quisveritatemest

Was the Horsepower that you have listed for the TDI WHP or SHP? I have heard that some of the VW TDI engines were manufactured for industrial use, in which case they would probably do OK at full load for extended periods of time. However, that is probably only at the intended manufacturers power rating. Another thing to consider with the TDI is torque. Diesels generally produce much more torque than and equivalent gasoline engine. This is very important, since it directly relates to the force produced by the prop in relation to the RPM's. In the end, I would still think that there is going to be a trade off between performance and economy. If you are looking for economy, maybe you should look at an 8V149 or similar. Everyone would hate you for the noise and the fact that you are raining oil from the skies, but it would get great economy and last forever, even under a continuous full load. I guess, you would need a bigger airplane too.