Found on YouTube: Peugeot 406 turbodiesel with manual transmission and hand-controls for paraplegic driver

Browsing another Diesel-related blog, this video set in Argentina caught my attention. A paraplegic guy shows how he drives a pre-facelift Peugeot 406 with the 2.1TD engine and standard transmission. So many times it's been told it was impossible to upfit a Diesel ride with those automatic clutches commonly found in cars for disabled drivers where they're not restricted to automatic transmissions but, despite some technical limitations of that setup, it is indeed possible.

Luciano Lacoa, the owner of the car, sounds very honest about the disadvantages perceived by him in the system, most noticeably the lack of engine-braking effect and some roughness in the clutch actuator which lacks some progressiveness. And since the single push-pull lever that allows him to control brake and accelerator pedals is located slightly above the shifter, he also seems quite bothered about not being able to rev-match while shifting. The clutch actuator seems to have input only from the accelerator pedal position, which makes it quickly kick in whenever the lever is released, regardless of engine speed or any clear intention for shifting which in some automatic clutch systems is recognized by a touch sensor usually located at the shift knob. This way, not just the clutch pack is submitted to higher efforts which may lead to an estimate 3 times higher wear, the service brakes also get a higher load since it doesn't leave any provision for engine-braking.

Fiat in Suriname?

Got a bit surprised to see a Fiat car in Suriname. That was a Fiat Palio Weekend made in Brazil, with plates from French Guyana. The engine was the very same TD70 that I got to know about 16 years ago in a trip to Uruguay. It does surprise me that Fiat doesn't have in Suriname the same strenght it has in other regional South American markets, since they have a fairly good relation of ruggedness and low cost. In many other countries, not just in South America, I already got the chance to drive Fiat Palio rental cars and they felt fairly good.

Isuzu 4JG2 in Ford E-Series wagon, anyone?

Though we all agree the stock drivelines fitted to Ford E-Series vans are somewhat boat-anchors with na awful fuel consumption, it may feel uncomfortable to get rid of the automatic transmission. It's a matter of compromises, and this time the swap of an Isuzu 4JG2 engine and a 5-speed manual transmission out of an Isuzu NKR truck was found out to be the best option. For a 2009 E-150 with the 35-spline Dana 60, the 5.38 differential gear ratio might be sufficient.

Cardboard gaskets?

Came to see a Chinese copy of the Yanmar horizontal-single engine, fitted to an air compressor, for oil leaks. All of its gaskets had been replaced with pieces of cardboard, but it kept running for a while until I could get there and replace them with a more conventional material. I know, some people might be unfavorable to that, but I am still comfortable using asbestos.

200cc engine in a Beetle?

Considering that the old Beetle had been one of the most universal vehicles at its time, it's still a bit shocking to see one with a different engine. When it's a motorcycle engine, the surprise is even greater. But now that official spare parts are going harder to find, sometimes we might see some backyard-engineering efforts put in place to adapt some random cheap Chinese motorcycle engine. This time, a Keeway RKS 200 engine. I must admit I was somehow worried about the cooling, but it received a pair of electric fans built into the rear lid and activated by a thermostat that can be bypassed on-demand, with one fan pulling the outside air and the other exhausting the hot air away from the engine compartment. OK, not Diesel-related, but at least for me it was something unexpected.

Overhauling a horizontal single cylinder Yanmar engine that drives a genset. One of the simplest engines that one can deal with, not even its low power to weight ratio prevents it from being still efficient for stationary duties like this.

RHD or LHD? That's the question...

It feels somewhat weird to be in RHD vehicles, but at least in Suriname there is no rule preventing the registry of LHD equivalents. What does really surprise me is that most of the brand-new rides are coming from Thailand, way further than other car production centers like Brazil and Argentina. Passing by other vehicles on the road might be somewhat scary at first, but it's possible to resort to devices like a small câmera or a set of mirrors similar to the ones fitted to those U.S. Mail vans.