BEW or BRM for a big SUV?

HiSPL

Active member
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
Location
Texas
TDI
06 Golf Black/Grey
I have a 96 Land Rover Discovery 1 with a manual 5 Speed. I am gathering parts for a TDi swap and am going back and forth over whether to use a BEW or a BRM! Which do you think and why?

The Stock gas motor was 182 HP and 233 ft lbs of torque when new. Either tdi motor could acheive this, and I'd like to get over 250 ft lbs, but not over 300 just to keep the driveline happy. The truck weighs about 4500 pounds stock.


Which TDi would you use and why? Looking for MPG, and reliability over brute power.
 

ocelotpotpie

Active member
Joined
Dec 16, 2018
Location
Seattle
TDI
TDI
BEW and BRM are very, very similar. If I were you I'd find the one in the best condition for the best price and get it. There's more considerations for different engines (1Z vs BEW, for example) but the BEW and BRM are so similar that I'd just find the best one available within my budget.
 

PickleRick

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2017
Location
Greenville sc
TDI
05 GLS BHW sedan 5 speed conversion. BHW Carver SantaCruz in progress
The bj60 (and hj60) land cruiser is similar size, aerodynamics and weight as the discovery and came with slow non turbo diesel motors. You'll get near double the mpg of your stock v8 if not more, you just wont get there quickly. Your gearing is very important for mpgs and comfortable cruising.
 
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HiSPL

Active member
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
Location
Texas
TDI
06 Golf Black/Grey
So considering I'm going to do a VNT17 and a custom intercooler and likely a PD150 intake on either engine, there's really no difference other than the cam profile, is that right?
 

Hasenwerk

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Nov 28, 2003
Location
Quesnel, BC
TDI
1982 Cabriolet (BEW|VNT17|Stage4), 1989 VW TriStar Syncro soon-to-be CR TDI (CBEA), 2001 Ford Ranger Edge 4x4 (ALH|VNT17|R520|Stage4)
Personally, I would go BEW over BRM.

The BRM uses the Golf V electrical system with is dependant on CAN bus. These can be made error-free, but you won't have the capability of cruise control as it is done over CAN bus, along with the tachometer and check engine/glow plug lights. A custom CAN bus gateway would be needed to restore this functionality.

The BEW has all of this funtionality and is basically a 'non-event' to make run correctly.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
BHW is better than either. 136hp and 247tq right out of the box. Mild tune may not even be necessary but you'll want it.

You can use most of the BEW bits to make a BHW run, too.
 

HiSPL

Active member
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
Location
Texas
TDI
06 Golf Black/Grey
BHW is better than either. 136hp and 247tq right out of the box. Mild tune may not even be necessary but you'll want it.

You can use most of the BEW bits to make a BHW run, too.
What is the cam longevity like on the BHW? Is it running the same cam?

This sounds like a great option actually. I could hit my goals with a stock turbo...
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
PD engine cams, by design, will always be a weak spot. That said, it doesn't mean they cannot last a reasonably long time with proper care. My BHW has 210k miles on it, valve cover has never been off, likely never will be.

All three of the PD 4 cyl engines sold here, BEW, BHW, and BRM, have various differences between them, including the camshaft. While they are all the same basic engine family, they do not share many parts.

Key differences:

BEW and BRM are 100hp 1.9L, BHW is 136hp 2.0L

BEW and BHW have a CKP sensor in the block, with a tone wheel on the crank. BRMs have their CKP sensor in the rear seal flange, and the tone wheel is integrated with the seal itself. CMP sensor is different too.

BEW and BHW have the water pump o-ring fitted to slide INTO the block with the pump body, BRMs have the seal on the front surface of the block.

BHW and BRMs have open intake ports, single runner. BEWs have a split intake port with dual runner control flaps.

BHW has a Valeo "log" style EGR cooler, with no bypass flap. BRM has a Valeo log style cooler too, but with an intagral bypass flap that ALWAYS eventually leaks. BEW has a Modine "waffle" style EGR cooler, with a separate bypass flap assembly.

BEW and BHW have a vacuum reservoir remotely mounted on the engine (BEW up front, below the glow plugs, BHW down low, above the A/C compressor). BRM's reservoir is integral with the valve cover.

BHW has an EGT sensor, the others do not.

BEW and BRM have a VNT vane sensor, BHW does not.

BEW and BRMs use Borg Warner turbos, BHW has a Garrett.

BHW has a chain driven dual balance shaft module, which needs to be upgraded to a gear driven version or it will blow up (you can also "delete" it, but in stock form it will vibrate more).

BEW and BHW are subjected to the "glow plug fiasco", which meant software and plug changes from the factory. BRM never had this issue.

BHW is mounted longitudinally in the car (B5 Passat), BEW and BRM are transverse (A4 G/J/NB, A5 Jetta, respectively).

BHW uses two accessory belts, one for the A/C compressor, another for everything else. The others only have one.

Much of the differences are a result of the orientation in the car in which they are installed, like the shape of the oil pan, and not necessarily differences in the engine proper. But I outlined the main differences.
 

PickleRick

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2017
Location
Greenville sc
TDI
05 GLS BHW sedan 5 speed conversion. BHW Carver SantaCruz in progress
I also vote BHW over the other tdi motors and not just because i own a yard full of them. My daily 05 passat sedan is 5 speed convetrted with a stage 2 tune, plenty of power and the economy is great.

I did a diesel conversion in both an fj60 and an fj40 using long stroke, 750lbs 3.9l turbo diesels making @130 hp. Had the tdi swaps been so plug and play back then i can attest the vw would be a vast improvement over the isuzus i used. Better reving and nearly half the weight. I also found that the longer stroke turbo diesels eat any transmissions not built for heavy duty applications for lunch. The vw will not have those issues.
 
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