TDI in a 1969 VW van?

Logdog

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 6, 2008
Location
Sandy, Oregon
TDI
None at this time, but I'm putting a TDI and Toyota 5 speed into my 122 Volvo Wagon.
A buddy just stopped by to look at my 1.6 TDI in the 1966 Volvo and asked if it is possible to put a diesel in his 1969 VW van. I told him I didn't know of one being built, but that I knew where to go to find out. Have any of you seen a diesel in an air cooled VW?
 

roeslem

Active member
Joined
Aug 27, 2008
Location
panama city fl
TDI
03 jetta m/t- golf a/t- 68 type 2 double cab tdi project
tdi van

i haven't done it yet but i'm collecting the parts to convert my 79 van. so yes i believe it is completely doable. i was at a vw show this past weekend and a fellow there had converted a single cab bus into a car carrier flatbed and was powered by a tdi.
 

Logdog

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 6, 2008
Location
Sandy, Oregon
TDI
None at this time, but I'm putting a TDI and Toyota 5 speed into my 122 Volvo Wagon.
Did you get any photos by chance? I don't know much about the air cooled equipment, but I wouldn't be surprised that it could be done. I could see either adapting to the existing transaxle or modifying a later transaxle and splicing it in the halfshafts. I am sure that there is a way to have a really reliable, unique vehicle when you're done. Would you be willing to start a thread to document your process?
 

BleachedBora

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Oct 16, 2003
Location
Gresham, Oregon
TDI
'81 DMC-12, '15 GL350 CDI 275 hp/448 tq - '81 Caddy CJAA, '05 E320 CDI 250hp/450 tq, '23 ID4 AWD Pro S Plus
I'm putting together a list of engines that people would want to use for such things, I have a couple of people exploring the possibility of a 1.4 TDI; I also have a couple of 2.5 TDIs, a 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0 TDI which are all available.

PM me if you're interested :)

No, you don't want to know the price of the 5.0 V10 :p
-BB
 

Logdog

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 6, 2008
Location
Sandy, Oregon
TDI
None at this time, but I'm putting a TDI and Toyota 5 speed into my 122 Volvo Wagon.
It seems that the 1.4 would be a bit small. The 2.5 TDI sounds pretty interesting. It would make a good engine for my 1966 Volvo. What did this engine come in originally? Is it an inline engine? What years was it produced?
 

markward

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2007
Location
Loxahatchee, Florida
TDI
82 Vanagon and 2011 JSW
If you have the space and can weld and fabricate, anything is possible. The better your skill set, the better the result. A 69 camper would be a good candidate because fabricating an engine cradle would be fairly easy and there would be plenty of room. I had once considered putting an NA 1.6 Diesel in my 68. Realizing the work involved and the age of the bus, I opted for the newer diesel vanagon and then converted it to a TDI. The main obstacle that needs to be overcome is the cooling system. You want efficiency, but want to maintain that stock appearance. I have seen some clever tricks including a VW brazil type2 radiator setup on the nose. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Brazilian_Kombi_Diesel.jpg
 

flycut

Active member
Joined
Nov 19, 2008
Location
michigan
TDI
03 bug
HI i have a late model 6rib 091 bus trans in my sand car is thier and adapter plate and flywheel avail to bolt to it . not to worried about cooling can fab any braket needed for radiator . o ya my tdi is a 03 bought hole bug . debating driving it after engine repair or tdi dunebuggy.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
FWIW, you can buy BRAND NEW in Brazil, right now, a 1.4L ethanol powered T2 Bus. As in, fresh from the factory as VW designed.

Lots of people have done inline transplants into T1, T2, and T3 Buses originally equipped with air or water cooled boxers. I am working on a T3 TDI conversion right now.

The biggest issue with doing this is the gearing. The boxers are all very short stroke engines, and the transmissions they get bolted to are geared very low. But that is OK, because a boxer will happily sing along at 4000, even 5000 RPMs all day long. A 3-speed automatic 2.1L Vanagon engine needs 5200 RPMs to do 75, but it will do it no problem. A TDI bolted to the same transmission starts to peeter out around 4000 (it has little useable power past 3500 really) which means you need to gear them higher if you want them to be happy at highway speeds.
 

oldpoopie

Vendor
Joined
May 14, 2001
Location
Portland Oregon
TDI
2001 golf gl, 2006 jetta, 1981 ALH swapped rabbit pickup, 1998 beetle
Buckweatdiesel is putting a TD, not tdi but similar, in his right now. I think its a 58?
 

roeslem

Active member
Joined
Aug 27, 2008
Location
panama city fl
TDI
03 jetta m/t- golf a/t- 68 type 2 double cab tdi project
oihammer is correct on the trans ratio problem. the only realistic alternatives that i can picture is either converting to a type 1 (bug) or a porsche 911 5 speed transaxle which is the route i am trying to pursue. both trans are available in a 3.88 or 4.11 r&p with a overdrive top gear. not only will new mounts need to be fabricated but shift linkage will have to be rerouted and new cv axleshafts fabricated. there may be some sort of oem axles that will work but hard to tell until trans in place. i still believe it will be worth the effort so the project continues but oohhh sooo slowly.
 

