Scirocco TDI

[hobojoker]

Well, since I've changed my project and my old thread was quite disappointing. I'm making a new thread for it. I was planning on making this a surprise when I finished, but I think I'd rather make a progressive thread.

I have this thread on vwvortex in the scirocco forum and on myturbodiesel.com, so I'm just going to copy and paste what I've posted there rather than try to make a new write up... they're recent anyway.

So I'm swapping in a TDI from my 2000 Golf donor - along with a bunch of accessories and anything else I wanted from the donor.

Originally, I had wanted to swap into a 1981 Rabbit that I have, but then I found a gutted 1987 Scirocco MK2 and decided it would be a better recipient. Now I can keep my perfectly functioning '81 diesel rabbit along with my monster scirocco.

I've learned that I was quite unlucky with my choice of donor car, I found a rear ended tdi for a decent price quite near where I am doing this swap and jumped on it. Unfortunately for me, this car had a few issues.

So now, I've removed nearly everything from the car donor, I have the wiring harness in the car (9 hours of soldering after having to cut it in half). Thanks to RedneckTruck, he came up from Texas to pick up some parts from me so I gave him the parts for free because he did the wiring for me. And I'm waiting for my new VNT-17 to arrive before installing that, finishing the timing belt job, and installing the new clutch. Hopefully Chittychittybangbang will be back to help me out again. He's a great guy and extremely knowledgeable and helpful (as is obvious by his website alone, www.myturbodiesel.com).

So that's where I'm at now. I spent 8 hours today trying to make a bracket for fit the throttle pedal in a decent place reliably... I'm not sure how well that's going to work considering the bracket is made of 1/4" steel plates in the most bizarre arrangement... I need to cut out some of the air duct to the foot well to fit it properly, I hope that works out?

Then I'll be installing the shifter assembly, cutting holes into the firewall to run the cables. I hope it won't sit too far forward and interfere with the console. If it does, then I'll just have to modify the console/shifter.

Once I finish the engine upgrades then it should be set to drop into the car and start wiring it all up. I'll be using the stock exhaust for now, until I can acquire and fab up some new 2.5" exhaust piping.

I'm in the need of some A1 engine mounts though, since the scirocco didn't come with an engine, it also didn't come with the mounts or brackets unfortunately. So I'll need to find some of those, as well as a new lower right control arm which was bent during transportation... Also I'll need to reroute some fuel lines and figure out how to eliminate the CIS fuel pump (pumps at up to 120 PSI!) or regulate it or something...

So, still much to do!

It'd be nice to be able to remove the seats too, but they aren't stock and I'm not exactly sure how to remove them. They are powered Recaro touring seats (I think??). I'd also like to reupholster them if I can get them out.

Wow... well that's long enough, I need to get some pictures up!

Anyone by NYC who is interested/would like to contribute in any way to to this project feel free to send me a PM.

Since I hate not having any pictures up:





picking up the 'rocco



When i first started taking apart the golf





Engine out



mostly gutted

That's all I have right now, except for a couple pictures of me in the scirocco engine bay - but I'll need to fish those out of my email.

I need some current pictures, these are old (a month?)


Updates:
On thursday (still waiting on pictures) chittychittybangbang came down from CT and helped me finish installing the TB, install the new vnt 17, and install the new clutch. So the engine is pretty much done now. I need a few new vacuum lines and to tighten a few nuts and bolts.

One of the EGR pipes doesn't quite connect now, but the turbo bolts aren't on tight so maybe that's why, if it still doesn't connect I may delete the EGR with a kit.

Unfortunately this turbo the mount for the bracket that holds it to the engine is perpendicular to the one that was originally on the car (it's a 2000, the 2001 car changed that) so I need to either modify the bracket or something. Shouldn't be too difficult.

I forgot a few things I needed to finish the turbo install completely so I'll bring those when I work on the car sunday (oil return line and bracket).

I finally made a list of everything I need to do before I install the engine:

put bracket on turbo/engine and the oil return line
tighten nuts/bolts
new vacuum line
mechanical clutch slave install
shifter install
fuel lines reroute
remove cis system (or determine if it can be kept?!?)
install new lower right control arm
buy engine mounts/brackets
fix serpentine belt pulleys and roller thing/find a new belt without AC and PS

probe intercooler (or ebay)
new hoses
ccv mod
egr delete?
boost gauge
boost valve
Throttle plate
exhaust (use makeshift or fab new one)

so there isn't too much to do:
On sunday I'll be try to get everything tightened down on the engine, and put those final things on the turbo

I still need to figure out how to remove the shifter cables from the shifter (I don't want to mess around with it until I know how - it doesn't look difficult, but...) and then that's an easy install

and I also will install the mechanical clutch slave on the tranny

I've sent IMs to a bunch of people about the mounts and the lower right control arm, so hopefully I'll have that soon and can install it.\

And I need a lot more information before I know what to do about the fuel lines: Basically, will the system function without the computer(s)? I'm assuming I would have to regulate the pressure (it's 75 psi avg) and I know G60ing you regulated it to 6 psi.

