1981 Rabbit Truck TDI (afn)

As long as you're willing to grind out your steering knuckle, the entire S2 16v or late A1 Cabby axle will work fine. Otherwise you'll need to grab the knuckles from the mentioned cars or run the smaller outer CV.

By the look of the pedal, I'm guessing you're running a B4 harness? Never saw anyone cut and weld the pedal before... easier than fabbing brackets.

Are you documenting your wiring? I bought a Landy 300 M-TDI pump, but would go E if I were spoon fed, lol.

-Todd

Too bad you're on the other coast. I could walk you through the wiring and you could walk me through the axles.
For reals the wiring is super simple. Unless you mutilate a plug, you literally can't plug anything into the wrong spot. Most things are color coded. And every little tiny piece of information (on the ahu anyway) is easily findable online for the googling.
I stripped the entire rabbit harness and kept the important plugs like headlights and hvac and radiator. Nothing much to cut or splice to other than the obvious. Plus, like me, you have a b4 sitting right there next to you. If you have any questions go ask it .

My engine is an ahu, but with a vnt, and stronger Pistons, and bigger injectors, and it's been chopped to 140 hp. I can't imagine doing gas pedal any other way. Do other people make brackets and bolt them in there? Seems like too much work. Just cut it to the rough shape and tack weld away. Done.

I'll call a few places on Monday about axels and look at the ones I have to see about combining them. I feel like I'm closer to a solution, but don't have a crystal clear picture of it yet. Soon enough!

Andrew

What exactly do you have to grind out on the steering knuckle?

Yeah, since you're using the CE2 box, you'd only be splicing in lights horns, climate control, etc.. I'm guessing you're running the ign switch from the Passat?

On the knuckle, only a small amount needs to be removed. Look at the rear and chamfer from the outer edge to the circlip. The later, outer CV is larger and will bind here when torqued. If you have both axles in front of you, you'll see the difference between them.

Some people grind the CV, but if you grind the knuckle, you'll only need to do it once if the axle needs to be replaced.

-Todd

You have closer pics of that gas pedal? I did the same with harness, whole passat with fuse box, splice lights, 1 wire to heater, even the gas gauge reads as accurate as any mk1 wired straight to passat cluster. The other way to do the pedal (stolen from this forum lol) is to use the mk4 dbw pedal and tack one plate in that it bolts too.

I've heard of the DBW pedal... Apparently, the potentiometer is compact and within the pedal.

Are you planning on keeping that cap? It's hideous, but functional.

-Todd

Pedal is cheap too, I think I got whole cluster from a dismantler for like $30 shipped? And a quick rewire and it's gtg and easy to install.

ToddA1 said:

Are you planning on keeping that cap? It's hideous, but functional.
-Todd

Click to expand...

Are you talking about my canopy !? I love that thing. It's my favorite part of the truck .

For reals though: what part of any rabbit truck isn't hideous!? They are quirky and different, but so overwhelmingly hopelessly dorky and awkward. Picking on the canopy is like calling the windshield of a pinto ugly.

I'll get good pictures of the pedal tomorrow or Wednesday--

Andrew

I kinda like the canopy, there's a theme there... it matches those sweet custom mud flaps and the grab bars (those are probably to get it ADA approved?)

Awesome build!

How much room do you have between the turbo and the firewall? I'm looking at doing a similar build but with a larger turbo. Any pics you have would be great to see!

Resurrecting my own thread here. The car has been on hold while I finished some other projects and made a 2002 jetta station wagon tdi AHF 140 hp conversion from a vr6. Was supposed to be a quickie, but...

So. I'm back to the axles in this rabbit. I have in my hot little hands on axles for a 1981 rabbit diesel, And I have axles for a 1999 alh. Looking at the two side by side today, I'm fairly confident I can take the inner cv connection (the part that connects to the trans) off of the alh, and out it on the Rabbit cv shaft. As far as I can tell with measuring, the shafts are identical. Same C clip that holds all the bearings and races in there. Same size boot. If anyone knows different here, please set me straight!

