My first TDI swap

[MarkWard]

The 90 I am working with, I was able to remove the entire engine harness intact including the relay box and the idle control unit. I had to move the rear bed/seat forward to get the ECU plug room to fit through the hole in the firewall. My thinking was at some point, someone might need the harness or need to convert this van back if it actually ends up on the road someday.
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[hans j]

Yup, I pulled my entire wiring harness too. Just some wires left inside the black box in the engine bay. I then used the key on power that goes to the coil to power my 109 relay.

The harness comes out complete, from the fuel pump to the idle relay.
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1986 Canadian Syncro Westy TDI - 1989 Syncro Single Cab - 2001 Audi S4 - 1981 VW Caddy ABA - 1980 VW Caddy EV - 1973 VW T-181

[Zeitgeist 13]

Any status updates? I'm curious about your plans for the auto trans. I need to make up my mind soon, and since you're planning something similar, I need you to make up my mind...no pressure...but do it soon.
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Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[dubbified]

Hey Zeitgeist?

What did you mean about the auto, specifically?

The lever to throttle body WBX is no longer.. meaning the only way to connect the gas pedal to cable, through body, to trans.. pulls on the vane that allows downshift.

Getting that to sync with the TDI engine management is no huge task.

Far easier than people think it is.

Cam plates+ Heim joint+ cable to automatic vane lever, then use the standard gasser connection.

I will use the stock cable, through body, to auto vane lever.. then connect to a pivot, change the direction of the pull.. 90 degrees.. to a box mounted to forward engine bay "skirt" which is all getting cut out.. as in where the old coolant distribution pipe bolts through the steel, all that's toast. I am going to cut it all out.

Once its opened up.. and I'm going to make more storage in that bay.. so I can put my toolbox in there.

To speak to the Two cam plates which will be temporary to get it dialed in.. I envision two adjustable sandwich plate that you can then ALTER on the fly, perhaps with butterfly nuts.. clamping the two together, loosen them for adjustment.. overall throw will be adjusted with various holes through the cam plates. I see the last step as try and retry freeway driving to figure out where that cam adjustment is.. OR.. perhaps I can just not use the vane at all.

The way I see that, is to manually move the throttle position sensor while in neutral, mark the cam plate with a reference to RPM.. then since kickdown produces an audible CLICK on the transmission.. to really just play with the adjustment to fine tune.

I opted for the MK3 style potentiometer so I have options. I did not use the MK4 pedal cluster.

Think.. one immovable camplate bolted to the MK3 style potentiometer, then.. the top plate will have a Heim joint.. just like a radio controlled airplane.. and allow movement.

So.. that's really it. Any other suggestions?

It is merely a connection which I don't know WHAT rate is going to be ideal.. no one has stated how to make that connection.

[Zeitgeist 13]

I was just wondering what mods you might be planning for the autobox itself. I'm going mTDI, so the throttle is a relatively minor issue. My current thinking is 3.27 R&P + TBD + Audi turbo trans section, and possibly an adjustment to the stall speed of the torque converter. It's either all that, or have my manual box built up with a 4.14 R&P and custom 3/4 gears
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Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[dubbified]

oh, its already rebuilt by germantransaxle, thought I mentioned that early in my post.

they did the stall update for the torque converter, a full build... and I got a 3.73.. which I think is good enough.. This audi turbo trans section sounds ideal.. but.. I'm not about to dump another 4500 on a build.. that's about what it took.. not including the cooler.

I'll rock it till the training wheels fly off.

[Zeitgeist 13]

Yeah, reading and reading comprehension aren't my strong suits.
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Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[dubbified]

My glaucoma isn't helping either.. ehem.. yea.

No worry..

This is on the sideline.. I'm trying to find a machinist in Seattle area... any suggestions on a reliable guy? I was going to head out to Greg Henrys in Carnation.. but he's still outta state..

and my cabrio.. daily.. is undergoing a clutch job.. and the damned tranny wont come out. taking that to weekend two.. and to the next... level.

:)Zeitgeist, where are you in your mTdi setup?

[shadetreetim]

[Zeitgeist 13]

[?Waldo?]

I was a died-in-the-wool manual transmission snob for many years and have gradually veered toward automatics due to my wife's preference. Having both a manual and an automatic TDI vanagon I was surprised to find that I prefer driving the automatic. The only downside I see is a decrease in fuel economy with the automatic.

[Zeitgeist 13]

Andrew, do you have any good data-logging for the relative RPMs vs road speeds with the 3.73 R&P? It turns out that the Bluestar is probably going to see a fair amount of family truckster miles on the interstates, and I'm still vacillating between getting a 3.73 vs a 3.27
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Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[?Waldo?]

