Dodge Dakota Quad 4X4 ALH

jimbote

Certified Volkswagen Nut
Joined
Jul 10, 2006
Location
spiral arm, milky way (aka central NC)
TDI
Tacoma 4x4 converted to TDI
are you planning on installing locking hubs when you reinstall your front diff? the full time engagement feature will probably drop your FE quite a bit .... i lose at least 10% when i forget to unlock mine after engaging 4x4 ....
 

Motohead1

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2016
Location
charlotte
TDI
2002 bug+telephone pole
are you planning on installing locking hubs when you reinstall your front diff? the full time engagement feature will probably drop your FE quite a bit .... i lose at least 10% when i forget to unlock mine after engaging 4x4 ....

Im not sure. The dodge disengages at the tcase and the front axle is open but I guess it will still drag. Hmmm you got me thinking as I dont want o kill my FE as this thing might need 4wd (3wd really) like 10 times a year? Is your front diff still open?
 

jimbote

Certified Volkswagen Nut
Joined
Jul 10, 2006
Location
spiral arm, milky way (aka central NC)
TDI
Tacoma 4x4 converted to TDI
Im not sure. The dodge disengages at the tcase and the front axle is open but I guess it will still drag. Hmmm you got me thinking as I dont want o kill my FE as this thing might need 4wd (3wd really) like 10 times a year? Is your front diff still open?
my front diff is open but i have locking hubs so i can disengage the entire front driveline
 

Motohead1

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Jul 16, 2016
Location
charlotte
TDI
2002 bug+telephone pole
Yea I just looked there are no manual hub lock kits made for the dakotas that I can find. Guess I just have to see how bad the FE is hit. Its gonna be awhile yet though before it goes back in as gear swap is way on the back burner.
 

SilverGhost

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Mar 25, 2005
Location
Back in So Flo - St Lucie
TDI
'05 Golf - totaled :(, wife's '13 Beetle - buy back, TDIless
i'm assuming that's a BHW compresssor... was the dodge compressor also a variable displacement? or did you modify the passat unit for fixed displacement ?
The older variable displacement compressors where mechanical (no computer involved), unlike the later cars where the computer controlled the N280 valve. Even a few MkIII Jettas had variable displacement compressors.

In any case should just hook up the wire to the clutch and let it do it's thing.

Jason
 

Motohead1

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Jul 16, 2016
Location
charlotte
TDI
2002 bug+telephone pole
i think some early dakotas had differential disconnect ... maybe could be adapted ?
those where very weak and not worth the trouble at that point your halfway to SAS and I dont need that. I will try it the way it was from factory and go from there. Some are reporting no FE difference between 2wd and 4wd. I can somwhat attest to this as I yanked the front pumkin abou0t a month after i got the truck and no noticeable difference in FE. but then again it was getting 16 to 17mpg.

The older variable displacement compressors where mechanical (no computer involved), unlike the later cars where the computer controlled the N280 valve. Even a few MkIII Jettas had variable displacement compressors.

In any case should just hook up the wire to the clutch and let it do it's thing.

Jason
Yep I have been running the AC all the time for the past few days and its cold. it does cycle more than I think it should but I will put gauges on it tomorrow and see what its doing and decide from there. If I need to adjust it the valve is under the high side plate I believe. the more you tighten the more it acts like a constant displacement.
 

SilverGhost

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Joined
Mar 25, 2005
Location
Back in So Flo - St Lucie
TDI
'05 Golf - totaled :(, wife's '13 Beetle - buy back, TDIless
Hmm, I would prefer it to NOT cycle at all. Just let the variable displacement do it's thing. I loved it from the old cars where you could feel the temperature go up and down a little. Also don't have the surge and lug when the compressor cycles off and on. Besides - is the VW compressor clutch rated to live when it cycles a lot?

Jason
 

Motohead1

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Jul 16, 2016
Location
charlotte
TDI
2002 bug+telephone pole
The AC clutch is fine to cycle. But I think I can fix it with a larger orifice tube.

But that will have to wait. With over 245K miles on it the input bearing on the NV3500 started making alot of noise the other day so I parked it to fix that and I might as well rebuild the front suspension now so I can put tires on it. I have a few other projects to finish so this will probably be a few weeks.
 

Rmschuit

Member
Joined
May 14, 2017
Location
Ontario
TDI
Ahu
I was hoping it would have but i still drive in the summer with the driveshaft out I'm running 265 75 16 tires and ever smaller ones didn't change it
 

Motohead1

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Location
charlotte
TDI
2002 bug+telephone pole
Slight update. Input bearing was fine on the trans.

Turns out one of the 6 adapter bolts backed out and the washer and lock washer were randomly making a ding noise. Had to be my fault I must have missed torquing that one properly as the 5 other ones are fine and there is no way it would come loose seated properly against the lock washer.