I also got an intercooler for the rabbit beast today that I think will work perfect. Walked on the ferry with my 3.5 year old daughter and picked it up on the other side. Then walked back on the same ferry and caught the local island transit home. The driver of the transit said he'd never seen a radiator on his bus before. Technically he still hasn't, but it didn't correct him.
It's one of those old Volvo intercooler's. Nice and big! Fits in front of the rabbit radiator without modification, and the thickness is perfect unlike so many other intercooler's. The pipes might be a spaghetti mess, but I'll try to make them not too atrocious. I was thinking air to water, but then I'd still need an intercooler/radiator, and a water pump, and piping for it all, and wiring for the pump... I'll stick with what I know instead.

With axles and a radiator I should be able to get this driveable without any more huge need of integral parts here. I'm excited all over again to drive it down the road, repowered, sometime soon!

Andrew

Well... The axles are nearly identical. So damn close! The only difference is the length of the end of the shaft where it's a machined star to keep the race on there. The newer one is longer, so while the new one will slide on all happy and like it will work like-- I can't get the C clip back on because there isn't enough shaft sticking out. See pictures below for reference, and the bottom for my solution . I'm kind of happy with my solution.


My idea to make it work is to take off some of the metal-- basically cut a big bore hole about 3/16" so that it'll slide down the shaft that much more and I can get the C clip on it then. I think I have a jig and a metal cutting bit for my drill press that will do the trick just right. A metal lathe would be easy and the best, but I don't have one so here I am. The 3/16" deep hole won't have to be perfect; just big enough and deep enough for the race to fit down a little further. I'll take pictures when it's done (hopefully tomorrow!). It would have been done today, but I'm battling a cold. Stupid winter and being sick.

Andrew

A couple people have inquired about my gas pedal. Thought I'd take a few pics and explain it the best I can.








continued...

The dark scary welding pictures are inside the car where I tack welded the sides of the pedal frame to the metal box around the steering column.

Once you have the old gas pedal out of there, your left with a fairly square hole. The firewall meets the steering column box so there's lots of surface area to work with, and aim for. The old pedal has a little bump out box maybe 1.5" square for the pedal to pivot on and the attachment hardware to connect to. That ended up being useful to weld to on the bottom of the gas pedal bracket too.

Once I had the shape I needed visualized with the old pedal out, I went and cut the gas pedal off the old bracket. That's the second set of pictures above. I can't remember how close it was once I cut it out, but I remember it didn't take much effort to get it to conform to that space. I tried to keep as much of the structure of the gas pedal so once it was tack welded in it would be solid. It worked.

It took a few tries to adjust the pedal up and down with that white plastic adjuster screw on the front, and to get all the framing touching, or close to touching, for the welds that would be needed. You can see in the back towards the firewall I welded a bridge in there for stability and strength. I used a sharpie to mark places when they seemed set and wiggled and giggled it all until it was where I needed it. I didn't take pictures of all the welds because my welds suck (even worse than the ones pictured... too embarrassing), and because it's hard to see and tell what's going on, in trying to take a pic of them. But, once you get the new pedal and structure in there it's easy and intuitive to see where it's going to touch and where the weld spots should/will be.

Hope that helps! If not, feel free to contact me and we can go over anything in more detail.

Andrew

That's a B4 pedal cluster?

Since I'm still considering going E, I grabbed a B4 cluster and a DBW pedal. Still weighing my options.

-Todd

On my pedal I made a bracket and there was a stud on the firewall and i bolted it to the stud

I can't rememebr if it was a b4 pedal cluster or not. I get a number of goofy European parts that are strikingly similar, but just a little different. Regardless, the ideas above are pertinent.

Vwnut... Your process sounds much simpler. Comically so.
How did you get the bracket the right size, and in the right orientation with the angle of the pedal, and the height? Maybe you used fancy things like a "tape measure," and/or an "angle finder?"
Also, I don't remember any bolt sticking out back there. Where was it exactly? And did you attach the whole pedal bracket with only one bolt?
Just asking because if there's an easier/better way to do install it, I'd be interested in knowing about it.

