Nissan Hardbody TDI Swap

J.Klassen

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2016
Location
Enderby, B.C. Canada
TDI
TDI Nissan Hardbody project, 01 Jetta donor car
Hello fellow engine swapers. My name is Jason. This thread is going to be about taking the weezy KA24E out of my 1997 Nissan Hardbody 4x4 and putting in a beast of an ALH TDI.

I had been thinking about and researching doing this for at least a year and a half before finally going ahead with it. The truck is mainly used as my winter vehicle as I drive my fun car for the rest of the year (Infiniti G35 Coupe 6 speed manual).

The 4 cylinder KA24E engine in the truck came with only 134 HP and 154 lb/ft when it was new. The last couple of winters had really left me wanting more. Not only was the power pathetic but I was averaging only 15mpg or 15.5L/100km. So it was drinking fuel like a full size truck and putting out power less than an economy car. Something had to change!

I got a 2001 Jetta TDI from an auto wrecker. They had just picked it up from a lady who was commuting 60km (37miles) per day until the auto trans started slipping badly. It had 362,000 km (225,000 miles)on it and he truck has only 196,000 km (122,000 miles).

In full disclosure the truck is running now and I am driving it, but these pictures are going to start from a year ago when I began the project.
So on with the pics, and we begin with the truck itself.




The trucks new home in front of my Dad's shop for the next year. At least I have a roof, and he gave me a corner of the shop to work in. The rest he uses to build custom kitchen cabinets in.

Good ol Johnny coming in handy.

The empty engine bay. I chopped the rad support out to make test fitting everything a lot easier.

The trucks transmission and transfer case next to the badly slipping autotragic from the donor car.
 

Giantmcm

Active member
Joined
Jan 31, 2003
Location
Washington
Bump for a great adventure of a swap. I had similar thoughts but with a 2001 Dodge Dakota Quad cab. I am curious to see how the hurdles were overcome. :)
 

jimbote

Certified Volkswagen Nut
Joined
Jul 10, 2006
Location
spiral arm, milky way (aka central NC)
TDI
Tacoma 4x4 converted to TDI
maybe look into using a toyota trans and t case ? the nissan gearboxes use failure prone keys to affix the main input counter gear instead of splines... they don't hold up well with the relatively torqueless gas motor
 

samuraitd

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2013
Location
Provo, UT
TDI
ahu mtdi samurai swap, 1991 jetta ecodiesel
cool project BTW, maybe the trans will be fine but i've personally seen keyway failures on 2wd and 4wd trucks ...
He said it is already running and driving, so guess we'll have to see if it holds up for him or not.
 

Motohead1

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2016
Location
charlotte
TDI
2002 bug+telephone pole
Nice. I have seen an xterra swap and the guy noted that the nissan crank had the same flywheel bolt pattern as the ALH. Was that also the case in your swap?
 

evguy1

Vendor
Joined
Feb 8, 2014
Location
Erington, BC, Canada
TDI
2000 Jeep Cherokee TDI, 2008 Jeep JKU TDI
Nice to see you posting your swap. Jason did some really nice fabrication and welding on this truck.
I saw it in person this summer when I delivered his adapter.
 

evguy1

Vendor
Joined
Feb 8, 2014
Location
Erington, BC, Canada
TDI
2000 Jeep Cherokee TDI, 2008 Jeep JKU TDI
Nice. I have seen an xterra swap and the guy noted that the nissan crank had the same flywheel bolt pattern as the ALH. Was that also the case in your swap?
That is an urban myth or something.
Its close but definitely not a direct bolt on. :(
Just far enough off to be a pain in the ....
 

Motohead1

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2016
Location
charlotte
TDI
2002 bug+telephone pole
That is an urban myth or something.
Its close but definitely not a direct bolt on. :(
Just far enough off to be a pain in the ....
Ah ok that sounds more like it. He must have made it kinda work. Thats a little scary. Not the place you want to have an egg shaped hole.
 

Exenos

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2014
Location
Ontario
TDI
02 Golf
Ah ok that sounds more like it. He must have made it kinda work. Thats a little scary. Not the place you want to have an egg shaped hole.
Loneranger has had a truck running around like that for years now. Over 500k km on the swap. Ford 2.3/2.5 flywheel just needs the one bolt hole elongated about 1/4 inch and it bolts right up apparently.
 

evguy1

Vendor
Joined
Feb 8, 2014
Location
Erington, BC, Canada
TDI
2000 Jeep Cherokee TDI, 2008 Jeep JKU TDI
Right, not a big deal to elongate the holes since they all go out the same amount and don't have any slop. Flywheels always have an alignment "spigot" of some sort that the flywheel centers onto, the bolts just hold it onto the crank. The chances of the flywheel and crank having that same diameter of alignment spigot are pretty slim but stranger things have happened.
 

