Diesel swapped Tesla!

[Sac Arrow]

I saw the craziest thing on the road today. I was on my bike, and I heard the unmistakable sound of a Cummins 5.9L diesel roaring ahead, but there were only two cars on the road. One was an older Ford compact sedan, and the other was a blue Tesla. The Tesla didn't look quite normal though - I only got a look at the back end of it, but the wheels stuck out beyond the body a bit, and it rode a bit higher than a normal Tesla.

I Googled it when I got home. It's a thing. Folks are doing this.

 

[MauleSkinner]

My only question is do I have to surrender my man card if I can’t tell a 5.9l Cummins from most other diesels by sound?

 

[Kent Wien]

The “Sora” logo indicates it’s an AI video.

 

[Ted]

My only question is do I have to surrender my man card if I can’t tell a 5.9l Cummins from most other diesels by sound?

I think it's more a confirmation that you aren't autistic.

-Ted
Who can tell a 5.9 Cummins, Powerstroke 7.3, 6.0, 6.4, Cat 3126, and Detroit Series 60 diesel engines by sound with alarming accuracy

 

[Ted]

And yes, I've seen people do these swaps, mostly for the shock and humor factor of taking an EV and repowering it with a rolling coal engine setup, and I imagine also some of the technical challenging "Look what I did" of a drivetrain like that into a car that is completely and utterly not designed for it.

With that said, I did have the idea of diesel swapping some unlikely candidates in college, such as a PowerStroke 7.3 in my Lincoln Town Car or a GM 6.5TD in an 80s Cadillac Fleetwood/Deville (full size rear wheel drive). The gas engines in those cars weren't anything powerful anyway, and I was driving a lot of highway miles. With some tall gearing and an overdrive transmission those would've been great for my long road trips. I had a 92 Town Car towards the end of college that I never engine swapped, but about near anything would've been an improvement over the original SOHC 4.6.

 

[FORANE]

My only question is do I have to surrender my man card if I can’t tell a 5.9l Cummins from most other diesels by sound?

I think it depends on where you're coming from. I've owned a 5.9. I have a buddy who owns a 5.9 and comes over to my home every weekend. I have another buddy who currently owns at least 3 5.9's. The 5.9 has a distinctive sound that's pretty easily identified. Even the 12v and 24v 5.9 can be differentiated by sound.

Oh, and @Ted should be ashamed for not adding 6.6 to the list.

 

[schmookeeg]

turnabout is fair play. Plenty of people restomod fossil cars to electric, why not the reverse?

 

[Ted]

Oh, and @Ted should be ashamed for not adding 6.6 to the list.

That one I can hear that it’s a V8 but more often get it confused for a competitor diesel.

I did, however, leave out the Cummins 6.7, which I own.

 

[MauleSkinner]

I think it's more a confirmation that you aren't autistic.

-Ted
Who can tell a 5.9 Cummins, Powerstroke 7.3, 6.0, 6.4, Cat 3126, and Detroit Series 60 diesel engines by sound with alarming accuracy

Ok, I’m not sure which engine it was, but the diesel pickup that pulled into the gas station this morning while I was filling up definitely sounded different than my grandparents’ Mercedes.

I guess as I think about it, there was a time I could’ve told you which of several John Deere tractors was running just by the sound. And the little 4-cylinder diesels my grandpa put in his ‘51 International pickups (wish I could remember what they were), and of course the two-stroke Jimmies have their own unique sound.

 

[DJTorrente]

And yes, I've seen people do these swaps, mostly for the shock and humor factor of taking an EV and repowering it with a rolling coal engine setup, and I imagine also some of the technical challenging "Look what I did" of a drivetrain like that into a car that is completely and utterly not designed for it.

With that said, I did have the idea of diesel swapping some unlikely candidates in college, such as a PowerStroke 7.3 in my Lincoln Town Car or a GM 6.5TD in an 80s Cadillac Fleetwood/Deville (full size rear wheel drive). The gas engines in those cars weren't anything powerful anyway, and I was driving a lot of highway miles. With some tall gearing and an overdrive transmission those would've been great for my long road trips. I had a 92 Town Car towards the end of college that I never engine swapped, but about near anything would've been an improvement over the original SOHC 4.6.

In most of the world, an E-class diesel is a taxicab, and can reliably run 400k-500k kM if properly maintined. I'm not entirely shocked at the prospect or re-engining a Caddy or Towncar for that.

 

[Sac Arrow]

In most of the world, an E-class diesel is a taxicab, and can reliably run 400k-500k kM if properly maintined. I'm not entirely shocked at the prospect or re-engining a Caddy or Towncar for that.

Particularly if it was powered by the late '70's Oldsmobile V8 diesel. But I think a better fit would be a 6.2 or 6.5L Detroit Diesel, as used in the original production Hummers. Should be a mostly drop in replacement. I would think the Mercedes E Class would be highly underpowered for a full size sedan.

 

[Ventucky Red]

This one has me scratching my head...

For a while I had a side hustle putting Subaru EJ22 engines in Volkswagen Vanagon Westies..(campers) as there was a practicality there that improved the performance, and reduced the emissions. But putting a diesel in a Tesla.... why?

Now, I could see doing this in a MBZ 450SL, and while at it, put a standard gearbox in too... now you got a car.. power, not that the V8 didn't have it, handling, and luxury, that is you get into the car, you don't put it on.

I did have the privilege to drive a MBZ 300SL.. a 6 banger w/a 24 valve engine and a five speed manual in "das vaterland"... "yeah baby... dats what I'm tawking bout.."

I could see me pulling up to a Z28, 442, Mach 1 on Ventura Blvd... with their engines revving... green light and "zee ya"..... see what I did there

 

[Mikey52]

Ok, I’m not sure which engine it was, but the diesel pickup that pulled into the gas station this morning while I was filling up definitely sounded different than my grandparents’ Mercedes.

I guess as I think about it, there was a time I could’ve told you which of several John Deere tractors was running just by the sound. And the little 4-cylinder diesels my grandpa put in his ‘51 International pickups (wish I could remember what they were), and of course the two-stroke Jimmies have their own unique sound.

Probably a Perkins.