Golf MK3 1.4L TDI Build

Hey gang,

After a looooooong year looking at my 1.4L TDI engine sit in my shop and almost swapping it into a Dodge Neon. Then almost selling it all on Ebay I have decided not only to keep it but also keep it Vdub and swap it into an MK3 Golf.

Main reasons for the Project:

#1. I got a descent deal on the Golf $800 in solid running condition. After selling off the Engine and Transmission I hope to be under $500 into it.
#2. I have a complete 1.4L 3 cyl TDI AMF engine under 100k miles on it along with all the ancillaries, wiring looms, gauge cluster, ECU etc...
#3. I have a CTN transmission sitting in the shop waiting for the right swap. which will bolt up to my 1.4 TDI.
#4. MK3 Golf Aerodynamics is the best of the lot out of the gate which will give me best MPG potential. Cd = .30 and Cd.A = .66
#5. MK3 weight for the 1.4 Gasser is 2,189 lbs so it has the potential to be a fairly light weight sedan even with the 1.4L TDI engine installed.
#6. I have seen 1.9L TDI swaps into MK3 Golfs but not a 1.4L TDI stateside or Europe for that matter. So I think there is a little potential for originality here which appeals to me.
#7. Seating capacity was big for me since I have kids. So enough room for 5 people is great for my situation.
#8. MPG Potential was big for me also. I have studied the Project Sipster as well as other builds and this car with the right modifications has the potential to be a real fuel miser.
#9. I wanted something with descent power to weight ratio without sacrificing MPG and the Golf will give me this potential.
#10. I wanted a car that I could Hypermod for not only increased MPG but also increased performance. The MK3 Golf I think is a good platform to play with in this regard.
#11. Last but not least I wanted a car I can be happy with as a daily driver. Getting in a VW Golf in the morning will bring back memories of when I was a kid learning to drive for the first time in an MK1.

GP

Goals for the Project:

Before a project can start there has to be some goals so here they are. I am more interested in MPG rather than Acceleration. With that said I am going to do some basic modifications to the engine for increased power performance which will help aid in obtaining better fuel economy but not blow the bank on this aspect so to speak. I do not need 200hp to achieve my MPG goals. The transmission will be modified for best MPG potential. I will not be skimping in this area. I will be spending wayyyyy more time and money on the MPG side of the fence.

#1. I would like to see engine horsepower around 130 hp and torque around 240 lb/ft which is very similar to the Original Project Sipster. Except they did it with 4 cyl and I am going to do it with 3 cyl

#2. I would like to hit 100mpg Freeway. The Original Project Sipster topped out at 84mpg. I think with the right modifications 100mpg is achievable however it is something I will really have to work at but I like a solid challenge

#3. Since this will be my future daily driver I want it to look cool and unique as well as be comfortable. While I will have to heavily modify the exterior for better Aerodynamics to achieve 100mpg I believe. I want to do it in a way that retains or improves upon the look of the vehicle. Lots of times you see aero modified cars looking all hacked up. I want to give it a professional modern appearance in a way that helps me best achieve my MPG goals. With this car I want to show people that you can have a super Aero modified car While not sacrificing the looks.

So those are it gang next up I will list the modifications that I hope will get me to these goals. So stay tuned for that along with of course some pics to kick things off with

Fore warned this thread will be picture heavy as I love pics LOL so I hope you all do not mind

GP over and out

Here are some pics of the conversion car. It is nothing special no power windows, mirrors, or door locks. It is the base model with no extras. This is pretty much exactly what I was looking for down to the color. The interior and exterior are in pretty rough condition. I will need to completely redo the interior and definitely give the exterior a solid paint job. On the interior I will probably do an MK4 dash swap with some customization built into it. New seats will be installed and a new steering wheel.
The exterior will get some upgraded lights most likely and custom grille. Front and back wheel skirts along with under tray. I am going to install custom side mirrors and delete the antenna. The rear end is going to get customized also to what extent I am still undetermined. After all of that I will give it a new shiny black paint job with yellow highlights.

Wayyyy cool! Good luck on achieving that goal of 100mpg! 80s is impressive enough for me, but I guess not you. I'll be watching this quietly.