J.Klassen

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2016
Location
Enderby, B.C. Canada
TDI
TDI Nissan Hardbody project, 01 Jetta donor car
I'm thinking the trans will be fine. Nissan used the same internal gear set in a version of the truck in Australia that had a diesel motor. I am not the kind of guy to dump the clutch on dry pavement hoping for a spectacular drag launch lol.

Thanks Randy, so far I have zero issues with the flywheel and adapter. You did a great job on making it happen with all the variables that were involved.
 

J.Klassen

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2016
Location
Enderby, B.C. Canada
TDI
TDI Nissan Hardbody project, 01 Jetta donor car
Ok got the engine out of the 01 jetta and into the shop...

and it's going to need a good cleaning!


For everyone that does an intake manifold cleaning, they should know that they are not really fixing the problem.

The cam looked like it was in decent shape though, too bad the lifters had little spider cracks in the face of all of them.

Made my own injector puller out of a old slide hammer.

Bottom of the head. Not as carboned up as I thought it would be considering the state of the intake runners.

Into my little soda blaster cabinet it goes.

Made a tool to go into the drill press for pushing on the valve spring retainers. Wow did that work good. I thought I was going to have to pull pretty hard on the handle, but there was only a little effort needed to crack them free and then they moved easy.

Oh look there is a swirl path for the air to follow under all that carbon.
 

J.Klassen

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2016
Location
Enderby, B.C. Canada
TDI
TDI Nissan Hardbody project, 01 Jetta donor car
Side view of the head. Look at all the light!

Hmm.. Pistons are going to need some love too.

Thats better.

Time to chuck in a few headstuds to keep that head down.


Got some new INA lifters and a nice Colt Stage 2 cam to got with them.


Cam installed and lined up at TDC with my alignment tool.

Man do those cam lobes ever come close to rubbing the head!

Got the injectors back. They are fitted with .216 +50% Firad nozzles.
 

J.Klassen

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2016
Location
Enderby, B.C. Canada
TDI
TDI Nissan Hardbody project, 01 Jetta donor car
And after replacing all the seals, new timing belt, water pump, rollers and thermostat, I gave it some paint because when would be the next time I would have the such a great opportunity to work on the engine outside the truck.
 

AndyBees

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 27, 2003
Location
Southeast Kentucky
TDI
Silver 2003 Jetta TDI, Silver 2000 Jetta TDI (sold), '84 Vanagon with '02 ALH engine
maybe look into using a toyota trans and t case ? the nissan gearboxes use failure prone keys to affix the main input counter gear instead of splines... they don't hold up well with the relatively torqueless gas motor

Although I have zero experience with a Toyota or Nissan TDI conversion project, I can attest to what Jimbote is saying about the Nissan transmission.

My son had a Nissan that looks just like this one, 4X4 too. The Tranny bit the dust at about 90k miles. It sit parked in his back yard for 4 years with a junk yard tranny laying in the bed. About three months ago, he traded it off, as is, for 150 hours labor on the farm at $10.00 per hour ($1,500.00). The body and frame was rust free.
 

casey823

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2015
Location
Middleton, ID USA
TDI
2002 Jetta sedan, 2002 golf tdi
I swapped out a trans in my friends 95 d21 a few months ago because he had some gear whine from the trans in 5th gear only and that original trans had 290k miles on it. He's had never changed the trans fluid either. This trans was behind the v6 also, hell his clutch lasted to 270k...If these trans get a bad rap, his must be the irregular one haha.
 

J.Klassen

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2016
Location
Enderby, B.C. Canada
TDI
TDI Nissan Hardbody project, 01 Jetta donor car
I am on the optimistic side of this transmission discussion obviously haha. There is a whole forum (ka-t.org) dedicated to boosting the gas engine that came in my truck (ka24e) and on there I read a couple of threads talking about the strength of the transmission. It is the same trans for the 240sx and the 4 cylinder hardbody trucks and those people seem to think that it is fairly strong. 400 to 500 whp is what they see as a limit. This of course is as long as the trans is not being shock loaded, ie drag racing, clutch kicking/drifting and the like. Smooth shifting on an already healthy transmission and it should last.

When I went looking for a clutch for this swap I came across ACT (Advanced Clutch Technology). I put in my trucks year make and model into the website and what do know, the weakest clutch kit they offer for my application is rated for 410 ft/lbs of torque. There highest was a little over 600 ft/lbs. Anyway I bought the 410 knowing that it would be at least 100 ft/lbs stronger than I needed.

I have put on a little over 1000 km (600 miles) on the swap so far. The clutch does not slip whatsoever and I try to shift as smoothly as possible. I have Redline synthetic oil in the trans and it feels nice.

Just thought I would let you guys know why I am thinking that the trans is going to be ok.
 

