MK1 Rabbit LX caddy Engine/Trans swap ALH/02J

[Smokey The TDI]

Sooooo Somehow I convinced my wife to let me buy ANOTHER Project........


Here is the deal.. I need a truck. Not a very big truck but one that I can throw an engine into and go. I was doing another one of my random CL searches last week and I ran across an Ad that really caught my eye. Screen shot of the Ad below. After the usual CL shenanigans I was driving home my "new" 1981 VW Caddy! She yanks hard to the right when you accelerate and hard to the left when you let off. She has more play in the steering than I thought possible. But she runs! Supposedly the motor was rebuilt 6000miles ago... But of course no documents to support that. On the drive home the caddy cruised around 55mph and if I ran into any hill, Well forget it. I was doing 45 with my flashers on... That wont work. I have hills where I live.... The biggest one is on my way to work!

So like everyone else I started looking for Horsepower... on the internet. I looked into a TD swap, Nitrous(I'm still considering it...Lowers EGT), Then I came across an interesting thread... this guy put a mid 90s TDI in his MK1. I got to thinkin.....


Now I have a 2003 Golf TDI. I bought it from a salvage auction. Owner totaled it and the Insurance company sold it for "parts". In 2012 I bought it for $1900. I bought a left rear door off of craigslist($40), The rear suspension from a new beetle($100), and with a little persuasion from a slide hammer... We get that two-tone beauty down below.... That was a few years ago and she hasn't skipped a beat in 50k miles.

I have upgraded a few parts since then-
G60 SMFlywheel
VR6 Clutch and pressure plate
50% bigger SMIC
All New Poly Bushing
Coilovers
3" Cat back exhaust (Most wonderful sound in the world)

Flash forward to current day and Helga isn't holding up very well.. She is aging. Her engine is in wonderful condition but the body is falling apart... and fast.

After scratching through a couple of note pads I finally have a game plan.

As the title says I'm going to swap in my ALH and 02J trans into my MK1 Caddy.

Today I ordered the first and main bits for the build - ALH/02J to MK1 Engine/Trans Mounts. Link - http://www.retrofication.co.uk/557and389.html

I shelled out the $300 for the pieces that I needed and now we wait for them to arrive from the UK.

I work two jobs and I would like to stay married so right off the bat I'm telling you this isn't going to be a fast build but I think I've got enough here to hopefully get some people excited. I do have other cars that I am trying to build and sell in these coming months. That will also slow things a bit but in the meantime I will be acquiring parts, researching, and getting advice from all you kind folk.... Of course I'll also keep y'all updated with photos as often as I can!



Helga



So here is the Craigslist Ad -




Here are a few photos of the Rabbit LX

 

[Smokey The TDI]

So last night I decided to actually use the truck. I was selling a VW type 1 engine on CL. Well I got stranded for a few minutes... I guess it was to be expected. Here is what happened;

I got home from work at 6, I was supposed to meet the guy around 8:30. So I got to playing with the nightmare of wiring in the truck. I looked under the dash..... Imagine trying to untangle that last roll of christmas lights you havent used in years. :banghead: There were offroad lights, Gauges, Radio... All connected to worst power sources or signal wires. So I started ripping it all out. Then I found a huge draw on the battery.... So I started pulling fuses and relays. A few Relays and a ton of fuses later... My dash lights came on and the starter works now!

So I drove out to meet this guy...sold the motor. I pull away and everything goes black. The alternator was not charging the battery. So I connected a JumperBox I had in the back and we made it home.

I'll have to look into that this weekend. I want to work out every little issue that I can now... To have a better platform for whenever those engine mounts decide to show up


All the fuses and relays pulled to make this thing run and start on its own.


Here is the Engine Bay of the Rabbit- You can see all the crap wiring around the battery.






Here is the engine bay of the golf






Sidenote-

I lifted the shifter boot because it was rattling really bad... This guy.... It was inch deep in coins.

 

[Smokey The TDI]

Pressed In Rubber And Axles

The mounts that I ordered from http://www.retrofication.co.uk/557and389.html Did not have the rubber bushings included.
I ordered these off ebay-
http://www.ebay.com/itm/151318458364
http://www.ebay.com/itm/351321155499
I think I need Scirocco 16V axles for the 02J to mount up to the MK1 spindles right? Is there any specific year that I need purchase? Any Different C- clips? Castle nuts? Two lefts, Two rights or do the prospective sides match?
I've been searching but i'm not getting as much detail as I would like....
Thank you!!!

