Pinzgauer Diesel...Conversion...I have one....It seems OK

[Dreadnought]

Just collected it yesterday. Seems to go OK performance is about the same as my Landrover. It has been converted to a Mercedes 5cyl 2.9 Diesel engine. It is a 710K 1972 model and it sems I am lucky, the underbody look as if it came out of the factory a couple of weeks ago, no rust anywhere. (I think I will "wax oil" it too especially as it is so good already). No play in the steering but the Maloyas are "tragic" the rubber is such a hard compound that it feels like the kind used on Big earth movers. They are to be replaced by a new set of Goodyear G90s which have only slightly less circumference but are thinner. Which doesn,t matter because she has on a set of "reverse offset wheels" They seem to be factory supplied???? they have the look of factory, the paint is correct??? so has anybody else found themselves with these wheels? I will send pics soon, tried last night but there was some problem. One thing the water cooled engine gives me is the option of the easy fitting of heaters (probably from some car) in the front (behind the seat - the eberspacher was petrol so has gone. and perhaps another on the bulkhead in the back. I have the front (Snout) of a VW Type diesel engined pinz, perhaps to you it will look odd on the shorter vehicle. More to follow please feel free to ask questions, I may be able to send pics easier if you e mail me. cooper721@btinternet.com It is actually looks so much bigger than my Landrover SWB even when parked next to it, but get the tape measure out and it fits in to the same garage and takes up the same amount of space in there. (I forgot to say that the reason it is so good underneath is probably that it has only done 37000Kms)

[Dreadnought]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinzgauer710k

[Erik712m]

Good looking pinz! What is the back spacing on the rims you have installed?

[David Dunn]

Before changing tires, find out what rpms your diesel will turn ( it's not one found here, and may be from a MB Sprinter) .... if it is less than 4500, and you go to any smaller tires, my Haflinger and Supacat might be able to out run ya.
The wheels may be from either a Ford Transit van ( I've heard fit,,, but none on this side of the pond), or a MB Sprinter van. Third option, but less likely, the centers were reset ( that would have been a waste not to weld in wider wheels). Your radiator shroud is custom and modeled after the P80's shroud, but easy to spot the differences ( like a mother picking her baby out of a crowd ). If your plumbing is still intact, you can install either a diesel fueled Eberspacher or Webasto heater.
When trying to compare the 710 to a 716, I use the differences of a Series 3 LR to a later Defender 90( though a 716 is more technologically advanced from a 710).

Dave

[Erik712m]

Enlarging the pics it looks like six inch rim as the back of the rim only extends out to the end of the brake drum leaving the portal exposed. An exposed portal is a bad thing?

Dave think it is also referred to OM602? I believe it is the same motor pinzmeister-uk is installing? They are available on this side of the pond. I think we have talked about this motor before.

[David Dunn]

Enlarging the pics it looks like six inch rim as the back of the rim only extends out to the end of the brake drum leaving the portal exposed. An exposed portal is a bad thing?

Dave think it is also referred to OM602? I believe it is the same motor pinzmeister-uk is installing? They are available on this side of the pond. I think we have talked about this motor before.

Offseting the rim will add some load to the spindle bearings, plus from a purely legal point, the tires probably extend outside the rubrails....on the 716/18s, with the wider track, the rubrails were widen for that reason.

Go find me a US EPA approved vehicle.... The US Sprinters used a 2.7TD, ..... it's not like the OM617 used in the 300D. Even finding a 2.4TD engine( used in the 716/18 ) in the US isn't that easy....Volvo ( as far as I know) were the only one, in any number.

[Dreadnought]

Just some more notes of general interest. The engine is from a Sprinter 310 usually a Long or mid length drop side light truck. I would honestly swap a slightly lower top speed for a change in handling characteristics, these Maloyas are just too hard a compound (probably great for rock crawling - not many rocky areas here in South West England - and my G90s are tough enough. (one thing I haven,t seen mentioned is...are the wheels good for Tubless tyres, or will the maloyas have tubes???) I just remembered an IMPORTANT thing about my reverse offset rims, the valves are on the inside??????? Going back to the G90s the circumference is only slightly less than the Maloyas so I probably won,t notice the difference. Back to the VW 6 cyl units, I am surprised that any made it to the States.....here it was common in a thing called the VW LT Van, in which I always considered it very underpowered and it was not an engine that liked neglect, forget an oil change, forget the engine, it would die very easily. In europe (whilst serving in the Army) I saw many volvo saloons and estates using this engine, all of their larger ranges could be had with it, whilst it was not an option in the UK (Volvo like SAAB said at the time diesels didn,t fit their performance and up-market image)(Alfa and Lancia were at the time installing Diesels for their home market cars)Lastly forgive typing errors...my 6 yr old HP Laptop has died and I am still getting used to the keyboard on my wifes Samsung!

