Questions about swapping parts engine to engine

Powerstroke9773

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2015
Location
North Carolina
TDI
2002 Jetta TDI (totaled parts car) 2003 Jetta GLS TDI
Good morning everyone. I totaled my 02 Jetta about a week ago and the mourning is over and the healing process has begun. I have found a couple different cars I can buy but my main question is... Can I swap my turbo, injector's, tune, egr delete, etc to the new car ? Do they have to be the same year or anything special I may not realize before I do this I'd like to keep all the old modifications. The sad thing is the old engine is running fine just had timing belt kit done 10000 miles ago. But those aftermarket parts on there are quite expensive as I'm sure yall know. Thanks in advance.
 

casey823

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2015
Location
Middleton, ID USA
TDI
2002 Jetta sedan, 2002 golf tdi
Do you know if immobilizer was deleted with the tune? As long as you are swapping the turbo etc to another alh they will swap over fine.
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
Other than the tune, you should be able to swap to any VE motor, '02, '03 preferred.
For the tune, assuming it's internal to the ECU, you'd want one the same '02 model with the same ECU part no. for a simple swap. You may be able to get it into a different year, but there will be complications. Unless you're trying to go real low budget, it might be more efficient to just tune the new cars ECU.
 

Rrusse11

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2014
Location
PA Deutsch Country
TDI
2002 Golf, 5spd; 05 Jeep CRD
I'd be tempted to try and find an ALH that has had a "timing belt event". Swap the motor & the ECU.
My $.02.
R*2
 

Powerstroke9773

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2015
Location
North Carolina
TDI
2002 Jetta TDI (totaled parts car) 2003 Jetta GLS TDI
Ya I had thought about doing an engine swap with a 99 and a blown motor but I'm not sure how difficult that would be I found 01 real good shape and a clone of my old car. What would be required to swap the ECU / tune to the 01 from my 02 and also how difficult is the engine swap I had a South bend stage 2 cluth so I assume a engine transmission transplant. How much different are 99s to 02s or any other 99 to 03 models in relation to tunes and these mods. Also thanks for the heads up on the 04 I did find one in really good shape but now I will be looking 03 back later. On a side note I have arp head studs would they be a straight swap without pulling head ?
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
For ECUs, '99.5 Jettas are unique. '00-01 have a different ECU than the '99.5, and the '02-'03 are also different. The big difference between the '01 and '02/3 is the glow plug system. If you use an '02 ECU in an '01 car you'll get a glow plug fault you cannot correct. And I may not remember this right, but I also think the cruise control won't work. You'd be better off having the '01 ECU tuned.
 

Powerstroke9773

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2015
Location
North Carolina
TDI
2002 Jetta TDI (totaled parts car) 2003 Jetta GLS TDI
So what do you guys think is easier doing a whole engine trans ecu swap or just change out all the modifications and then have the new ecu tuned ? I know my trans and clutch have been upgraded I would like to just swap the whole thing out and save the other engine and trans but honestly how long do y'all think that would take I have pretty much all tools needed minus vw special tools. Is it a weekend job ? And if I put the whole engine and trans in the new car with the matching ecu is there anything else left to do ?
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
If the car you buy has the same ECU part no. as your '02, it will drop right in.
I did some searching, the ECU for an '02 manual TDI and an '03 manual TDI are both 03890612FD. That scenario, your chipped unit would drop right in.
 

AndyBees

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 27, 2003
Location
Southeast Kentucky
TDI
Silver 2003 Jetta TDI, Silver 2000 Jetta TDI (sold), '84 Vanagon with '02 ALH engine
To change the engine and transmission doesn't require any special tools. But, you will need more than a set of boxed-end metric wrenches, screw drivers, etc.

I'm sure everyone that has swapped engines have a sequence they follow, give or take a step or two.

With a good jack (meaning size mostly) and cherry picker, you should be able to drop the engine out the bottom in a few hours. Disconnecting wiring, hoses, axles, shifting cables, exhaust, etc., is the most time consuming, in my opinion.

I use a "home-made" vacuum system to suck out coolant as I remove hoses to save the coolant, but mostly to reduce the mess. The vast majority of connectors will only plug-in one location or their length/location makes it quite obvious where they go when going back together.

(Different Engine) > It recently took me about 5 days to swap a 2.0T Gasser engine in a 2008 VW EOS, scattered out over more than two weeks (we seniors work at our on pace). That engine had loads and loads of wiring connectors, hoses, pipes, etc........ everything went out the bottom without having to remove the hood.
 

Ol'Rattler

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 3, 2007
Location
PNA
TDI
2006 BRM Jetta
At least you didn't take it out the bottom because you had a senior moment and forgot that the car has a hood that opens.:D "Damn Sam. It must have taken me 3 weeks to change the air filter".

Congrats on the retirement. With retirement I found that by not drinking I have a lot more time to devote to important things but there is still not enough time in the day..........
 
Last edited:
Top