Diesel Engine?

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dodge dude94

New Member
Jun 8, 2012
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East Texas
Most small diesels I've seen are 250cc, heavy, and would quite easily destroy a bike.




And its rider. :D
Sweet idea tho. Tiny turbo, smoke stack.....bahahaha, bicycle rolling coal like a Cummins would be great.
 

Robby

New Member
May 18, 2012
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Melbourne, Australia
.....nitro diesel 2 stroke that is. Glow plug and all. A lot of people machine model engines for a hobby and I reckon a little diesel for a bike would be cool.
 

BigBlue

Member
Nov 29, 2011
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California
This topic has been discussed in the past. Most small hp diesels are way too heavy for a bicycle frame. I believe a 2hp China diesel weighs about 61lbs and a 4hp about 72lbs. The other challenge is where to buy a small diesel in the US.

I could be done if the frame was designed for the extra weight, but not a stock department store bike.

Chris
AKA: BigBlue
 

mammonista

New Member
Dec 12, 2013
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Springfield, IL
Been a couple of months since anyone talked about this topic and so I was just wondering....

I think a diesel bike would be a wonderful thing to have in the near/distant future because:

- Diesel is an inherently very stable fuel with excellent long term storage aspects in relatively large quantities.

- Because of it's relatively high efficiency when it comes to converting heat to energy Diesel delivers more MPG than gasoline.

The downside of course is the weight of a diesel engine and the subsequent weight of a bike stout enough to adequately support that engine.

So I was thinking...

What about one of the small, diesel, air-cooled, 2.5 hp Chinese motors available on the internet about $200 (maybe less) mounted on a mid-90s Huffy tandem bike? Using some kind of friction drive above the rear wheel it might work.

Thoughts?
 

MotorBicycleRacing

Well-Known Member
Jul 28, 2010
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What about one of the small, diesel, air-cooled, 2.5 hp Chinese motors available on the internet about $200 (maybe less) mounted on a mid-90s Huffy tandem bike? Using some kind of friction drive above the rear wheel it might work.

Thoughts?
Do you have a link to a $200 diesel, air-cooled, 2.5 hp Chinese motor?

Friction drive is not a great idea for most areas.
 

mammonista

New Member
Dec 12, 2013
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Springfield, IL
Seatrend returned an email inquiry I made. $150 for engine for 3hp engine :)
$200 to have it shipped to U.S. by way of DHL. :-(
Weight is 18kg (40lbs) dry.
3hp @ 3,000 rpms. Variety of output shaft configurations. Keyed shaft, tapered shaft, threaded shaft, splined shaft.
Besides the high cost to have it shipped I don't see the downside.
If somebody needed a reliable form of motorized transportation in a fuel-starved future a diesel bike might be the way to go. Diesel can be stored practically forever and a 3hp motor mounted over the rear wheel of a tandem could be configuration that works. Maybe
 

mammonista

New Member
Dec 12, 2013
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Springfield, IL
Hey everybody,
Seatrend just got back to me on the high cost of shipping. For limited quantities they use DHL air freight from China. They will give me a price break if I buy two engines at $147 each. The cost break is $342 to have two engines shipped to me in central Illinois (a savings of $30 per engine). The salesman, who speaks really good English by the way, said the real price break comes when you buy a quantity and have them shipped by sea. But to do that I'd have to become some kind of bike engine dealer. :)
But I'm still thinking that $350 might not be too awfully bad to have a diesel powered bike if I knew I wasn't going to be throwing money down a rathole.
I have a diesel powered VW van/pickup and absolutely love oil burners, but maybe that's just me.
 

maniac57

Old, Fat, and still faster than you
Oct 8, 2011
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memphis Tn
You don't get that price on one engine. They sell in large lots usually and the discount price is for however many at a time.
I doubt you can find a single engine for sale anywhere near that cheap. If you copuld, they would be everywhere.
Diesels are much heavier built and designed since they require super high compression so they are more expensive by far than gas motors.
 

