General Noob questions

Eli.krahulec

Active member
Joined
Nov 18, 2018
Location
Alberta, Canada
TDI
ALH New Beetle
Hi all, I'm new to the vw tdi world, but not new to diesels. I'm a HET so I know my way around engines, and can certainly do my own work.

I recently bought a 2000 NB with the tdi and an automatic trans. Ran and drove, no power and it was CHEAP. Intake was nearly plugged solid, and vac lines were toast. Fixed that, deleted the egr and cooler. Been driving it daily past few weeks, and I make about 200kms a day to work and back. Like it, but wanted a 5 speed.

Couple days ago I bought a jetta with the 5 speed. It's rough, stinky, and need the turbo rebuilt. Plans are to swap trans, maybe engine one I know which one is strongest.

I'm not necessarily looking for more power. I have a 500+hp mustang, and a 2017 F350, so this is a commuter. I do however want the best mileage I can get, while keeping it decently cheap.

Here's my list of to do's:
- 216 nozzles (are the veg 216 still available? Where do I find them?)

- rebuilt turbo (will just put a kit in what I have.) Is the batmowheel worth the money? I've run them in big v8 diesels and been impressed. But they were modified, and I didn't G-A-S about the mileage. Don't know if it's worth the added costs.

- .651 5th gear swap

- possible intake swap, or I'll tig a custom one. Something that I can clean easier if needed.

-straight exhaust

- Taller tires (more for where I drive than mileage. I realize that they can rob mpgs)

-Tune (which is recommended?)



What else is good for power/mileage? As long as it doesn't break the bank I'm game for anything.

And yes I plan on running the beetle not the Jetta. I'm partial to them.

Thanks in advance for the input.

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oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
The ALH with the manual gearbox just as it left the factory is probably the best bet for highest MPGs. Intact EGR and cooler and all.

The automatic uses a different pump and injectors. If you swap the car to a manual, you can run the automatic pump (which is a common upgrade, actually) but you'll want to switch to stock 5sp injectors (the nozzles specifically is what is different).

Higher 5th gear will help with sustained higher speeds, but if you are not able to go fast enough to keep the car in 5th gear and need to downshift to 4th because 5th is now too tall, you won't really be gaining anything.

I have a sticky thread in the Fuel Economy section you can look through, too.

One of my ALHs has a strange MAF delete tune, no EGR, and an 11mm pump, with a slightly hotter thermostat (to help with heat more than anything, as the EGR cooler loss hurts this) and it is capable of getting 60 MPG if I drive pretty conservative. But normal spirited driving nets me about 50 most of the time... so in other words, about what a stock one could get but with a bit more oomph but longer warm up times.

Another ALH, also with an 11mm pump but otherwise totally stock, nets maybe 2 MPG less overall.

There are always a lot of variables to deal with, but lower fueling always helps. If you see black smoke in the exhaust, you know you are overfueling, and thus hurting fuel economy.
 

Eli.krahulec

Active member
Joined
Nov 18, 2018
Location
Alberta, Canada
TDI
ALH New Beetle
2000 I believe. I didn't even look inside it when I bought it. Lol. Just backed up, winched it onto my trailer and split.

I spent a couple of hours and cleaned the intake, and took it for a drive yesterday. No boost, but drove fine (front struts and failing tires aside). Going to run through the usual no boost detection. Guessing the vac lines are toast, already changed one during the intake clean.

I should clarify. I'm not going to spend thousands to squeeze 5 more hp, out of a car that could in reality never crack the 200 hp mark and be a daily. I will however spend 1-2k to make it fun, reliable, and better than most TDI's in my town lol.

99%of my driving is highway, over 70mph. That's why I want the taller gears. Some hills, but not many. Current auto doesn't downshift on any of them.



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Eli.krahulec

Active member
Joined
Nov 18, 2018
Location
Alberta, Canada
TDI
ALH New Beetle
I'll swap pump and injectors if I mate the engine from the auto to the manual.

Anything else I should know? Are there differences between the Jetta/NB computers? I plan on stopping them as well..

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scooperhsd

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Location
Kansas City KS
TDI
NB, 2000, RED(5 Speed conversion) 2015 Golf SE
If you're looking for a tune, something in the stage 2 is pretty good for the uses you described (it's also what I have). My Beetle's 4 speed auto broke (stuck in 3rd gear ) at 252,000 miles, thats when I had a 5 speed manual conversion done. Doing the the tune will work really well with your proposed 5th gear swap. I also have a 3 inch straight pipe exhaust (except for a resonator at the end ). With this done, I typically run mid 40's MPG highway (with stock 5th gear), and I can burn rubber in reverse, 1st, and 2nd gears.