 

[Smokey The TDI]

So all this came about because I almost paid $4500 for a toyota pickup.... So thats the goal. Under $5000 for everything... Including paint! (Bodyshop in mexico is giving me the buddy price)

Cost As Of 3/12/15:

$1500 - For the Caddy.... The AD says 3000. That's because the owner upped the price after I said I will be there tomorrow with 1500 -_-

$293.75 - Engine Mounts W\O Rubber Inserts

$19.94 - Pressed In Rubber Inserts

$00000- 2003 TDI GOLF - the golf has paid itself off over the past three years...my night job reimbursed my mileage and I averaged 120 miles a day. So the golf made me an extra couple hundred dollars a month. Plus the money from all the un-needed parts.
________
-$1813.69

I've got all the expensive bits done... On the home stretch when I get the truck back.

$2000 - Interior/Exterior Restoration.
$300 - BBS RA 15X6 ET35
$225 - 195/45/15 Tires
$325 - Core-Support/Grill/Fenders
$150 - Gauges
$350 - All new Glass & Door Rubber gaskets
___________
$5013.84



A few deductions so far -
-$15 Change Found
-$500 Sold the running 1.6 Diesel Engine and 5-speed trans
-$900 so far on the MK4 Part out


________
Cost as of 6/6/17
$3598.84



Looking good so far!

 

[swapmeat]

Should be any 16v scirocco or late cabriolet. Or when I did mine I used the truck axles and just slapped my 100mm o2a/j inner joints onto them...... Free! I had to grind one of the shafts a tad to get it on far enough to get the clip on but better them buying more parts. Also that rear mount "might"not work on your tranny. I know with my 02a it wouldn't and if you search there's a dif mount for the rear that I would've needed. I made mine cus I'm poor and couldn't wait. You might be fine thou.

 

[Smokey The TDI]

@Swapmeat Do you have any photos of the Axle build?? and when it comes to the mounts... I bought specific ALH/02J to MK1 mounts hopefully I wont have any issues... I can always cut and weld but that's what I was trying to avoid.

I want to keep this as plug&play as possible. I've seen a build where they had to change a tension pulley... Is that what was causing the interference?


MrDave - "I can't seem to find any pictures of the new tensioner pulley.
I believe I used the pulley from a 16V, and I had to replace the bolt as well. "
http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?789621
Picture of it-
http://jetta_gli.tripod.com/tdi/engine-mount-clearances2.txt

 

[2many diesels]

If you use the scirroco/cabrio shafts, you will have to use the 100 mm bearing carriers from the same....or do some grinding.
Pearsonally, ditch the wireing....all of it.....well , keep what goes to the back of the of the truck from the dash. Get a ce2 harness and fuse box. You can mate your mk4 engine harness into it. As close to plug and play as you will get

 

[swapmeat]

I'll get a pic of the axles and mount I made, nothing special but works.hes right about the knuckle part though, you will have to grind a little off but if you do what I did you have to do nothing cus your using the same axles in the truck now and just replacing the inner joints to make them 100mm and bolt to your mk4 tranny. As far as wiring... I had whole car so I took entire harness, stripped it down, and used complete ce2 fuse box and harness.therefore I have a tdi mk1 with obd connector/cruise, etc. only have to splice the minimum, being the lights and a lead to the heater box.for you since you have the car, I would do the same but with the mk4 harness. Use the whole thing and just lay it in the truck...that way even your cluster works easily ,everything.i even modded my steering column to accept the passat stalks and ignition switch,literally making 85% of it plug in like factory..my 2 cents.

 

[Smokey The TDI]

@2many diesels ce2 Fuse box?? that is an interesting option.... Almost every build has one or two pictures of the wiring harness spilt and cut into a million pieces.

@Swapmeat - The way I see it, the wiring harness in the golf went in as a whole. Im going to gut the Rabbit dash and fill it with the Golf controls.... Hopefully just like you said mostly plug&play.

