Higher Mile TDI Rebuild: Pistons, Turbo, Injector Pump?

[Vanagon Nut]

Hi folks.

Possibly subjective questions with lots of potential factors involved but....

If choosing to rebuild a normal running, drivable TDI with 200 - 300K miles, does it typically require:

- all pistons replaced?

- eTDI injector pump rebuild or just a reseal?

- turbo rebuild or replace? If so....

Which typically lasts longer before requiring rebuild or replacement: VNT or waste gate type turbo?


Thanks,

Neil.
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1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA

1988 West DIY 50º ABA

VE7TBN

[valvecovergasket]

id replace the turbo without question, thats easy and not that expensive. i found a used k03/04 an rebuilt that for my swap but just grabbing a new one is probably barely any more expensive and you get new stuff.

id send the pump out to a builder and see what kind of shape its in. but assume it needs seals at a minimum.

id say its unlikely if it was a normal running car that it would need any bottom end rotating assembly work. vw inline bottom ends are surprisingly robust.


your mileage may vary, but thats been my experience.
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MegaSquirt resource - SpitfireEFI.com

gone, but not forgotten: '83 tdi westy - swap thread

[?Waldo?]

[Vanagon Nut]

Thanks valvecovergasket and ?Waldo?.

A local reputable seller says he has some "nice" ALH engines for sale. I'll get a price soon. I purchased my first ABA from him so I trust him.

If I did this swap, since it would likely be my daily driver and long trip-mobile, it would need to be as reliable and long lasting as possible right from the get go. However, all that depends on the parts cost hence my questions.

Neil.
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1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA

1988 West DIY 50º ABA

VE7TBN

[Zeitgeist 13]

If you do buy just the engine and not a full donor, be sure to buy one from an automatic. Those have an 11mm pump, while the manuals have a 10mm version. That gives you more power potential. I converted mine to mTDI, but it was easier to sell my eTDI pump because the donor was an auto.

As I mentioned via PM, when I preemptively pulled the head on my ALH, I found no cylinder ridge, and there was still cross-hatching visible even though the car had 204k miles. These are tough little engines. Pull the head and pan before making any determination about the lengths you go to rebuild the engine.
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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 would also add that unless the engine was run extensively on dirty oil or run with low oil pressure, the crank and rod bearings are usually still on the tighter end of the spec for new parts even after a couple hundred thousand miles. I will second pulling the head/pan to inspect, but would not expect to preemptively go further than that even with 200,000+ miles. If dealing with an AHU/1Z I would also recommend pulling the intermediate shaft and inspecting those bearings.

[Vanagon Nut]

Thanks guys.

Yes. I recall now regarding the auto vs manual pump. We'll see what this guy has.

Getting an AHU would provide the option of doing a 50º more easily but I wonder if there were more ALH engines made than the AHU ? i.e. parts are easier to get for the ALH ?

Neil.
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1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA

1988 West DIY 50º ABA

VE7TBN

[?Waldo?]

ALH engines, vehicles, and parts are now a lot more available than AHU/1Z.

[Zeitgeist 13]

Personally, I think the ALH is a better engine design. Eliminating the intermediate shaft and slimming down the waterpump footprint really helps keep things simple and effective.
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Casey--

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

[a914622]

I just rebuilt a alh with 320k. I replaced the cam and lifters(colt cam) pistons and bores were still well within spec. I cleaned the pistons and hones the bores with stock rings. All new bearings and seals. I had one exhaust guid that was at the top of spec. Relapped the valves and new seals.
I know it’s fluff but I was amazed how little was out of spec. Rubust is an under statement.
I would not even get the stock vnt. The new ones have an updated bearing setup. A “17” is plenty! Get nozzles I’m running 764 with the stock 11mm pump. Up size the intercooler and get a stage 3 from Malone and enjoy for anouther 300k
You may need to address gearing in a vanagon. The “pull” is 2500-3200. I ran my mk4 to slatlake averaging 3000-3200 rpms for the better part of 10 hours in summer heat no problems BUT I wished I had anouther year!!
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87 gl powerd buy 2.5subaru
75 914 getting 2.2t subaru scratch that SVX subaru

