Puegot and VW Vanagon/Eurovan suitability

[arnoneh]

Anyone have any experience with diesel Peugeots or diesel Vanagons or diesel Eurovans (although the latter is nearly impossible to find)? I'm about to throw in the towel on my search for a mid-80s MB wagon, and these are other vehicles that interest me.

Wondering what the ideal location for the tank is in the vans or the Peugeot wagon...

Thanks -harv

[charcol]

Hi-
I've got an '83 diesel Westfalia, 5 spd. These vans are extremely hard to find. I got lucky. I plan on installing the Frybrid 15 gallon rectangular tank system under the back seat..........that is, as soon as it arrives.......
Is that what you were asking? I think you were missing a word or two in your post.

Curtis- waiting as patiently as possible for my Frybrid system!!!!!
5 1/2 weeks and counting.....

[vegipete]

I'm making parts for my VW Eurovan at the moment. I removed the dead auxiliary heater/blower from underneath to make room for the VO tank. A 5' x 4' sheet of aluminum will turn into an approximately 90 liter tank in the next few days. The simplest place I can find for the filler tube is under the hood. These vehicles all have the same basic engine technology, with the Bosch VE injection pump that all the older VWs have and have been successfully converted. I would just like to know if an auxilary fuel pump would be wise, on the basis that Cummins? engines with certain Bosch injection pumps are known to be destroyed (the IP gets destroyed) if fuel pressure drops.

[cgoodwin]

Charcol - Contact me by PM please, I have another tank option for you I wish to discuss.


Peugeot wagons are really not a good investment, parts are harder to find that mechanics willing to work on them and frankly the build quality is simply not there.

Vanagon Diesels are difficult to locate stateside but are pretty common in Canada, I know of at least one forum user who has one because he drove it to my shop to pick up his system (which he installed in a day). Since these eurovans are "Substancially similar" to models sold in the US they can often be imported with little hassel and the dollar is strong against the CAD. I would start doing the google on importation, then start looking in canada for a Eurovan while still scouring the "Samba" and other sites for a diesel van stateside. On another not I have 3 friends who have dropped VW TDI motors into Vanagons, so find a gas vanagon or even a syncro, and drop in a TDI motor....

Chris

[SenorEye]

There are numerous diesel eurovans for sale in eastern Canada, especially Quebec from the years 1993, 1996 and 1997. If you go this route and plan on trying to bring it to the states, I suggest that you look at the 1993's. I had a friend import one in to NYS and all he have to do was have the speedo changed out (by a dealer, if you do it your self they will not accept it) so it has MPH listed on the face of the speedo.

Then apply for a certificate of conformity (which the 1993's will pass), 1996 should? and 1997 will not.

Seems like a lot of work, but here is the reference.
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/import/VIG_Canada07032.html

Joseph

[arnoneh]

Thanks all. Really good feedback. I'll watch for used vanagons/eurovans in Canada. Another approach is to watch for a vanagon/eurovan with a blown engine here (making it more reasonabily priced....a factor for me). Not sure I could afford to buy a gas one and then replace the engine....unless the gas engine I remove has a resale value enough to make it worth it.

I'll stay away from Puegeots then....I do seem to recall a few friends having these back in the 80s and they broke down alot.

-Harv