AAZ Turbodiesel swap into '86 Vanagon Syncro

[MsTaboo]

[BlueWestyDiesel]

[Syncroincity]

Jerry tries to be nice, but I have forgotten some stuff that took place over the last few years... sorry about that connection size, that must have been a real W.T.F. when you tried to connect the shaft. A result of getting a larger shaft from Germany. Which is now for sale, folks...

I'm loving the way this has shaped up, and also the fact that we've gone with the motor only, not attached to the Audi trans. All the trans equipment is essentially brand new, including the South African sourced transmission, that is all aluminum and weights quite a bit more than the orignal trans.

Returning to gasoline was more a side bar in getting this motor. I've been matching Andrew's work for a few years with the 1.8T and have just marveled at it's powering the Vanagon. I have the same motor in my '04 Passat 4Motion 5spd and it is so quiet, modern and powerful I would not even consider going back to the flat 4. The only slight side step is having to raise the back to clear the motor, as is done on just about every other swap except Subarus and 50-deg diesels.
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'86 Syncro CHC Top AAZ Turbodiesel
'04 Passat Variant 4Mo 5MT

Vanagon Build: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=466866&highlight=

[xoo00oox]

First road test went very nicely! These engines make lots of very nice smooth clean power! Unlike the diesel I pulled out, it didn't dump all the oil all over the road. No smoke, no stink, no clatter, no glow plug wait, no shake, no black spots on the driveway, no black gunk covering the engine bay just waiting to cover your arms.

[xoo00oox]

Hey guys, thanks for the comments.



I like diesels too, Ive got a stock diesel '82 Vanagon, an '81 rabbit pick-up, an MK4 TDi, and Ive probably had at least a dozen others. I've also had many 1.8t cars and Vanagons. As the owner of a VW / Audi shop, Ive worked on hundreds of others for the past 25 years.

Jerry is a smart guy, every bit of the work he did that I took out was very well done. This project has fought him every bit of the way once he got it runningThe 1.8t is a great engine proven to work very nicely in our vans. Would a diesel ever be able to match the reliability, power, economy, availability, smoothness, cleanliness, lack of smell, and quietness? I think a TDi diesel could come very close, from my experience, I don't think any of the non-TDi diesels could.


I had been looking to design this 1.8t kit and had been talking with Jerry about it. He was tired of the constant issues he was having with his diesel. I offered to do the swap on his van, and he will be able to just turn the key and go for a very nice price.


There is no diesel hate going on here, just a preference for a nice smooth1.8t at this time.





Andrew-

[shadetreetim]

All these pictures makes me wish I had another 1.8t swap in progress myself. Fun stuff.

I struggled for years with wanting a diesel too, but after driving my 1.8t for the last 1-1/2 years I don't anymore. The RPM range of the 1.8t is tailor made for a stock 4 speed. These motors are freeway fliers and hill climbers wrapped into the same package.

Nice work Andrew. I agree on the snubber, with just the stock side mounts they are very smooth.
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Tim Potts

Doing my best every time I drive it to dispel the myth these Vanagons have to be slow!


'89 Vanagon Bluestar/Country Homes 1.8T & .77 4th
'74 Jeep CJ5

[rlevans]

I agree with the above.
I've been using this post as a reference and inspiration but now it's kinda sad for me.
Van is going to be awesome I'm sure, based on everything I've heard about the 1.8T, but I'm partial to diesel so forging ahead regardless.

[zuhandenheit]

That looks fantastic.

But -- well, it's a little bittersweet. This project was one of my inspirations when I was converting my van to AAZ power, and there were so many very well done aspects of the project!

Honestly, though, it looks great.

[xoo00oox]

Thanks for the comments fleet. This engine is a 2001 AWM, but with that new mount bar, we can use any 1.8t from Passat or Audi A4 from 1997 to 2005.



There are no plans as of yet for use of the snub mount. Based on my other 1.8t Vanagons, they don't seem to needed.

[fleet_maintenance]

The engine looks right at home . Apologies if you mentioned it, what code 1.8t is that? Although I own an A4, I'm not quite up on the pre/post facelift differences to where I can guess model year.
Also, any plans for using the snub nose mount? Would there be any benefit tying it into the engine mount bar? If even to provide mounting for a future skid plate or lower motor protection?

Keep up the great work, thanks for the documentation!

[xoo00oox]

Getting closer! I drained out 15 gallons of diesel and put it to good use in my waste oil furnace.

All wiring in the engine bay is hooked up, all coolant lines and hoses are complete, exhaust is done entirely in stainless steel, PS lines and tank are complete, electric throttle pedal is mounted and wired, intercooler mount has been fabricated and put in place.
The 1.8t started right up and runs great. I'm waiting on a few silicone elbows to finish up the intake system and I should be ready to start road testing.

[xoo00oox]

Jerry had a Diesel type bell, we swapped it for the stock flat 4 type and put in a new seal

Complete new clutch assembly and adapter plate.

If Jerry was a nice guy, he would have told me that the input shaft had been swapped for one with a larger spline rather than let me spend and hour trying to wiggle the engine into place. Jerry is not a nice guy.

I had to pull the engine back out, pull the clutch and put in a disc with a larger spline.

New starter and Westy Venture adapter.






We've now got an engine mount bar that allows us to put the inline 1.8t engines from the Passats and Audi A4 into a van using a stock transmission. this allows use of the nice stock 1.8t engine mounts and puts the transmission at the exact height as a stock van so there should be no issues with driveshaft angles. We will be making a jig to duplicate this mounting
bar.

[outcaststudios]

whatever you do to this van it is awesome. i love the 1.8t.
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'88Doka JX td
'69 westy
(rip)couple bugs
(rip)three type III"s
(rip) '81 vanagon
a bunch of french stuff,and 9 motorcycles.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2573791

[Syncroincity]

Would have been better had I bothered to re-gear the trans, for sure.
I'll post it up for sale when the 1.8T is done...
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'86 Syncro CHC Top AAZ Turbodiesel
'04 Passat Variant 4Mo 5MT

Vanagon Build: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=466866&highlight=

[zuhandenheit]

By the way, I've often wondered how different the experience of going from a boxer to an AAZ would be than from an original diesel to an AAZ.

I mean, my van, to begin with, was loud, rattled, left black oil stains wherever it was parked, etc., and was absurdly slow. Now it is somewhat less loud, usually does not stain driveways, and maintains highway speeds up steep grades.

But sometimes when I hear a WBX I think that if I started with a smooth engine like, maybe I wouldn't always be sure that I did the right thing.

[zuhandenheit]

I often wonder what's happening with this van.

This kind of makes me sad, but I guess I understand! Did it ever really run well?

Anyway, uh, where are all those parts going . . . ?

[Zeitgeist 13]

I lurves me some diesel, but given all the oddball challenges of your AAZ build, I don't blame you for switching to the 1.8t
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Casey--

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

[Syncroincity]

[dkoesyncro]

Why are you dropping the diesel?

[Syncroincity]

The peeling away of the Diesel sticker was the best part so far!
I'm so pleased to have this happening. This van will be touring the country, soon as I can stop running to the hospital every 2 weeks as they make sure my brain won't fall out.

Thank you, my friend, can't wait to see what you do to this old girl.

Jerry McCavitt
aka Syncroincity
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'86 Syncro CHC Top AAZ Turbodiesel
'04 Passat Variant 4Mo 5MT

Vanagon Build: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=466866&highlight=