Been moving a tad slower than wanted, lol. That's probably the norm for projects like this though. I'll post some pictures when I get home tonight. Keep in mind this isn't a build like others you see on here (Whitbread, TDIsyncro, 2micron, Jfettig, Andy2, etc. I'm forgetting many). It'll work great, but looks a bit more...homebrew.
The engine is in. I had to modify the EGR/heater core return line to clear the bellhousing. Which essentially was cutting it off, tapping pipe threads, inserting an elbow with copious amounts of JB-weld to ensure a seal, and painting it to prevent rust and keep it from standing out like a sore thumb. It's now only the return for the oil cooler.
I've got all four fuel filters installed as well as the pure flow kit, and the fuel system primed. She'll have a total of four fuel pumps, as I just had to add a lift pump. I was going to use the stock in tank pump, but apparently the Quattro's use a venturi pump to move fuel from the drivers side of the tank to the passenger. This creates about 25 PSI of back pressure, preventing me from regulating the lift circuit to the desired 8 PSI. I had a second pump laying around, so it'll supply the engine while the stock supplies the venturi pump. Seems like a waste, but I had the pump already so it was free, lol.
The other option would've been an adjustable returnless pressure regulator, but that cost much more than free.
I'm using the stock turbo (for now), so my tubing is funky. Intercooler piping and exhaust are finished though. I'm using both stock intercoolers. I don't know how that compares to the cooling provided by the Jetta's stock intercooler, but hopefully it's adequate.
Accessory belt drive is done. I mounted a 60-2 reluctor wheel behind the harmonic balancer. This will give a crank position signal to the stock 2.7t ECU, running the tach and any dependencies. I'm using the stock 2.7t AC compressor, so HVAC should function as stock. This also prevents me having to deal with the RCV controlled compressor from the 2010 Jetta, as the 2000 used a clutched pulley.
I'm using the stock cooling fans, as they are a completely standalone system in the 2.7t. Separate sensor and control module, I'll just be installing the stock sensor into the CJAA's coolant circuit.
According to the 2.7 manual, the 2.7t's ECU doesn't require cam position sensor data to run. It can run in a limp mode from the crank position sensor alone. Which is good, because that's all it's going to get. Whether it is still fooled into thinking it's running an engine when it sees a lack of coil packs, etc is still to be seen. Fingers crossed, things work as they should with only the crank position and a few other sensors, but I would not be in the least surprised if I have to do further tinkering with this. All in all, I just need the 2.7t ECU to give a tach signal to the cluster, give oil temp to the cluster, and let the AC compressor run. Worst case scenario, I'll make a standalone controller to do this instead.
The stock ECU will also get water, oil temp and oil level data, as I'm using the stock 2.7t water temp sender installed into a blocked off EGR cooler port, and the oil sender mounted in the oil pan. I used the AWM oil pan, which had the sensor location already present, and the 2.7t sensor bolted right in.
I also ended up using the CJAA windage tray. I just trimmed the tabs and stuck it in. Fit perfectly with the AWM pan.
I'm sure I'm missing allot, but I'll add more when I post pictures. First start will be soon, hopefully this week. Fuel system is done, so now I need to prime it with oil and start hooking up the wiring. The harness is all cut down and ready, so I'll be hooking it and the glow plug module up, then looking through VCDS and doing output tests to confirm things are working as they should. I've already connected via VCDS and tested the accelerator pedal and cycled fuel pumps, so it's coming. Once that's done, I should be able to turn the key (er, touch a few wires together) and hear it run.
After I get it on the road, there will be more to follow, mostly getting warning lights off and cruise control working. Cruise will happen one of two ways. The first (and preferable) will be programming a controller to communicate with the ECU directly. I have a friend with a 2010 Jetta TDI, who's going to let me tap into and log the powertrain CAN bus while he drives. After I decipher that data, I should be able to program a controller to take in standard sensor data and emulate the other devices the ECU expects to see on the powertrain CAN. For instance, the ABS controller for VSS. Hopefully with this, the ECU will allow the stock cruise to work. The device would work both ways, I'd be able to pull CAN data from the ECU and output it as an analog signal or a PWM signal to drive a gauge. If this doesn't work, I'll simply make a controller to intercept the TPS signal from the accelerator pedal, and use a PID controller to modify it for the cruise control. There would be a host of safeties on this to prevent any undesired acceleration. The function would be transparent to the user.
But yea, that's where I'm at. Once I started doing this, I realized how little time there actually is on nights and weekends. Something else always comes up and needs attention. Case in point, the wife's BRM's cam wore out, so I'm changing that out last weekend. I'm just thinking about getting this done so I can continue on my car. Like a bad joke, I hear a loud bang, followed by more, rapid, loud metallic banging. I duck, thinking somethings about to fall on me, or otherwise cause severe bodily harm, lol. Turns out, the torsion spring on the garage door right behind me snapped, and the thing unwound. Scared the crap outa me. But alas, another thing to fix...
