If the 2.4 is the same as the 1.9 (apart from the 2 extra cylinders) then a 1.9 tdi swap would be easy from the mechanical point of view. You'd still have to deal with electronics unless you go for an TDI from A3 Golf's.

Can't remember where I read that the 2.4 might have some lubrication issues. Volvo people might more informed on this since it was used in the old wagons.

 

it looks like the HP and Torque where about the same for the 1.9 and the 2.4. I don't know if its because the 1.9 was more modern with direct injection or not but maybe the 6 could be modified to have more.

 

Ok a little VW info.
1.9 uses a VW FWD Bell housing Pattern
2.4 uses the Audi Bell housing Pattern
Audi Bell housing Pattern is used on the Porsche 924/926 RWD
And also the Volvo 5 and 6 cly VW braced diesels...(RWD)...and should be a bolt up to the gas 2.4

 

there are some companies that do adapters for a 1.9 so it is feasible I wonder how much it would cost though. But I think a 1.9 TDI would be a good swap because of the weight, about 285 lbs. Anyway below are some conversion companies. They are for Samuris, but I'm sure there are some somewhere for pinzgauers

http://www.rocky-road.com/diesel.html

http://www.acmeadapters.com/store.php

Also 1.9 TDI's, and non turboed 1.9, and even 1.6's can be found anywhere Ive seen dozens for sell on ebay at any given time. I haven't seen any 2.4's

 

it would be helpful to know what transmission they use

 

Many people have attempted the 1.9 TDI conversion. It's cheap, available, and easy to rig into place. It also is high-revving, much like the stock gas motor, so performance characteristics in that way would be similar. But you can't find the 2.5 liter motors on this side of the Atlantic.

The diesel Pinzgauers also used a transmission with SUBSTANTIALLY different gearing than the gassers....and availability of those is practically nil. This is why the swap to TDI, without a tranny swap, kills the truck's performance. I know one guy who has a diesel tranny in his shop - and it needs gears 3-5 replaced, since the previous owner ran it low on oil and HOT and wrecked it (the case is good). IF you can find one, cost on this tranny is around $5k.

Problem is that, universally, every diesel conversion to the 1.9 TDI has gone bad. You're immediately gutting the truck of 20% of its displacement, and it shows VERY quickly (see tranny note above). Red Bull had several Pinzgauers that were converted to 1.9 TDIs and they couldn't get out of their own way (especially with all the stuff they added to them). Even the 710s (4 wheel, much lighter than a 712 6 wheel) can't tolerate the conversion, it just pulls the carpet out from under the truck. Which is a bloody shame, since the 2.5 liter version powers later pinzies, and it would be SOOOO easy to do the swap. It also requires converting the truck to 12volt....and rewiring the entire truck.

At this point I'm a bit stuck. I've traded the 710 and trailer in my photo for a 712 (6 wheeler!), and it needs a good bit of work to make it run down the road. That and a buddy of mine is looking at doing some work to make EFI systems for Pinzies that would improve some performance characteristics, and we'd use mine as a test bed.....but it's still not exactly a diesel. My 712 also has a ton of cool stuff not usually found on pinzgauers (power steering, disc brakes, 2.7liter motor, air conditioning, additional heater, etc). It'll be a labor of love for a few months, but SOOOO cool when done.

So far the best combo I've seen is to get an OM617 motor, modify the oil pain/sump to fit, then use an adapter to get to an NV4500 transmission. This will still allow use of a 24v starter and alternator, and should provide good locations for power steering pump and AC compressor. It sure looks like it will fit (the engine is known to, just figuring out the tranny), will be reliable, and have good parts availability....it just wont be cheap. But as Red Adair said, you can have it fast, cheap or right - pick two. The real question is whether or not a turbocharged version of that motor could be shoehorned into the pinz safely. Jury's still out there.

For those looking for a size reference - the 710 and trailer combination in my photo is almost exactly 23 feet....the same length as a crew cab long bed F350. With the trailer being right about 7' long, the truck itself is 16' (a 6wheel 712 is about 18' long). height is right about 7'5" to the top of the antenna mount, which sits above the roofline about 3". And the ones with the "funny snout" are diesels, that's where they tuck the radiator, it's more a function of cooling than engine length. Also, the engine is not horizontally opposed, it's an inline-4 mounted parallel to the center tube frame of the truck.

Thanks for the ideas guys! I haven't given up on this yet....it's just pushed back a bit.

 

Are you saying that the 1.9 TDI conversion makes the vehicle too slow, unless you can get the diesel version tranny, or possibly a different tranny all together.

Also has anyone ever modified the suspension on Pinzgauers to have unequal length A arms instead of the more primitive swing axle design.

And I understand that the VW Synchros 4/4 system is made by the same company that made the Pinzgauer, Steyr-Daimler-Puch, and Ive seen conversions for those to a Subaru engine. Maybe its possible to get one of the New Subaru diesels, and mate it up,If the tranny's and or bell housing would work.

 

the 1.9 conversion universally makes the truck both too slow, and too low on top speed in comparison to stock or the as-issued diesel version (which cannot legally be imported for several more years).

I am not aware of anyone trying to modify the suspension in the way you describe. Driving the swing/portal axles is probably a factor in this - power is driven through the tube frame of the truck, and then via the portal axles; it's not like any solid axle vehicle in any way. Modifying this design would be challenging at best IMO. The design engineering on this truck isn't what I'd call primitive.

A lot of the issue is what we already face on diesels - import restrictions, so the Subaru may not even be an option in that regard (I'm not sure what's available from them). I dont know, but if the Subaru follows the usual Boxer design, I doubt it would fit into the space allowed. This is part of why the OM617 motor is appealing, it will fit without modification to the truck, just some to the motor (oil sump/pan mostly).

You can get a good idea of the axles and space available in this photo of a Pinz brochure from back in the day: Military Brochure

 

cool i will keep that in mind the om617 is a really simple and bullet proof engine.

 

in keeping with your german/austrian heritage, why not try to find a deutz. theyre air cooled. or possibly a perkins (im not to familiar with them)

oh yeah, some pics of the new ride too