BobZ's TDI Smyth G3F Beta #9 Build

bzeien

Veteran Member
Joined
May 9, 2011
Location
Northeast US
TDI
Smyth Performance G3F #9, formerly known as "2004 Jetta BEW", 2004 Jetta TDI Wagon
I'm posting my build of Beta kit #9 for those interested in the Smyth Performance G3F mid-engine sports car conversion for the MkIV Jetta and 4-door MkIV Golf. My particular build began with a 2004 Jetta TDI (BEW, 5-spd) purchased specifically for this project.

I hope to help provide some small insight into the conversion process through the following time lapse videos and progress posts...



My Build Specifics:
BEW 1.9 TDI
Chrome journal replacement cam, slotted bearings and cap mods (Frank06)
Passat cast iron exhaust manifold ported to Darkside Developments GTB adapter (RyanP)
Garrett GTB2260VK (RyanP)
SDI Scroll intake (RyanP)
4-Bar MAP (RyanP)
Firad +80% (RyanP)
O2M EFF 6-Speed (RyanP)
Peloquin LSD (RyanP)
SB Stage II Silent Endurance clutch/pp
Audi TT front suspension/brakes in both front and rear
Type 20 long flow air/water intercooler (very low restriction, rated to 350HP)


General information for the Smyth Performance G3F is at:
https://www.facebook.com/SmythPerformance/app_106171216118819


Additional sites, posts and build info available at:
www.facebook.com/SmythPerformance
http://www.ffcars.com/forums/139-smyth-performance-g3f/

In the beginning...


What it will soon look like (ok, different wheels, color, etc., but you get the idea...). Re-purposed for some fun!:
 
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bzeien

Veteran Member
Joined
May 9, 2011
Location
Northeast US
TDI
Smyth Performance G3F #9, formerly known as "2004 Jetta BEW", 2004 Jetta TDI Wagon
Saving this spot...
 
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bzeien

Veteran Member
Joined
May 9, 2011
Location
Northeast US
TDI
Smyth Performance G3F #9, formerly known as "2004 Jetta BEW", 2004 Jetta TDI Wagon
Working on my BEW upgrades: here are photos of the turbo/exhaust/intake setup. I'll need to mount it all to the engine to test fit and determine the placement of the support bracket for the AWIC. Firad +80% injectors have also been installed.

The gtb2260vk is mounted to a Passat manifold ported to a Darkside adapter plate, the AWIC will be supported with a fabricated bracket welded to the SDI intake. The total plumbing consisted of only two 180 degree elbows (2.25" and 2.5"). I'm keeping the SDI ASV; there's a thread with instructions to convert the wiring to my BEW harness.

Overall a fairly compact package. :)






I cut a mount in UHMWPE for the 4-bar MAP, here mounted on the SDI intake
 
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A5INKY

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Sep 4, 2007
Location
Louisville, KY
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI, 2002 Eurovan Westphalia VR6
Looking forward to watching this unfold. Great build plan and choices so far.

Any plan for head porting? Heavier duty pistons/rods/girdle? The PD100 bottom end is pretty stout by old ALH standards but with that turbo and those nozzles you have the potential to make that bottom end cry for mercy.

Can't wait for this to be done, should be a total beast!
 

LexDube

Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2011
Location
Ste Melanie, Qc, Canada
TDI
dad's Q7 3.0 TDI :p (mine's a Jetta Vr6 24v)
I had that in mind too you could have paid less for a wrecked one it is sad for a perfectly good tdi a 2004 to add but otherwise it is a quite nice project
 

bzeien

Veteran Member
Joined
May 9, 2011
Location
Northeast US
TDI
Smyth Performance G3F #9, formerly known as "2004 Jetta BEW", 2004 Jetta TDI Wagon
Looking forward to watching this unfold. Great build plan and choices so far.
Any plan for head porting? Heavier duty pistons/rods/girdle? The PD100 bottom end is pretty stout by old ALH standards but with that turbo and those nozzles you have the potential to make that bottom end cry for mercy.
Can't wait for this to be done, should be a total beast!
Thanks! Some porting may be in line next year, I'll see how the tune works out before deciding on lower end mods. Even with an LSD and the 275/35-18's I'll be running, maxing out the power with this turbo/injector combination will make it difficult to hook up.

Kinda a waste of a perfectly good TDI, no? There's so many wrecked ones that would work fine for this.
I had that in mind too you could have paid less for a wrecked one it is sad for a perfectly good tdi a 2004 to add but otherwise it is a quite nice project
Not a waste at all! This car was purchased with a bad engine; next stop junk yard. I rebuilt it, spent 30k miles driving it while fixing all of the other systems and now recycling it into something that's fun and I want to drive! With a $20K budget there isn't much available new that's actually fun to drive. Building my own car from an eight year old sedan rather than buying something new also saved countless tons of CO2 to produce that shiny new one.

