97 B4v Glx Tdi

[codeblue]

I think the important question is if you had to do this all over again, would you?

 

[Wally]

please say yes and do it to my new GLX wagon!

Ahem, I mean, good work JB! I look forward to seeing it sometime.

 

[Lug_Nut]

I think the important question is if you had to do this all over again, would you?

From a financial point I think it is justifiable. The insurance buy-back on the TDI was $800. The GLX was $3300. I spent under $150 in assorted tools, tool rental and fasteners. I'd estimate the finished car is reasonably saleable at $6500. Those numbers imply that the value has gone up almost $2200 for my work. That is ignoring the sale value of the VR6 and transmission and electronics and wiring that I have yet to sell.
But if I had to also account for the support, labor, discounted sale price of the parts I purchased from other members, parts and service in-lieu-of-rental on the loaner A3, then No, it makes no fiscal sense. There is no way I could afford to compensate adequately for that aid.
The fact the weather has co-operated by providing me with glorious and dry weekends when I needed to be outside working and rained on the weekend days when I was able to work indoors, can't be discounted in making this endeavour possible. Had the days of precipitation not been as fortuitous is timing, this would have gone on LONG into the winter.
The answer to the question goes deeper than that though. I did this because I wouldn't be happy with anything less or anything costing more. I think I did well to find (make) a 97 TDI wagon with heated leather, ABS, traction control, CD, alloy wheels, and more for $4500.
But would I do it again? ......(that was about a 20 second pause, folks) Probably not.
The next one will be an automatic.

 

[ninedee_golf_tdi]

After you do a couple of them it becomes second nature. All the surprises are gone and it's pretty routine. Buy another one and you'll be done in half the time or less.

 

[Jetter_Sprinta]

We happen to have a beautiful '95 *automatic* GLX that you can start on most any day now...

 

[codeblue]

So, what do you guys think these VR6 engines are worth anyway? I was thinkin of making some kind of VR Rabbit project but its not really worth it.

 

[Lug_Nut]

The GLX was $3300...I'd estimate the finished car is reasonably saleable at $6500.

So, what do you guys think these VR6 engines are worth anyway?

about $3000 less than a 1.9 TDI

 

[Phoenix42]

Woot! @ Jon

LOL @ Scott & ninedee

Looking forward to seeing the new car Jon, hopefully it will break 100mpg.

 

[RC]

After you do a couple of them it becomes second nature. All the surprises are gone and it's pretty routine. Buy another one and you'll be done in half the time or less.

So, heaven forbid, I am one day in need of another B4V you will be available to make on for me out of a GLX? If so, how much do you think it would cost to do so?

 

[RC]

... a 97 TDI wagon with heated leather, ABS, traction control, CD, alloy wheels, and more...

What, no moon roof?

 

[Lug_Nut]

What, no moon roof?

Go ahead. Rub salt in it. Yes, it unfortunately does have a sunroof.

 

[Lug_Nut]

Some are NEVER satisfied!

Good News: The MFA trip meters go to 4.1 digits. No more 0.0 following 999.9.
Bad News: The fuel economy display only shows 2.1 digits. Maximum is 99.9 mpg.
My first five mile trip had the display bouncing between 97 and the 99.9 marks. Of course the trip to down town is truly down to town. Only after getting on the interstate did it return to a more believable 51 mpg.

It runs fine.
A few creaks from the rear cargo area. I think from the foam tool insert in the spare tire.
The cruise control is reluctant to engage. It appears to be the switch contact in the stalk is at fault and not the pedal switches.
The left rear speaker isn't working. The radio and speaker have been swapped out with no success. It appears to be in the wiring, maybe the door hinge area, but the boot looks OK.
Everything else is up and fully functional.

Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy!

 

[dieseldorf]

Exciting stuff! I can imagine you are extremely pleased! Keep this one out of harm's way ... there are more diesel haters out there than most realize

 

[Jetter_Sprinta]

Congratulations, Jon!

I think the thing that made Scott most "thankful" last weekend was hearing that call when you held the cell under the hood with the world's newest B4V TDI running! If I didn't know you both better, I'd think there was a kid involved....

Keep your skills tuned--I have this great idea where I can find earth shattering deals on B4V GLXes, you can come up with the engines and you and Scott can keep the B4V market happy!! Good idea, no?

 

[ninedee_golf_tdi]

What radiator and fan are you using, vr6 or tdi ?