The engine is in. I had to modify the EGR/heater core return line to clear the bellhousing. Which essentially was cutting it off, tapping pipe threads, inserting an elbow with copious amounts of JB-weld to ensure a seal, and painting it to prevent rust and keep it from standing out like a sore thumb. It's now only the return for the oil cooler.
I've got all four fuel filters installed as well as the pure flow kit, and the fuel system primed. She'll have a total of four fuel pumps, as I just had to add a lift pump. I was going to use the stock in tank pump, but apparently the Quattro's use a venturi pump to move fuel from the drivers side of the tank to the passenger. This creates about 25 PSI of back pressure, preventing me from regulating the lift circuit to the desired 8 PSI. I had a second pump laying around, so it'll supply the engine while the stock supplies the venturi pump. Seems like a waste, but I had the pump already so it was free, lol.
The other option would've been an adjustable returnless pressure regulator, but that cost much more than free.
I'm using the stock turbo (for now), so my tubing is funky. Intercooler piping and exhaust are finished though. I'm using both stock intercoolers. I don't know how that compares to the cooling provided by the Jetta's stock intercooler, but hopefully it's adequate.
Accessory belt drive is done. I mounted a 60-2 reluctor wheel behind the harmonic balancer. This will give a crank position signal to the stock 2.7t ECU, running the tach and any dependencies. I'm using the stock 2.7t AC compressor, so HVAC should function as stock. This also prevents me having to deal with the RCV controlled compressor from the 2010 Jetta, as the 2000 used a clutched pulley.
I'm using the stock cooling fans, as they are a completely standalone system in the 2.7t. Separate sensor and control module, I'll just be installing the stock sensor into the CJAA's coolant circuit.
According to the 2.7 manual, the 2.7t's ECU doesn't require cam position sensor data to run. It can run in a limp mode from the crank position sensor alone. Which is good, because that's all it's going to get. Whether it is still fooled into thinking it's running an engine when it sees a lack of coil packs, etc is still to be seen. Fingers crossed, things work as they should with only the crank position and a few other sensors, but I would not be in the least surprised if I have to do further tinkering with this. All in all, I just need the 2.7t ECU to give a tach signal to the cluster, give oil temp to the cluster, and let the AC compressor run. Worst case scenario, I'll make a standalone controller to do this instead.
The stock ECU will also get water, oil temp and oil level data, as I'm using the stock 2.7t water temp sender installed into a blocked off EGR cooler port, and the oil sender mounted in the oil pan. I used the AWM oil pan, which had the sensor location already present, and the 2.7t sensor bolted right in.
I also ended up using the CJAA windage tray. I just trimmed the tabs and stuck it in. Fit perfectly with the AWM pan.
I'm sure I'm missing allot, but I'll add more when I post pictures. First start will be soon, hopefully this week. Fuel system is done, so now I need to prime it with oil and start hooking up the wiring. The harness is all cut down and ready, so I'll be hooking it and the glow plug module up, then looking through VCDS and doing output tests to confirm things are working as they should. I've already connected via VCDS and tested the accelerator pedal and cycled fuel pumps, so it's coming. Once that's done, I should be able to turn the key (er, touch a few wires together) and hear it run.
After I get it on the road, there will be more to follow, mostly getting warning lights off and cruise control working. Cruise will happen one of two ways. The first (and preferable) will be programming a controller to communicate with the ECU directly. I have a friend with a 2010 Jetta TDI, who's going to let me tap into and log the powertrain CAN bus while he drives. After I decipher that data, I should be able to program a controller to take in standard sensor data and emulate the other devices the ECU expects to see on the powertrain CAN. For instance, the ABS controller for VSS. Hopefully with this, the ECU will allow the stock cruise to work. The device would work both ways, I'd be able to pull CAN data from the ECU and output it as an analog signal or a PWM signal to drive a gauge. If this doesn't work, I'll simply make a controller to intercept the TPS signal from the accelerator pedal, and use a PID controller to modify it for the cruise control. There would be a host of safeties on this to prevent any undesired acceleration. The function would be transparent to the user.
But yea, that's where I'm at. Once I started doing this, I realized how little time there actually is on nights and weekends. Something else always comes up and needs attention. Case in point, the wife's BRM's cam wore out, so I'm changing that out last weekend. I'm just thinking about getting this done so I can continue on my car. Like a bad joke, I hear a loud bang, followed by more, rapid, loud metallic banging. I duck, thinking somethings about to fall on me, or otherwise cause severe bodily harm, lol. Turns out, the torsion spring on the garage door right behind me snapped, and the thing unwound. Scared the crap outa me. But alas, another thing to fix...
Last edited: