up with a mongrel that could be devalued.

If you convert a petrol engine to run on LPG does it then become as economical as a diesel (by fuel cost) and still less polluting? 

If so is this possible for motorhomes?

Bartfast has done the reverse and documented a few years ago but think he would give you some advice

oldfred wrote:If you convert a petrol engine to run on LPG does it then become as economical as a diesel (by fuel cost) and still less polluting? 

If so is this possible for motorhomes?

Anything is possible.  conversions are costly. You would have to be doing high mileage to make it worthwhile.
Not likely with a motor home.

Micky

roli wrote:Bartfast has done the reverse and documented a few years ago but think he would give you some advice

Roli, the thought of undoing this conversion makes me go weak at the knees!

Yes, the conversion is feasible, particularly (unlike I did) if you stick with the same 'mark' of Boxer. I suspect that switching of the engine and transmission complete with all front suspension would be the best way to do it. The fuel system would also need full exchange as would the instrument binnacle and most/all of the wiring harnesses.

However on the basis of the driving experience I wouldn't consider 2.0l Petrol over Diesel.

Loads of work - I'd say don't go that way! If you want to appreciate the scale of the conversion look down the page on the following link:

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Bartfarst