mammonista

New Member
Dec 12, 2013
7
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Springfield, IL
The cost for ONE engine, with any configuration of output shaft is
$147 U.S. Dollars! That's a price quote from the factory rep in China.
The cost to ship ONE engine (by DHL) is $199.
So $346 for one engine. He verified that price in subsequent emails
It specs out at 18k - 20kg. That is for the 2.8hp engine. The 4.2hp engine specs at 21kg. Having owned, and done all the wrenching on diesel VWs now for about 25 years I'm pretty familiar with construction/weight vs. gas engines. So 18 - 20kg (40 - 44lbs) for a 2.8hp air-cooled diesel doesn't sound unreasonable. And mounting one above the rear tire on a tandem also sounds doable.
Might check on the price for the 4.2hp engine while I'm at it.
 

mammonista

New Member
Dec 12, 2013
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Springfield, IL
I just got another quote, from a different factory rep in China. Here it is.


Thanks for your inquiry about our products, I'm Emily from Chongqing Royway Machinery Co, Ltd.
According to your request, here is the quotation for you.
Engine model:168F diesel engine(3.5HP)
Engine quotation: FOB Chongqing USD 143/set(recoil start)-for 1 set
FOB Chongqing USD 193/set(electric start)-for 1 set
(It is available to used for bicycles)
MOQ: 1 set
Delivery Date: within 15 days after receiving your payment comfirmation.
Payment Terms: Bank, T/T, Western Union, Paypal, Credit Card, etc. it depends on you.

Looking forward to your reply.


So $336 for a diesel air-cooled engine. So the second question is how to power a bike with it. And now that I think of it why not a "tag-a-long pusher"? What are the downsides to that?
 

16v4nrbrgr

Active Member
Mar 17, 2012
1,728
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North Bay
You're going to want to run direct drive without a freewheel mechanism in the diesel drivetrain, probably with a 415H chain because the low end torque at low RPM's is going to hammer the heck out of a bicycle. If you build a beefy one it should be a rock solid commuter though, sounds very interesting. Just something to consider, a pocket bike engine capable of 4-6HP weighs only 7 lbs with accessories, vs 70lbs for the cast iron diesel block, so I would set the gearing up so that you don't have to pedal all that weight around much, by stretching out the gearing - if the motor will allow it on inclines, you should be able to get a longer powerband to the road which emulates how a gas bike would apply power, and save the drivetrain from the crushing torque.
 

MotorBicycleRacing

Well-Known Member
Jul 28, 2010
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SoCal Baby!!!
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Thanks for your inquiry about our products, I'm Emily from Chongqing Royway Machinery Co, Ltd.
According to your request, here is the quotation for you.
Engine model:168F diesel engine(3.5HP)
Engine quotation: FOB Chongqing USD 143/set(recoil start)-for 1 set
FOB Chongqing USD 193/set(electric start)-for 1 set
(It is available to used for bicycles) LOL

So $336 for a diesel air-cooled engine.

So the second question is how to power a bike with it. And now that I think of it why not a "tag-a-long pusher"? What are the downsides to that?

Did Emily specify if that diesel motor is EPA approved for the USA?

I like her comment.
(It is available to used for bicycles) LOL
Tandem friction drive and now a "tag-a-long pusher"????

Most builders want their motor in the frame like a motorcycle.
 

BigBlue

Member
Nov 29, 2011
781
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California
US Customs is going to be your main concern. Then worrying about if the company is legit or not. Hope you don't plan on giving them your credit card# or bank account info. What happens if the engine is a lemon? They ain't going to ship you a new one and pay to ship the old one back.

There are a couple of 4hp diesels for sale on Ebay. Probably a hundred more, but a safer bet.

As I stated in my earlier post, you should start with a frame designed to handle the torque and weight of the engine.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-4-HP-Sm...ni-Bike-/331087290020?&_trksid=p2056016.l4276

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-4HP-AIR...R-CLONE-/131068776818?&_trksid=p2056016.l4276

Good Luck,

Chris
AKA: BigBlue
 

Intrepid Wheelwoman

New Member
Oct 29, 2011
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Hauraki District, New Zealand
If you order through Aliexpress it's just the same as ordering through ebay, - your money and credit card details are protected. I buy things from China through Aliexpress all the time, though I will admit I haven't tried buying a diesel engine yet.
 

mammonista

New Member
Dec 12, 2013
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Springfield, IL
Okay, some of these responses are making me just a little suspicious....