[Dreadnought]

Sorry this post is behind the other (I just lost a long speil somewhere in the wires) Basically it went: Yes this is a Pinzmeister creation, his second, I believe. Three of the rims have this script: 6.50K x16 3/71 Kromag (in flowing German style script) 4042 ....... the third rim has: L32 193 6.50K x 16 II81 EA (last time I saw EA stamped like that was on all the Army kit of the "Ejercito Argentina" I still have a few mementos of that little shooting match - it was such fun)(Now theres a place to test a Pinz!!! someday we,ll have a member residing there (I can add to the query about how exposed the Portals are...they are a good half inch inside the rim and I am not going to be doing any serious rock climbing. I will get my wife to work her magic with the camera and take/post some pics of the actual engine in situ. Modifications are many, but most are small. Drivers seat moved to the left by an inch, new engine mounts, a new sump, carden shaft has a new end on it. and of course a big new fabricated engine cover. These are all things that can be "fine tuned" on "later examples.

[ScottishPinz]

The big question, as it can be the only reason to change the engine, what real everyday fuel consumption do you get?

[Dreadnought]

Hi Scottish Pinz, (firstly if yr travels ever bring you down this way? you are cordially invited to look in and compare notes, both our steeds being 710K)(Dont need a roof rack do you? see pics and clasifieds) Well I have only had her a couple of days so I don,t really know what I am geting to the gallon. I filled up half a mile from where I picked her up in Sheffield, drove all the way down the M1/M42/M40 came off at Gaydon and drove via Banbury to Swindon Wilts....still had half a tank? I did dip it, when I filled up I filled to the bottom of the tube,(I could see the diesel) when I got home I dipped again and had half a tank? is that good???or bad? and as for economy being the only reason....you are wrong in my case as I am a diesel nut? long story but got my first diesel Merc when I was 18 in Germany in the Army, hardly ever had a petrol since then and only when driven by circumstances. I got fed up of changing/cleaning plugs points etc and adjusting carbs....I love my diesels ,only oil changes, and they run forever. I have a Perkins Prima engined SWB 1969 Landrover that does well over 30MPG. I hope the God of all MGs is not listening but I even had Evil thoughts of puting a VW 1600 turbo diesel in my wifes restored MG Midget!!!!!! shocking!!!!! I may one day change this engine, but it will be for a turbo diesel.

[ScottishPinz]

Our Summer travels took in most of England and Wales this year, as we went from Edinburgh to Kent then on to Dorset up through Wales and back to Scotland! A few more MPG would have been great! Your points about the other benefits of diesel are interesting, but I don't think I could bear to have my Pinz cut up like that, I am nervous even drilling a hole for a new fastening or something! Would be great to compare the trucks though.

Change the mayolas, you'll never regret it, when you have time could you post details of what speed kph / revs if known in each gear + maximum reasonable cruising speed.

[Dreadnought]

Will do.....I,m changing to Goodyear G90 they are a nice tall tyre, but not as wide as the maloya. (Same tyre as fitted to Army "Wolf" Landrovers) I,ll be able to give speeds in gears, don,t know how accurate the speedo is. We are hoping to convert ours to a camper. (It used to belong to a guy who sold radio equipment at all the military gatherings, it had an LPG conversion (which the Pinz meister has spare at the moment, unless he,s promised it to someone/sold it already)The previous owner needed more room so traded up to a 6x6. Like I said if you are down this way, I,m always in....took very early retirement...we can aford it..just..so I,m always here.(in the garage, oil and spanner in hand)

[Erik712m]

Enlarging the pics it looks like six inch rim as the back of the rim only extends out to the end of the brake drum leaving the portal exposed. An exposed portal is a bad thing?

Dave think it is also referred to OM602? I believe it is the same motor pinzmeister-uk is installing? They are available on this side of the pond. I think we have talked about this motor before.

Offseting the rim will add some load to the spindle bearings, plus from a purely legal point, the tires probably extend outside the rubrails....on the 716/18s, with the wider track, the rubrails were widen for that reason.

Go find me a US EPA approved vehicle.... The US Sprinters used a 2.7TD, ..... it's not like the OM617 used in the 300D. Even finding a 2.4TD engine( used in the 716/18 ) in the US isn't that easy....Volvo ( as far as I know) were the only one, in any number.

Dave, Could someone import the engine due to the fact its out of a twenty-five year old vehicle? Only reason I ask on the forum there was a post on this motor once before. Not having any luck finding the post? There seems to be two hundred plus post I need to narrow the search a little.


Dreadnought, I but you're MPG not that improved. the 716/718 don't get much better.

[David Dunn]

That what I thought on the engine, that it was from a Euro Sprinter ( prior to the US importation).
You seem to be hung up on the Maloyas... they are typical old military tube tires. Technology has changed in 40 years. I would assume the G90s used on the Wolfs would be a 7.50 x 16 ( or the metric equivalent) . That was the size the Pinz would have had made to UK specs.
It also sounds like your rims were reversed on the centers, that's why the valve stems are to the inside

I am quite aware of the 2.4TD reputation in the VW LT 3.5 trucks. Also the use of turboed and non turboed versions in the Volvo, and some VW sedans.... not to mention the SDP Noriker ( an odd case where SDP used the 716 portal on a live axle 4x4 version of the LT ).... maybe I'll get another phone call where someone tells me "they have something I can't live with".

Dave

[Dreadnought]

I took two of the Wheels off and changed them yesterday, and Dave you are correct they have been cut and welded, but the weld is so clean and accurate I,m willing to bet it was done on some machine. My Wolf G90s are 7.50 x 16.