I have a 1997 camaro rs 3.8 v6. But I want to put a diesel in it. Does anyone have any suggestions for putting diesels in a 4th gen f-body. I'm not sure where to start.

 

Ha ha ha ha ha

No wait,,

Ha ha ha ha ha ha

Seriously? Unlike past Camaros the 4th gens motors are custom installs, meaning the intake & brakets, just about everthing that is bolted to the motor is for that motor in that car. So and camaro LS1 AC braket will only fit LS1 Camaro. There is no extra room. The 3.8 has a little extra room up front but none in the back.
Fitting any motor that never came in a 4th gen is going to mean your going to have to engineer every bracket, every mount. Unless you are a steel fabricator/machinest forget it.

Go buy a truck and live happly ever after.

 

Hmm i kind of like the idea and i am sure it can be done. Its going to be one hell of a project and its going to take some big $$$$

 

You either need a REALLY deep pocket or you just need to go buy a truck...

 

I have thought about the same thing, a desiel camaro but with 3 4th generations, I have plenty to keep me busy! I did see a site where a couple guys were using desiel tractor engines in pickup trucks and claim to be getting alot better fuel mileage out of them. I believe they sell the plans or a kit or something to make it all fit neat. Might take a look at some of the smaller less complicated tractor engines if you are seriously going to attempt it. Good luck!

 

It would be a cool project. There is a Duramax Diesel GN running around some where out there. If i was going to do it i would look at some of the older BMW and Mercedes inline six Diesel out there. Both made some mid displacment Turbo diesels out there that should have some good power and fuel milage plus they would be easy to find parts for and should be cheap to buy out of junk yards. Of course your going to need some major fab work to get the drive line to work out. But if you build your own cross members and go to a custom drive shaft it might not be too bad. Of course you still have wirring and the ecu and cluster to figure out but as said above its going to take some major shop time and cost $$$$$.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHfx-l6IMgk

 

I have seen it done with 1st gens where guys are putting 4 and 6 cylinder cummins in them. Never seen or heard of it being done with a 4th gen

 

wow thats impressive

 

A older 6.2 or 6.5 GM Diesel is a SBC block and will mate to just about any transmission from the time could work. Of course its still a heavy engine and the 6.2 is rated at somthing like 135HP and 240 Torque and its not going to do that great on fuel maybe low teens. You could steep up to a 6.5 turbo duramax but now you are adding a lot of cost plus a lot of wirring. Your also going to have a larger pan with the 6.5 and the turbo placement is going to make it a tight fit. And once again your only going to be sitting around 200HP and maybe 340 Torque. Better power numbers i dont see you getting more then 15 or 16 MPG.

If i was going to settle for MPG i would find a wrecked S10 with a good drive train and do a 2.2 swap and boost the hell out of it. You could make 250HP and similar torque and still get 25+ plus MPG. It would be a fun project in a 3rd gen but i think you could pull it off on a 4th gen as well. The 2.2 is cast iron block and head just like the 6.2 and 6.5 but is still half the weight and you would have tons of space. If you want to go crazy build the bottom end you you can make well over 300 at the wheels on pump gas put once again your starting to get expensive.