I don't think there is a lot of hope for a 1.6NA .
I have run them on a 1.6 turbo injection pump and injectors, and it ran
a tad stronger.

you can research propane injection for turbo diesel engines all day long
on the internet.
I have not heard of propane injection for non-turbo applications.

your most direct route to fairly decent power is a 1.9 NA.
Those can be all right.
used 1.9TD engines are around $ 3K roughly.
one I dealt with recently was a little 'too used' ..had to go through
the whole thing.

but it came out great, powering an 85 GL very nicely..ran like 'a normal
car' even.

a proper 1.6 TD is not that bad ...
I kinda like those even.  Nor for sure brute power ...but in the right
van with the right use in mind..not bad.
I am rebuilding a jetta 1.6 TD engine to go into a 5 speed sunroof
diesel vanagon ..
I expect that setup to be nigh decent overall, performance wise.
I would not be loading that van down with 1,500 lbs of extra stuff either.

I am getting fantastic use out of my very cherry 82 Sunroof Diesel
vanagon with stock 1.6 NA engine rebuilt, but with a 1.6 turbo head
....and how I use it too, is what makes it work so well.
  I'm using it in town, like in delivery /errands mode, all on the
level, warmish temps . ..with top speeds reached of around 50ish mph
...it's perfect for that use .  Barely sips fuel, and doesn't stink as
bad with 15 % fry oil in the diesel fuel.
   Moving toward a veggie conversion on it next. It's for sale too, this
fine van.  It's collectible grade even.

starting to like diesels again .
though an 88 westy with AHU e-tdi stock engine that's around lately ....
..on pump fuel that sucker stinks horribly ..the exhaust.
Guy's going to try biodiesel in it. That should help the smell factor .

what fun,
scott
www.turbovans.com

On 5/3/2012 3:00 AM, ralph meyermann wrote:
>
> I also wish for tdi for torque reasons over the 1.6na diesel I
> currently own. I have been putting $ aside for this project but would
> like more power/torque on less$  to get me by! I was thinking propane
> injected into air intake and was wondering if anyone has played with
> this Idea???
>
> Velma 82diesel 1.6 na westy
>
>> On May 3, 2012 12:01 AM, "Scott Daniel - Turbovans"
>> <scottdaniel@turbovans.com <mailto:scottdaniel@turbovans.com>> wrote:
>>
>> nice informative post.
>> good to read.
>>
>> nice that your diesel is cheaper than gas, like it used to be here..
>> seems like years and years that it's been more than gas here in the US.
>>
>> in the 90's ..a few times I drove my 5 speed 1.9 TD vanagon ( with a 10
>> gallon extra tank ) 600 miles on one load of fuel, and it was ..I still
>> can't believe this now ...but $ 28.00 US to refill,after 600 miles !
>>
>> fuel was 1.48 per US gallon then.
>>
>> scott
>>
>>
>>
>> On 5/2/2012 8:42 PM, Jason wrote:
>> >
>> > Most of my cars are diesel.  I LOVE the torque and power the...
>>