Shop with no TDI experience doing engine swap.....

NervGS

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 30, 2008
Location
Bay area, CA
TDI
Golf 3-door, base 5 sp.
Hi all,

Kind of a foolish question.

I was in the process of doing an ALH to AHF (more or less an ALH) swap to my '01 Golf..... I ran into an issue where I personally cannot complete it anymore, and will have to have it done professionally. I have friends that run a garage, but they work pretty much on only gasoline cars. They're very, very experienced, and I trust them 100% to do any work, which is why I am going to them. Anyway, they don't have any experience working on TDIs & diesels, but this will pretty much be an engine swap, to the point where it just needs to start up - would it be that simple for an experienced shop to do the labor? In addition to the engine, they will be swapping over the clutch/flywheel, injectors, installing a rear main seal, and whatever little parts that are on the existing engine and not on the new one.

Since I did a timing belt job while the block was on a stand, I'll have to buy a VAG com and we are all going to have to learn to work on the timing there I assume, or should it be easy enough for them to do it?

Thanks,

-glenn
 

Zak99b5

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2021
Location
Albany NY
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI
You seem confident in the shop’s abilities, so why not? Diesels have some differences from gassers, of course, but I’d say 80-90% of an engine swap would be the same regardless of fuel. And this is a diesel to diesel swap, so it’s less complicated.
 

Nero Morg

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Location
OR
TDI
2014 A6 TDI, 2001 Jetta TDI, 2014 Passat TDI
Just make sure they understand. Do. Not. Use. Ether. Otherwise it's pretty straightforward.
 

tgray

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2004
Location
Marengo, IL
TDI
'02 Beetle, '05 Golf, 2000 Jetta, 2001 Jetta, 2002 Jetta
Tell them everything they ever want to know and more is found right on this forum if they run into questions. They might need a VAG com to check things out in the end.
 

Prairieview

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2017
Location
Too close to Sturgis 'ithole
TDI
Two 2000 Beetles, 2002 Jetta, 2002 gas avh Jetta, fleet of older 1.6 turbo and non's
Have you ever ventured out of a "frozen" lake very late in the spring wearing a blind fold because someone on the shore (who you did not know) said the ice is good and thick?

First you say they are "experienced." Then you say they don't know how to work on one of these diesels. Does anyone else here SMELL disaster? I sure do.

Edit: WHAT was the nature of YOUR "issue?" Did you personally have a clue how to perform the necessary work? I smell rotting fish.
 

wonneber

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 12, 2011
Location
Monroe, NY, USA
TDI
2014 Jetta Sportwagon,2003 Jetta 261K Sold but not forgotten
Are you aware the CPU and other electronics need to be changed going from gas to diesel?

Can someone comment if the dash cluster needs to be swapped?
 

Nero Morg

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Location
OR
TDI
2014 A6 TDI, 2001 Jetta TDI, 2014 Passat TDI
Yes, engine computer, gauge cluster, key immobilizer chip, and engine harness need carried over. Take out gas fuel sender, put in diesel fuel sender. Bolt rest in. It's not rocket science, no need to blow it out of proportion.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
OP: If the shop does a good job let us know who they are. Customers in the LA area are frequently asking us about repair shops and we're short of recommendations.
 

NervGS

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 30, 2008
Location
Bay area, CA
TDI
Golf 3-door, base 5 sp.
Whoa, I just read some of the replies on this thread.

Prairieview: I meant they are very experienced with gasoline cars. Yes, they're NOT experienced with diesels, but it's a diesel to diesel engine swap that should be for the most part straight forward if instructions are listened to. I don't know how difficult it is to get the timing right after a belt job, so that was another part of the question. I'm the type of person to look at something 10 times before actually doing it, if I have never done it, and am aware of what these engines need to run properly. The shop being a business means time & space is money, and I'd rather not make it a tricky job for someone working on these cars for the first time by making it massively difficult for them since a straight forward engine swap turns into a whole different issue.

wonneber & Nero Morg: Last time I checked an AHF was a diesel engine that was very close to an ALH to the point where it's almost a straight swap, and I'm not going from gas to diesel. Did either of you read the initial post?

IndigoBlueWagon: For sure, I will update this thread after the job is done and the car is on the road. I'm planning to tow the car to another garage much farther away, but they have experience with TDIs. The ultimate test will be a 400 mile drive back home.

-glenn
 

Nero Morg

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Location
OR
TDI
2014 A6 TDI, 2001 Jetta TDI, 2014 Passat TDI
I'll be honest, I was just skimming when reading originally. Only thing they'll need is the a4 timing belt procedure pdf, if they follow that, they won't have any issues. I'm a heavy duty diesel tech myself, but am self trained on the ALH timing belts. If I can do it in my garage, they can do it in a professional shop environment.
 

Nero Morg

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Location
OR
TDI
2014 A6 TDI, 2001 Jetta TDI, 2014 Passat TDI
Going gas to diesel. I'm sure there's processes for it.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
But he's not. One rotary pump diesel to another. They look the same. As long as the EGR and stock exhaust are in place I don't think he'll have a problem. But then, I don't live in CA.
 

Nero Morg

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Location
OR
TDI
2014 A6 TDI, 2001 Jetta TDI, 2014 Passat TDI
Hmm. Once again I forgot the full details of the thread I was replying to.
Diesel for diesel. Run the same ecm, as long as readiness monitors pass and no faults, motor on.
 

Tdijarhead

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Location
Lawrenceville PA
TDI
2003 TDI Jetta Daughters Car, 2001 TDI Beetle, Wife’s car, 2005 Golf TDI Mine, all 5 spds
Diesel for diesel, I’ve done it in my garage with no lift so they should be fine. No cluster, ecu or immo etc swap just go with what is already in the car. You will need to set the timing if it hasn’t been done since you did the timing belt.
 

flashmayo

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2007
Location
Santa Cruz CA
TDI
'03 Jetta - Gator Tuned
The last smog I did in CA, I asked the shop owner about the change in regulations for diesel powered vehicles. He was basically clueless. He was not the smog tech.
All the smog tests I've done with my Mk4 involve a visual inspection for equipment, a visual for smoke, and a scan of the ECU for codes, pending codes, cleared codes etc. Not sure what the differences are between the 2 engines, but if the ECU stays with the chassis, it probably won't betray the subterfuge.
ALH to AHF; Did the AHF come in the Euro built Mk4?
I have to admit I have acute CA smog check PTSD from my experiences with all the sub $500 cars I owned in my younger days. When I hear the word swap I have to pour a glass of white wine and call my therapist. (After finishing my yoga session).
 
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