Here is one picture

Here is another

The weld at the top of the pedal is for the heater box not anything on the pedal

Ok bejesus; I'm in business! Finally got the right drill bit-- 1-1/4" carbide tipped hole saw-- and it cut through and into the bearing like it was meant to be. Still scary, but it cut, and made a very useful hole. Here is my setup. Clamps on the ends of two pieces of wood to hold it, and then clamps holding it to the table keeping it centered. Takes a little effort to get it centered, but then it's right where it needs to be:




It needed to be about 1/8" to 3/16" deeper to sit on the shoulder of the axle shaft, and get the C clip on the top. And now it is. Took a try or two to get it at just the right depth.
This was only on the longer of the two axles for some reason. On the short stubby one, the race fit no problem.

Now the axles are done and ready to be installed. I remembered when walking the axles to the truck that it still desperately needed bearings. Ordered new bearings front and back, and ordered a shop press. I've needed a press a number of times now, and between these 4 bearings, and the sway bar bushings on my Golf needing attention, the press will be worth it.

I customized the airbox yesterday as well. It looks so cool now. I've had it placed where they usually go; right by the timing belt and headlight in that corner, but it was crowded there and a serious effort to make it fit. Once I customized and made it smaller, it looked like it wanted to go in the rain tray with the air to water intercooler. I have a ALH boost pipe that comes off the turbo and goes in the opposite direction of the AHU. I'll probably use that to get the airbox where I want it. I'll take pictures of the abox and intercooler installed next. It's looking good and with the superfluous divider on rain tray cut out, it's looking like a clean, neat and tidy install.

Andrew

A whole lot of yes! .
Got the airbox in there just like I wanted. The air hole that feeds it is underneath between the firewall and the brake/vacuum booster. Since the airbox pivots on the firewall there is a small hole on the riantray side too. Everything fits nicely with this and it look like it will work well.
The air to water intercooler lines are just about all run and hooked up as well, as you can see with the pictures. I had to run one water hose into the fender there, but the hose replaced that weird random container in there. Saved some weight. Gained some mpg's .
10 Points if you can tell me what the bedickends that reservoir between the passenger fender and the engine bay is! When I ran into it I was bedazzled, and disoriented. The thing is bigger than the stock windshield wiper and radiator reservoir combined! What would need that volume!?
My radiators for the air to water intercooler consist of two different items I had on hand. The good one (i.e.. the one on the drivers side) is from a '02 vr6 jsw. It had some random extra small radiator where the air intercooler would be in a tdi version. It makes a great intercooler! The other one-- on the passenger side-- you'll recognize from a b4 heater core. I bout that one, and thought it was cheesy, so then i bought the all metal one and used it in a heater core replacement for by b4v. I think the heater core will work well for an intercooler.
Actually I think I could easily get away with using just the vr6 extra small radiator, but two and overkill here won't hurt. Plus with the solid air directors removed they funnel the air towards the radiator nicely.

So tomorrow or Wednesday I'll get the pump for the ATW intercooler and I'll be able to finish off that system then. The pump will go by the fuel filter, between it and the headlight in that nice big open area there. By Friday the bearings and my new press should be here so hopefully I'll have that all done by this time next week. Then it'll be drivable! .
On the 25th I start a class that will last 2.5 weeks. I'll be done March; Friday the 13th (how many Friday the 13th's are there this year anyway?). So whatever I get done between now and the 25th is going to be it for awhile. It would be soon nice to at least get it started... We'll see.

Gas cars came with that reservoir. I believe it was an overflow for vapor, plumbed to the tank. It's been a while...

-Todd

How will you keep rain out of your heaterbox?

oldpoopie said:

How will you keep rain out of your heaterbox?

Click to expand...

Ha! I don't know. Hadn't thought about it at all. I was monofocused on the intercooler and airbox. Forgot about the heaterbox inlet there completely. Other than sticking it in there for fitment of the stuff around it.
Probably just build/weld some box around it. Any other elegant solutions or ideas? The old flap of plastic that was there wasn't terribly sophisticated. Whatever covers it next will undoubtedly be an improvement.

Todd: the rigid hose that came out of the big Bertha evap container snaked down by the fuel feed and return; your theory makes sense. I thought about the same when I ran into it, but I smelled it and it didn't smell like gas at all. Still, I think your right.

