4Runner TDI swap

[Spulen81]

I got the 4Runner on 9/1 and I've been working hard to get it done before the nasty weather hits. I live in upstate, NY and its creaping up quickly. I never drove this truck prior to the swap so I'm really hoping it doesn't have too much wrong with it. Its not a NY native therefore super solid. The donor engine was from a '97 Jetta TDI with 110K on it, it was missing very little when I got it. This was done with a Acme kit, they have been great with tech help, btw. I got it together and running in about 2 months, with quite a bit of research done beforehand.
I have alot of other pics during the build up but they are temporarily being held hostage by my home laptop at the moment. I will post up some of the build pictures later on and current pics with it cleaned up.

Here it is in all its glory, the paint is really faded and the other side has some dents in the 1/4 but I could care less. It will most likely be painted a flat tan color once I finish up everything.

Here is the very dirty engine and compartment. Detailing this stuff is on the short list. These pics are from a few weeks ago.. the wiring is cleaned up quite a bit now.

Starter to turbo clearance... yikes. I had to swap in a different starter for clearance. The starter will be blanketed and the exhaust sheilded so hopefully its OK. I want to do a different manifold and turbo down the road. I have an older TD t3, I might rebuild and use.

Here are the accesories... all factory VW from the TDI, the crank V-belt pulley is a smaller one from an ABA code gasser and its way smaller. My stock one was bent so I had to make do with this one for now. Everything fits great WITH the AC deleted. The compressor would not have fit but there is a really cheap way to delete using a factory non AC waterpump pulley and a shorter serp and v-belt. I used a PS hose kit from PSC to make a pressure line along with a couple adapter fittings and a new return hose. So far so good.

And the intercooler, I just saw this one on ebay and took a chance hoping it would fit. It did after some minor cutting. Its a nice Spearco unit and only $100. I sold my stock TDI intercooler for $100 so it worked out great.

Here are a couple more engine shots, again these are a few weeks old.

Its alot further along now and its going on the road today. So the maiden voyage is after work tonight.

 

[anb957]

very nice!

Would like to hear more about the performance of this beast once you get it running. I always like the 1st gen 4runner with the removable top. Great truck. I wonder how it will perform with the 1.9TDI on the highway and what kind of fuel economy you will see.

 

[Spulen81]

Me too, haha.

Its got 10lb/ft over the 22RE it replaced so I'm guessing it will drive pretty much like a stock 4runner. I'm hoping to get 25-30mpg with it. The 22RE can get in the 20s pretty easily so I don't think its impossible.

 

[joshgb]

I love it...I've been looking for something more rugged to swap a tdi into for a long time but a 4runner never occurred to me. I can't see whether it you have a stick or an auto but how much work was involved in mate-up with the clutch/torque converter? How about engine mounts and whatnot? Was your intercooler swap-out a fit issue?
Also what comes with an acme kit...where do I find more information about them?
Keep us posted!

 

[Spulen81]

A Toyota or Suzuki would be the easiest. Acmeadapters.com is the place that sells the kit. They have full swap kits for Suzukis with everything you need.
The Toyota kit is basically an adapter plate and a flywheel. They make a kit for autos and sticks. You can basically use any Toyota transmission that was behind a 4cyl in rear or four wheel drive Mine is stick, you use a Toyota clutch, Toyota starter.

I fabricated the mounts, hoses and stuff. The TDI intercooler is just shaped wierd, the one I'm using made IC tubing and everything short and easy to run.

 

[turkeyssr]

Emissions?

How in the world do you pass an emissions test when you swap to a diesel engine?

 

[RabbitGTI]

How in the world do you pass an emissions test when you swap to a diesel engine?

Move out of California

 

[joshgb]

How in the world do you pass an emissions test when you swap to a diesel engine?

Someone else correct me if I am wrong... but around here (Oregon) people I know who have swapped into a body that originally had a diesel option have not had much of a problem registering their vehicles---those were people though in counties without DEQ testing, which is most of this state.

I have heard of local Portlanders who have registered diesel conversions after passing DEQ, again usually if the original model had a diesel option but I cannot confirm that. I would guess they probably put newish cleanish TDIs into older vw gassers.
California bashing aside, I see from Acme's site a fair number of California vehicles so it must be possible there (or maybe the rigs on the Acme site have some kind of imaginative extra-legal work around.)




btw turkeyssr: I am originally from "somewhere near Monterey" (Cachagua) myself and am looking for a tdi for my mom there if you know of anything.

 

[94x]

I'm a MA inspector, no problem for gas/diesel swaps as long as "required" emission equipment is in place. Early in the MA inspection, I must manually enter "gas, diesel, propane, NG...." don't know how NY does it.

If the swap looks professional, I would not poke around to "find stuff". So, I suggest make the wiring look nice, no leaks, no missing bolts or hardware, all brackets attached securely, and by all means (my pet peave) bracket the battery down, NOT a bungee cord.

Good luck with your swap.

 

[jaybeat]

Someone else correct me if I am wrong... but around here (Oregon) people I know who have swapped into a body that originally had a diesel option have not had much of a problem registering their vehicles---those were people though in counties without DEQ testing, which is most of this state.

I have heard of local Portlanders who have registered diesel conversions after passing DEQ, again usually if the original model had a diesel option but I cannot confirm that. I would guess they probably put newish cleanish TDIs into older vw gassers.
California bashing aside, I see from Acme's site a fair number of California vehicles so it must be possible there (or maybe the rigs on the Acme site have some kind of imaginative extra-legal work around.)




btw turkeyssr: I am originally from "somewhere near Monterey" (Cachagua) myself and am looking for a tdi for my mom there if you know of anything.

FWIW, I exchanged emails w/the folks at ACME and they said that none of their customers have had problems with testing, including folks in Portland w/DEQ.