Logdog

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 6, 2008
Location
Sandy, Oregon
TDI
None at this time, but I'm putting a TDI and Toyota 5 speed into my 122 Volvo Wagon.
Do the older vans still run the gear reduction hubs like the earlier models? I remember that they flipped the ring gear to the other side of the pinion and added the reduction hubs to get the gearing. Are there other ring and pinion ratios available for the old transmissions? How about simply removing the reduction hubs and putting the ring gear back on the side as used by the earlier bugs? I know that you would loose about 3-4" of ground clearance, but that might not be a bad thing either if you want it to handle better.
 

mogly

Veteran Member
Joined
May 27, 2003
Location
Sarnia, ON, Canada
TDI
MKIV TDI + B5.5V AVF/01E
There's a fellow in the UK that put a TDI into his T1 bus. It was featured in a few mags if IIRC. I believe that he posted a link here. Split Screen Van Club is the website in the UK.
The last year of the split bus, 1967, was the last year of the GRBs and then VW went with IRS in the newly introduced baywindows.
Over the years I've seen a few T2 buses with watercooled conversions in varying states of completion and quality. Personally I like the idea of using the stock Brazilian grill and rad mount. I would count myself in if anyone would organize a group buy on these. I'd love to convert my '74 Westy someday.
 

brucetmoose

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2006
Location
Rochester, NY
TDI
Used to own a 2002 Jetta TDI - Black/Black
We use to own a '69 bus, how about split custom radiators ?

Ok - this would be a radical mod - but it would be very interesting - get custom twin water radiators sized to fit into the air vent cavities with electric fans. I'm not sure one could even buy something like this except maybe in the race car world. You could even mount oil coolers behind it to help reduce the heat load there too.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
The best water-cooled conversions I have seen on T2s placed the radiator midship, laying on its side, between the frame rails. A 4.0L Cherokee radiator works well for this, as it is LONG and narrow. Then you mount electric fans over the top of it, blowing down, with a duct towards the front of the Bus just slightly behind the front wheels, that acts as a scoop.

Then you use the water-cooled T3's standalone rear heater/blower unit under the backseat for heat, and another up front between the front seats, and install a blower to duct that heat out, under the floor into the original ducting up front, then back up to the windshield.
 

buckweat diesel

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2006
Location
portland oregon/fix um haus
TDI
rabbit truck diesel 2000 tdi
oilhammer said:
The best water-cooled conversions I have seen on T2s placed the radiator midship, laying on its side, between the frame rails. A 4.0L Cherokee radiator works well for this, as it is LONG and narrow. Then you mount electric fans over the top of it, blowing down, with a duct towards the front of the Bus just slightly behind the front wheels, that acts as a scoop.

Then you use the water-cooled T3's standalone rear heater/blower unit under the backseat for heat, and another up front between the front seats, and install a blower to duct that heat out, under the floor into the original ducting up front, then back up to the windshield.

your bus will over heat under the bus there is no wind travel the only way it will work is on each side of the engine compartment my bus is a 1959 with a 1.6 fully built/balanced with rear mounts and an IRS bug transmission i will not give up the info on my 4 speed gear box it took me a long time to get the right gears but my radiator was not cheap almost 1000.oo to a non shop owner i know the split buses way better than any tdi and what it will take to make it drive the best with a diesel,

NOT TO DO LIST
#1 block off water jacket on the side of head
#2place radiator under bus/or as a deck lid
#3 no transmission mount on nose cone
#4 run stock bus tranny aka swing axle or reduction box
#5 if you don't have money don't try this conversion I'm 7000 deep and still need 2500 to finish and its only a 1.6 turbo diesel go figure:eek:
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
I've seen dozens of under-the-bus radiators, not sure what you are talking about. None of them were overheating. It has to do with how the cooling fans work, not airflow. And it gives a nice clean unmodified look to the outside.

Unfortunately, it does mean the fans need to run pretty much constantly in the hotter weather, but they were designed to do that anyways with A/C running.

These were all done with MUCH less money invested than you have, maybe they know something you do not? ;)
 

buckweat diesel

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2006
Location
portland oregon/fix um haus
TDI
rabbit truck diesel 2000 tdi
oilhammer said:
I've seen dozens of under-the-bus radiators, not sure what you are talking about. None of them were overheating. It has to do with how the cooling fans work, not airflow. And it gives a nice clean unmodified look to the outside.

Unfortunately, it does mean the fans need to run pretty much constantly in the hotter weather, but they were designed to do that anyways with A/C running.

These were all done with MUCH less money invested than you have, maybe they know something you do not? ;)
they heat up on the freeway but not in town when mounted under the bus due to gear ratio and uneven radiator /thermostat temps(but hey anything is possible;)
my conversions i do i want it to be all stock looking with real heat ac and so on even power steering if you want:D i love my air cool es and im doing a thing this summer to tdi:D :D
the 69 bus is easy to convert but the gearing with its 3 rib tranny with its bad bearings an 3.80 first 2.06 second third 1.26 fourth 0.89 and its ring and pinion at 5.375 or 4.857 both that are to low but the 9.14tranny has all kinds of options and is a 5 speed and easy to rebuild:D if you have the tools and Weddell has the gears
 

boutmuet

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2009
Location
Long Beach, CA
TDI
2015 BMW 328d
Someone on youtube put a diesel in an old VW bus, I don't know it was a TDI or not. I assume it was an older vw diesel engine maybe from a Rabbit or something. I will try to find the link for you.
 
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