First gen 4runner conversion

ToyotaTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2011
Location
Victoria, B.C.
TDI
1988 4Runner AHU
Howdy all, figure its about time to introduce myself considering im getting into the thick of my TDI swap. Guess you guys would like some details, no?

The truck is a 1988 Toyota 4Runner with a thirsty 3.0 V6 and an a clunky a340f automatic trans. Well I have picked up an AHU from a 1998 jetta with higher kms (hoping she will be okay) as well as decent w56 and everything needed for the 5spd swap.

The plan for now is just to get the thing in an running. After she is running I am hoping to add a nicer FMIC and some nozzles/chip. Gonna be lifting it about 4" with 33" tires so the extra power should do the trick nicely.

So, as it sits now the 3.0 and auto are ready to pull and should be this weekend and I have the adaptor plate 90% done. Just have to countersink some holes for the bolts going into the ahu. I also need to drill the holes for the 22re flywheel and find a source for an oilite bushing (best to do this locally?)

So let me start by asking what parts should I be ordering while im waiting around for time to wrench? Nothing worse then having some free time and waiting for parts...I was going to order the marlincrawler 1600lb HD clutch but ti turn out the factory was damaged during the earthquake sooo they are backordered without an ETA. Anybody with a clutch reccomendation??

Pleasure to meet you all, Glad to be among some of the most experienced TDI guru's!

Cheers :D
 

dennis1a4

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 5, 2010
Location
Northern Manitoba
TDI
Toyota Integra TDI
For the bushing I had to use two bushings and press them together to make one. There's more info with sizes on my site. Or I know someone found a bearing that was the right size. Might have to do some searching to find that thread. I think it was on TDIClub.

For the clutch I would try calling Marlin up. Their site showed out of stock but when I called them last week, they said they had some 1600# clutches and are sending me one.
 
Last edited:

cumminsfromthecold

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2006
Location
HumCo
TDI
'84 Toyota 1Z 4WD x-cab
Partial Order List

AEB oil filter housing/oil cooler adapter. with new gasket and o-ring.

Welder who can build you the custom coolant flange you'll need with the likely limited firewall clearance you'll end up with. New coolant flange o-ring.

I recommend BoraParts Oldpoopie timing belt/water pump kit.

Keeping AC? Get a VR6 water pump pulley.

Viton hoses if you're going biodiesel.

VAGCOM software.

New transfer case HD crossmember mount from TrailGear. I'd get the HD clutch from them too. Fast, efficient company.

ALH intake manifold.

Good luck :)
 

ToyotaTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2011
Location
Victoria, B.C.
TDI
1988 4Runner AHU
I guess I forgot to mention that with the 5spd swap im moving my crossmember forward so any firewall issues should be eliminated. Would I still need the oil filter housing or would pushing the engine forward eliminate the need?

The timing belt and IP were recently done, so they should be good to go for now.

Now for a stupid question of which I should know the answer. What did you guys use for your fuel pump? Im assuming you need a lift pump of some sort, does the stock toyota pump do the trick or is the pressure too high??
 

LukeWilson

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2010
Location
Ottawa, ON
TDI
Toyota 4x4 TDI, 2004 Allroad TDI
You might be able to use a regulator with the stock yota pump, it is way too high as is. I am not running any fuel pump in mine and it works just fine. It was a pain in the ass to bleed until i got a vacuum pump though.

Luke
 

jimbote

Certified Volkswagen Nut
Joined
Jul 10, 2006
Location
spiral arm, milky way (aka central NC)
TDI
Tacoma 4x4 converted to TDI
I guess I forgot to mention that with the 5spd swap im moving my crossmember forward so any firewall issues should be eliminated. Would I still need the oil filter housing or would pushing the engine forward eliminate the need?

The timing belt and IP were recently done, so they should be good to go for now.