A 60+ mpg mid-engine TDI convertible with 250+hp, 400#ft torque and air conditioning that works, reborn from a tired old sedan, for $20K = my kind of fun car!

Go Green, Go Fast :D
 

bzeien

Veteran Member
Joined
May 9, 2011
Location
Northeast US
TDI
Smyth Performance G3F #9, formerly known as "2004 Jetta BEW", 2004 Jetta TDI Wagon
Here are the parts mounted on the BEW, in the chassis. Testing fit and mocking up mounting hardware. Viewed from the trunk area.
 

manual_tranny

Smyth Performance- Intern
Joined
Jan 5, 2010
Location
New Bedford, MA
TDI
2001 Golf @182K; 2000 Jetta @290K
Not a waste at all! This car was purchased with a bad engine; next stop junk yard. I rebuilt it, spent 30k miles driving it while fixing all of the other systems and now recycling it into something that's fun and I want to drive! With a $20K budget there isn't much available new that's actually fun to drive. Building my own car from an eight year old sedan rather than buying something new also saved countless tons of CO2 to produce that shiny new one.
A 60+ mpg mid-engine TDI convertible with 250+hp, 400#ft torque and air conditioning that works, reborn from a tired old sedan, for $20K = my kind of fun car!
Go Green, Go Fast :D
You rock, Bob! :)
 

bzeien

Veteran Member
Joined
May 9, 2011
Location
Northeast US
TDI
Smyth Performance G3F #9, formerly known as "2004 Jetta BEW", 2004 Jetta TDI Wagon
AWIC mounting position is set, now to weld up those mounts :)
(photos coming soon)
 

dieselfuel

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2008
Location
ohio
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI
That's going to be one screaming little ride when you get done with it. And around 60 mpg, to boot= win! win!

df
 

bzeien

Veteran Member
Joined
May 9, 2011
Location
Northeast US
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Smyth Performance G3F #9, formerly known as "2004 Jetta BEW", 2004 Jetta TDI Wagon
To minimize the overall size of the intake/AWIC assembly I decided to eliminate mounts and weld the intercooler directly to the SDI scroll manifold (after shaving off the threaded mount on the manifold side of the AWIC). This gave some additional clearance between the AWIC and turbo hotside/exhaust piping. I'm fabricating a stainless heat shield to mount beneath the intercooler.



 

greengeeker

Vendor
Joined
Feb 8, 2006
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2002 Jetta GLS
I love this AWIC setup that you have but I wouldn't recommend welding it to the intake. 1) It is a fairly heavy mass hanging on a shaking motor 2) thermal growth is going to be quite a bit different between the AWIC and intake.
 

bzeien

Veteran Member
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May 9, 2011
Location
Northeast US
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Smyth Performance G3F #9, formerly known as "2004 Jetta BEW", 2004 Jetta TDI Wagon
I love this AWIC setup that you have but I wouldn't recommend welding it to the intake. 1) It is a fairly heavy mass hanging on a shaking motor 2) thermal growth is going to be quite a bit different between the AWIC and intake.
Thanks for the input! The complete AWIC with coolant only weighs a few pounds and shouldn't be a problem whether welded or bolted to brackets; welding gives a bit more clearance. The thermal conditions for the two parts will not be greatly dissimilar, certainly within 50 degrees or so; under these conditions the difference in thermal expansion of the two items should be minimal.
 

bzeien

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Joined
May 9, 2011
Location
Northeast US
TDI
Smyth Performance G3F #9, formerly known as "2004 Jetta BEW", 2004 Jetta TDI Wagon
The final fitting of the SDI scroll intake/AWIC assembly is complete:



I'll make an oil drain line for the GTB2260VK to connect the AN-8 fittings in the image below:

 

Growler

Got Soot Vendor
Joined
Nov 24, 2003
Location
Millersport, Ohio
TDI
Schmutz, 2015 Golf Sportwagen DSG & Schnurren, 2001 Golf GL 2 door 5M
looks good, be sure to mock up that oil drain line with the axle in place there. looks like it might get in the way..

looking forward to more progress shots.
 

bzeien

Veteran Member
Joined
May 9, 2011
Location
Northeast US
TDI
Smyth Performance G3F #9, formerly known as "2004 Jetta BEW", 2004 Jetta TDI Wagon
I just picked up a complete low mileage '03 Audi TT front end for installation in my G3F: k-frame, control arms, steering rack, spindles, calipers, rotors, etc.. A little cleaning, paint and the G3F front will be complete! :)

I previously installed TT front control arms at the rear and still need front spindles with all of the brake components to complete the rear suspension.