I'd like to point out #5 is slightly wrong... No matter how much you do, this vehicle will never be a light weight SEDAN!!! :chuckles:

The AMF engine stock puts out 55 kilowatts (75 PS; 74 bhp) @ 4,000 rpm; 195 newton metres (144 lbf·ft) @ 2,200 rpm
In order for me to reach 130 hp and 240 lb/ft I will have to do quite a few things to it. Along with the upgrades I will be going through it and doing some needed Maintenance such as timing belt and water pump. I will be swapping out the metal water pump that is prone to failure for the composite unit. The filters, gaskets, and seals will be checked out. Then most likely give it a fresh paint job. I really like shiny engines LOL
Engine Modifications:
#1. Upgrade the GT1544S wastegate turbo to a VNT model most likely a GT1749VB. This will give me better top end as well as low end torque.
#2. Upgrade injectors since I all ready have PD130 ASZ unit injectors those will have to do. They should give me plenty of fueling potential for 130hp
#3. Port and Polish the head. Since I all ready have it broken apart now would be the optimal time. I am not going to go crazy here just a little bit of material taken off should be good.
#4. FMIC since I all ready have a spare laying around.
#5. Electronic water pump with fan and thermostat controller. This will help me better control temp which should help on MPG. This will also eliminate heat soak.
#6. Water methanol injection should help give me a little power boost as well as increase MPG, steam clean the engine, and decrease pollutants.
#7. Lastly I will definitely need a good remap.
Here it is in all its grandjour hehehehe

I have an O2A CTN transmission in the garage I am going to use that came out of a 98 Jetta with 190K miles. So I am going to run through it and replace all the goodies. Along with that I think I will do a few other things
Transmission Modifications:
#1. Replace all seals and gaskets.
#2. Drill hole for better gear lubrication.
#3. LSD most likely the Peloquin
#4. 6 speed conversion
Stock CTN 5 speed gear ratios:
1.3.78 2. 2.12 3. 1.36 4. 0.97 5. 0.76
Proposed 6 speed CTN conversion gear ratios:
1.3.78 2. 2.12 3. 1.36 4. 0.92 5. 0.71 6. 0.59
Here it is in all its beastness hahaha

Here is the reference I used for the 6 speed conversion gear ratios:



Here is the link to there gear ratio diagrams webpage:

http://www.eurotuning.cz/images/image/en/optimizing/diagrams_conversion_kit.html

Another reason that I decided to use the Golf was because I thought it would be cool to try and build a Golf 1.4L BlueMotion equivalent ride here in North America. Many of the modifications I will be doing to the Golf is the same as what was done on the Polo 1.4L TDI BlueMotion. Some of my other planned modifications come from other Eco cars such as the VW XL1 which utilizes side cameras

BlueMotion strategy

Engine = Revised engine mapping, diesel particulate filters and oxidising catalytic converters help the fuel consumption and lower NOx levels. In the more modern incarnations there's also a start-stop system that halts and restarts the motor at brief stops.

Transmission = The last two gear ratios are longer than on standard TDI engine gearboxes.

Reduced rolling resistance = Low-resistance tires and better aerodynamics through lowered suspension, redesigned spoilers and additional enhancements underneath each car so the air is better channelled giving less drag which produces better fuel consumption.

Here is the link to BlueMotion Strategy = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BlueMotion

i like the idea, i was looking for a 1.4 for my RX project, but a 1.9 would do

The 1.4 in a RX or Miata i'm sure could get decent Fuel economy, nice a slippery body, but not so great for hauling more then 2 people

Subscribed!

A couple thoughts on your transmission mods:

I would save your money and skip the peloquin and 6 speed swap kit. Instead swap in an updated shift tower from an 02J and a .622 5th gear - close enough to your .59 at a fraction of the price.

Ya that would definitely free me up some funds to do a lot of the other mods.

The shift tower is definitely getting upgraded the one in there is toast LOL Luckily I have a spare O2J in the shop.

Thanks for the thoughts on this the more I think about it the more I just might do a 5th gear swap instead. I also probably really don't need the LSD either as I am not going to be hot rodding it around. I can get a lot done with that 2K plus saved.

Talk to you later Greengeeker,

GP..

