Are there hybrid engines for sale?
Created May 15, 2006, at 10:15 pm by Anonymous
I am buying a late model car, but want to replace the engine with a hybrid. Is this possible and does anybody know of any company that specializes in this? Thanks
skinnybonezjonez
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That's not as easy as it sounds.
For a hybrid to be a hybrid, you must have that big battery to give the electrical portion of it.
In addition, you probably need to do something with the brakes, as hybrids use regenerative braking to recharge their batteries, so they don't have to be plugged in.
While "engine swapping" is possible and has been done in some cars (like putting a Camry engine on a Corvette frame), I not sure whether that's possible with a hybrid, or if it is, it may be extremely difficult.
I'm looking for the same thing, it can't be that hard to do. Just need tofind some one that sells the parts, if you do find some one e-mail me at
I want a hybrid engine as well. I'm going to put 1 in a used 91 Corvette with a zillion miles on it. Should be interesting to say the least : )
Has anyone sucesfully made the transition from late model to hybrid? I am looking to do the same and could use some guidance.
Seems like the best way to find out how to hybridize an older vehicle would be to visit with Dr. Andy Frank's crew at the University of California, Davis Campus.
is it possible to get one of those engines large enough and strong enough to power a vehicle like a bus or a UPS truck?
Wierd postings....there's no such thing as a hybrid engine. If you want to hybridize an old car, you`ll need to totally gut every aspect of the powertrain system, fuel system and most of the electrical system. Then you`ll need to find an existing hybrid system which includes the engine, gearbox, power controller module, inverters, battery, new fuel system, new powertrain control module, new cooling system, new electrical system and a few other things. Then you`ll have to spend many months working to try and get it running, thats assuming you have some means to get into the manufactureres controller software to make some radical control system alterations and functional changes. The best thing to do would be to find a crashed Prius or Saturn Vue Hybrid and then do a major transplant of the total system into your vehicle. Even then, it`ll take you months to try and get the electrical / control system working.
Hybridizing an old car may not be a good idea. Better to get an old Mercedes Diesel and throw MacDonalds frying oil into it.
I have a 1991 Chevy Lumina and would love to put a plug-in hybrid engine in my car. I realize this task is just about impossible but if anyone has done anything similar to this ,knows anyone who has , knows of someone who could help me out, or knows someone who owns a company that does something similar to this PLEASE write to me!
-thanks :)
As far as I know, the Malibu/Aura and Tahoe hybrids from GM house all the additional hybrid components except for the battery pack and possibly the controller in the transmission housing. Since it's basically just a hybrid transmission mated to a standard internal combustion engine, it would probably be just slightly more difficult than a traditional transmission swap. Of course, the difficulty will vary from vehicle to vehicle. Finding the hybrid components to purchase might be the hardest part. The easiest way could be finding a wrecked hybrid donor car to take the parts from.
I have a 1991 Toyota Camry. It has over 235,000 miles on it. I have put over half of that on it myself. It is a very comfortable car and I have always enjoyed driving it. I know I will need to get a different vehicle within the next year. My problem is that I do not want to spend a lot of money that I do not have so I will have to finance one. I do not want to do that either.
I was thinking this past week that I need to recycle my car. I know I could drop another engine in it and put new brakes on it along with suspicion. If I did this it would probably get in the mid 30s for gas milage. I would like to do the recycling but put an engine in that does not run on gas. Not sure if I want to do a diesel engine either. If a lot of people do the McDonald cooking oil route then we will all be fighting for it and the price could get huge.
Any one have suggestions? I am all ears.
David,
You may want to consider 2 things: If you sell your car, what is the most NADA value you can get for it. And the second is, will you be honestly happy with something other than what you already have?
1.) Should you decide to go ahead with the first suggestion, and find something to fit a frugal gourmet budget, might I suggest checking your local tow yard auctions. Its free to get listings either as a paper list, or on the company's website if they have one. Just remember that whatever you get at the auction; set aside $100 for title registration, any money for possibly towing home or DIY, cost of manditory mechanical parts, and then of course the possibility of if a hybrid engine and transmission will work.
2.) If you love your car, save your money for fixing it up your way. Ask a local mechanic shop if they have done work on hybrids before, and if they could do a conversion for your car. Get quotes from different REPUTABLE shops, then decide from that. Be sure to ask about "regenative braking" as a way to power your prize car.
In either case, don't tell strangers what you have for a setup. In this economy where people steal small bits of platinum out of engines, your car could be gutted like a fish the ten minutes you step away from it.
BTW, I am currently working on a sleeper hybrid for a 1980's full size chevy pickup ($150, hawaiian blue). Engine & tranny are removed, and looking to slip what I talked about under the hood. Parts are from LMC trucks, still looking to see if the new Tahoe hybrid setup would work and where to buy. Like I said, no one need know about what it has.
You can't really buy a "hybrid" engine per say. Even if you could, they are not old enough to make it worth your while.
If you want to save money - convert your car to a "water hybrid". Use present day technology to boost your mileage without the added expense of batteries.
It's being used around the world successfully, and I not only use it myself, but I build and install them.
For a couple hundred dollars you can increase your present mileage anywhere from 20% to 50% on average, even 100% if you know what your doing (depending on the car).
So why waste your time with electric hybrid conversions when you can do this in a week or so for far less...
Like others have said there is no such thing as a hybrid engine. This is because a hybrid is not just engine instead it complete system. So you cant just remove you engine and install a engine out hybrid vehicle. I think their is one easy way to build a "home made hybrid" is to build a series hybrid. To build this you would start off my converting you car to run on just electric then add a small ICE generator to recharge the batteries. I think the most difficult part of this conversion would me making a controller that would know when the start the ICE to charge the batteries and electric motor. The cost to build this system out ways any benefit of savings on fuel. The average cost to convert a regular car to an electric car is about 10k and most are done my the owners so this doesn't include labor.
Currently in the middle of the build of my own hybrid of an early 70's car. Its not as hard as everyone makes it out to be. The hardest part was finding the electric motor that when you apply the brake changes to a generator (regenerative braking). All AC systems are the best for this even though it is possible on a DC, just not addvisable. The electric is a Direct Drive and runs off of batteries. Charging is from a slightly modified honda generator. while it doesn't charge all the way perfect it does get it close to the 216 volts.
in a couple of years i want to buy a 1959 fleetwood sixty special, and then see if i can get a hybrid engine into it, and to help me will be my dad, who is a mecanic, who owns another model of cadilac, so i think it will work with a bit of luck, i mean for crying out loud the cadilacs huge.
I recently was given a 1985 Ford Van (fullsize), and my team and I plan to restore the beast. (We are documentary film makers, and while we can do things like change an alternator, starter, etc, a new engine is a different ballgame.) At this point, there is much to do; engine, body, interior.
I am looking for suggestions to make it 'green' or at least 'greener'. We may need a whole new engine, I drove the van, (it acted fine), parked it and two days later, it wouldn't budge. nana, didn't turn over, didn't say 'screw you', nothing...
ideas currently on the table include:
solar panels on the top to run elec system for computers and technology inside the van.
as well, we would like to hybredize the critter. i have heard about h2o hybreds, converting a diesel to fry oil, etc...
Again, any suggestions would be most appreciated,
Michelle.
im trying to find ideas and suggestions to convert my 95 firebird to hybrid. i am in the process of buying new engine parts and in about 6 months i should be able to put together a brand new engine for this. while doing this i figure i should atleast try to make it enviromently friendly. Any suggestions?
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