I would rather have a customized dash then a hacked wiring harness!


So I put the axle ordering off. Its a good "if I mess up"...But I am going to try and combine the two axles... Sounds right up my alley thank you!!

 

[swapmeat]

Pm me with an email or phone if you have unlimited text and I can shoot pics of wiring and axles tom. As far as the golf harness , I'd have to look at it. I know on my passat there was and engine/front lights harness,climate control/a/c harness,cabin, etc run sometimes together but only bundled together. With a good wiring diagram and labeling everything that comes out of the golf I believe to be the easiest. It sucks pulling out of the car but I think I literally spliced 10 wires in the whole truck.everything else plugs in.i don't understand why anyone that has a full donor car would do anything different. And this isn't to fight over opinions, .....just to me I would much rather have the least amount of wires tampered with BUT have to make a custom mount for things (I.e guage cluster,etc) . Then use the old stock rabbit stuff and splice more wires.

 

[Smokey The TDI]

PM'd

100% +1 Less hacking the better!

So I'll look for those diagrams on Monday.

 

[vw_nut]

The only thing I spliced was the fuel Guage, head and tail lights, backup, turns and brake all else was plug and play, then I wanted the cluster so it's why I did the Corrado dash what a job that was

 

[2many diesels]

^^^^^What he said. Use the ce2 for all body functions. You can run the alh from early ecu (gq, jb, fa, with tune for vnt) or you can wire the alh harness and ecu into the ce2 harness, which in my opinion would be the easiest route.
If you have ever dealt with a mk4 harness, you will understand. Since you already have the mk 4 there, strip the harness anyway and I am sure you will understand.
The ce2 fuse box, everything plugs in. It fits nicely in a mk1 and makes a very clean installation.

 

[Smokey The TDI]

Now we hold... Til Body & Paint

I was sent a video by @swapmeat that shows him putting the inner MK4 CV on the MK1 axle. He said I might I have to grind the shoulder at the inner end the splines... to allow the mk4 CV to slip on far enough.

Axles - Free... Cool.

Update on the current engine -
I found out why the truck died on me that day. The Alternator decided to stop working. No big deal.


This is how I get myself in trouble... I was searching for MK1 Rabbit parts on Craigslist and I came across an AD for a complete 1.6TD the had the #1 piston locked up.

My dear wife asked why I was buying another motor... and if it was completely necessary.....YES!

I picked it up right away. This is where it get interesting.... He asked what I was buying the motor for... I explained to him that I'm doing an ALH swap and that I dont want to drive the truck to Mexico for the paint & body with a 4000 dollar swapped engine and trans. He asked if the truck was black...has a stack....racing buckets...I was thrown off for a second. I started to think maybe this guy tried to buy the truck too. Nope. Turns out he used to own the truck! The guy I bought it from, bought it from him. CRAZY SMALL VW WORLD....

So it has the manifolds, Injection pump, Turbo, Oilpan W/drain bung & Downpipe. I also got the alternator that went out on me last week. I've got the stock side mount intercooler from the golf so I'll throw that on too.
I wasn't going to put money into this engine.... But it was too cheap to pass up. Aaaand now that its an "ECO 1.6TD" it might be worth swapping into my 1971 vw bus... Maybe???

I bought a gasket set and I'm going to swap on the turbo parts this week.

Links from this weeks purchases-

Gasket Set
http://www.ebay.com/itm/351330444842?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Pryometer
http://www.ebay.com/itm/261689408975?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Oil Temp, Oil Pressure, Voltage Gauges
http://www.ebay.com/itm/201248779466?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

The Senders For The Gauges
http://www.ebay.com/itm/121560480803?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
http://www.ebay.com/itm/260774860316?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

The ALH/02J engine mounts are still stuck in germany....

I got the rubber inserts.

Turbo Motor

 

[john.jackson9213]

Actually saw the ad on CL. Thought $3K was way too much. But sounds like you did good.

 

[Smokey The TDI]

@john.jackson9213 He had it advertised for $1500 at first. Then I showed up and gave him a deposit. He upped the price to 3K instead of taking the ad down. Kinda got me worried for a sec.

All the other running rabbits on CL were $3-5k.

And they all had way more rust than this truck .....surprisingly.