 

[realslimshaver]

in ontario if u swap in a diffrent engine all u have to do is get it declaried a hot rod and u never have to do an etest again.

 

[Spulen81]

The maiden voyage was a success! The truck drives great even with a really bent wheel. The power is pretty decent even at 9psi. It pulls fine, moves right along. I'm very happy with it.

I did have a small electrical problem causing the battery not to charge. I had to call the women for jump.

 

[JimDog]

Move out of California

Actually, California is one of the easiest states to register diesel conversions. You take your vehicle to the DMV, fill out a "Statement of Facts" form, and mark the appropriate check boxes for "change of motive power." They might ask to see it, to verify that the conversion has actually taken place. However, many DMV employees couldn't spot a diesel even if Rudolph himself was driving it, so often they'll just take your word for it. They'll issue a new title and registration card, showing the new fuel type, and then it's exempt from emissions testing, just like any other diesel vehicle in California.

 

[KROUT]

What tranny did you use for the swap? Did you use an auto or stick?

 

[Spulen81]

Its the stock Toyota 5 speed, W56.

 

[joshgb]

Congrats on the test drive. Questions, questions:

What was involved in making engine mounts? Does your exhaust mate up in some way with the old stock or is it totally re-piped? What if any ecu issues were there?
Also do you think there would have been any more room for getting a 2.0 B-series in there? (engine bay doesn't look max-ed out from your pics)

 

[KROUT]

Its the stock Toyota 5 speed, W56.

So with acme adapter you can use the stock 5 speed. I have been looking for a toyota 4x4 to do the same to.

 

[Spulen81]

I started by mocking it up with a 16V block I had laying around, this made it way easier to see what was going on sans the head and accessories. I just visualized how I wanted them to look and what I thought would work out. The mounts I used are BMW E30 (6cyl) units. They are cheap at $13 each and a nice 2.5" diameter cylinder with a stud on either end. My reason behind choosing these is that BMW makes decent mounts for the most part, they could support the weight and hopefully isolate vibrations. So far so good, vibrations are at a minimum and they don't seem to flex much at all.
The passenger side is 1/4 plate with some tubing to make it level, the bosses on the block are at different heights. The drivers side plate is a highly modified Fox part.

I basically centered the engine in the bay where I wanted it and tried to figure out how to attach to the frame. Basically I just connected the dots. I made cardboard shapes first and then transferred the shapes to steel, cut it out and welded them together. I re-did them several times and finally came out with some that I'm happy with.

After all this I did not account for how much the mounts would settle so I had to shim them up on both sides.. The pics will show them alot better than I can explain.


The exhaust is all hand made. The TDI's exhaust is actually on the wrong side for a Toyota so you have to cross it over or you'll hit the gas tank. Mine is mandrel bent 2.5" from the turbo back with a glasspack. Its amazingly quiet and cost about $180 in materials with a SS flex section. I have a ton of tube left over too.

As far as ECU issues go I'm not sure yet. I have a check engine light at the moment but I have yet to scan it to see what its about. I don't think its hitting limp mode or anything.


I'm sure there plenty of room, this engine is WAY smaller than the one it replaced, there is a good foot of room before you hit the radiator.. probably more.

 

[Spulen81]

Krout, you can use any Toyota truck (and some car) transmission that was connected to a four cylinder right up through the current stuff.

 

[greengeeker]

What did you do about the gauges? Gas, speedo, batt are unchanged but what about the temp, oil, glowplug etc? Thanks.

 

[Spulen81]

I wired in LEDs for the CEL and glowplug. I used aftermarket gauges for water temp, oil pressure, oil temp and boost. At some point I'm going to get the factory tach working with a signal converter. I might get a Hilux cluster if money allows.

 

[greengeeker]

Yet another question : how did the gearing work out? What RPM are you doing at what speed in 5th? IF it is off, do you intend to change your rearend?

 

[Spulen81]

I don't know yet due to the lack of a tach. I can tell you that it cruises in 4th gear at 55 and its not revving at all. That is about as technical as I can get until I have a tach or a vag com. I'm using 31s and a 4:10 r&p at the moment, I think its going to be OK.

 

[AJ124]

SaaaAAAWEeeETAaaaHH!


any idea how similar this swap would be in an early '90s P/U?

 

[joshgb]

SaaaAAAWEeeETAaaaHH!
...i'm off to ebay to find a solid 4-runner.

Yeah I just put a Dodge gasser of mine up for sale to fund something like this. Spulen81: I am wondering if, other than Acme whom I will contact, you have insight for websites, people, resources on the subject of these conversions. I'd rather not re-invent more of the wheel than necessary.

 

[Spulen81]

AJ124, its exactly the same.

Joshgb, there are not many other out there that I have found. There is one on pirate4x4.com but its not a TDI, super nice though. I found most of my information through Suzuki guys, they have done more VW diesel swaps than any other group.

Texasmeat, how much? Pics?

 

[Dieseltoys]

Currently we are in R&D so not very sure on pricing schemes. The kit will feature some highly engineered pieces for ease of use. The wiring is the main hurdle that we've conquered. We need some test vehicles to monkey around with for right now.

 

[joshgb]

We need some test vehicles to monkey around with for right now.

Well I'm likely going to trade next week for an 88 4Runner as my project rig.....
You can feel free to send along parts for testing and feedback....

 

[Dieseltoys]

We are mainly focusing our efforts on late model trucks and jeeps. Anything earlier than a 1990 we will not be pursuing. -Todd

 

[jimbote]

oil pan to front diff clearance?...

wondering how much clearance you have between your oil pan and the front differential....does the truck have a body lift?....suspension lift that drops the diff lower????......by the way....very cool conversion....way to go!!!!