Alh and ahu same dimensions?

jhax

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Jan 24, 2012
Location
Golden, CO
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96 Passat B4V, ALH engine out of a 2002 Jetta, some IE Rods and ASV Pistons. Nothing drivable yet though
I want to build a wood engine cradle so I can bench test my motor. I have the dimensions of the ahu block but can't find an alh diagram. Are the blocks the same?

Cheers
 

Mongler98

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Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
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98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
for what you need, yea basically. just build one that holds it by the pan flange. i posted some pictures before about this
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
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outside St Louis, MO
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There are just too many to list....
They are different, they share virtually no parts, and the oil pan is completely different. They do use the same bell house bolt pattern on the block portion, but not the bottom (the ALH is a "full circle" setup, so it has a cast pan that has three of its own bell house bolts).

The overall physical size is not much different, as they are both 88mm bore spaced engines. But that is about the end of the similarity.
 

jhax

Veteran Member
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Jan 24, 2012
Location
Golden, CO
TDI
96 Passat B4V, ALH engine out of a 2002 Jetta, some IE Rods and ASV Pistons. Nothing drivable yet though
I apologize for not being not dimensionally specific. Do both blocks have the same horizontal protrusions at the bottom corners?

Bob, thanks for the link, I'm looking to make a cradle so I can put the engine and trans together.
 
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oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
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Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
It might help if you can show a picture of what potrusions you are talking about.

Like I said, the AHU and ALH are not the same block. They are not the same family of engines. They do not even mount the same. However, given the variety of applications of both early and late types of engines, they do share some things like the ALH will have threaded holes in the sides that coincide with the mount brackets the AHU has, even though they are not used.

I have an AEG (1998-early 2001 A4 platform 2.0L gas engine) on my bench here that is the same family as the ALH, I would be glad to post a pic for you if that helps.
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
i stand by what i said, if you build something like this.
$10 at lowes. assuming you have tools to make it.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
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outside St Louis, MO
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There are just too many to list....

G60ING

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Aug 5, 2001
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MD
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No TDIs Currently, I have an R36 Corrado. I've had an ALH Corrado swap, AHU Corrado swap and 2003 TDI Jetta

Vince Waldon

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Apr 25, 2009
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Edmonton AB Canada
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2001 ALH Jetta, 2003 ALH Wagon, 2005 BEW Wagon
Yup, sitting on something so it won't fall over will be quite different design considerations than running it...running it will require bolting on the transmission (or some part of the bell housing at least) and it will want to twist out of its mounts as it spins up and down.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
 

jhax

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Jan 24, 2012
Location
Golden, CO
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96 Passat B4V, ALH engine out of a 2002 Jetta, some IE Rods and ASV Pistons. Nothing drivable yet though
My plan is to attach it to the transmission and starter, I have seen videos on here of folks just setting the engine/trans combo on a stack of tires or hanging it from a hoist and starting it up just to make sure it idles at least before I put it into the car. Maybe it's a dumb idea? I just dont want to have a non-running vehicle for too long while I am in the process of swapping the new motor in. Mongler, that is what I am attempting. Hence the original question. But if I cant safely mount it to a cradle like that without it falling off then it's not worth building.
 

BobnOH

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Location
central Ohio
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New Beetle 2003 manual
So what you need is for someone to measure the center to center distance of the oil pan bolt edges for both engines. If you're handy with tools and you got the wood and stuff lying around just pop it out with hoist and design/build one.
 

jhax

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2012
Location
Golden, CO
TDI
96 Passat B4V, ALH engine out of a 2002 Jetta, some IE Rods and ASV Pistons. Nothing drivable yet though
The former and the latter sir ^
 

CoolAirVw

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Kansas City Missouri
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Jetta
i stand by what i said, if you build something like this.
$10 at lowes. assuming you have tools to make it.

I started v8's on the floor with less support than that "back in the day".

They were carburated. Because of wiring and since you have to mount a trans to it anyway, it would probably be easier to mount it with just the mounts in the car and start it. Especially if you removed the front end to do the engine.
 

jhax

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2012
Location
Golden, CO
TDI
96 Passat B4V, ALH engine out of a 2002 Jetta, some IE Rods and ASV Pistons. Nothing drivable yet though
Yeah thats what I think Im going to just end up doing
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
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98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
I started v8's on the floor with less support than that "back in the day".
They were carburated. Because of wiring and since you have to mount a trans to it anyway, it would probably be easier to mount it with just the mounts in the car and start it. Especially if you removed the front end to do the engine.
engine sitting on a tire, 2 if you have them, started a few that way, on the ground on the grass/ dirt, on a slight hill!
my dad has done that a few times, one was a detroit diesel, big mofo, didnt even flinch when started, then again its pan was an inch into the dirt lol
 
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