 

[Smokey The TDI]

Weekend Progress

Replaced the Alternator. No more issues there.

I bought a Dash cover -
http://www.ebay.com/itm/190217325558?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Then we went for a bike ride at Balboa park.

 

[Smokey The TDI]

Turbo News

The turbo that came on the blown 1.6TD motor needs a rebuild. I was looking for rebuild kits and none of them looked right. I just assumed the turbo was a K24. Well it isnt. The second that I found out that it was a T3 I jumped out of bed and went running to my garage! That was 10pm...Scared the crap out of my wife.... lol


Here is where my parts hoarding comes in handy!!! I bought a brand new Garrett GT3 off of CL almost 4 years ago. Its a ball bearing turbo. The Compressor housing has a .42AR. I had it on a Type 1 1600 Vw Bus motor for a week.... Never even turned it on. I went with the stock engine after all and left the turbo on a shelf.

The turbo that came off the TD... The compressor housing has a .42 AR!! its like it was meant to be!!!!

The exhaust housing off the t3 bolted right on to my new GT3! same compressor AR.... just swapped the exhaust housing... now I'm running a ball bearing turbo.... almost shameful hahahaha

I didn't take anyphotos of the finished turbo...Ill post those up in a day or two.

Here are some photos before the exhaust housing swaps to check out the differences.

 

[Smokey The TDI]

Weekend Progress

The engine mounts arrived from Germany. Getting closer to the swap!
I kinda went crazy with the parts ordering....Again
New Lower control arms, tie rods and bushings
75 Rabbit Fenders
Round light core support
Grille
New headlights
Talk about making more work for myself.
Look at the difference a 40 dollar dash cover and cheap floor mats make!

 

[jhax]

See if this comes up for you, it's a wiring diagram I made a while ago, Im not sure if this applies to your golf, yours may be newer. if it doesn't show up do a google search for alhtoce2jettagolf.pdf and youll find it https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2YVaiARgnDiWDBJRGVOOFNUTmc/edit?pli=1

Justin

 

[Smokey The TDI]

More Parts!!

I've got most of the body parts in.
Have the money for the work in my pocket.
Parts loaded up.
Bodyshop is taking it in on Friday
Im going with a Porsche Green-

 

[Smokey The TDI]

See if this comes up for you, it's a wiring diagram I made a while ago, Im not sure if this applies to your golf, yours may be newer. if it doesn't show up do a google search for alhtoce2jettagolf.pdf and youll find it https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2YVaiARgnDiWDBJRGVOOFNUTmc/edit?pli=1

Justin

@jhax That diagram is going to be a LIFE SAVER!! Thank you!!

 

[jhax]

Glad I could help, Im doing an ALH to CE2 from a pre 2000 beetle and didn't realize they have different ECUs than the Golfs and Jettas until after finishing that diagram, took a long time to make so use it well.

 

[hause]

this is getting exciting!

 

[Smokey The TDI]

Bbs ra

I have a problem...

Craigslist.

Yesterday after work I drove 3 hours to get these wheels.... They are pretty clean and have the centercaps.

 

[sccaddy]

those are sweeeeeet! 15x7's?

 

[Smokey The TDI]

those are sweeeeeet! 15x7's?

@SCCADDY They are BBS RA 15X6 ET35 4x100

 

[Smokey The TDI]

Down Time....What to do???

So I took the truck in on Friday. It was a little more than I thought it would be...But still 10 times cheaper than any shop here in the states.
$1700 for all the body work including the front-end conversion, Paint and Interior work.

ITS GUNNA BE SWEEEEET!!

So I had some free time this weekend. Decided to give some love to my rusty bus;

-Changed out the Gen for a new alternator.
-Switched out the single carb for a Weber Progressive 32/36.
-New Fuel lines and filter.
-New External Oil cooler and filter.

This is next on the list for Mexico!


6/6/2017 - Sold the bus. Had no time to enjoy it. Just worked on it all the time.

 

[Smokey The TDI]

Youtube Startup and Walk Around

Start-Up/ Walk Around
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=886JldfEd4g
Driving
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Mxh0PjQVEM

 

[oldpoopie]

Why is the glow cycle so long? Something is wrong there. Should only be a sec or two, especially down there where its warm out!