MK1 Rabbit LX caddy Engine/Trans swap ALH/02J

Smokey The TDI

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 12, 2015
Location
SoCal
TDI
2003 Golf GLS
Why is the glow cycle so long? Something is wrong there. Should only be a sec or two, especially down there where its warm out!
@Oldpoopie - It was worse when I first got the truck. I cleaned up the ratsnest of a wiring harness and it came down to about 60 seconds.

I think I pinned it down to a bad Glowplug relay. It actually clicks and vibrates... Def not normal!! But since the engine is getting pulled in a week or two I didn't bother looking into it further.
 

Smokey The TDI

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 12, 2015
Location
SoCal
TDI
2003 Golf GLS
Bodyshop Progress

Went down to the shop Friday after work. This truck was a really bright yellow before.


Itll be ready for paint this week!!

The shop recommended a spray on bedliner kit over straightening and repairing the inner bed. Its not going to be a show truck....The bed is going to be used so it made the most sense.

Finding all the rubber seals for this truck have been a nightmare!!




 

Smokey The TDI

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 12, 2015
Location
SoCal
TDI
2003 Golf GLS
@OldPoopie Thanks for the links. Ill book mark them incase I missed anything. I think I got most of them already from VEEPARTS in El Cajon.

I still need to figure out what I'm going to do for the vent windows. Somebody broke the tabs and badly glued them in:/

I think Im just going to have them installed by a glass shop to where they cant move.
 

aslspiderman

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2011
Location
Lexington NC
TDI
98 Jetta
REAL interested in seeing the paint job when finished, price sounds very reasonable. I have family in Poway, just may need to take a trip and drop mine off.

Please post pics when finished :D
 

oldpoopie

Vendor
Joined
May 14, 2001
Location
Portland Oregon
TDI
2001 golf gl, 2006 jetta, 1981 ALH swapped rabbit pickup, 1998 beetle
@OldPoopie Thanks for the links. Ill book mark them incase I missed anything. I think I got most of them already from VEEPARTS in El Cajon.

I still need to figure out what I'm going to do for the vent windows. Somebody broke the tabs and badly glued them in:/

I think Im just going to have them installed by a glass shop to where they cant move.
Get a set of the bolt-in ones
 

Smokey The TDI

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 12, 2015
Location
SoCal
TDI
2003 Golf GLS
Long Awaited Update

I was getting a little antsy because I haven't been able to make it down and check up on the truck....

To make matters worse a family friend went by the shop and said he hated the color..... ooooooh gosh!

I didn't end up using the Porsche color. The shop wasn't able to recreate it... So in the end I chose Toyota Army Green.

He texted me a photo of the truck!

I love it!! I think it looks awesome!




 

aslspiderman

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2011
Location
Lexington NC
TDI
98 Jetta
i was getting a little antsy because i haven't been able to make it down and check up on the truck....
To make matters worse a family friend went by the shop and said he hated the color..... Ooooooh gosh!
I didn't end up using the porsche color. The shop wasn't able to recreate it... So in the end i chose toyota army green.
He texted me a photo of the truck!
I love it!! I think it looks awesome!
pictures--we need more pictures :d
 

Smokey The TDI

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 12, 2015
Location
SoCal
TDI
2003 Golf GLS
Its baaaack!!!

I'll do a write-up about the trip down there...But this deserves its own post.

Ended up costing me more than the initial estimate...But it was worth it!

$1700 - Body and Paint
$280 - Interior



















 
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aslspiderman

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2011
Location
Lexington NC
TDI
98 Jetta
That's actually a pretty cool color. Looking forward to the full write-up. Please detail what interior work was done too.
 

Smokey The TDI

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 12, 2015
Location
SoCal
TDI
2003 Golf GLS
Game Time

I got the truck up on jack stands yesterday. Going to pull the wheels and all the engine accessories today!

I have one question I am not getting a clear answer to. I can see the passenger side mount sits close to one of the timing belt rollers. From what I gather I'm supposed to remove that pulley and the stock tensioner and put in the bigger 16V timing belt tensioner pully. So replace 2 Pulleys with 1. Is this correct?? Anybody have a part number for that pulley?
 

oldpoopie

Vendor
Joined
May 14, 2001
Location
Portland Oregon
TDI
2001 golf gl, 2006 jetta, 1981 ALH swapped rabbit pickup, 1998 beetle
Look in my build thread. Integrated engineering sells the pulley and the spacer you'll need
 

oldpoopie

Vendor
Joined
May 14, 2001
Location
Portland Oregon
TDI
2001 golf gl, 2006 jetta, 1981 ALH swapped rabbit pickup, 1998 beetle
You'll need a new tensioner stud and nut. Call integrated to order. They probably have those too.
 

Smokey The TDI

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 12, 2015
Location
SoCal
TDI
2003 Golf GLS
Soo Mexico Was Fun

On the day we took it down to the shop... A mutual friend met us after we crossed the border. He jumped in the passenger seat and navigated us to the new shop location since they had moved recently.

Once we get to the shop, the owner took a good look at the truck and shook his head. Mind you this shop usually only works on vehicles older than 50 years. :D He gave me a parts list that he would need in two weeks and took a deposit to start the work.

