TheSamba.com :: View topic - Questions on transplanting 1.9tdi in 1982 Vanagon

Thu Sep 17, 2009 10:09 am

I have done a lot of research and it appears that folks do transplant 1.9tdi's into Vanagons. I am about to start down that road, not the work myself but gathering the resources, and wanted to ask for confirmation that I understand correctly. I have a 1996 passat with a 1.9TDI. I want to use that as a donor for my 1982 1.6na Vanagon. I understand that a harness will have to be built and that the Passat is electronic rather than mechinical etc but the questions are:

1. Is the 1.9tdi in my Passat the same 1.9tdi engine people talk about transplanting into Vanagons? I realized I made that assumption but it might not be correct.

2. Most people when they put a turbo engine into a Vanagon change out the transmission so it is not geared like a little tractor. Is the 5 speed transmission in my Passat a candidate to be used in the Vanagon?

Thanks very much for your info.

Thu Sep 17, 2009 10:18 am

Yes for the motor.

No for the transmission.

Best bet for the transmission is a new R&P (different ratio) , and bigger tires.

Thu Sep 17, 2009 10:19 am

You should go to the www.vwdiesel.net and http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/TDI-conversion/

Your engine is probably an AHU engine code considering the year of your Passat. That would work. I would ask the same questions on the websites above.
Your Vanagon transmission should be re-geared. The Passat transmission will not work.

I hope this helps.

Bill

Thu Sep 17, 2009 10:32 am

Mike, I own an 82 Vangon Diesel with a TDI engine conversion. For ease of install, you want to avoid the TDI engines from 98 and on. These require a lot of fabrication and are not bolt in. Your engine should be fine. A quick examination of the oil pan mounting should tell you if you have the correct engine. If the block has the same pan bolt pattern you are good to go. You could also exam the block where your vanagon brackets will bolt up.

Your Passat transaxle will not work. You need to stick with the Vanagon transmissions. Here is where it gets tricky. The NA diesel is way too "short" for the TDI. I was able to use a transmission from an 80 Air Cooled and just swapped the bellhousing and input shaft. This gave me a 4.57 final drive. That is the tallest stock one that came in the Vanagon. This would be your cheapest choice. With taller tires, you'll see around 3100 rpm at 63mph in forth. If you want to improve on that, you'll need a 4.14 ring and pinion. Problem is, it is for a 5 speed and needs to be cut down to fit the 4 speed and will only fit the later 091/1 transmission. You will then need to upgrade the shift linkage and the transmission mounting bracket. Turning the mount around is not enough clearance. I just had AA transaxle build me a 091/1 with a 4.14 ring and pinion, upgraded 3 - 4 slider, .77 forth and their oil slinger plates. I know see around 2850 rpm in 4th gear with my tires at 70 mph.

There are other options. You could have a taller 3 rd and 4th added to the transmission, but you would still need a transmission from an air cooled for ease of installation. There are also a few people selling manual injection pumps for the 1.9 turbo diesel. This would simplify the conversion, because you would not have to sort out the electrical. I would suggest this Yahoo group. http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/TDI-conversion They discuss Vanagon TDI conversions. If I can answer any specific questions PM me here. I have the later ALH engine in mine. Did the conversion myself. It is well worth the money and time. mark

Thu Sep 17, 2009 12:12 pm

Thank very much for all the great info. I was stuck last week in the Yukon. The Turbo seal on the passat went sucking all the oil and burning it. No cell phone coverage and no people. The border closes at 10pm so there are no cars. I had to sleep in the Passat overnight and pass a message back to customs with a southbound driver the next day. $1000 tow later I got the car back to Haines. The new Turbo was $1700 plus $400 in shipping to get it there. I would not have put the money into the Passat since it is 13 years old except I had always had in the back of my mind I would use it as a donor for the Vanagon. At least I got home. So now I wanted to verify that I remembered correctly and can indeed reuse the Engine.

The mechanical pump is a good option rather than having to construct the whole electronic harness. Probably simpler for a shop to do.

Would you folks recommend only a shop that specializes in conversions, such as Fine Tuning in Seattle. (which would cost me $1400 to ship the van to) or would a competent mechanic be able to do this without having to relearn all the tricks, at my expense?

Cheers
Mike Kelly
Juneau, Alaska

Thu Sep 17, 2009 2:16 pm

I'd think a VW mechanic could do your conversion for you. The electronics would require someone that has some experience doing conversions. I sat for two weeks with two manuals, soldering gun, dvom and heat shrink. That was just to get it running. Spent another month getting it to run without codes. I like the idea of a mechanical pump. A VW diesel mechanic could probably handle the entire conversion then. I don't think a non vw diesel mechanic should tackle this project. Regards

Thu Sep 17, 2009 4:55 pm

I've been contemplating the same transplant. From everything i've read its pretty straightforward - I suggest that you find yourself someone local to work with to do it. A mechanical pump will cost you about $1200 from WesyVentures and it'll be another $1200 or so to sort out the tranny - but, since you have the engine - go for it. I certaily wouldn't be shipping the van out to be done at that rate.
From all reports, its more straightforward a transplant than putting a Subaru engine into a vanagon and I didn't find that all that complex.
JC

Thu Sep 17, 2009 5:56 pm

You both confirm what I was feeling. There are no shops that will even touch the Vanagon in town, nobody. The Vanagon currently doesn't run, I think, because the new low sulfur fuel shrank the seals on the high pressure pump and it is leaking. Nobody will replace it in town. I have looked at the excellent step by step instructions on the web but I have no place to work. I keep the Van in a storage unit to protect it from the rain and I live on a boat. It was going to be our retirement vehicle.

The guys up in Haines appear to be competent mechanics and got the turbo installed on the Passat without incident. But they are 100 miles by ferry away with $300 worth of transport to get each car to them. Even tho they are good mechanics, as was noted this can be a process that requires some fabrication and diddling to get it to work. I can't afford to pay them to do the research to come up to speed.

Well good food for thought.....

Thu Sep 17, 2009 8:02 pm

Go to your local high school and ask the auto teacher who his best kid is. Then find and rent a garage that can be heated for the winter. Make an arrangement with the kid - i.e. pay him to work with you to do the install. Its a win, win, win for everybody. I'm a former (retired) high school principal and I know that every auto shop teacher knows two or 3 kids in his classes that would be the innovative problem solvers that you need. Learn together to get it done.

Thu Sep 17, 2009 11:07 pm

Or buy a vanagon in the Seattle area, and take the passat down for the conversion, and use your 82 as a parts van.

Fri Sep 18, 2009 10:04 am

Heated space would be much more expensive than the Vanagon! It is just not available here.
As far as getting a Van in seattle - I spent a long time watching The Samba and all the Van's in Seattle had too much rust for me. I found one in the high desert, Boise after a year of watching with no rust.....

Fri Sep 18, 2009 8:50 pm

Compared to where you are, Boise is local to Seattle! lol