How difficult/expensive would it be to convert an RV with a gas engine to a diesel that runs on biofuel?

Answer 1

Impossible. The diesels are "pushers". In other words the engine is mounted in the rear. All the gas jobs have front mounted engines except for a couple of 2008 models from Winnebago. They have a new chassis which is using a rear mounted gas engine. Since all the older gas jobs are designed for a front mounted V8 there's no way you're going to shove a straight six diesel in there. The V8's are a shorter engine and barely have enough room. The longer diesel won't fit even if you could cobble mounts for it. Plus I don't know of any mechanics, in their right mind, who would try such a conversion.

Answer 2

Very... You must fit your RV with a diesel engine, this will likely be difficult and expensive to accomplish, and there are few choices for suitably powerful diesel engines that will fit, and pass a smog test. In the long run, it'll be much cheaper and much easier to sell your RV and buy one that already has a diesel engine. The long and short of it is that there is no way to make a gas engine burn diesel, period end of story.

As a side note, a gas engine, properly equipped, will happily burn ethanol which is a biofuel. If your RV has a carburetor, you will need a fuel tank and fuel lines that are ethanol compatable (not metal,) a ethanol compatible fuel pump and carburetor, which are all relatively easily acquired. Racing vehicles often run on alcohol, and so most of the parts can be had at a speed shop. If you do that, you can ONLY burn ethanol, no more gas. If you RV is fuel injected, there really isn't any reasonable way to make it like ethanol, so sell your RV and buy one that's advertised as "Flex Fuel" which can run on either E-85 ethanol (85% ethanol, 15% gas) or gasoline. If you really want to save the country from foreign oil and/or save the world from global warming, you might just want to get rid of your gas-guzzling RV altogether...

Answer 3

It depends on the particular vehicle......

If it is a drivetrain that originally had a diesel option, its no harder than doing the same conversion in a regular truck/van.

The eaisest method would be to find a wrecked/damaged RV with the diesel drivetrain and do the swap that way. You have all of the needed parts at hand, and a very basic road map of how to do it.

Price? That is a HUGE varible.. That completely depends on your particular technical abilities, and the starting points.

Answer 4

First check with your state DMV. The vin in your rv states it is a gas engine not a diesel. SO it may be illegal.
The process: Swap the motor/transmission, linkages, fuel tank, fuel pump,pressure regulator, fuel lines, wiring harness, ecm, motor mounts. Very expensive unless you do the work yourself.