 

[Lug_Nut]

The TDI's radiator received damage to the right end tank. It was easier to use the GLX's.
The TDI's fan motor and shroud was also quite beyond repair. I had a fan and shroud set from the Black sedan in storage. That black set was left over after a radiator side tank crack in the black one had me install the rad and fan/shroud assembly (faster than changing the rad only) retained from the Pearl Red sedan.
I could have used the GLX fans in the current conversion, but the three speed unit has a different plug and relay than the two speed TDI version. I didn't want to "cut and paste" the GLX fan relay control wiring harness into the TDI harness, so I took the easier of the two paths available to me and mounted the complete TDI fan set on the GLX rad.
Confused as to what car donated what? I am, too. I may yet make an inventory of what items on this 4th Passat came from where.

 

[ninedee_golf_tdi]

That is what I always do, just rewire the fan circuits back to the fuse panel. I was just checking to see if you found an easier way.

 

[Lug_Nut]

That is what I always do, just rewire the fan circuits back to the fuse panel. I was just checking to see if you found an easier way.

I did. See my prior post.

I took the easier of the two paths available to me and mounted the complete TDI fan set on the GLX rad.

 

[ninedee_golf_tdi]

You're right, I'm confused, but as long as it's working what could be wrong ?

 

[therabbittree]

nice job.. I plan to glx my '96 tdi variant in the spring..doing the 5 lug, brakes and spring swap and cluster mod. Do you still have the interoir from your red wagon? if so I would like to buy it. I looks like it is black. I am looking for black interior bits.. I have some sedan bits but no wagon bits, and I don't like my tan interior..
let me know,
thanks,
De

 

[Lug_Nut]

The interior is already in use elsewhere.
Keep the TDI front springs. The VR6 is a vastly heavier engine. I still have the VR springs installed at the moment and the front sits about 2 inches higher with the lighter weight TDI up there.
Don't forget the steering rack, tie rods, and the lower control arms required for use with the five bolt hubs.

 

[dieseldorf]

The VR6 is a vastly heavier engine.

So it's true!

 

[jollyGreenGiant]

I've been wondering, do you think one might just keep the ( TRW ) steering rack and just swap the outer tie rod ends instead of using the ZF rack when doing this conversion?

 

[Wally]

The white wagon just got a replacement rack and it came from a VR6...works great, wife happy = me happy

 

[therabbittree]

mummn I was planing on using the vr6 springs at all for corners for more weight carrying and higher ride height...
Thanks
Deo

 

[Lug_Nut]

The impact of the accident was sufficient to break the TDI rack. It was, after inspecting the total damage, quite a hard hit.
The control arms and the hub carriers have different part numbers. The TRW outer tie rod ends are specific to left or right. The ZF outers don't have the offset bend and are swappable side to side. These and other issues were what led me to leave the GLX suspension and steering alone.
The TDI and VR6 rear springs appear to be the same rate. The ETKa bears this out with a choice of two rear springs: sedan or wagon.
The front springs have a choice of five:
1.9 manual without A/C, and 2.0 manual and auto without A/C;
2.0 manual with A/C;
1.9 auto without A/C;
1.9 manual and auto with A/C;
and finally VR6 auto and manual.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

Jeez. Lug_Nut was kind enough to walk me through the ETKA permutations of ZF versus TRW steering gear on B4s. I have to admit, more than I thought I'd ever need to know. However, I couldn't get my B4 aligned yesterday becasue it needs a passenger side inner tie rod. Life goes on.

 

[DeeBee]

Awesome

Congratulations Jonathan!!!!

Great Job

I look forward to seeing this work of art at 'Fest 07.

 

[ninedee_golf_tdi]

One step forward, two steps back I always say.

The glx radiator is wider than the tdi's, which also makes the fan cowl wider. How did you manage to get the tdi fans onto the glx radiator, make a bracket or two ? Also, if you used the tdi fans on the glx radiator, how did you not have to exchange the fan control harness from the tdi to the glx, or vice versa ?

 

[Lug_Nut]

I just went out to my parts supply and re-checked. The shroud for the B4 VR6 fans has a horizontal bolt spacing of about 755 mm. It fits perfectly on a leaky TDI radiator removed from my second B4. That match, and the fact that I had no issues with mounting the TDI fans and shroud to the VR6 radiator, make me unable to offer advice on why yours is different.
I removed the entire GLX harnesses from the front seats forward and installed the entire TDI harnesses from the front seats forward. So I DID exchange the fan control harness. This decision to gut and re-fill, rather than cut and paste, made the operation more comprehensible to me. It did mean that I also gutted the oil temp and outside air temp sensors the MFA was using. Those had to be later identified and extracted from the GLX harnesses for use in the TDI.