Still alive! And making glacial progress, but progress none-the-less. I became a home inspector-- took the class, did the 40 hours of internship, and took the (Insanely Difficult) test-- between now and the last post. So now I have my masters in family counseling, and I'm a home inspector (and I'm working on becoming a tdi guru, of course!). Those things all go together somehow. If you know how, let me know too.
Also, I redid all the plumbing for my toilet including the waste drain. It had an old lead collar thing below it that had had failed, and all the washers in the tank were shot, and the vent for it no longer functioned. Was it as horrible of a job as it seems or sounds? Unequivocally yes. Gross gross gross at every step. But now we have a fully functioning toilet again, so it was all worth it. I'll have to work for some time at expunging the images and smells from my mind though. Truly horrifying.

What was the car progress? Well I got all hot and bothered one day and put the new wiper and blinker stalks, and the new key/ignition assembly in there just to see if they would fit. The ignition assembly went on perfect, but the little tab that it's supposed to bolt to (for safety?) was in the wrong spot; a different orientation. I tried bending it to my will, but then I realized that it's stupid, so I just tore it off of there. Then the whole cylinder assembly slid right on there like it belonged, and the stalks went on in a similar fashion. The steering wheel still fit too.

Once I did this and stood back I realized how insanely awesome and easy this upgrade is!!! The ignition assembly and stalks are cheap and look and work soooo much nicer than the old ones. This makes cruise control a much more realistic possibility if not probability. It just all around kicks some but.
I'm sure everyone who's done this swap has done this and is rolling their eyes right now, but I don't remember reading about it, and felt pretty original and happy with myself. I still do, if you hadn't noticed.

Then... Then, once I had all that put together I thought "Wait a minute Andrew; what's stopping you from starting the beast?" And my heart went all a twitterpated. Well, there's no oil in it, or coolant, or fuel, and there are no axles in there yet, and the clutch isn't hooked up to the trans. But... What would one bump of the key hurt just to see if I'm on the right track?
So, I threw a battery in there and bumped the key and... It turned over!!! Yay . The lights on the instrument cluster didn't go on-- check engine, glow plugs, etc-- but the mileage and time of day were on there. Peanuts though compared to the feeling of having it all in there, and the very real potential of it starting and driving. I'm so close now, I can smell the diesel.

Once I was at this very exciting point I decided to throw the axles in there. I got the passenger in no problem, but when I went to put the little stubby drivers side in I noticed a torn boot. Stupid thing must have caught on something. Dangit! I left it out and on the bench for now. I have another boot lying around I'm hoping I can co-opt into working, but it needs a time out for being stupid and broken.
Got the old gasser fuel pump removed from the rear by the gas tank. I think that's what it was. The bung for the delivery fuel off the tank is really big so I wandered around in a (now drunken) stupor looking for something that would fit on there and work with diesel fuel. I think I found something, but now it's lying below the car with the worm drive clamps and all my hopes for driving it that day. Stupid axle boot.

Anyway. Had to share the steering column ignition and stalk upgrade, and update my truly heroic progress. Hopefully the next update will be a video of me tearing down the street in this baddest of rabbits.

Andrew

HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAAAA!!! Victory! Just got inside from an epic day with the rabbit.

AND IT STARTED FOR THE FIRST TIME!!! Yay!!! Huge psychological hurdle overcome there. It actually started a million times easier than all my other conversions. Practically popped right off with the first turn of the key. I primed the fuel system with my mighty vac pretty good, but still; this rabbit is rarin to go .

Spent the weekend and today chasing down loose ends and finishing everything up. Today was the axles and fuel system. The axles were in, but not bolted to the trans. I had my kid turn the tire to get the bolts lined up with the cups. It was pretty fun. The first time he's helped me with something like this. He's a lot more like his mom than me, and is usually only peripherally interested if no one else is around. Today was one of those days, and although this probably isn't his thing, I think he had fun spinning the tires for me.

