Petrol To Diesel Engine Swap for Maruti Esteem


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I've Maruti Esteem 2007 model. The engine has worn out and I'm planning to modify it by replacing the existing petrol engine with a new diesel engine.

What are options available and can I purchase the engine alone from any shop or any vendor?

I'm thinking to install Swift/Ritz diesel engine, how much is this feasible?
Any pointers appreciated?
 

350Z

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Re: Diesel engine for Esteem?

Petrol to Diesel engine swap won’t be that easy. Do this only if you wish to retain the car for long term and can bear the risk of unreliability even after spending lots of money. Else, simply choose a CNG / LPG conversion if less fuel cost is what you’re looking for.

Drive Safe,
350Z
 
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don't know about new generation cars, the matador engine we swapped for the petrol engine in our 74 model amby was superb, never had any real big issues till we sold it off.since the production of ddis engine is not able to meet the demand for maruti i feel getting a brand new engine may not be possible.
 
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I would suggest to stay away.

One of my friends swapped the Petrol engine in his 2002 Esteem with a Toyota Diesel mill. Believe me, from day 1 he started spending a considerable amount of money and time in garage for niggles and issues.

If you really plan for a diesel engine go for the one comes with Esteem-D, but i'm not sure you could get a new one.

Instead you can spend some Vitamin 'M' on your present engine and go for a LPG Kit. This could save something on your pockets.
 
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I've Maruti Esteem 2007 model. The engine has worn out and I'm planning to modify it by replacing the existing petrol engine with a new diesel engine.

What are options available and can I purchase the engine alone from any shop or any vendor?

I'm thinking to install Swift/Ritz diesel engine, how much is this feasible?
Any pointers appreciated?

Installing CRDI engine from Swifit or Ritz will be a very difficult job and would require a lot of R& D as the CPU requires a lot of information from various points via sensors which would be difficult to install on your vehicle. The easier option is to go in for a Toyota 1N or 1C engine. But with the market flooded with so many factory fitted Diesel cars it would be very easy and hassle free to go in for a Diesel car instead of alteration.
 
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The best two choices in my opinion are
1) Buy a total loss Esteem and pick it's engine
2) Sell your car to a total loss sufferer one who can swap the body
 
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some how you are about to spend more than a lakh on the transplantation. Instead why don't you sell your car and get a used Diesel vehicle? Add a lakh or more to the esteem's value and you can get a Getz CRDi.
 
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How exactly is the engine worn out? However worn out the engine maybe it can be easily rectified with a complete overhaul. You can go for a refurbished half engine from Maruti.
 
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Well putting a diesel motor in Esteem is not that bad experience but you need to be very technically sound to get this done. A friend here got it done few months back and you can see a lot of Esteems fitted with Diesel motors in Punjab. I too had an Ambassador and installed a diesel motor in that. It was a Nissan 1398CC 4 cylinder engine. Had an amazing torque. It was fitted with Maruti Gypsy's 4 speed transmission. The fuel consumption was around 22kmpl and the engine was really responsive. No electronics involved in the engine. It had a simple pump based diesel injection system. Overall it was a really nice and economical experience for me :-)

Now coming to your Esteem engine swap, yeah it will be good but for the one who has driven a smooth petrol car and then shifting to a self tweeked diesel vehicle will be bit absurd. You can't get rid of those vibrations when the motor is idle. And it won't be that much smooth actually. Same engine (Nissan) is fitted in Esteem with Esteem's own gearbox because in some way it matches with the engine technically. There will be no ECU and no sensors. Fuel pump will be replaced too. The original Japanese car in which this engine resides has almost same dimensions and weight as of the Esteem. The space under the hood is also almost same so no major tweeking is done on Esteem. Just minor weldings and bit more stuff. I have got an Ikon Petrol and I often drive my friends Esteem with this Nissan engine. The difference is just about the smoothness and drive pleasure :-) The Esteem runs like devil on the road but with lot of vibrations. Diesel motors make noise there is no doubt in that but if you are not familiar with that noise (I love it :-)) then there will be a problem. Newer diesel engines are more sophisticated and more advanced because they are electronically controlled which makes them more responsive and bit less noisy. Overall your Esteem wont remain that much "sophisticated" :-)

In simple words I would say if you are a machine enthusiast then go for this tweeking otherwise get a second hand diesel car :-) there are lot of options available in the market these days.

And still if you want to go for this tweeking then you can buy this engine form Mayapuri (Delhi) I don't remember fairly but I think I got that motor for 28K excluding transmission 9 years back. Don't know what is the current price.

One thing more important is that this tweeking will be not be legally accepted by the Motor Transport Authorities. Your present RC will become fake because of not having the same engine of the number flashed on your RC. Consider this also. And in a place like delhi you cannot afford to do this :-) It can be done illegally but lets not get into that :-)

So overall I would suggest you to buy a used diesel car very carefully with the help of some good mechanic or a technical person otherwise u'll be screwed like anything :-)

All the best!!
 
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good explanation SPDIF I was thinking the same cuz my mate is modifying his Honda city to get about 400 bhp , he is just getting the block . I recommended a Type R engine of a civic but he refused cuz its hard to get those cars on RC and its kind of illegal in India.
 
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good explanation SPDIF I was thinking the same cuz my mate is modifying his Honda city to get about 400 bhp , he is just getting the block . I recommended a Type R engine of a civic but he refused cuz its hard to get those cars on RC and its kind of illegal in India.
hey thanx codename47.
that would be a huge and monstrous modification!! [cry]
and yeah its real hard to get these modified vehicles on RC [anger]
 
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Buddy,
My 2 cents. Driving a car without valid RC is like driving with a bomb under your seat. Petrol to Diesel swap doesn't worth taking this risk. If you consider for major performance upgrades, this risk can be taken into consideration.
 
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Buddy,
My 2 cents. Driving a car without valid RC is like driving with a bomb under your seat. Petrol to Diesel swap doesn't worth taking this risk. If you consider for major performance upgrades, this risk can be taken into consideration.
Nothing about risk here as Esteem has already a diesel version and nobody is going to open the hood for checking what engine is inside.
 
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Nothing about risk here as Esteem has already a diesel version and nobody is going to open the hood for checking what engine is inside.
We are safe unless and until something goes wrong. In case of any mishap (sorry being looking at negative view) Insurance goes invalid.

Point here is we should not encourage the illegal practice, isn't it?
 

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