Engine oil pan protection - either get a metal plate or replace the oil pan with one that has steel on the bottom .


Doing the 5 speed swap will probably slow down warmup since you won't have the coolant glowplugs. It's not too much of a problem here in the lower 48 (areas where the temps rarely below zero F), but it might be more of a concern in Alberta.
 

scooperhsd

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Location
Kansas City KS
TDI
NB, 2000, RED(5 Speed conversion) 2015 Golf SE
I'll swap pump and injectors if I mate the engine from the auto to the manual.

Anything else I should know? Are there differences between the Jetta/NB computers? I plan on stopping them as well..

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DOn't swap the pump, but do swap the injectors (11mm pump with .180 injector nozzles (manual trans)). Also do not swap ECUs - your stock radio won't work (the radio and ECU talk for anti theft purposes). Putting in the manual injection nozzles will give you a modest gain in HP (5-10 HP), along with a little smoke.
 

Eli.krahulec

Active member
Joined
Nov 18, 2018
Location
Alberta, Canada
TDI
ALH New Beetle
Engine oil pan protection - either get a metal plate or replace the oil pan with one that has steel on the bottom .
I plan to build a steel pan, and close the sides in to retain engine heat while driving.


Doing the 5 speed swap will probably slow down warmup since you won't have the coolant glowplugs. It's not too much of a problem here in the lower 48 (areas where the temps rarely below zero F), but it might be more of a concern in ALBERTA.
I'm currently installing a webasto coolant heater and timer. I park in a heated garage overnight. Warm up won't be much of an issue. [emoji4]

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SilverGhost

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2005
Location
Back in So Flo - St Lucie
TDI
'05 Golf - totaled :(, wife's '13 Beetle - buy back, TDIless
You deleted the EGR cooler and valve - that was the reason for the clogged intake. Just leave the stock one on there and you'll be fine.

EGR delete will hurt warm up times a little (more in great white north), that resulting in slight MPG hit, but not dealing with clogged intake is a good trade off.

Keep in mind the trans swap includes a fair amount of wiring and coding. ABS and ECM both know you have auto or manual. Speed signal is CAN buss from TCM, but hard wired on manuals. Also clutch switches (both).

Jason
 

Eli.krahulec

Active member
Joined
Nov 18, 2018
Location
Alberta, Canada
TDI
ALH New Beetle
Keep in mind the trans swap includes a fair amount of wiring and coding. ABS and ECM both know you have auto or manual. Speed signal is CAN buss from TCM, but hard wired on manuals. Also clutch switches (both).

Jason
I am aware of many differences, which is why I wanted a whole car.

How does one get around the canbus speed signal? Never read that one yet.

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Eli.krahulec

Active member
Joined
Nov 18, 2018
Location
Alberta, Canada
TDI
ALH New Beetle
DOn't swap the pump, but do swap the injectors (11mm pump with .180 injector nozzles (manual trans)). Also do not swap ECUs - your stock radio won't work (the radio and ECU talk for anti theft purposes). Putting in the manual injection nozzles will give you a modest gain in HP (5-10 HP), along with a little smoke.
Aftermarket radio. Is there any other reason to not swap them?

I'll leave the pump. Less work [emoji4]

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scooperhsd

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Location
Kansas City KS
TDI
NB, 2000, RED(5 Speed conversion) 2015 Golf SE
What reason is there TO swap them? With VCDS (or other proper tool), you can easily switch the ECU to manual transmission mode vice automatic (done on my Beetle w conversion). Also, isn't the odometer kept in the ECU ?
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
The ECUs are specific to each model, very few are interchangeable (will have same part no.). So you'll leave the ECU in the bug, recode after swap. You can borrow or even rent a VCDS if you don't want to buy one.
 

SilverGhost

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2005
Location
Back in So Flo - St Lucie
TDI
'05 Golf - totaled :(, wife's '13 Beetle - buy back, TDIless
Later cars use ABS sensors, but as old as yours I believe you need to wire in the VSS on the trans to the cluster. That then shares via CAN buss to ECM. This is for manual trans. Auto has VSS, but is wired to TCM that shares it via CAN buss.

The ECM does keep a "guestimate" of odometer, but the cluster is the real home to vehicle odometer. Sometimes you can even find odometer is ABS and shared to other control modules.

I'm sure there are swap threads that detail all the little things that people have run into doing this swap.

Jason
 
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