Low gearing solutions?

[dburt]

I was amazed when I clicked on the link to see Sharkey's little booster trailer made from a VW diesel. I had not run accross this yet on the site, and I have to hand it to Sharkey, that is one neat little device!

It just shows that there is actually more then one way to skin a cat!

[Standaddy]

Rudy,
I like having a tach too, but don't worry about overspeeding your engine without one. I don't think I've ever seen a diesel engine that wasn't governed. The governor is a part of the injection pump, and unless it's been messed with it's set to keep the engine from exceeding the mfr's recommended top speed. You can generally hold the throttle wide-open in neutral and not hurt a diesel. Older Mack diesels that I've used (still have one) have a sealed cover on the pump, covering the 2 screws which set the Low Idle and High Idle speeds. High Idle is open throttle with no load. The cover was sealed for a reason. That's one place hot-rod drivers didn't need access to, because they could easily kill the truck-owners pocketbook by turning up the r's and the fuel.
Stan

[Sharkey]

I don't think I've ever seen a diesel engine that wasn't governed

Now you have. The engine in my Rabbit has had the "high idle" stop screw removed. Maximum factory RPM on these engines is supposed to be ~4800 RPM, which I don't have a probelm with, they don't make much power at anything over 4,000 anyway. Removing the stop screw allows much better fueling at full accelerator positions, causes the pump fueling to ignore the internal governor/fuel limits.



The Bosch pump on this car is what I the "Frankenpump" it's a meld of VW and Puegot 505 turbodiesel parts. Next month, I pull this engine out and install the rebuilt TD that's been sitting around for the last five or six years waiting for me to have some "spare time". The turbo on the new engine is also a "Frankenturbo", Garrett/AiResearch parts from VW and Puegot engines. With an intercooler and some boost aneroid and fueling adjustments, I expect 90 - 100 Hp at 220 ft/lbs of torque out of a little 1.6 liter VW diesel. Already have installed dual radiator fans from a Porsche 944 and an oil-to-air heat exchanger for the lubrication system Time to go find some rice racers, heh heh...

[Jones'n4chrome]

Cool stuff Sharkey. I like your tach setup.
I scored a 1983 Caddy diesel from my dad. He bought it from his friend to use as a spare car. He never drove it, then when he did need to drive it the fuel was bad. I'm waiting on some "spare" time to get it running again.
Your Rabbit looks very clean.
Post an update when you get the new engine going.

Chuck

[Rudy]

WOW! Thanks everybody. I will study these responses. I am optimistic about getting a tach put on somehow. I will also find out what model tranny and what gear ratio rear end I have.

You've all been very helpful.

[Standaddy]

Sharkey,
I read your posts covering the Rabbits and pusher when I first found your site, couple years or so ago. Revisited a while back. Lots of good info there. I owned a '76 rabbit gas-burner for several years, and took it from about 40K miles when I bought it, to around 200K. By that time the floors had pretty much rusted away, been replaced by galvanized scrap I came across for free, but the rest of the structural parts of the lower body/frame was too far gone to save. Moving to the Rabbit from a Beetle was a pretty good step performance-wise. Later had a GTI also, 'bout '85 model I think. Handled like a go-kart.
Stan