Now for a stupid question of which I should know the answer. What did you guys use for your fuel pump? Im assuming you need a lift pump of some sort, does the stock toyota pump do the trick or is the pressure too high??
I'm using the stock FI intank pump with a holley bypass regulator designed to convert FI cars to carburetor while maintaining the stock high pressure pump....I ordered it from a diesel performance website...it's adjustable too
 

ToyotaTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2011
Location
Victoria, B.C.
TDI
1988 4Runner AHU
So most of you guys are running no sort of lift pump then? Interesting

I guess as long as its bled its fine or is it hard on the IP to be pulling fuel all the time?

All I can see from the trail-gear website is their heavy duty ceramic clutches. I heard those things are like an on off switch any experiences with this?
 

ToyotaTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2011
Location
Victoria, B.C.
TDI
1988 4Runner AHU
Wow dennis just checked out your site as well thats quite the project you got there. Great site buddy lots of good info on there, your doing the TDI world a service my friend.

Cheers! :D
 

LukeWilson

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2010
Location
Ottawa, ON
TDI
Toyota 4x4 TDI, 2004 Allroad TDI
The AHU, 1Z and ALH cars didn't have a lift pump in the stock configuration, it wasn't until the BEW in 2004 that they got one. As long as there are no leaks in the fuel system, everything will work as stock.

Luke
 

ToyotaTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2011
Location
Victoria, B.C.
TDI
1988 4Runner AHU
Well got the adaptor plate finished today, looks good. Hoping to have it test fit this weekend. The plate is 3/8" aluminum cut using using a waterjet.

If anyone is wondering the bolts are M12x1.75 flat head cap screws. 25mm total length

 
Last edited:

ToyotaTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2011
Location
Victoria, B.C.
TDI
1988 4Runner AHU
Oh yeah had to move the engine from my brothers house to my place. Lets just say I ride a motorcycle and have access to one and only one car while the 4runner is down....


























Haters gonna hate :D



Yes thats a complete TDI, a 2ton engine hoist and a 205lb me in a pontiac firefly....3 cylinder
 

ToyotaTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2011
Location
Victoria, B.C.
TDI
1988 4Runner AHU
Well I suppose I may as well continue my pic whore streak...Here is the heart transplant recipient!
She was sitting for a long 4 years. Threw some gas in, it started and drove home with no work. I love toyota!!

 
Last edited:

ToyotaTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2011
Location
Victoria, B.C.
TDI
1988 4Runner AHU
well maybe I should clarify...The truck had the a340h but I bought a w56 and im doing the 5spd swap at the same time.
 

dennis1a4

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 5, 2010
Location
Northern Manitoba
TDI
Toyota Integra TDI
Wow dennis just checked out your site as well thats quite the project you got there. Great site buddy lots of good info on there, your doing the TDI world a service my friend.

Cheers! :D
Thanks for the complement. I wanted to share my build with every one on the internet not just TDI club (but you guys are still my favorite), that's why I made a site instead of just a build thread. If I would have known how much time it takes to make a web site, I probably would have just done a build thread :)
 

ToyotaTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2011
Location
Victoria, B.C.
TDI
1988 4Runner AHU
I will be going with an aftermarket intercooler setup but am having trouble finding intercoolers short enough to fit behind the 4runner grille.

Anybody have any experience with http://www.frozenboost.com or any of the cheaper universal intercoolers?

Most reviews seem to be not bad for the price
 
Last edited:

JayTee013

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2011
Location
Union, CT
TDI
2000 jetta TDI, 1992 toyota Pickup TDI project
Cheap intercoolers

I have never ordered anything from Frozenboost (been there many times evaluating options), but I have used and have seen friends use CXracing and have had no problems with their products, especially for the price. Their universal piping kits work really well as well. I usually buy from them off ebay as you can usually beat their website prices that way.
 

LukeWilson

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2010
Location
Ottawa, ON
TDI
Toyota 4x4 TDI, 2004 Allroad TDI
I think my intercooler is a CX racing unit from ebay. I cant recall the size but you can see how well it fits in my build thread. I think it was just over $100 for the intercooler and a universal piping kit. I'll see if i can dig up what size it was.
 

imtryin

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 28, 2010
Location
portland, OR
TDI
smashed up 98 jetta tdi soon to go into a toyota pickup
yeah that seems to be the standard issue toyota swap IC kit. I think every one i have seen so far has it.
LOOKIN GOOD!
-Sam
 

cumminsfromthecold

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2006
Location
HumCo
TDI
'84 Toyota 1Z 4WD x-cab
Re intercooler for Toyota TDI

Thanks, guys. :D The quality of that set-up is better than I expected.

