J.Klassen
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Nov 13, 2016
- Location
- Enderby, B.C. Canada
- TDI
- TDI Nissan Hardbody project, 01 Jetta donor car
Hello fellow engine swapers. My name is Jason. This thread is going to be about taking the weezy KA24E out of my 1997 Nissan Hardbody 4x4 and putting in a beast of an ALH TDI.
I had been thinking about and researching doing this for at least a year and a half before finally going ahead with it. The truck is mainly used as my winter vehicle as I drive my fun car for the rest of the year (Infiniti G35 Coupe 6 speed manual).
The 4 cylinder KA24E engine in the truck came with only 134 HP and 154 lb/ft when it was new. The last couple of winters had really left me wanting more. Not only was the power pathetic but I was averaging only 15mpg or 15.5L/100km. So it was drinking fuel like a full size truck and putting out power less than an economy car. Something had to change!
I got a 2001 Jetta TDI from an auto wrecker. They had just picked it up from a lady who was commuting 60km (37miles) per day until the auto trans started slipping badly. It had 362,000 km (225,000 miles)on it and he truck has only 196,000 km (122,000 miles).
In full disclosure the truck is running now and I am driving it, but these pictures are going to start from a year ago when I began the project.
So on with the pics, and we begin with the truck itself.
The trucks new home in front of my Dad's shop for the next year. At least I have a roof, and he gave me a corner of the shop to work in. The rest he uses to build custom kitchen cabinets in.
Good ol Johnny coming in handy.
The empty engine bay. I chopped the rad support out to make test fitting everything a lot easier.
The trucks transmission and transfer case next to the badly slipping autotragic from the donor car.
I had been thinking about and researching doing this for at least a year and a half before finally going ahead with it. The truck is mainly used as my winter vehicle as I drive my fun car for the rest of the year (Infiniti G35 Coupe 6 speed manual).
The 4 cylinder KA24E engine in the truck came with only 134 HP and 154 lb/ft when it was new. The last couple of winters had really left me wanting more. Not only was the power pathetic but I was averaging only 15mpg or 15.5L/100km. So it was drinking fuel like a full size truck and putting out power less than an economy car. Something had to change!
I got a 2001 Jetta TDI from an auto wrecker. They had just picked it up from a lady who was commuting 60km (37miles) per day until the auto trans started slipping badly. It had 362,000 km (225,000 miles)on it and he truck has only 196,000 km (122,000 miles).
In full disclosure the truck is running now and I am driving it, but these pictures are going to start from a year ago when I began the project.
So on with the pics, and we begin with the truck itself.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fpics.tdiclub.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2F1104.jpg&hash=c5c46c3da6fac1f604e3e76642e43ec2)
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fpics.tdiclub.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2F288.jpg&hash=2519f1d3677c354675405a9d0a8fc278)
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fpics.tdiclub.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2F369.jpg&hash=e32d14fdb1f235fa7fb1b95cbf61136a)
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fpics.tdiclub.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2F447.jpg&hash=756278dd2e6bb0f8d16cb23a485364b9)
The trucks new home in front of my Dad's shop for the next year. At least I have a roof, and he gave me a corner of the shop to work in. The rest he uses to build custom kitchen cabinets in.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fpics.tdiclub.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2F533.jpg&hash=fa0564a287af95e874dd1ae6928d4d07)
Good ol Johnny coming in handy.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fpics.tdiclub.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2F628.jpg&hash=96f3b26010c5b546a7a5d53c90cab62f)
The empty engine bay. I chopped the rad support out to make test fitting everything a lot easier.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fpics.tdiclub.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2F717.jpg&hash=e2a0e2285463869ef59b23820caa83c3)
The trucks transmission and transfer case next to the badly slipping autotragic from the donor car.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fpics.tdiclub.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2F810.jpg&hash=634a49379342f87672df354b194b009c)