Images to follow...
 

bzeien

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Smyth Performance G3F #9, formerly known as "2004 Jetta BEW", 2004 Jetta TDI Wagon
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GTiTDi

TDIClub Enthusiast, Macht Schnell! Vendor , w/Busi
Joined
Oct 18, 2010
Location
3 Spruce st Wareham, gateway to Cape Cod Massachus
TDI
'91 GTI CJAA swap,'02 Jetta wagon ALH swap, '03 GTI 1.8T rally car, '03 Sprinter 3500
Has anyone finished one of these yet?
The only complete build I'm aware of is Mark's TDI (http://www.facebook.com/SmythPerformance). I think he also has an almost complete VR6. I know there are a bunch of builds underway over the winter (see: http://www.ffcars.com/forums/139-smyth-performance-g3f/), this spring should see G3F's sprouting up...my target is also completion for spring.
The G3F should be complete soon. I am working hard along with Mark, Mike and Eric on finalizing many parts of the car...My first project with Mark was modifiying the heater box ducting to accomadate the 2" lowered dash board...They will be much more civilized with climate control!

The next creation is what I am really excited about working on! :D
 

G60ING

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 5, 2001
Location
MD
TDI
No TDIs Currently, I have an R36 Corrado. I've had an ALH Corrado swap, AHU Corrado swap and 2003 TDI Jetta
keep the updates coming :) When its finished I'll be happy to add a GF3 build/swap section to my conversion sticky
 

bzeien

Veteran Member
Joined
May 9, 2011
Location
Northeast US
TDI
Smyth Performance G3F #9, formerly known as "2004 Jetta BEW", 2004 Jetta TDI Wagon
The stock MKIV shifter has to be modified to send the shifter cables to the transmission now located amidships. I received my shifter parts from Smyth Performance last week and had some time to make the modifications to the shifter box.

Pretty straight forward: just follow Mark's instructions and all of the parts fit great. There's a little grinding required on the aluminum casting to make the bell crank mounts sit flat against the side of the box. I did use a little shorter M6X16 button head stainless hardware on the heim fittings at the ends of the small threaded rods to ensure clearance with the brackets. Total time: less than an hour.

I didn't see any instructions yet on Evernote regarding keeping the bottom cover, so I modified the corners slightly and re-installed it. I also wanted to cover the openings at the end of the box so added a bristle fence: it won't keep out water, but should reduce wind noise, and low flying birds won't be an issue ;)

Shifter box end openings:


Bristle fence installed:


Completed shifter box:


The next step is put the shifter back in the car and install push rods from the bell cranks to the stock shift cables terminated at a tray at the rear of the center tunnel. I think a DieselGeek billet short shift kit is in the cards as well!
 
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bzeien

Veteran Member
Joined
May 9, 2011
Location
Northeast US
TDI
Smyth Performance G3F #9, formerly known as "2004 Jetta BEW", 2004 Jetta TDI Wagon
My G3F is using MKI Audi TT front suspension components in both the front and rear. I'm currently working on rebuilding the Audi TT spindles for the front of my G3F: New bearings, paint, etc.. These are no longer driven with the axles, the hub and bearing assembly merely needs to be held together. I removed the outer CV housings from the old TT axles and cut them down on a lathe to eliminate the large cup that would be spinning around. A simple cut off by laying a hacksaw against the turning housing, there's even a convenient ridge as a guide. The TT uses a bolt, rather than the nut on MKIV axle ends, to connect the hub/bearing assembly to the splined shaft from the CV housing. The rear spindles of my now mid-engine project car will use the axles from a VW 02M 6-speed (EFF) as-is.

Cutting the CV housing:



Before and after:
 
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bzeien

Veteran Member
Joined
May 9, 2011
Location
Northeast US
TDI
Smyth Performance G3F #9, formerly known as "2004 Jetta BEW", 2004 Jetta TDI Wagon
The dash in the G3F is lowered about 2.4" from the stock Jetta location. It entails new mounts at the sides to lower the crash bar and some reworking of the two plastic ducts (defroster and front vents) from the heater/AC air handler to the underside of the dash. All controls work as original and I was able to keep the stock double DIN radio mount without modification.

 

stimpee

Active member
Joined
May 20, 2010
Location
Gallatin, TN
TDI
2003 Golf GLS TDI 4D 5M
TT suspension

I am considering a G3F build and I have a simple question.

What are the benefits of the TT suspension over the standard Jetta components?
 
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