I know somewhere this has been discussed before but I could not find it.
I get that the cost would make it a no-go but why can't a D 350 be hot rodded? (not planning on doing it, hence the daydream part)
Can an aftermarket EFI system set up for diesel?
Cam could be custom ground right?
No idea about if head design (apart from compression) would differ for
gas vs. diesel fuel.
Gas heads with proper (custom) pistons?
dd

If it could be done it would sure make a better engine (size wise) than the
3/4 truck engines. For the diesel fans?

Let the flames begin! I can take it.

 

I would just do a turbo diesel. On rop a guy said he had one but kept blowing head gaskets, I think that's what it was.

 

Turbo diesel versions of the Olds DX have been built successfully. As for your other questions, sorry but you apparently aren't very familiar with diesel engines. First, the fuel is injected at 2000-3000 psi, not the 45-60 psi of gasoline EFI systems. That's why the diesel uses a high pressure mechanical injection pump usually operated with a cam and lifters. Yes, direct gasoline injection is being used on the newest cars, but again that's a high pressure system with special and expensive injectors. There is no aftermarket system available today that can deal with diesel pressures.

Second, the combustion chamber design for a diesel is completely different than for a gasoline engine. There is a pre-chamber that the fuel is injected into first, which is specially shaped to promote fuel/air mixing and dispersal inside the larger combustion chamber. Gasoline engine heads do NOT work in this application.

As stated, diesels take very well to turbocharging, but the weak Olds head bolt design (only four bolts around each cylinder) limits boost and thus power.

 

I knew the pressure difference and the combustion chamber were not the same. I just figured since the big D market is so strong that maybe someone had aftermarket fuel management.(explains why I could not find anything on Google) I did forget about the pre chamber. doh

Ah well, it was a fun daydream while it lasted.

 

The cast crank won't hold up to a lot of power/turbocharging. I never looked up the injedction pressures Olds used, but Cummins opens the injectors at 260 bar or around 2600-2800 psi, and the various injection pumps run up to 10,000, 14,000, 17,000, and 23,000 psi. For comparison, the B series Cummins found in Dodge pickups had 359 cubic inches from 1989-2007 models, straight six, forged crank, 6 head bolts per cylinder torqued to 120 ft lb, piston pin alone weighed 600 g and rods weighed 1900 g.

 

You had to say Cummins lol! I wanna put one in a Cutlass really badly...or maybe even a 98. I love messing with them, they are so easy to pull power out of. I have been tinkering with the 6.7's for the last few years and we are getting 22-23 mpg out of them with 800 ft/lbs of torque in a 9,000 lb 4X4! Such amazing engines!