I don't. My tach is still not functional on that van. I have a diesel pulse adapter and a timing light with tach function, but the cord doesn't reach to the front of the van ad I haven't remembered to have someone sit in the back with it. I'll try to do that.

[dubbified]

Yea, when I bought the setup, sent in the trans for rebuild.. the 3.27 wasn't available..

I guess I could also go to a taller tire and that may also further reduce rpms.. but.. eh.. I have to use these new nokians up.. first.

I'm in parts acquisition too, directing all my finances at the project.. my next hurdle is the fastforward harness.. I'd been slacking on getting him the ecu.. once that's outta the way, going to drop off the engine at the machinist.. and then its ordering all the reassembly parts.. new timing kit, bearings, seals and rings, then.. on to assembly.. I need to get the engine reassembled...

I am still unsure what sort of mounts I am going to use.. but I'd thought about something fully replaceable, off the shelf.. something that offers OE VW stock.. or upgraded versions.

My vw cabrio has this mount.. which I found is available in a variety of shore strength rubber..Urethane, even Delrin.. I also think the tab.bolt down design with a center stud is ideal.. offers ease of mounting.. I could build a bracketing system that hangs on two or three of these per side.. course I think three may be overkill..

Its all custom buildup.. so I am open to ideas on that if anyone has a easy way to tackle that. Again, I do need to be able to find something off shelf, going from rubber stock, to possibly harder urethane, again, its an unknown vibration component in my mind.. a variable.. I really want to restrain the engine, and isolate the vibration.. future serviceability also comes to mind..

Hmm.

Memorial day weekend has me in some blues.. I badly want to be camping.. with my van.. but i have a ways to go.. then the interior has to be completed..

My willpower is waning at the moment.. the rest of my weeknd is set to working on a clutch job for the daily.. ehh.

This isn't helping my campfire needs.

[Zeitgeist 13]

If you check my build thread you can see how I'm using Passat 1.8t mounts and LS mounting arm. Inexpensive and easily acquired.

[edit]Now that I'm back from the road, I can post up a couple pics:

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Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[dubbified]

As an update.. I've been in a holding pattern for nearly three months with good progress where I'm able.

I shelved the project to save up the cash to complete the next round.. The machinist..

I already have the engine, the harness, the Kennedy plate..

In the past months, steady weekend project work has been done..

Cleaning, removing old bits.. trying to keep the willpower focused due to competing career/schooling.

Just got the harness in from Fastforward.ca last week.. I cant say enough.. damn that thing looks great.

I'd been acquiring parts for the completion, soon to order the integrals, rings, seal kits, send the turbo and pump in for inspection, new seals. I cant really call it "rebuild" as much as clean/inspect.


I rent a place, so I needed to find a house and garage and had monumental issues getting these two places in one.. Finally found it.. 1.5 miles from work! So.. great news, 0 commute, that time can be spent working on the van.

The garage/site has to be prepared as it is a bit dank, bugged up, spiders everywhere.. I HATE SPIDERS.

So, my plan is to prep the garage, get a pressurewasher, my air compressor, a facemask.. brush clean and blow out, then pressurewash the garage and get it prepped for the van to be moved from its rental two car to a carport adjacent to the garage..

I'm going to build up a quick freestanding bench for my tools and a worksurface this week after work.. luckily Homedepot does custom cuts on wood.. will do a basic 2x4 and CDX countertop..

I'm so stoked but also a bit bummed out by the delays..

Eyeing swag on Gowesty for motivation.

[tjet]

[4x4BNB]

[Zeitgeist 13]

Mr Dubbs, my TDI swap is also on hold, but due to the kitchen remodel from hell. One way to get yourself easy ready made garage work benches and storage, is to use old kitchen base cabinets, which can often be had for cheap or free. For bench tops, I use heavy solid core doors nabbed for free when the local college was remodeling about a decade ago. Possibly the heaviest load I've ever had in a van was a dozen of those doors in my old '88 GL
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Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[Surfcamper]

dubbified Are you planning on running the FAS engine cradle or building your own?

Thanks everyone who has been sharing their knowledge and experience! This thread has been helpful for someone contemplating a ALH swap.

I have a 02 TDI Golf parts car I've been using for interior parts for another project. I still have all the mechanical parts. I'm nervous about starting this project since my wife and I have a 9 week road trip starting in the middle of November. However I'm feed up with my poorly running 2.1 and not confident in it for a 10k miles trip. I am a professional mechanic of 10 years, however I have no experience with this swap. Thoughts if this swap could be done in 3 months? Don't mean to thread jack, just thinking aloud.

Also, those who already have running TDI swaps, what's your average mpg?

Thanks,
Mike