Built ALH, 81mm overbore help

[Chungeoisie]

I'm working on a Ford Ranger TDI swap project. That's still in the planning stages, but I have secured a junkyard ALH from a 2000 Beetle. Right now my target is around 300hp and 400lbft, and if my understanding is correct, 200hp or 300lbft is around the limit of when you start to risk bending a rod. I really don't want that to happen, so I want to make the engine built and I have a few questions.

I'm considering having it bored to 81mm to make a 2.0L ALH. Will these rods https://www.cascadegerman.com/product/forged-rod-set-1-9-ve/ and pistons https://www.cascadegerman.com/product/81mmpistons/ work with the stock crankshaft? Also which bearings should I get?

Currently it has a 2 hole head gasket. I know I'll have to use a BHW head gasket but I'm not sure how to determine what thickness. I'm also planning to use either a stage 2 or a stage 3 colt camshaft and want to avoid valve piston contact. I've also heard with higher levels of boost you might want to lower compression ratio to avoid lifting the head.

For fuel and air I'm going to get .310 nozzles and a GTD2060vz turbocharger. Along with the camshaft, will that reach my target or will I need to port the head or consider other power mods?

Will shortened PD150 head bolts be sufficient for 36psi boost, or do I need to go with the ARP head studs?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[dieseldonato]

Supposedly, the head runs into flow issues around 250hp, so definatly get it ported. It's a pretty crappy design from a performance standpoint point.
I'm sure I'll get roasted for this, but head studs are dirt cheap for these engines, I wouldn't screw around with shortening tty head bolts when are studs are ~$200.00.
I'm pretty sure you'll need valve relief pockets cut in the pistons. As I understand the 2.0 engines had slightly lower compression ratio then the alh.
No comment on the rods.
No comment on the cam, I've used Colt many times, but never in a vw application. I'd look at frank06 for his cam and porting services. He's a vendor here.
You wouldn't need. 310 injectors to make that level of power a from the research I've done in the past a .260 will flow enough fuel, a .290 would keep durations short, but I'd be worried about hazing/smoke issues at lower rpm/light throttle/little boost.
I like the turbo choice, I've been considering getting one myself. Power tdi Poland claims they can support around 40psi.

 

[Chungeoisie]

I'm worried about porting especially on the intake side because it has that bump designed to swirl the air for more even combustion. Conventional wisdom is that that's more important on a gas engine than on a diesel, because of the high pressure injection. Still I'm scared because I've heard if you port it wrong, it kills low RPM performance.

Is there a guide on how to properly port the TDI?

 

[dieseldonato]

No one will ever convince me that stupid swirl bump does more then the bowl in the piston or anything at all in a diesel. Fuel is injected long after air has entered the chamber and the valve is fully seated, the bowl in the piston in conjuction with the injection event causes fuel air mixing. It's not a gas engine. If I'm wrong, then there's a lot of diesel engine mfg that got it wrong over the years too.

 

[Mozambiquer]

Cascade is a good vendor, I've bought a lot through them, and those rods and pistons should work, If in doubt you can make sure with them. I've never used the eurospec rods, I know the molnar rods from Franko6 are good.
I'd also recommend a cam and porting from Frank, though last I knew he was a ways out on head jobs.
I've done a few mild port jobs myself on my own cars, but frank has his set up to do cnc porting which is a whole lot more even and repeatable and even.
I'd look into @burpod For tuning. He's been doing some great alh tunes.

 

[03Golfer]

Does Frank actually have the setup for cnc going now? Mine was hand ported as far as I know. It was done last year.

 

[oldpoopie]

Does Frank actually have the setup for cnc going now? Mine was hand ported as far as I know. It was done last year.

I don’t think anyone is doing cnc porting on these.

 

[jmodge]

When I visited his shop about 7 years ago he was working on that, I think at some point he worked the bugs out and had it operating.
If I understood it correctly, it ported the runners and sized them for reversion dams. The bowls would then be done by hand