If I decided removing it would be better, would that cause any problems? And how easy would it be to remove?


After everything on the list, then it's just a matter of hooking up wires, cleaning out the fuel tank and starting it up.

Also, I hope on sunday to install the steering column boot.

 

[hobojoker]

PICS:

new vnt 17

new rear main seal, and clutch installed

turbo installed

wiring mess

more mess

 

[hobojoker]

-snip-

 

[hobojoker]

So I went today to go work on the car:

I mounted the mechanical clutch slave, but I'm not sure if it's properly mounted (I don't see another way, though...)

I unfortunately, I couldn't get to the shop next door to fabricate a bracket for the turbo - so I couldn't tighten down anything or really finish up the engine which is upsetting.

Also, i'm frustrated to no end with getting this steering column boot on. The old one doesn't want to come off, I seriously think it's glued in, and I've taken off the bolts for the steering column but I can't disconnect it!

Anyway, I took a couple pictures with my phone and I'll try to get those up later. Wish I accomplished more

 

[G60ING]

use a utility knife on the boot. Did you unbolt the rack from the steering knuckle?

 

[phazersonstun]

Bout time one of these swaps was done! SWEET! Good luck dude!

 

[hobojoker]

I unbolted it, but I couldn't get it to come apart, I then unbolted it underneath the dash at the only bolt... then I couldn't get that to come apart either.

Anyway, I worked on it a bit more today. I found out I actually did have that bracket I needed. It came with the kit. I had thought it was something else and put it with the timing belt stuff. DOH, so the engine is totally ready now except for fluids and such. I need to figure out something to do with the serpentine belt. I took a few photos and I'll put them in photoshop and try to draw what I want and we'll see if anyone knows what I can do.

The most important thing to do/figure out right now is the fuel lines/pump situation. I'm thinking the easiest thing to do now will just be to unhook the power wire to the fuel pump and remove the regulator and whatever else that thing is by the fuel tank (pictures in a minute). Then take out the hard lines and run all new fuel lines up to the right side of the engine bay (they currently run to the left.)

My new control arm should be here soon, and I'm hoping this guy on vwvortex can send me the front engine mount soon. Hopefully the engine will be in the car in a decent amount of time. (I'm going to Chicago this Friday so that'll take some time off)

 

[hobojoker]

Picture time:









Pics of the 'rocco in the 'garage'

RedneckTruck rehooking up the wires

experimenting with a spare cluster how gold would look.

 

[hobojoker]

Lambo I passed right before exiting for work on Sunday =P



Mechanical clutch slave installed:



Here's underneath the car, the fuel regulator and filter or something like that...

And I'm not exactly sure what this is:

 

[hobojoker]

And... here's a photo of me in the engine bay the day I brought the car to the shop. Forgive the reflective jacket, it's required at work.

 

[hobojoker]

Oh, i forgot about the serpentine belt stuff:







How can I accomplish either of the last 2 photos? The belt is WAYYY too long, I'm not running PS or a compressor. So i need to find an alternative.

 

[hobojoker]

Here's a diagram I found for the CIS fuel system.

This is what I have left of the system (the previous pictures that I had taken show the accumulator and filter):

Awesome, I just got a ton of information from a very informed source on the vortex. Looks like tomorrow I'll be removing the pump, filter and accumulator on the underside of the car. There is an in tank fuel pump that pumps at about 12 psi, so I'll run new lines and regulate that to 6 psi. I need to learn some more about adjustable regulators, or find a fixed one at 6 psi.


G60ING, you have already been so helpful, but of course I have more questions. What kind of regulator did you use? I know you regulated your fuel pressure at 6 psi as well.

 

[G60ING]

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=252044

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=4467099

 

[greengeeker]

I think you'd want to go with option three so you can maintain wrap on the alt pulley:

Question is can you find a belt short enough?

That would be your coil.

 

[hobojoker]

Thank you Green, and G60ING, I responded to you on the vortex thread.

 

[hobojoker]

Finally got the throttle pedal installed today. I'm wondering how others have done that in their swaps? It was a pain trying to position it well. It's a bit too high right now (it's even with the brake and clutch), which will probably make it uncomfortable on any long journey. But, it's in. I can modify it later.