I found a .592 gearset so this would give me the same overdrive top gearing as the 6th speed. So this may be the best cost solution without compromising overdrive gearing potential. It will be a heck of a jump from 4th to 5th though but as long as I have the torque to support it I think it should be ok for my purposes. I guess I will find out one way or another

GP..

Something I have been kicking around is getting an ASD transmission. While the gearing is similar to the CTN there is some differences that could benefit MPG. There probably would not be much of a MPG difference between the two but I was thinking it would be nice to have a little taller gearing in gears one through three. Another benefit would be I could perform a 5th gear swap with the .592 gear and see how it works with the CTN. This gives me the ASD transmission in reserve in case I don't like the 4th to 5th gearing spread. This way I could do a six speed conversion with the ASD transmission and minimize my downtime as well as test out the difference with the same platform.

CTN Gearing:
1. 3.78 2. 2.12 3. 1.36 4. 0.97 5. 0.76

ASD Gearing:
1. 3.30 2. 1.94 3. 1.30 4. 0.97 5. .72

How are you gonna control the VNT turbo ?
All 3cyl PD engines came with wastegate turbo, except for the very rare ATL engine code (Audi A2 with 1.4Tdi , 90HP ).
If you could get an ATL ecu, it would be pretty straightforward.

I've looked into a VNT conversion for my car a few years ago, it was not that easy to do without an ATL ecu to start with.

Have you talked with a tuner if he can do this?

Edit : found one on Ebay , not that rare apparently
http://www.ebay.de/itm/A2-TDI-ATL-E...187?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item20df04a1bb

Ya I looked into getting an ATL ECU I still might actually in case my first idea does not work out so good

So my idea well not exactly my idea I can't take credit for it to be honest

I currently have the VNT software from the ATL ECU. So my plan is to flash the ECU with this. I have talked with quite a few people on this and all seem to think this should work. I guess I will find out soon enough if it does or not.

I will keep you posted on the results and if it works out I can send you the file and maybe save you some coin on an ATL ECU.

GP..

Yeah if you got the ATL software , you can flash it to your current ECU .
That should work fine.

I thought the ATL software was pretty hard to find, without buying an ATL ECU.

Good luck on the project, now I'm thinking of going VNT myself now
A VNT15 would work great on a 1.4 TDi I think. My Sachs clutch (which is reinforced) and stock gearbox can't handle too much torque.

Hey Jaco,

Ya VNT is the way to go for sure

I used to have a VNT15 turbo which you are correct would work great and pretty inexpensive to come by these days.

I am going to test out the ARL VNT17 turbo for the heck of it and if it does not work out I will go back to the VNT15. All I have to do is cut off and weld shut one of the runners so pretty easy modification really.

The Polo clutch is definitely one of the week spots in addition to the wastegated turbo. I will use an uprated 1.9L TDI flywheel and clutch kit with the CTN or ASD O2A transmission this way its all plug and play no crazy modifications needed.

Good luck on your VNT project let me know if you have trouble getting the ATL software as I would be more than happy to email it over to you.

GP..

I like this build thread but if for some crazy reason you decide to ditch the 3 cylinder let me know, i have the perfect car for that

This drivetrain needs to end up in a first gen Insight.

Ya this drivetrain with the power potential and tall gearing would be pretty sweet in an insight. I remember somebody putting the 1.2L TDI into one and they were able to retain the hybrid functionality. They got over 100mpg in the insight with the combo.

The cool thing about the Golf is we can seat 5 and probably reach 100mpg using all off the shelf VW parts and some aero mods. We can also take the BlueMotion approach and hybridize the drivetrain which is what I have planned.

This will give us essentially a 5 passenger Insight in effect that gets much better fuel economy on average and way better performance. I also tend to think the Golf looks better but I am a bit bias toward VW

The electric motor I will be using to replace the alternator puts out 12kw continuous and 30kw peak. It will also give me another 100 ft/lbs of torque from 0-5000 rpm I will be able to drive the car on electric only anywhere around town further reducing fuel consumption and emissions. There are a lot of other advantages to hybridizing the TDI engine but I will get into that once I get the diesel up and running in the car first.

GP..