Once those buggers were bolted I went to go fill up the tank with the 5 gallons I got over the weekend. Tank has been empty for awhile now but still faintly smelled of gas. I don't know why I thought to take the door thing off the gas filler neck, but I did, and I'm damn glad I did. The big overflow/vent tube that goes into the top of the tank and attaches to the top of the neck was completely not attached. Stupid thing. It was too short by about an inch. I don't know if it shrank or what, but it needed a new one. So I tore the whole assembly apart and put a new hose in there. It wasn't hard, but it took awhile. Time suck. And it's just a terrible job. Everything I touched under there was coated with dirt and it all fell right down on me, and seemingly only me. I had to work with my eyes closed 1/2 the time so I didn't get dirt and god knows what else in them.

But once that was all done and the tank was full, I stood back and realized I could start the beast! I went inside first to check with the wife-- it was 4:30 and dinner needed to be started. But she said go for it.

I'm still not getting dash lights, but I can hear the 109 cycling and the fuel cutoff click. I don't have a gas pedal anymore either, at least not one that works. I went to put the heater core and hvac system back in there and the stupid pedal was totally in the way. I cut it all out of there and put in a spare ALH pedal I had lying around. Those ahu pedals are insanely large. I'll never use one again.
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD EVERYONE: JUST PUT AN ALH PEDAL IN YOUR CONVERSIONS! Dear lord it's so much easier. I haven't figured out the wiring for it yet, but that'll just be an afternoon of playing with the wires. I'm going to make a good how to on this one once I figure it out, because my searches for one so far have not been fruitful. "Some guy on the vortex did it" was as close as I got. And some vague wiring colors and numbers. Pictures people. Pictures.

Anyway, sat in the captains seat and turned it over while holding my breath. I swear it didn't turn over more than 3X before it caught! I didn't want it to really run because I don't have any exhaust on there yet and the diesel smoke and fumes are epic and will cause a runaway when they fill up the engine bay like that (ask me how I know). So it ran for all of 10 seconds, just long enough to know there's no immo issues, and then I shut it off with a big sh*t grin on my face .
It also bounced around in there pretty good when it was sputtering to life for the first time. The rear engine mount, the one at the base of the firewall, isn't attached fully yet. Hopefully that holds the engine in there a little better once it's secured.

I'll get a downpipe rigged up and drive it a few feet (in idle) at least tomorrow, and film it and post it for proof . I know it doesn't count till I share a video, but had to share because it was exciting as all getout.
Also needs radiator fluid, although the system is all buttoned up. Also needs the air to water intercooler system finished: pump needs power and I still need a way to mount my filler bottle in a good spot, and fill it! Do people just use rad fluid in these things? Also need to figure out gas pedal wiring as mentioned before if I really want to Drive it. And the last motor mount. And the front wheel bearings still desperately need attention. And I need to figure out the dash lights. And I need to wire in a glow plug relay. And I need to figure out the brake/blinker/headlights.
None of the final things are difficult, just need to be done to make it fully functional/fun.

More (hopefully) tomorrow!

Andrew

Ok. Couldn't resist. . Video of it running:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sCu8XHs93wM

Got the obd port all wired and hooked up today. And the headlights.

The headlight wiring (if anyone ever wants to know) is White on right (passenger side), yellow on top, and brown on the left (driver side). I cut the old plugs off and wire butted them to the rabbit connections. My headlight harness had a 4th wire (grey) that I summarily ignored. It's still dangling in there all silly and useless.
Blinkers are next!

I did 2 conversions basically at the same time. Had the engines and etc all shipped together. I've had all this "extra" wiring harness lying around the whole time and it's gotten progressively more annoying and in the way. It's coming in handy now! Looks like it's all the accessories wiring. Other people (Andy Bees, I'm looking at you) lay everything out and memorize the wiring harness and learn the minutiae of it all.
For better or for worse: not me. I get to the point where I need an obd plug and think "Oh crap! I need an obd plug," and I go figure out how to wire one in there (past conversions have expedited this particular process immeasurably-- 4,7,16 is all you need!). The errant wiring harness lying around sure came in handy with this process! Today I thought, I need headlights. Went and looked at the harness, and voila! There's the connections I needed. I don't know what I would have done if Frans hadn't thought of everything already. Cant recommend him enough.

Anyway, there's my progress/update for today. Need my computer and vagcom cable back before I drive it down the road for reals, but I lent them out. Should be back in my hands saturday, monday evening at the latest. I'll post a 0-60 run then!

Andrew