2001 beetle ALH into 2003 Jetta wagon help

[123gt]

Hi, I have a low mileage wrecked 2001 beetle and I would like to swap the ALH engine and trans into a high mileage 2003 Jetta wagon. Both are manual TDI cars.
My question is are there things I need to know/parts to get to make this swap work? The Jetta wagon is in good condition but has over twice the mileage on the engine/trans then the donor Beetle. I would love to have a low mileage Jetta wagon to use as a daily driver. That's why I am trying to figure out what it takes to install the ALH I already have in the 03 Jetta. Thanks for any help

 

[Zak99b5]

not sure where you live, but some states require the replacement motor to be the same year or newer than the chassis. But I imagine if you kept the 03 ecu, how would anyone know?

 

[Nero Morg]

If it's already an alh wagon, it's almost a like for like swap. You don't need to worry about year, as long as it's an alh.

Only things you may run into is certain connectors may be different, like 3rd injector and oil pressure switch. Oil pressure switch can be swapped, and casing for connector for 3rd injector can be swapped.

 

[jayb79]

The power steering reservoir and house are different but just use the wagon parts, can't think of anything that would prohibit the swap it should be simple.

 

[GlowBugTDI]

Or could hang on to the swap engine/parts until the Jetta engine says goodbye, then swap it in....

 

[wonneber]

As mentioned already, you should have all the parts to interchange.
You should get the TTY bolts ahead of time and the nuts for the exhaust manifold if you will be swapping it.

Do you have records for the timing belt components for the replacement engine?
Low mileage on the car is one thing, how old the belt is may be the big reason to change it.

Out of the car is the easiest way to replace the parts.
Keep the trans attached so you can set TDC if you have to.

How about the locking tools to do the belt?

Just wanted to give you some feedback.
Others may add to this.

 

[Tdijarhead]

I swapped my 2000 Golf engine (auto transmission) into my daughter 2003 manual Jetta. There were some slight differences but nothing you cannot easily overcome. To do the swap remove the fronts of each vehicle, the engine will come out and go in so much easier.

Here is my experience.

Bought a 2003 Jetta, with broken belt.

My daughter needs a new (er) car, I found a 2003 Jetta with a broken belt. In our area cars in good shape this old are hard to find, because we’re in the rust belt. I often look at Craigslist just to see what’s out there and I spotted a green Jetta that had come from Colorado about 5 years ago...

forums.tdiclub.com

 

[oilhammer]

If the Jetta is running OK, it isn't worth the effort to swap anything. Define "high mileage"? I'm daily driving a 2000 that is approaching 600k miles. It runs just the same as my 230k mile ALH and my 135k mile ALH. *shrug*.

And yes, technically it is not legal to replace an engine in any car with something from a model year that is older. However, there is no way anyone will ever know, nor care. And you'll be using all the 2003's stuff anyway to make it work. The only difference would be that the 2003 most likely has the better block boss (thicker) on the mounting ear, whereas the 2001 could still be the thinner one.

Things that are different on the engine: the coolant pipe assembly, NBs have a bracket for the lower radiator hose to the block that won't be needed, and a bracket for the low side A/C line at the head that won't be needed. The 2003 will also have the newer type lift sensor on the #3 injector, so the injectors would need to be swapped. The vacuum reservoir ball bracket is different, and the NBs have an additional couple of brackets for the coolant vent hose assembly across the back/top of the engine (the hose is different, too). NBs have longer injection pump bolts, one of which is needed to screw the bracket for the coolant bottle hose stay to on the front.

Seriously, unless there is something *wrong* with that 2003's powertrain, I would not bother swapping parts just because of one having fewer numbers in the odometer.

 

[Rob Mayercik]

I'm with OilHammer on this - if the Jetta is running fine as it sits now, stash the motor/trans from the bug "for a rainy day" and just keep driving the 2003.

So long as the 03 hasn't spit a timing belt (or something similarly catastrophic like losing a turbo seal), it's likely got far more life left in it than you're giving it credit for...