Don't get me wrong - I'm excited to see your golf come together. I was making a suggestion for g60ing. I was very close to pulling the trigger on a TDI Insight project but decided against it since I need four doors from my commuter.

Ya I am in pretty much the same boat with the 4 door necessity as you. A lightweight aerodynamic car like the insight would be awesome. Maybe after the kids are gone I can do a cool 2 door like that

G60ING said:

I like this build thread but if for some crazy reason you decide to ditch the 3 cylinder let me know, i have the perfect car for that

Click to expand...

What is your perfect car I have to ask If you would have cought me before I pulled the trigger on the Golf I probably would have sold all of my 3 cylinder parts to you. I had all of it on EBay in fact lol. I can get more of these engines if you are really thinking about going this route.

Polo 9N

Here are some pics of interior pieces I have begun to collect for the transformation.







Modified Dash with side and rearview camera 3 way view capable remote controlled LCD Screen I got this idea from the VW XL1. The differences with my setup is a single LCD screen centered on the dash for larger and better viewing. Having the LCD sit up high on the dash enables the driver to view without losing complete frontal vision such as when we have to turn our heads to check our blind spots when changing lanes. With the wide angle cameras the driver will no longer need to do this which is safer and deters frontal collisions in urban traffic environments. The outer camera pods will also retain wide angle mirrors in the event the cameras malfunction. This way we can also keep it legal in all 50 states in case I want to do a cross country road trip someday in this car. This also provides better aerodynamics similar to racing mirrors but better IMO because they have less frontal area and will be functionally stronger. The LCD screen almost fits in the vent spot only minor trimming will need to be completed in order for it to fit in this location firmly with a factory appearance. I have not yet decided on whether to relocate the dual vents or simply rely on the 2 outer vents for heating.

G60ING said:

Polo 9N

Click to expand...

Well I would have to agree with you on this one

From a mechanical swap perspective you do have the perfect car for this engine since I got it out of a Polo lol

From an aerodynamic and performance perspective the 9N is just about an exact copy to the Golf MK3. The Polo Cd =.32 vs .30 and Cd.A = .6528 vs .66 for the Golf MK3. The Polo curb weight = 2,401 - 2,568 vs 2,189 - 3,208 for the Golf and Golf variants. Depending on the model most everything else dimensionally is very similar except a little shorter in length than the Golf.

This is one reason why I chose the Golf MK3 for my swap since it had the closest aero and weight properties to the Polo. Also I got it relatively inexpensive. Once the cost of the part out is complete I will have less than $400 into the shell and needed components.

So the Golf MK3 makes a good donor compromise for anyone in North America wanting to do a 3 cylinder TDI swap in my opinion since we do not have access to the Polo or Lupo cars here.

Just my 2 cents, I think the VB has way to much trim on the compressorwheel and will surge quite soon below 2500 on that engine.

better bet would be a gt1749v from ALH (does also from 150 hp and will be more efficient at low-mid rpm due to lower compressor trim). or if you want better response you could use a vnt15 with 44mm comspresor (from mk3 afn), this will also surge slightly sooner than the gt1749v (same inducer but 5mm bigger exducer). both turbos can be sourced for close to nothing.

Here are a few other goodies I picked up for the project The older bits come from the Polo. For upgrades I decided to go with an aluminum FMIC for better performance potential along with an aluminum dual core radiator. The water pump is an electric inline unit from Davies Craig Model EWP80. The unit comes with a controller that turns the unit on and off along with the electric fan. It runs off the cars 12V system and will help the TDI get up to operating temp much faster than the traditional mechanical water pump thus giving me better mpg potential.

Here is a link to some FAQ on the unit:
http://www.daviescraig.com.au/Electric_Water_Pumps__EWP-content.aspx




Here is a short 4 min video link that shows how the EWP is installed:http://youtu.be/5VbtISs9QdM

Another modification I have planned is (EPS) electronic power steering. I have an adjustable unit from a Corsa sitting in my garage I will probably use for the modification. These EPS units are popular with kit cars and dune buggy rides. They are fully adjustable with the control module I have for it. Just plug it in and adjust all the way to off or adjust for full power and anywhere in between for your desired feel and comfort.

This allows me to get rid of the power steering pump and make more efficient use of the engines power potential. One less engine power sapping device.