Single Cab (Sinka) VR6 Swap: Info needed

[zebra63]

Hi from Arrowtown New Zealand. It has been one year since I bought my 1990 Sinka (RHD, 2.1 petrol, manual, two wheel drive), from Australia.

I have given the body a tidy up, sprayed out the deck and dropsides with Raptor deck liner, the next mission is to repower it with a 2.8 litre VR6 motor.

I have bought a 1997 VW VR6 Golf auto donor car and an adaptor/flywheel combo from KEP
In NZ we are attempting to beat the terrible Covid 19 virus by having a one month (maybe more) total Lockdown. During this time I intend to part out the donor car and prep the motor for it's new life.

I have researched VR6 T3/T25 engine swap with limited success, (Good info on The Samba, ""91 Carat VR6 Project _The Build"), great contrbutors on this thread. Another goody was Syncromark, but his website with more stuff on it has disappeared.

I am still looking for info on wiring and general stuff for this swap. I am going to use the VR6 computer, wiring and immobiliser etc.

Any info on this swap would be a great help.
Cheers Brett

[old_man]

While not a direct help there are quite a few TDI swaps that keep all the computer/immobilizer stuff. They are from the mid-late 90s era as well. That should provide you with some help an ideas.

[dkoesyncro]

That's the sexiest sounding engine choice you've made.

Wiring that engine will be a slam dunk, very much the same as an old obd2 ABA. You could probably leave out things like the LDP or SAI etc. It should not have an imobilizer, too old.

Remove the sinka engine and harness, keep the tailight harness and accessories plug harness. You'll have left a +15 black, +30 red and an X line red/black, some others like black/blue, Yellow, Green etc from the tail light and accessories plug harness. Install the VR, remove the harness from it's donor carefully and methodically from the ecm/ECU to the engine. If you can simply swap without cutting, splicing, lengthening or shortening that's best! Fewer chanced of cold solder or future Gremlins. If memory serves me, you'll have 5-6 wires from the VR to the Sinka to interface the 3 noted above and some of the accessories.

Make sure you have both Bentley manuals, your life and joy in the project will come easier!

[Vanagon Nut]

[zebra63]

Thanks for the response team. This info is gold. Anyone else?

[MsTaboo]

Sorry I have no technical info to share but I do have a couple photos I took of a sweet Syncro Doka with VR6. Maybe some inspiration?
These were taken at a Vanagon group meeting at White Salmon back in '08.

Again, I have no info about who's truck, here's the only other pic I have.
Anyone know the rig?

_________________
Currently:
'90 Syncro Westy 3 knob w/Zetec

The information age has morphed into the age of disinformation and willful ignorance. Agnotology!
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[Zeitgeist 13]

I love the sound of a VR6. The power delivery is infectious when in a small light sedan or coupe, but in my large lumbering EV it's kinda weird and not at all what I expect in a truck. The VR6 likes to be revved, and it's a dog below around 3k. I think it's an odd choice for a big heavy vehicle. I can't wait to remove it and swap in a proper 2.5 tdi which produces peak torque just below 2k, right where a big heavy vehicle needs it to move and maintain momentum.
_________________
Casey--

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

[4Gears4Tires]

That is a really clean install. I didnt realize the engine is so short. It makes sense though if they can stuff it in front of a TT.

I agree the VR6 loves to rev. The lady's TT-S is a fun car to drive. Very zoomy. I don't think its a dog below 3k though. If you want to drive a car with no torque below 3k, drive an rx8. Lots of fun above 6000rpm but you're slipping the clutch from 2k to get it to move. I still miss mine.
_________________
'87 Syncro Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition
'85 Westy Sciuridae Domus Edition

[MsTaboo]

[Zeitgeist 13]

Oh no doubt. A fairly light Sinka should really scoot with a VR6. Plus there's lots of aftermarket support for the engine. I really like them, but just not in a truck. I'd love to have one in my old Mars red '81 Scirocco.
_________________
Casey--

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

[zebra63]

Good things take time . . .
I have got my VR6 (2.8, 12v out of a 1997 Golf) installed in my Sinka.
The only thing to do is the wiring.
An Auto Sparky is coming in two week's time to try to sort out the wiring so that we can fire it up.
I have forwarded him all the info on this page and lots more. Hopefully he has got his head around it.
The donor Golf was imported from Japan. It has no SAI but has an immobiliser which we will have to work with.
The donor had an automatic transmission (my Sinka is manual), so will have to do a few mods to the ecu to trick it into being a manual.
If anyone has got any further info on the wiring mods we have to do, I would love to hear about it.
Attached are some photos of 'The Flat White'.
Cheers Brett

[4Gears4Tires]

That's a bit cramped but fits surprisingly well for how big of a displacement increase it is. Looks great.
_________________
'87 Syncro Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition
'85 Westy Sciuridae Domus Edition

[Zeitgeist 13]

It's nice to see the aluminum t-stat housing and crackpipe. I recall that the SA five cyls used a thick trans stiffener along the top spine. I assume this was due to the extra weight and higher center of gravity.
_________________
Casey--

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

[zebra63]

There is quite a bit of room in there, however with the top engine access hatch being smaller than the vanagon hatch and offset to the left (to accommodate the JX diesel engines I guess), it is slightly awkward to get at things.
However, this is made up for by the excellent access through the rear facing hatch the vanagons don't have.