"...I believe a 2hp China diesel weighs about 61lbs and a 4hp about 72lbs. The other challenge is where to buy a small diesel in the US."
WHERE DID YOU COME UP WITH THOSE NUMBERS? 61 POUNDS FOR A 2HP MOTOR? I'VE WORKED WITH DIESELS FOR 35 YEARS AND THAT JUST SOUNDS SILLY. I'D MUCH RATHER BELIEVE THE MANUFACTURERS CLAIM OF 20KG (42 LBS).

"...You don't get that price on one engine. They sell in large lots usually and the discount price is for however many at a time.
I doubt you can find a single engine for sale anywhere near that cheap. If you could, they would be everywhere. Diesels are much heavier built and designed since they require super high compression so they are more expensive by far than gas motors."

WELL THE PRICE QUOTE I SUPPLIED IN AN EARLIER POST PRETTY MUCH ANSWERED TOYA RESPONSE NUMBER ONE, THE SALES REP SAYS THAT PRICE IS FOR ONE UNIT. SURE I'M GONNA PAY THROUGH THE NOSE FOR SHIPPING BUT THAT'S BECAUSE THEY AIR FREIGHT SMALL QUANTITIES AND AIR FREIGHT COSTS A LOT. AS TO POINT NUMBER TWO, YEP DIESELS WEIGH MORE THAN GAS ENGINES BECAUSE OF BEEFIER CRANKCASES, CRANKSHAFTS, RODS, ETC. BUT THE COST REALLY ISN'T THAT MUCH MORE WHEN YOU FACTOR IN THE STUFF THAT DIESELS DON'T HAVE LIKE MAGNETO, COMPLEX IGNITION SYSTEMS, ETC. SO I HATE TO TELL 'YA BUT YOU'RE JUST WRONG ON THIS ONE.

"....US Customs is going to be your main concern. Then worrying about if the company is legit or not. Hope you don't plan on giving them your credit card# or bank account info. What happens if the engine is a lemon? They ain't going to ship you a new one and pay to ship the old one back."

CUSTOMS? REALLY? ON A SMALL DIESEL ENGINE? REALLY? I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN WATCHING TOO MANY EPISODES OF MIAMI CSI FOR YOUR OWN GOOD. UNLESS THOSE CHINESE GUYS ARE STUFFING THE CRANKCASES FULL OF SMACK I WOULDN'T THINK CUSTOMS WOULD GIVE A DAMN AS LONG AS THE DUTY IS PAID ON IT. AND THE COMPANY HAS A PAYPALL ACCOUNT (PAYPAL IS THIS RATHER LARGE COMPANY THAT DOES FINANCIAL TRANSFERS WORLDWIDE THESE DAYS...REALLY NOT A PROBLEM ANYMORE...YOU SHOULD CHECK 'EM OUT)

Did Emily specify if that diesel motor is EPA approved for the USA?

THE EPA? REALLY? ON A SMALL DIESEL ENGINE? REALLY?

IF I DIDN'T KNOW BETTER A COUPLE OF YOU GUYS OWN MOTORIZED BICYCLE SHOPS AND MAKE A KILLING SELLING THOSE LITTLE 80CC 2-STROKE ENGINES. AND THEY'RE FINE FOR WHAT THEY ARE. BUT I WANT A DIESEL FOR WHEN GASOLINE MIGHT BE HARD TO FIND (NOT TO DISTANT FUTURE ACCORDING TO SOME EXPERTS) BECAUSE DIESEL HAS A SHELF LIFE OF PRACTICALLY FOREVER. AND I ALREADY OWN A FEW MOTORCYCLES AND DON'T WANT A BICYCLE JUST TRYING TO BE A MOTORCYCLE. A PUSHER MAKES A LOT OF SENSE FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS. THE PUSHER (SLAVE) UNIT COULD EASILY BE SWAPPED FROM BICYCLE TO BICYCLE, AND IT ALSO ELIMINATES THE NEED FOR A BEEFIER BIKE FRAME TO HOLD THE EXTRA 40LB OF ENGINE.

SORRY IF THIS SOUNDED TOO MUCH LIKE A FLAME BUT I JUST HEARD SOOOOO MUCH NONSENSE I NEEDED TO REPLY..trlrl.