200 MPG KUBOTA CAR - REALLY!

CrazyJerry · Apr 22, 2014

Hi Folks!
Thought you'd all get a real kick out of this! A Kubota powered Urba Centurion (Kubota diesel powered sports car). It recently competed in the 10th Annual Toyota Green Grand Prix at Watkins Glen International Raceway on April 11th, 2014. So how did Kubota stack up against over 40 cars, seven universities, Hybrids, Pure Electrics, Compressed Natural Gas, Diesel and anything else? Enjoy the story and please share as appropriate!
Thanks,
~CrazyJerry
SUNY Canton Online Staff Member Hits 200 mpg in Toyota Green Grand Prix

2458n · Apr 22, 2014

Interesting article. Recall the mag story well. I am surprized only three are known to exist. My guess is that there are a bunch of these sitting around in garages across America just waiting to be finished. Back in the day I owned a TR-7. No doubt about where the style came from. I enjoy my Kubota engine right where it is at. In my tractor.

stingray1 · Apr 22, 2014

Interesting story.

SPIKER · Apr 22, 2014

There is a guy in Washington State who build a JINMA tractor eng into his Datsun Pickup, it is in the CHINA TRACTOR forum, it has been done for 8 or so years. RPM was too high for the little 3 cyl China made eng & it kept popping head gaskets, a custom copper one and custom flywheel/trans adapter plate to a Masda? transmission was used. same rear end etc. the thread gets revived every year or two for updates. He reported 60+MPG out of the stock truck aerodynamics so not bad...

Mark

94BULLITT · Apr 22, 2014

That is cool I always thought it would be cool to have a Kubota powered car.

SPIKER · Apr 22, 2014

did a quick search for the Jinma powered thread it was a Mazda pickup here
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...d-mazda-pickup-13.html?highlight=pickup+jinma

mark

buickanddeere · Apr 23, 2014

17HP and "can" achieve 65mph . A teenager on a bicycle will have faster 0-30mph acceleration. 65mph requires a downhill run.
The car is so low the driver is leaning sideways to obtain head room.
The car had decent aerodynamics, then he hung two fog lights and a license plate in full drag mode.
Of note the near 200mpg run is made on aired up tires and by acceleration to speed, engine shutdown, coasting, re-starting, acceleration to speed, etc.

CrazyJerry · Apr 23, 2014

buickanddeere said:
17HP and "can" achieve 65mph . A teenager on a bicycle will have faster 0-30mph acceleration. 65mph requires a downhill run.
The car is so low the driver is leaning sideways to obtain head room.
The car had decent aerodynamics, then he hung two fog lights and a license plate in full drag mode.
Of note the near 200mpg run is made on aired up tires and by acceleration to speed, engine shutdown, coasting, re-starting, acceleration to speed, etc.

It easily achieves 65 mph - it is limited by gearing and the low rpm of the engine. Some cars can achieve 140+ mph but I doubt they do it daily on the streets in posted speed zones right?

I ride a bike too and it accelerates just fine right along with other traffic. 65 mph does not require a downhill. The sideways look is from the lens used for the interior shot. The license plate actually acts as a front scoop for radiator intake. The OVER 200 mpg run was on Watkins Glen track (try looking at the elevation maps) there was NO restarting, etc. Maybe you've already seen the youtube videos posted of the run.

Thank you for your posting so these points could be clarified..
~CrazyJerry

LD1 · Apr 23, 2014

MY guess is the 0-60 time is takes forever. I certainly wouldnt want to drive it down the freeway.

Not sure what the car weighs, as i didnt see it listed, but 17hp

even it the thing was 500#, it would be a turd.

The thing that really irritates me is the lack of where we are going with fuel economy. Look at your average small car today. I am not talking about "smart" cars, or hybrids, or other tiny cars that really arent comfortable. I am talking about the likes of the civics, carollas, focus, etc. That size. What are they getting? ~35-40MPG. Big deal. They were doing that 15-20 years ago.

I drive a saturn sl. 100hp, 5spd, and a light plastic body. Great economy car IMO. Excellent mileage. No worrys about corrosion. 44-45 MPG with average driving. Then they went to the ion, added 600lbs, and gave it bigger motor with more power. gess what happened to the mpg? And for 100hp, it has respectable acceleration. runs a 17.13ET 1/4-mile. About par with other small cars w/4cylinders.

If they could do that 15-20 years ago, why does it seem the nly way to do better (in a gas car) is to either go hybrid, or build a ridiculously unpractical car like in the article.

Look at p/u trucks too. Dad had a 1985 chevy 3/4 ton 4x4. 4spd w/granny and 350 carb motor. got 14-15mpg. Heck, 3/4-ton gassers do worse than that today. The 6.0 chevy and hemi are lucky to muster 13-14 on a good day.

JJZ 109 · Apr 23, 2014

Nice story. Canton College is only about 65 miles from where I live. In fact, I spent a semester there in 1981, but that's another story! :drink:

LD1 said:
Dad had a 1985 chevy 3/4 ton 4x4. 4spd w/granny and 350 carb motor. got 14-15mpg. Heck, 3/4-ton gassers do worse than that today. The 6.0 chevy and hemi are lucky to muster 13-14 on a good day.

Can't speak about the 1985 mileage, but I had a '77 3/4 ton Chevy with that same 4 speed and a 305 that I rebuilt. I'm guessing it was nowhere near that 14-15 range. My '79 GMC K15 with 350/auto and the old NP 203 full time four wheel definitely did not approach that.
Today, my 2014 F250 with 6.2 gasser is getting a consistent 13.5 according to the truck's computer. I'm thinking it will improve with break in, probably around the 10k mile mark, but not substantially. But then again I didn't buy it to be a mileage machine.