I dropped off all the needed parts the following week.

Flash forward 5 weeks... I was starting to get worried. I hadn't heard from the shop and I didnt think it would take this long. So we called mid-week and they said it would be ready by Saturday.

So we made our way down Saturday evening....

Work Done To The Rabbit -

-Changed the Radiator support

-Replaced the fenders

-Removed all the glass for paint.

-Fabricated one of the broken tailgate latches

-Refinished the wheels and steel bumpers

-All the exterior bodywork then paint... They painted part of the engine bay but I told them I will do the rest when I pull the motor.

-Reupholstered all the interior panels; A pillar/ B Pillar, Roof Liner, Door panels, Back panel behind the seats.

-Sprayed in the rubber bedliner

There were A LOT of little things that they also fixed.

So we go and pick it up on Saturday... All of the shop workers were there! They wanted to take a video of the truck driving off. They were in love with the stack and how much this little truck smokes. So after a TON of photos and videos driving up & down the street we went on our merry way.

That drive back and this last week has amazed me... This must be what it's like to be best friends with a celebrity! I SWEAR EVERYONE WAS POINTING AND SMILING AT THIS TRUCK! I even caught a few people taking photos. If I'm stopped getting diesel people ask "what is it?"
 
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Smokey The TDI

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 12, 2015
Location
SoCal
TDI
2003 Golf GLS
Tear Down Day 1

I didn't a whole lot done yesterday.... Babysteps:)

Got the wheels off,
Marked and pulled out all the engine bay wires,
Removed the Radiator,
Overflow Bottle,
Windshield washer bottle,
Diesel filter,
Clutch cable,
Throttle cable.

Next time I work on it I'll pull the axles and start lifting that motor and trans out.


I only get about an hour to work on it every couple days which is a bummer... Hopefully soon I'll get a solid day to work on it.



 

Smokey The TDI

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 12, 2015
Location
SoCal
TDI
2003 Golf GLS
Engine out!

Unbolted and lowered the engine today after work. It went pretty quick. Ill upload some more photos from work tomorrow morning.


 

Smokey The TDI

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 12, 2015
Location
SoCal
TDI
2003 Golf GLS
Tear Down Day 2

She went down without a fight! Unbolted all the mounts and lowered it to the floor.

Going to lift the truck over the engine so I can slide it out today. Then check if the frame is straight.





 
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Smokey The TDI

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 12, 2015
Location
SoCal
TDI
2003 Golf GLS
Tear Down Day 3

The 1.6NA engine out and away from the truck. Almost finished removing the Golf engine. Just have the two side mount to loosen and the axles. I had to stop because it started to rain... in San Diego.... AAAAAAND I dont have a 30mm 12point socket to remove the axle nuts.



 

Smokey The TDI

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 12, 2015
Location
SoCal
TDI
2003 Golf GLS
Tear Down Day 5

Pulled all the truck wiring and dash. Day 6 will be removing the pedals and brake booster.


Game Plan/list-

Strip the Golf
Install Pedals
Update Brakes
Overhaul Steering rack
Install the wiring
Modify the Dash
Paint & Repair the rest of the engine bay.
Modify axles
Install engine
Replace suspension bushings

Start her up!!

I just need to take some time off work! Only one hour everyother day is killing me!!


 

Smokey The TDI

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 12, 2015
Location
SoCal
TDI
2003 Golf GLS
Flashback

I didn't make any huge progress this weekend. I took Thursday and Friday off of work this week to get some real work done!

I was going through photos to put up on CL... I found these few of the golf on the coilovers from last year. She was a looker... too bad she didn't want to keep her rear suspension where it belongs :/




 

Smokey The TDI

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 12, 2015
Location
SoCal
TDI
2003 Golf GLS
Been busy that last couple weeks... Bought a Scirocco off of CL for $200. Then I found a front clip with all the parts I need for another $200.


Sold some other projects.

The golf parts have been selling like hot cakes-

Hood - 100
Rear Bumper - 100
Front Bumper - 100
Coilovers - 180
Fenders - 50

Over 500 bucks back already....

Unfortunately I have a hold up... Integrated Engineering did not want to sell me the hardware(Stud&Nut) to install the 06A 16V mechanical tensioner spacer. They wanted me to buy a couple hundred dollar kit which I did not need. I know its a M10x60MMx1.5MM stud but in my last two weeks of searching local shops no one has it.

Sooo I'm pretty upset with them right now....
 

Smokey The TDI

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 12, 2015
Location
SoCal
TDI
2003 Golf GLS
Small Update

Sad to say that the truck has sat untouched for 4/5 months. I've been way to busy. Got the wife a new car. Got rid if some projects. Turbocharged my dunebuggy. Went on a very needed vacation..... and list goes on.

So truck update-
I sold the stock 1.6NA motor and transmission.
I got a CE2 fuse box.
Got a race pipe to delete the EGR instead of the block off plate in there now.


Started to prep the motor to be swapped in; took off the old motor mounts. Removed the axles. Removed the EGR cooler. Started to take the timing belt cover off to bolt in the mount and 16v tensioner....then it started to rain :/
 
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