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      09-25-2016, 05:51 AM   #1
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Transforming a diesel to petrol

Hi all

So I have been lurking on this forum for a while now having picked up my 335d 3 weeks ago. I traded in my 10 year old 350Z for this and the adjustment is a pretty big one. I am loving the 335d and have no regrets but I do miss petrol, which got me thinking…..

Assuming you had more money than common sense, what would it take to transform a diesel to a petrol?

I had a think about this while running other other day and came up with the following list of things that would need to be replaced:

- Engine (Obviously)
- Fuel tank
- Fuel pump (and all the hoses)
- ECU re flash
- Exhaust (Maybe you could just remove the DPF)
- Fuel filler cap (it has a diesel sticker on it)

Thats all I could come up with but I am sure there must be more, what have I missed?

Just for clarity, this is 100% a hypothetical question. I am not a mad person.
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      09-25-2016, 06:09 AM   #2
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You can turn a cat into a dog just as easily - just douse it in petrol, set it on fire and it goes "woof"
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      09-25-2016, 06:13 AM   #3
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Surely if you replaced the engine it wouldn't be a diesel anymore?
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      09-25-2016, 06:17 AM   #4
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Best way would be drive to dealers hand over money, swap keys, drive away in petrol model.😜
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      09-25-2016, 06:24 AM   #5
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Some mechanically minded person will chime in soon. Until then, i prefer the simple option... just drop TRL an email.
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      09-25-2016, 06:24 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 330Stevie
Best way would be drive to dealers hand over money, swap keys, drive away in petrol model.😜
Exactly!!
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      09-25-2016, 06:25 AM   #7
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You're crazy
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      09-25-2016, 06:38 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 330Stevie View Post
Best way would be drive to dealers hand over money, swap keys, drive away in petrol model.😜
This, might cost you a bit early in to a deal but the cost of conversion would cover this.
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      09-25-2016, 06:42 AM   #9
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Diffs
Gearbox
Instrument panel
ECU
Wiring loom
Fuel filter
Fuel lines
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      09-25-2016, 06:45 AM   #10
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Probably the weirdest question I've seen on a car forum tbh haha!
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      09-25-2016, 06:52 AM   #11
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Just to clarify that I am not actually thinking of doing this, just interested in the differences.
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      09-25-2016, 07:37 AM   #12
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So is your question what are the mechanical differences between one model and another?

Don't forget there are quite a few differences between petrol to petrol, diesel to diesel. - suspension settings, driveshaft, fuel pump, wiring loom, exhaust

Even the 320i vs 328i which had almost identical engines had a dozen or so different parts on when the left the factory.

I think you need a more specific question if you want specific answers :
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      09-25-2016, 07:40 AM   #13
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So is your question what are the mechanical differences between one model and another?

Don't forget there are quite a few differences between petrol to petrol, diesel to diesel. - suspension settings, driveshaft, fuel pump, wiring loom, exhaust

Even the 320i vs 328i which had almost identical engines had a dozen or so different parts on when the left the factory.

I think you need a more specific question if you want specific answers :
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      09-25-2016, 07:43 AM   #14
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      09-25-2016, 08:17 AM   #15
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"You can put lipstick on a pig but it's still a pig"
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      09-25-2016, 09:52 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Edinburra View Post
"You can put lipstick on a pig but it's still a pig"
That's what a few thought when BMW first started making diesel cars. A diesel is still a pig, even in a BMW shell.

But on a serious note, a diesel, or petrol, comes out of the factory as such, so only a parts bin exercise to convert.

It's all the subtle bits, as have been mentioned in other posts, like the instrument cluster (i.e. rev counter), diff (final drive ratio), fuel lines, etc., which make it more complex than simply an engine transplant.
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      09-25-2016, 09:55 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HighlandPete
Quote:
Originally Posted by Edinburra View Post
"You can put lipstick on a pig but it's still a pig"
That's what a few thought when BMW first started making diesel cars. A diesel is still a pig, even in a BMW shell.

But on a serious note, a diesel, or petrol, comes out of the factory as such, so only a parts bin exercise to convert.

It's all the subtle bits, as have been mentioned in other posts, like the instrument cluster (i.e. rev counter), diff (final drive ratio), fuel lines, etc., which make it more complex than simply an engine transplant.
Agreed
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      09-25-2016, 10:54 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nicon2k
Hi all

So I have been lurking on this forum for a while now having picked up my 335d 3 weeks ago. I traded in my 10 year old 350Z for this and the adjustment is a pretty big one. I am loving the 335d and have no regrets but I do miss petrol, which got me thinking…..

Assuming you had more money than common sense, what would it take to transform a diesel to a petrol?

I had a think about this while running other other day and came up with the following list of things that would need to be replaced:

- Engine (Obviously)
- Fuel tank
- Fuel pump (and all the hoses)
- ECU re flash
- Exhaust (Maybe you could just remove the DPF)
- Fuel filler cap (it has a diesel sticker on it)

Thats all I could come up with but I am sure there must be more, what have I missed?

Just for clarity, this is 100% a hypothetical question. I am not a mad person.
Maybe not mad but is there a touch of not ticking the 340i option regret......

335d is a cracking car anyway obviously.
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      09-25-2016, 11:00 AM   #19
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I'm thinking of changing my cricket bat into a hockey stick and my TV into a radio.

come on guys this has to be a wind up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Unless Dr Who or Nick the Greek has appeared on this forum.
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      09-25-2016, 11:07 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom Tallon View Post
I'm thinking of changing my cricket bat into a hockey stick and my TV into a radio.

come on guys this has to be a wind up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Unless Dr Who or Nick the Greek has appeared on this forum.
Of course it is not serious, but years back engine and gearbox transplants were quite common, before the complexities of modern motors.
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      09-25-2016, 12:03 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom Tallon View Post
I'm thinking of changing my cricket bat into a hockey stick and my TV into a radio.

come on guys this has to be a wind up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Unless Dr Who or Nick the Greek has appeared on this forum.
You must be the brains of the family then.
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      09-25-2016, 12:39 PM   #22
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I actually started seriously looking into doing this for my old 1 series a while ago.

In that instance it was to take it from a 120d and to stick an S65 lump in it.

The easiest way I could find of getting the necessary parts was to find a suitable Cat C or D M3 and pretty much just swap over all the mechanicals, wiring and ECUs. Due to the different length of the chassis it would also require a custom made prop shaft along with some custom hoses and pipes. On the fuel side of things I would have swapped out the diesel tank and filler with new petrol parts - would have significantly saved the hassle of cleaning.

Assuming my labour cost nothing I'd have required somewhere in the region of about £25000 to buy all the necessary parts and tooling that I didn't already have.

For something like this then it could well be worth it - you're creating something almost unique and very special to you. Oh to have a large garage and lots of spare cash.
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