starting a tdi conversion

[Neilos888]

Hi i'm going to start sticking a tdi in one of my pickups later this month. i'm so far thinking of a tdi out of a mk3 golf 90bhp, think its a AHU engine? has anyone here done this conversion? i'll buy the complete golf so will have all electrics etc. As far as i can see the main problem is that the tdi is cantered back unlike the pickup which is forward. will my gearbox bolt on the tdi engine? or will i have to rotate the golf gearbox backwards? i know you can make up a td engine using parts from a golf td but i'm feeling the tdi would just be the better engine to take the truck through many more years of motoring. dunno which truck to start on the one thats on the road or the other depends how difficult/time consuming it will be. what are your opinions please?

[TeflonTom]

you can use the existing skoda gearbox, it has a cast iron adaptor plate bolted to it which makes it fit the vw engine anyhow, the n/a diesel engine mounts bolt straight onto the tdi block... use the flywheel and clutch from the existing diesel engine. you will need to swap the sump over too. also you need to do a cut-n-shut on the intake manifold so you can shut the bonnet

there's a fellow on here called rolo who is very knowledgeable on this very subject, he's been running a tdi conversion for a while now.. i expect he'll be along to say a few words before long

[rolo]

No problems(?) well not many if you just want to use the engine. Using the (better geared) box requires alot of work. Made the job as easy as poss and just slotted the turbo, pistons, rods and head from an ahu onto the block which remained in situ.Did it outside on the street. Although the new harness was made for electronic control, at present, it runs on the original cable to a land rover discovery pump which works fine and is much less to go wrong.

Turning into a go faster version is not recomended as the clutch is not upto it.

Fuel consumption is good and starts well when cold. The gearing can be upped by wheel/tyre combinations.

Will answer any specifics if got the answers.

Edited 15 February, 2011 by rolo

[Neilos888]

these are very encouraging words. all i've ever found on tdi conversions before it has sounded like its a nightmare or almost impossible! suppose i not been asking the right guys. am i right in thinking you are using the disco pump to avoid changing over the electronics? is it going to be very low geared or quite acceptable, im not going for speed conversion just better economy and better running as my diesel is unreliable at best.

[KenONeill]

If you retain the Skoda box, you'll have a very undergeared motor that will rev right out to the governer in top probably, rather than one that tops out at about peak power. If you find the mph/1000rpm with the non-turbo boat anchor acceptable for the sort of driving you do, things aren#t really going to change that much other than that you'll have a low-geared rocketship (a bit like a FX-4 taxi that feels quick around town, but is no sort of vehicle for NSL work.

[felicia16v]

yea mine would pull to the goverener in 5th, around 98mph or so

[rolo]

However the set up I used gave 70 mph at 3000 and 100mph at 4000 (GPS) which seemed fair enough to me and it does rev past 5000. The tdi toledo revs at 2600 at seventy but is not that much better on fuel cos its heavy. Got the highest gearing with favorit struts and 195/65/15. These struts gave more tyre clearance but have been replaced with coilovers made by someone called tom (the one with the argos angle grinder) and 17" wheels.

I think its a useful upgrade conversion. Making the engine loom isn`t that difficult but the simplicity of a cable, no limp mode nonsense and the fact of not needing computers to fault find made me choose the mechanical system.

Although there`s a td in the van and it goes well its dark ages stuff and is being replaced with an afn.

[Neilos888]

ok my donor golf tdi fell through! so my question is what cars did they put that tdi in and is it an ahu?

[rolo]

ok my donor golf tdi fell through! so my question is what cars did they put that tdi in and is it an ahu?

Most common is the golf-ahu and 1z also vento`s, passats, audis. Which conversion are you going for?

[TeflonTom]

try and steer clear of the audi's with an in-line mounted engine, they often are not the same as a transverse lump

[Neilos888]

which is the better/easier tdi to put in?

[rolo]

ahu- slightly better, 2bhp more,better conrods but nothing in it really. afn is more powerful but more complicated with its vnt turbo and at 110 bhp and diesel torque the clutch problem is expensive to resolve.

1z tends to be easier to find and cheaper

one for sale on caddy forum this week with loom and ecu £90.

[Neilos888]

ok i eventually located my donor vehicle! a mk3 tdi golf off my mate. not sure whether its the 1z or ahu yet. i'm planning on starting this friday. I am going to take all loom, ecu, clocks etc from the golf unless someone can recommend a better way of doing it? has anyone any experience in chipping these engines as there are some quite ludicrous power increase claims being thrown about on the internet.

[KenONeill]

The easiest way to make sure of getting all the bits you need is to chop the Golf through the A-posts and across the floor behind the gear lever.

