Frankencar
Veteran Member
- Joined
- May 15, 2007
- Location
- Dixon, California
- TDI
- 1991 GTI +TDI, Lifted 98 NB TDI, Corrado TDI Swap, 15 Golf TDI, a dozen TDI motors etc...
Here is the YouTube video of the original engine conversion: 61MPG VW 1991 GTI TDI Swap
***Updates since original motor swap***
Over 60,000 miles on the swap with no problems
1/4 mile: 14.658 @95 mph
Averaging over 60 MPG
Big Turbo & Rallye FMIC thread: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=346447
VR6 suspension and Boxster brakes thread: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=357793
Epic 61MPG VW GTI TDI Road Trip thread http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=358576
***
Well it's official now, this GTI is a diesel. When I drove it home Friday evening after work (August 19th) 4:00 it was a completely intact Gasser GTI with a few mods (Passat control arms, MK3 Axles and tie rods, G60 brakes, Big sway bars...) Now it's been improved. Here is the basic timeline:
Friday 4:00 PM - start disassembly
Friday 9:30 PM - car is down to the firewall inside and out except for the heater box
Saturday 8:00 AM - Started with washing the engine bay, then tore apart and relubed the manual steering rack before installing it, install the MK3 wiring harness through the firewall after slight enlarging of the holes to accept it. The Corrado pedal assembly with a minor rigidity mod and DBW added was installed next, followed by the TDI and 02A (CTN). Once the TDI was in I made some notches in the rain tray to install the MK3 harness properly, and then reassembled the front end (radiator, core support, grill, bumper). I was done with that by about 10:00 PM
Sunday 8:00 AM - Started the day with finishing a few things up under the hood (coolant bubble, some wiring) followed by all the things that needed to be swapped under the car (fuel tank, fuel lines, exhaust system, corrado shifter box). When that was complete we installed the airbox and started messing with the wiring inside. We started the engine for the first time at 9:00 that night and brought it up to temperature to set the timing.
Sunday 10:30 PM - Engine runs, timing set, but missed the goal of "complete" backed it in the garage under its own power.
Monday 5:00 PM - Arrived home from work. I immediately started messing with the wiring, took it for a quick spin, adjusted the shift linkage, and installed the rest of the dash, console etc. It was compete enough for my liking my about 10:00 PM.
Tuesday - drove it to work in the morning and WOW this thing is nice! Quiet, plenty of torque! I took it to the DMV on my lunch break and had the registration fixed - had to get that "D" on the title since "G" would now be incorrect and require emissions testing. The guy looked it over and filled out the form and I was out of there without too much of a headache. After work i went and had it aligned before heading home and installing the headlight harness.
Today - there is still plenty left to do, but I'm glad there really wasn't much down-time associated with "fixing" my GTI. I'm so glad to be done with that stupid Gasoline powered lump!
Sorry for only 2 crummy cell phone pics - I will get some more uploaded at some point, I also updated my web page to reflect this new motor:
My 1991 GTI TDI conversion page
***Updates since original motor swap***
Over 60,000 miles on the swap with no problems
1/4 mile: 14.658 @95 mph
Averaging over 60 MPG
Big Turbo & Rallye FMIC thread: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=346447
VR6 suspension and Boxster brakes thread: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=357793
Epic 61MPG VW GTI TDI Road Trip thread http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=358576
***
Well it's official now, this GTI is a diesel. When I drove it home Friday evening after work (August 19th) 4:00 it was a completely intact Gasser GTI with a few mods (Passat control arms, MK3 Axles and tie rods, G60 brakes, Big sway bars...) Now it's been improved. Here is the basic timeline:
Friday 4:00 PM - start disassembly
Friday 9:30 PM - car is down to the firewall inside and out except for the heater box
Saturday 8:00 AM - Started with washing the engine bay, then tore apart and relubed the manual steering rack before installing it, install the MK3 wiring harness through the firewall after slight enlarging of the holes to accept it. The Corrado pedal assembly with a minor rigidity mod and DBW added was installed next, followed by the TDI and 02A (CTN). Once the TDI was in I made some notches in the rain tray to install the MK3 harness properly, and then reassembled the front end (radiator, core support, grill, bumper). I was done with that by about 10:00 PM
Sunday 8:00 AM - Started the day with finishing a few things up under the hood (coolant bubble, some wiring) followed by all the things that needed to be swapped under the car (fuel tank, fuel lines, exhaust system, corrado shifter box). When that was complete we installed the airbox and started messing with the wiring inside. We started the engine for the first time at 9:00 that night and brought it up to temperature to set the timing.
Sunday 10:30 PM - Engine runs, timing set, but missed the goal of "complete" backed it in the garage under its own power.
Monday 5:00 PM - Arrived home from work. I immediately started messing with the wiring, took it for a quick spin, adjusted the shift linkage, and installed the rest of the dash, console etc. It was compete enough for my liking my about 10:00 PM.
Tuesday - drove it to work in the morning and WOW this thing is nice! Quiet, plenty of torque! I took it to the DMV on my lunch break and had the registration fixed - had to get that "D" on the title since "G" would now be incorrect and require emissions testing. The guy looked it over and filled out the form and I was out of there without too much of a headache. After work i went and had it aligned before heading home and installing the headlight harness.
Today - there is still plenty left to do, but I'm glad there really wasn't much down-time associated with "fixing" my GTI. I'm so glad to be done with that stupid Gasoline powered lump!
Sorry for only 2 crummy cell phone pics - I will get some more uploaded at some point, I also updated my web page to reflect this new motor:
My 1991 GTI TDI conversion page
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