1982 Rabbit Pickup swap ALH

Engine Installation

The TDI engine installed just as easy as the old one came out.

I lifted up the truck using the engine hoist and put it on jack stands at the highest setting. This time I had the engine sitting on a furniture dolly, so it rolled right under.



Lowered truck around engine. Somethings lurking:



Then lifted engine into place. It took several in and outs, due to forgetting the rubber pieces in between the motor mounts. Then again for realizing the front mount can't easily be installed when the engine is installed. But finally sitting in it's new home.



Just need to figure out cooling hoses, wiring, and intake/intercooler piping.

Contact Sal at S&P auto

http://s-pautomotive.com/

GEE-BEE said:

Contact Sal at S&P auto

http://s-pautomotive.com/

Click to expand...

In regards to what? He's where I got all of the swap parts from.

From research, I think an accelerator cable from a Eurovan diesel should be a direct swap and plenty long.

Anyone tried one?

Stock cable is 357 721 555A : 913 mm

VW P/Ns:
701 721 555K : 1240 mm <- this is the one I would get
701 721 555AA : 1660 mm
701 721 555L : 1700 mm

Strut Tower Rust Repair

As a lot of Mk1 Rabbits have, I also have the dreaded passenger side strut tower rust. Here is my progress so far. Still some more to finish. Note I am not a body man or a welder.

With the passenger fender removed (which I don't believe to be original since it was missing the side decal and spray liner on the inside). Notice the good size hole near the firewall.



After removing most of the spray liner can now see more rust areas. Notice can also see into the cabin area.



View from the engine bay



I didn't get a picture of how much I cut out inside the engine bay. Once I opened it up there was a lot of rust in between the panels. So I cut out as little as I could, but still be able to remove all of the rust and coat it with rust inhibitor. Here is an after welding shot that shows how much was replaced.



Primed



I got really excited to get the engine installed, so I had to finish painting the inside around the engine. So I don't have a really good shot. But here is with seam sealer and matching Forest Green paint



I still have the inner fender area to do. But since the engine bay area is done and engine is installed, I've been working on getting it running.

Do yourself a favor and remove the entire reinforcement panel, on both sides. No clue why VW thought these were necessary on the trucks.

You likely find more rust lurking, beneath.

-Todd

Anyone use this port below the vacuum pump on the head for oil pressure?

Same thread as the oil pressure switch, just not enough room without some sort of extension.

great looking project! I just got my 04 TDI car to swap into my Rocco. Can't wait to start, what shafts are you planning on using?

JettaSportTDi said:

great looking project! I just got my 04 TDI car to swap into my Rocco. Can't wait to start, what shafts are you planning on using?

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Thanks. From research it looks like the shafts from a 1985-1993 Cabriolet or 1984-1988 Scirocco with 100mm housings will work.

I wanted OEM, but couldn't find any. I then was trying to get Cardone ones, but they only had one side. So I have a Cardone front left (66-7005) and a Detroit Axle front right (349_AX)

I haven't installed them yet, so I don't know how well they work.

Progress so far....engine is mounted, shifter is mounted and connected, wiring is mostly connected (enough to start and run), cooling is mostly connected.

Problems that I ran into, shift tower hitting transmission Tech-53 swap mount, see below, battery too big for allocated space after flipping radiator, finding locations for two oil switches and two temperature sensors, and throttle cable too short.

As it currently sits with almost everything hooked up:


Since the engine/transmission is out of a 99 Beetle it was made with leftover parts. It is an 02J transmission but uses a 02A shift tower, which is slightly different than the 02A shift tower in my B4 Passat. Therefore, 2nd gear interfered with the Tech-53 transmission mount. I think S&P's new mount (which wasn't available when I purchased their kit) looks to have more room available for 2nd gear. Anyway, a grinder made enough room. But at the expense of thinning the metal.



I think for intercooling, since I'm keeping A/C, I'm gonna go with an air to water intercooler. Now finding the room for that in an already cramped engine bay. There's a lot of room between the engine and firewall. Looks like a good easy place to mount the atw intercooler. Probably put a heat shield around it to reduce heat from the exhaust. Intake piping would be really short which is a plus.



This weekend, I removed all of the old front suspension in preparation for all new bearings, bushings, brakes, and coilovers.

Hey Sriner, ever finish this?

Roadkil4 said:

Hey Sriner, ever finish this?

Click to expand...

It has been almost three years since Sriner last visited here...