Motohead1

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2016
Location
charlotte
TDI
2002 bug+telephone pole
So this used the nissan flywheel? How much does a KA flywheel weigh? I started with a stockish 26lbs flywheel (I6 jeep) but later went with a centerforce unit thats in the 43lbs range. Helped quiet the rattling countershaft in my trans. I think is does a great job of softening the pulse shock inherent is 4 cyl diesel.
 

J.Klassen

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2016
Location
Enderby, B.C. Canada
TDI
TDI Nissan Hardbody project, 01 Jetta donor car
Yes I used the stock Nissan flywheel. I just weighed my spare and it is 20.5lbs. It would have bolted up to the tdi if vw had not used a weird crank bolt pattern where two of the holes are closer together than the rest. I have not noticed any funny rattling noises coming from the trans.
 

J.Klassen

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2016
Location
Enderby, B.C. Canada
TDI
TDI Nissan Hardbody project, 01 Jetta donor car
Alright intercooler time. If any of you guys have ever seen the space between the grille and the AC condensor on a Hardbody you'll know that there is no room for a traditional air/air intercooler in there. So my other option was air/water and I am really happy I went this route. As you will see charge piping becomes extremely minimal.

First pic, air/water cooler and chopped alh intake manifold.

Mock up time

This was my first time TIG welding aluminum and I could not have picked a harder project. Welding crappy cast aluminum to scrap checker plate was a little difficult.

Test fit on engine time.

Duct tape the two together and put the turbo under it to see whats what.

Add a mounting point for the 4 bar map sensor.

Then turn the two pieces into one and hey, you have a custom air/water intercooler. Welding the checker plate to the air/water core was a lot easier than the cast part.
 

J.Klassen

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2016
Location
Enderby, B.C. Canada
TDI
TDI Nissan Hardbody project, 01 Jetta donor car
cool project BTW, maybe the trans will be fine but i've personally seen keyway failures on 2wd and 4wd trucks ...
Do you know what lead to the keyway failure? I am interested in knowing if maybe it was a bad rebuild, lack of maintenance, or just abuse of the trans.

Also I had kinda looked into the toyota trans but decided I didn't need anymore complication in the project. At the time I read your thread you had issues with the adapter you were using and I don't think Randy(EvGuy) had his toyota adapter made yet. What side does the t-case output on? My front diff is on the driver's side.
 

pdq import repair

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2016
Location
idaho
TDI
09 Jetta
You could run a separate cold water cooling tank with a circulating pump with that setup. I have seen that mod done on an AMG550. They run a water cooled intercooler too, but some make it cooler yet.
 

5cyl

Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2015
Location
Michigan
TDI
2003 Jetta Wagon TDI 5speed
This makes me so happy cuz i literally had this idea pop in my head yesterday. Subbed for sure.
 

J.Klassen

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2016
Location
Enderby, B.C. Canada
TDI
TDI Nissan Hardbody project, 01 Jetta donor car
You could run a separate cold water cooling tank with a circulating pump with that setup. I have seen that mod done on an AMG550. They run a water cooled intercooler too, but some make it cooler yet.
I do have a small tank for water and a pump that will complete the air/water setup. It will be shown later on in the pics. I didn't go crazy and make it so that I could add ice though.
 

J.Klassen

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2016
Location
Enderby, B.C. Canada
TDI
TDI Nissan Hardbody project, 01 Jetta donor car
The eagle eyed among you probably already guessed what turbo I am using from the previous post. It is a GTB1756vk with vacuum conversion. From everything I could learn about the turbo options for these engines and my power goals, this turbo was the best choice.

Sitting beside the microscopic oem trubo.


I clamped the turbo flange to the turbine housing and there seemed to be a rather large step issue going on.

That was not going to be good for flow and EGTs. So out came the carbide burr and after a decent amount of time the step was no more.
 

5cyl

Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2015
Location
Michigan
TDI
2003 Jetta Wagon TDI 5speed
The air/water part or the whole truck build?
The whole build. I think if i do it i want to go for more of a lowered 2wd type deal.

Just read the disclosure that its actually done. got any mpg numbers?
 

J.Klassen

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2016
Location
Enderby, B.C. Canada
TDI
TDI Nissan Hardbody project, 01 Jetta donor car
The whole build. I think if i do it i want to go for more of a lowered 2wd type deal.
Just read the disclosure that its actually done. got any mpg numbers?
Sounds cool, the 2wd part should help you quite a bit. You will see later the kind of oil pan mods that needed to be done for 4wd.

As far as mpg I am quite happy so far. Being that it is winter right now and all my trips are quite short (10km one way to work) I have averaged exactly 25 mpg on my first two tanks. I am on the third right now. I also have not got the final tune done by Malone yet because our roads are no good for data logging right now. The previous couple of winters I would got 15mpg at best. The tank is only 60L so those last couple of tanks I went 518km and then had to put in 49L of diesel. Before I had to fill up and I had only gone 250-270km.
 
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