Using an air filter set-up almost just like e*clipse's. Also, on my older rig, I had to add a few washers/spacers to the vertical metal strut supporting the hood latch assembly - that allowed the intercooler to slip in.

E*clipse's thread shows a nice way of routing everything into that particular corner, and eventually, that's the plan.
 
Last edited:

ToyotaTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2011
Location
Victoria, B.C.
TDI
1988 4Runner AHU
Long time, no updates...I have been busy as excrement working on my final project for engineering. Building a kickass racing simulator for www.vrx.ca is all I can say for now. Will post the final product at the end of september. If anybody knows alex tagliani, its for him, its gonna end up costing about 60k :rolleyes:

Back on topic. Fair amount of work has been done, I'm just horrible with updates and pictures.

3.0 V6 and automatic have been pulled and sold. MAN that thing was a sausage to get out of there....its about 6 or so inches longer then the w56 IIRC. Gave the engine bay a nice spray bomb and a quick prep. While the engine was also I also got a chance to drill the 32mm hole in the firewall to accommodate the master cylinder. Starting to wish I started with a standard truck...




The truck was also given a 3 inch body lift...now I know there are some haters out there. I have had lots of trucks, with all sorts of lifts, and I can honestly say if your not gonna wheel almost every weekend, the body lift is just fine. The clearance the body lift creates works wonders on fitment issues. Love it


I also managed to get an intercooler kit from CXracing of ebay, not bad for 180 bucks. The fins are a little mangled but as long as it works...im pleased.


The dimensions of the intercooler are 28x7x2.5 with 2.25 piping
 
Last edited:

ToyotaTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2011
Location
Victoria, B.C.
TDI
1988 4Runner AHU
I also found a great solution to the firewall clearance problem everybody has been having. The crossmember from the A340H bolts to the W56 transmission AND moves the whole setup 3 inches forwards. As you can see in the pictures here, no problem clearing the firewall.



While im on this topic, I was looking for a few opinions on the slope of the engine, there is definetly a hefty angle on it, pretty much what the stock 3.0 v6 was at. Here is a picture taken between the body and the frame of the transmission to show the angle.

Anybody know if the TDI engine minds running at such an angle? I know the stock v6 was close to this angle, just worried that a transverse engine may not be used to this.

Unfortunately the oil pan drain plug hits the front differential, so a diff drop or oil pan smash is the only way to get he engine lower in the truck.

Here is another view, as you can see I picked up an oil stand from a 1.8T passat as a few members around here have suggested. This solution takes care of the clearance issues associated with making a drivers side engine mount, and IMO is way more reliable then a filter relocation kit.

 

ToyotaTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2011
Location
Victoria, B.C.
TDI
1988 4Runner AHU
Here is another pic of the angle, you can see the angle of the timing cover with reference to the radiator. The radiator has just been mocked up for now, need to look into some sort of controller/relays to power it. Anybody have a solution for this? Might just end up going with a tarus fan or similar mounted on the stock rad. There is a great writeup on pirate if anybody is interested.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?p=8171423

 

markd89

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2009
Location
Los Angeles
TDI
1978 VW Bus 1Z TDI
Controlling the radiator fans should be pretty easy.

On my setup, I have a temp switch in the radiator. When it gets hot, the switch closes. That switch controls a relay which runs the fans.

There's more sophisticated ways to do it -- temp switches with two set points to run the fans on low or high. I think there may be a way to control it with the computer too.

I'm going with the simplest method :)

Mark
 

ToyotaTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2011
Location
Victoria, B.C.
TDI
1988 4Runner AHU
Yeah I was thinking of running some sort of relay setup. Just thought I heard something about somebody using thier stock ECU for an output signal.

Anybody have experience with the angle of the TDI engines? How much can these engines handle?
 
Top