But since I yanked the trans anyway I went into "might as well do it now" mode and pulled the front suspension apart to replace bushings. Also found that February of this year, same time I got my swap running, Centerforce came out with a 40lbs flywheel for the 4.0. I just ordered one. PN: 700469 Tick performance has them for $293 shipped. Stock is only 27lbs. I hope this will help with quieting down the counter shaft rattle at idle a little as well as all the other added benefits.

I see photobucket has screwed everyone so when I get time I will fix all the links to pics.



Bushing removal.
 
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evguy1

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Feb 8, 2014
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Erington, BC, Canada
TDI
2000 Jeep Cherokee TDI, 2008 Jeep JKU TDI
Turns out one of the 6 adapter bolts backed out and the washer and lock washer were randomly making a ding noise.
Be sure there is RED locktight on those 6 bolts. A couple of people have had them back out......including me. Red locktight is a diesel swapers friend.
Coming from a business doing electric vehicles conversions for 27 years I just never have to worry about vibration so the diesel swaps have been a real introduction to the problems of the ICE.
 

Motohead1

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Jul 16, 2016
Location
charlotte
TDI
2002 bug+telephone pole
Be sure there is RED locktight on those 6 bolts. A couple of people have had them back out......including me. Red locktight is a diesel swapers friend.
Coming from a business doing electric vehicles conversions for 27 years I just never have to worry about vibration so the diesel swaps have been a real introduction to the problems of the ICE.

Good to know. I have red on the crank spacer bolts and flywheel bolts. I was always kinda used blue or green locktight on aluminum as the softer stuff would sometimes take the threads out with red. These went in dry. They will get something going back in this time though.
 

Motohead1

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Location
charlotte
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2002 bug+telephone pole
So finally got the truck back together. Replaced all the ball joints and bushings, shocks, steering rack and pulled my 240K mile trans and put in a 150K mile spare NV3500. Also lock tight on every adapter bolt. Had one that was loose making me think it was a transmission noise as it was rubbing the back of the flywheel and all others were snug but not as tight as when I put them in. Lock tight should fix all that now.



The big upgrade though was the 40lbs (more like 42) flywheel. stock4.0 jeep is 27lbs




The rattling intermediate shaft in the NV3500 is definitely quieter. The from idle inertia helps too not that it was lacking before. But now its smooth no matter what gear or throttle input your giving. Its a must buy IMHO.

Tires and alignment is next.
 

xjjeeper

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Joined
Mar 20, 2016
Location
Chilliwack BC
TDI
99.5 golf, soon to be Tdi Xj
Great news about the flywheel! I'll deffinatly grab one when I'm at that point with my xj alh swap:D
 

Motohead1

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Joined
Jul 16, 2016
Location
charlotte
TDI
2002 bug+telephone pole
Wheels tires and alignment. I went with a deal I found on a 265/70 r17 Goodyear Authority used. Measures 31.7 inches. Anything bigger than that would rub for sure.




I need to do a boost leak test as today I got overboost code. Kinda worried me at first as it wasent making much part throttle boost suddenly on the highway and egts went up. It cleared up after a restart. Ill have to do some research on causes for that.
 

All Stock

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Joined
Oct 6, 2014
Location
Michigan
TDI
AHU
Are you attributing the quiet NV3500 idler rattle (marbles in a can sound) to the flywheel or is it a result of the different trans?

Is the surface on the centerforce FW curved as the oem one is supposedly?

Which clutch are you using...or how much is it rated for?
 

Motohead1

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2016
Location
charlotte
TDI
2002 bug+telephone pole
Are you attributing the quiet NV3500 idler rattle (marbles in a can sound) to the flywheel or is it a result of the different trans?

Is the surface on the centerforce FW curved as the oem one is supposedly?

Which clutch are you using...or how much is it rated for?
Flywheel for sure made the difference. My original trans is still good and measured the same lash as the newer one.

Not sure on the curve? looked like stock except the back is completely solid.

Clutch is a stock $46 rock auto clutch for a 2001 4.0 jeep.
 
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Motohead1

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Location
charlotte
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2002 bug+telephone pole
So this week I am working on getting cruise to work. First I wired up a 5pin 40amp relay to act as my TDi brake switch. Nice to finally have that 1400rpm throttle cut out after startup finally fixed. Next I attempted to grab the Dodge VSS signal coming off the ring gear and feed pin 20/121. But VCDS said no signal. This didnt make sense to me as Reddoks Jeep swap worked this way.



See here is the VSS diagram. Looking at it now I tapped into the-Neg side. Maybe it needs to be on the+ side?
 

Motohead1

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Jul 16, 2016
Location
charlotte
TDI
2002 bug+telephone pole
Well tapped the positive side and still nothing . I might have to get a dakota digital box and vampire the speed signal coming out of the ABS unit white/orange wire. Still would like to know why its not working though.
 
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