[Zeitgeist 13]

As a slight digression, the ALH is the first cast iron block I've encountered without any freeze plugs. I believe the plugs are artifacts of the casting process, so I'm wondering if the metallurgy involved in the ALH production is behind the robustness of these blocks.
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Casey--

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

[Vanagon Nut]

Interesting comments. In my A4 Bentley, had a look at the engine innards.

Given the light load, the oil pump chain lasts a long time? I assume the plastic guide needs replacement at some point.

The ABA I rebuilt had about 250K km's on it. The bores were within spec. I had them honed, used new stock size pistons, new rings.

Suggestions on what to look for and ask to help confirm or backup claimed mileage a used already removed ALH ? I'd ask about compression test, leak down but are there clues like areas oil typically begins to leak out and at what approximate mileage that kind of thing starts to happen?

edited.

Neil.
_________________
1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA

1988 West DIY 50º ABA

VE7TBN

[Vanagon Nut]

[valvecovergasket]

any chance of finding a rusted or dinged up mk4 to use as a donor yourself? to help maybe offset some of the costs.

i did this with our van, finding a cheap mk4 to hack up, sold off the manual trans related bits to more or less offset the entire cost of the car. i sold a few more random odds and ends on ebay (nobody really wants base model mk4 interior pieces hah) ... i ended up selling of the rest of the ALH setup for $1000 to another van guy here in town, but the car paid me back pretty well.

i opted not to go for the swap as the cost of the FAS 50deg parts was pretty significant and i didnt want a 15deg setup.
i sort of stumbled into a cheap 1Z complete swap, and headed that direction instead...

anyway, long rambling reply, but some food for thought! you might be better off finding a cheap mk4, and youd have the benefit of a test drive at that point. for reference i sold off all the manual trans and related items on tdiclub for $800.
_________________
MegaSquirt resource - SpitfireEFI.com

gone, but not forgotten: '83 tdi westy - swap thread

[Vanagon Nut]

Thanks valvecovergasket. I understand. Funny how those things change due to opportunity. I'd prefer to do a 50º under the lid install but I've lived with the horridly heavy tubbed metal engine lid on my 15º ABA swap so a 15º diesel with better designed lid would be fine. Hinged bed could be raised (westy), upper cabinet removed if need be. Since I can do a little welding etc., I save on cost of diesel Vanagon 50º parts.

A donor would be ideal in some ways but due to several factors, maybe not ideal for where I live.

Price on this "manual" ~ 120K mile ALH isn't too much higher than ask prices on craigslist for 250K + mile mk4's i.e. cars with engine I might choose to at least mechanically refresh.

I'm not familiar with Malone upgrades but the only possible cautionary note on this particular engine is that it may have a Malone tune and/or parts; since it came from a wreck, I'd have to wonder how hard it was driven. However, by all accounts, the ALH came from a really well maintained enthusiast owned Mk4.

Ideally, I'd rebuild an AHU, install at 50º but they aren't easy to find locally, it seems.

Neil.
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1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA

1988 West DIY 50º ABA

VE7TBN

[valvecovergasket]

i wouldnt sweat the malone tune at all, they do great work. you might even reach out to them and see if theres a way to tell which flavor of tune.
it might not have even been a major power upgrade, just an egr delete or something mild which will definitely save you some hassles refreshing it
_________________
MegaSquirt resource - SpitfireEFI.com

gone, but not forgotten: '83 tdi westy - swap thread

[Vanagon Nut]

Yes. Failed to mention. EGR delete was done. Vendor drove engine said it ran great, good power.
_________________
1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA

1988 West DIY 50º ABA

VE7TBN