Want to build a diesel engine to fit into a 1969 Camaro?

If I started from the ground up with parts from a regular gasoline engine and parts from a diesel engine, could I make this work? If so, what are the major parts I would need? It’s a crazy idea but I think I could make it work.

Tags: 1969, Build, Camaro, Diesel, Engine, into, want

5 Responses to “Want to build a diesel engine to fit into a 1969 Camaro?”

1. ken k says:

   November 2, 2011 at 3:43 pm

   olsmobile and gm engineers did on 350 engine many years back/when they started it it cracked almost in 2/they then beefed up the pistons and blocks and crank etc and stuffed it into the oldsmoblies/junk is what happened on mass scale
2. D says:

   November 2, 2011 at 4:40 pm

   It’s not likely you’re going to convert a gas engine into a diesel one, due to the vast differences in which they work, unless you are an engineer with a lot of time on your hands. You could probably transplant a diesel engine in there, but I’m not sure what the point would be, you’d have a slower, noisier car than when you started.
3. doornobk says:

   November 2, 2011 at 4:50 pm

   Diesels are fun and interesting but not cheap. A 69 Camaro with a turbo diesel would be way cool.

   You cant just convert a gas engine. First issue is you need to get the compression from the 8 – 10:1 range of gas engines to at least 20:1. That most likely would not be possible with a gas head because of the chamber size and valve angle. On a diesel the valves are pretty much flush with the bottom of the head and almost touch the piston when they are closed. Second problem is you need a port for the injector. I suppose you could use the spark plug hole but its not really in the proper place or the proper size. Most of the time you also would want glow plugs which need another hole. Assuming you get all that worked out next thing you need is an injector pump. These are mechanically driven off the engine by gears. Gas engines dont have a place to mount this or the gears. After you get that worked out you will probably find out that the performance is terrible either due to calibration of the pump or injectors or the cam profile. Good luck finding someone to solve those issues cheap. IF you do get all that worked out you will likely find out that the rest of the engine is too weak and things will break or wear out really quickly.

   I would say dont bother with the olds motor. Parts (and motors) are getting hard to find. They would not take any abuse and they really dont perform that well. I still own and operate 3 of them including one I bought last week but I have them in Cadillacs and pretty much drive them like Caddies so its not a huge problem. If you got to go cheap look for a GM 6. 2 or 6. 5. They were used in the trucks 82-94. Later years the 6. 5 even had a turbo option. They were made to drop into the Chev trucks so they used the same mounts as the gas engines which would make your swap easier. Parts are still around as well as complete motors. I believe the military still uses that basic engine. If you got some money go looking for a more recent Duramax from a crashed 90’s truck. Diesel engine are also very heavy so that will be another issue to deal with.
4. Kenny D says:

   November 2, 2011 at 5:32 pm

   Seems a silly thing to do to a first-generation Camaro, or at least it seems silly to me, but I suppose there is no accounting for taste. . . different strokes for different folks. Anyway, if you have the determination, the time, and the money to do the necessary mods, then it can be done. Maybe not easily done, but it can be done. I know a guy who, just for the novelty it, and probably because he has more time and more money than he knows what to do with, spent an entire summer a few years ago stuffing a 6. 6L V8 Duramax turbo diesel and an Allison 6-speed automatic transmission in a 1970 Corvette Stingray. It is a waste of a very fine Corvette in my opinion but with the hood open it does turn a lot of heads at car shows, although when they get over the novelty it, I suspect most walk away thinking the same as I do. What a waste of a very fine Corvette! And I think it would be an even greater waste if you did that to a first-generation Camaro.
5. dan d says:

   November 2, 2011 at 5:44 pm

   that a tarded thing to do. why dont you just put a 125cc motorcycle engine in . you dont put noisy diesels in . you put in a big gas v8 moron