+30bhp from a good chip/remap (not a Fleabay resistor mod) is a well-proven real World figure for any of the VAG TDis.

[Sonner]

PLease post pics and make a mini blog if you can, it's not the most common converswion and i'm sure plenty of briskodians would like to see how you get on

[rolo]

You need the immo set up and the obd connector.

Have kept details of the wiring for a 68 pin ecu.

[Neilos888]

please can you email me the details you have kept? i need all the help i can get at the moment..

many thanks for all the help you have already given me

[rolo]

Will take me a day or so to sort it.

I`ll put it on here so its available to anyone.

[Neilos888]

ok today i removed engine from mk3 and put on skoda box and mounts ready to remove my pickup engine tomorrow

i changed sump and scavenger over from my aef, so i assume if i use my dipstick and tube (from aef) this will give me correct oil level when fitted?

i have taken photos so i can write up what i have done

also i bought a chip from http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-GOLF-MK3-1-9TDI-PERFORMANCE-CHIP-Chiptuning-/320660840381?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4aa8e01fbd#ht_1500wt_698 i have no idea what its like, but if anyone has bought one from these guys before then let me know, it all seems ok so far as he wont send it until i give him my ecu numbers. i realize my box and clutch is not really up to the job but it has to be done!

[rolo]

Put your ecu no.s up it will maybe help.

The dipstick angle may be slightly different as it will now be at the front. Just fill it with correct aef amont and mark it if different. (5 litres iirc)

If you haven`t already done it label the connections to each sensor whilst you still remember, once the insulation`s removed everything starts looking the same and if the loom has variations, they all seem to have, you can construct your own diagram.

The first thing I did was write down all the colours and terminations from ecu to sensor so that if I couldn`t find exactly the correct diag., and I didn`t, I could work out what went where.

More later

Edited 28 July, 2011 by rolo

[Neilos888]

i've just tried to lift the tdi into truck and it appears the alternator sticks into radiator. did you have to remove alternator and ps pump and swap all pulleys for the aef ones to get it to fit?

i must admit i started to label the wires but then got a bit lazy....

many thanks

[Neilos888]

i had to remove alternator and pumps and replace them, i had to grind some off the ahu block to get them to fit! its all lifted and bolted in now, just the electrics and exhaust to do.

[Neilos888]

just need to finish exhaust and mount the inter cooler somewhere

how do you manage to alter the intake manifold to get the bonnet down? or just have a bulge in bonnet?

[rolo]

sorry been catching up with some jobs that the first rain free week for ages has let me at.

used an aaz inlet with the top blanked and the elbow welded onto the front facing the gearbox. Then cut up the golf inter cooler pipes to mount it over the gearbox by altering the original bracket bolted to the leg top screws and a simple front stabiliser.

Air flows through via holes in the bonnet front captured into the bonnet cross member then sideways into ducts made from ally and plastic and then downwards through the cooler.You can use the bonnet skeleton as some of the ducting, blanking it, where necessary, with expanding foam.

Time to plan which electrics to use, all the golfs or a combination, no speed sensor on the box so felly dash allows original. Which heater plug system too. There are some snags with sensors here. A system using the skoda one with just a timer and no hot engine control seemed easier, although the temp gauge needed some moving of the needle for the golf sensor.

Is the wiring still intact? Have you got the key? Have you got the ecu no? Are you using the tps at the pedal or attached to a cable (my choice)-simple bracket to the slam panel?

What colour is the wire that goes to pin39?

If you use the brake pedal switch more mpg- shuts down pump when brakes on also a good fail safe.

Using the speed sensor, possible but there`s a gizmo to buy, allows the pump to cut out on the overrun, more mpg, I did neither.

Edited 1 August, 2011 by rolo

[rolo]

Thunderstorm stops play so will make a start on the boring? bit. For a 1996tdi Golf, ECU no.028 906 021 AF,waterproofed and mounted o/s (shelf) but 1" up as it collects water.

IMMOBILISER

--The chip in the key responds to the reader, the ring round the lock.You need at least the chip which can then work whenever and however its presented to the pickup.

A black sheathed spur then connects to the immo box via a 3pin one way only plug. The other connector is 6pin

Pin 1---Black,- which is a switched (by turning on the ign) live. (generally known as wire 16)

Pin 2---Grey/White,- (Nb-Main colour is first, trace after)-this goes to pin61 on the ecu.

Pin 3---Grey,- diagnostic plug where it connects as grey/white

Pin 4---Brown,-earth

Pin 5---Not connected

Pin 6---Brown,-earth

made into a small harness with OBD connector

Edited 6 August, 2011 by rolo