I also removed the fuel pump and accumulator, so now I just need to run some new fuel lines, get that control arm installed, find the right sized pulley for the alternator, and get that front engine mount.

 

[G60ING]

You can get a shorter belt. Find its part number and then go to the local parts store. Tell them you belt's parts number and ask them to decode it for you. Belt part numbers usually tell you the number of ribs and the belt length in mm or inches. then just get a couple belts around the proper length. (use a tape measure to figure out the correct length.

 

[hobojoker]

Oh, that's awesome! Thanks once again G60ING.

For the fuel lines, the first thing I'm going to try to do is see if I can remove them from the golf first and hook those up. If that's not going to happen for whatever reason, I'll be ordering a few meters from autohausaz

 

[hobojoker]

Made more progress today. I cut the fuel lines in the Scirocco, and then I plugged in the ones from the Golf. Seems to fit well. I need to add a few inches though.

I also removed the lower right control arm, so as soon as that arrives I can hopefully install it. I don't plan on making any progress tomorrow -- and Friday I'm leaving so, updates will begin again Wednesday, hopefully I can install everything and *maybe* have the engine in. I definitely want it in by next Friday at the latest, but something is probably going to come up.

 

[LiLredTDI]

I have had to figure out some unknown custom belt/pulley stuff before. I bought one of those emergency fanbelts you can customize to get the aproximiate fit, then brought it o the auto parts store and matched it up. If you have access to WW Grainger, thier catalog lists all belt sizes and styles so you can figure it out and have it sent to your home/business.

 

[hobojoker]

That's awesome! Thanks lilred, I actually just ordered a belt from a 1996 vw. 6pk894, I had measured out my 'ideal' setup as needing a belt sized 6pk790 (which is from a 1988 Nissan Stanza/Pulsar). But, I'm bulk ordering from another site and it's cheaper to try to see if I can make this belt fit first.

I'll also be ordering a front mounted intercooler. I forgot to mention that.

 

[hobojoker]

To do tomorrow:

Measure space for intercooler

install shifter assembly

drain fuel tank, clean it out

anything else that comes up.

 

[G60ING]

anything else that comes up.

most important part of a swap

 

[hobojoker]

So i drained the fuel tank and cleaned up some stuff. But that's about it.

I seriously need to know how to remove the shifter cables either from the shifter assembly, or from the bracket that mounts to the transmission. Does anyone know??

I'm going to head over to jack daniels and see if I can pick up some vacuum lines...

 

[hobojoker]

Jack Daniels: of course they didn't have vacuum lines or transmission fluid in stock.

Anyway, I'm looking at FMIC, I can't decide which to get?! I wish I knew how much the stock intercooler flowed. Maximum dimensions 27x9x3. I guess I should just go as big as possible, it's a cheapo ebay intercooler.


Looking at a few wiring diagrams now to see how I should wire in my fuel pump switch, unless I find a reasonably priced fuel pressure regulator for 6 psi, I'm going with G60ING's H fitting.


I've looked all over and I cannot find any kind of instruction to remove the shifter cables either from the shifter, or the bracket that was attached to the tranny. I found ONE thing, and that was "I can't figure out how to remove the cables from the transmission, removing them from the shifter was easy"

That helped a lot...I may or may not post a couple cell phone shots. We'll see if my computer cooperates. My brother's coming home from China next week so I'll have my camera back in time for the engine install.

Today at work, I went over to the mechanic we use at work to go borrow a pump to drain the fuel tank. I got to talking with him and learned he's a diesel head. He has 3 Merc diesels and a cummins he's swapping into something. If anyone is interested he has one of the mercs for sale, old turbo 5 cylinder, for about $800 bucks 220,000 miles. It's no looker, but it's reliable transportation. Just putting it out there.

Back on topic though, since I was telling him about my project he let me know he'd be happy to help with anything I need. So I'll be borrowing his engine hoist for the engine install. That'll be 1000 times easier than trying to use the forklift again...

 

[hobojoker]

Pump and accumulator removed

Pedal installed

 

[G60ING]

to remove the cables from the bracket that mounts to the transmission you just need to remove a metal clip with a flat screw driver blade and or needle nose pliers.

 

[G60ING]

 

[G60ING]

 

[hobojoker]

Thank you G60ING, I was looking at that clip earlier too. I'm always worried about breaking things so I like to know what I'm doing first. You rock =)

I'll be at work for a few hours tomorrow, hopefully I won't be in the 12 foot pits digging again and have time to mount the shifter!

Then it's off to Chicago (I better order that FMIC tonight...) and I'll be back to work on the car Wednesday.