Started 1.9TDI Conversion on a 1977 Jeep CJ-7

babyrattler

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 7, 2004
Location
LaCrosse, WI
TDI
Jetta, 1998, Green
Just wanted to start a thread on this. I am about 3 weeks into converting my 1977 Jeep CJ-7 from a 304 V8 (approx. 10 - 12 mpg) to a 1.9 TDI out of my now scrapped 1998 Jetta. I am using an AX15 trans, Dana 300 T-case, Ford 8.8 Disc Reareand with 3.73 gears and a D30 front end w/ discs.

I have the drive train pulled from both vehicals right now and I am using SolidWorks to model up the components and design the adapters between the crank and flywheel, bellhousing and block, motor mounts, etc.

Current questions are:
1) How do I drive a tachometer? I do not want to use the factory gauge cluster so I need some other option.
2) Who makes the best mechanical pump so I don't have to mess with all the wiring? I will go electric if I have to but I want to simplify things.
3) Are there any parts that would be desirable off the car before it goes to the scrap yard?

I'll keep you all posted as I go. Project should be done by Xmas time but we'll see how that goes.

Any suggestions/ advice is welcome.
 

XJ92TDI

New member
Joined
Nov 11, 2009
Location
Aurora, CO
TDI
None...Yet.
Well, I'm right there with you...I'm planning to find a 2.0 TDI for my 92 XJ with the AW4 auto trans and NP242 Tcase and try to design and package a kit for other jeepers to take advantage of the work put into it. Keep me posted on how it all goes about.
 

babyrattler

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 7, 2004
Location
LaCrosse, WI
TDI
Jetta, 1998, Green
XJ92TDI,

I was actually strongly concidering the XJ route at one time but had my CJ sitting in the garage and wanted to get it back on the road. I think you will be very happy with the package you have laid out.

I need to get some pics posted and update this thread but with working full time and designing/building this thing I don't have much time to type. :)

I still need to figure out how to insert images as well so it may be a while for pics.

Briefly, I currently have the engine out of the car and am starting to strip it down for fittment of the engine to bellhousing adapter. I will also be measuring up to determine if the engine needs to be bored or if a hone and re-ring will be sufficient. I hope to have material ordered on Monday for the adapters. I still have not found a good supplier for a mechanical pump so I will probably just go with the electric pump for now and convert to mTDI later.

I'll try to post more later. Thanks for looking.
 

Scott02

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2006
Location
near Youngstown, OH
TDI
Too Many
XJ92TDI said:
Well, I'm right there with you...I'm planning to find a 2.0 TDI for my 92 XJ with the AW4 auto trans and NP242 Tcase and try to design and package a kit for other jeepers to take advantage of the work put into it. Keep me posted on how it all goes about.
A TDI XJ is where it's at! Cheap, light, nimble, great 4x4 system, good fuel milage, can't go wrong there!
 

Spulen81

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 30, 2004
Location
Warners, NY
Current questions are:
1) How do I drive a tachometer? I do not want to use the factory gauge cluster so I need some other option.
*You could run it off the W terminal on the alternator and run a signal converter to drive your stock gauge. (dakotadigital)
2) Who makes the best mechanical pump so I don't have to mess with all the wiring? I will go electric if I have to but I want to simplify things.

*NOT dieselvw.com, prothe, crap dealer! I would use Giles in Canada if I were to buy one.
3) Are there any parts that would be desirable off the car before it goes to the scrap yard?

*Yup quite a bit. The ECU, wiring harness, cluster, pedal cluster, maf, fuel tank/fuel lines, transmission, shifter cables, clutch hydraulics. You can part out quite a bit from that car.
 

babyrattler

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 7, 2004
Location
LaCrosse, WI
TDI
Jetta, 1998, Green
Spulen81,

Thanks for the info. I'll check into the pump. I looked on the alternator and didn't see an external terminal labled W but I will do some research to determine what to do. If anybody knows of a thread please feel free to link to it for me. Thanks again.
 

jjordan11

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2008
Location
Lehi, UT
TDI
1988 Audi 80 quattro PD130, 1982 Westfalia TDI
I speak Portuguese :D. Cool site, but I don't have any contacts down there anymore, so I probably couldn't help with getting any of their products up here.

Edit: I just contacted them asking what the price would be for that kit, hopefully they'll get back to me and I'll post it.

Jon

Edit: they e-mailed me back and the cost of the kit is R$ 764, they didn't say if they would ship it here to the states though. (It was more of a form e-mail)
 
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vdubJettaTDI_2010

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 13, 2009
Location
Georgia
TDI
2010 Jetta Sedan
Babyrattler,

Do you have a lift & larger wheels on your CJ?

I have seen Hemi's, various other engines and even a Propane setup in a few jeeps, but have not run across a TDI version.

Jeep does have a diesel in their line-up, wish they would consider in the Wrangler series.

Getting 13~15mpg is the bad part of a jeepers life.

Love to see the pictures when you're project is done.
 

CFM

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2006
Location
Wells, Maine
TDI
1995 Saturn with a 1997 TDI drivetrain.
As Spulen noted, Dakota Digital for the signal converter to run your Jeep tachometer off the TDI ECU signal...did this with my Saturn TDI, and it works great!
 

harrybullitt

Active member
Joined
Apr 26, 2005
Location
Texas
TDI
2003 silver Jetta GL
I had to chime in when I saw your post. I have been wanting to drop my current TDI in a Willys at some point in the future, but putting it in a Tacoma pickup would be nice to. I found this link to Acme Adapters a while back and it seems like they have it figured out. Their kits bolt up to Suzuki & Toyota transmissions.

http://www.acmeadapters.com/index.php?sound=Y
http://www.acmeadapters.com/index.php?sound=Y


Looking forward to seeing pics,

Harry
 

OneWayRacer

Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2009
Location
Ohio
TDI
In the works
If you go the manual pump route Dakota Digital also makes a interface unit and sensor that counts the flywheel teeth and then converts that to a tach signal. We used it on a 12 valve cummins and worked out well. Just have to drill and tap a hole in your bellhousing so that the sensor can be within about an 1/8" of the flywheel teeth.

http://www.dakotadigital.com/index....tegory_id=311/home_id=59/mode=prod/prd129.htm
 

mannytranny

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 14, 2003
Location
CA
TDI
02 Jetta (sold, such a great car) '16 Touareg
On my Sidekick TDI, I used the dakota digital alternator signal for tach. Works good.

For mechanical pump info, look at vwdiesel.net. Lots of good people on there that know how to build a pump. X2 on the AVOID prothe/dieselvw site.
 

babyrattler

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 7, 2004
Location
LaCrosse, WI
TDI
Jetta, 1998, Green
Well, I haven't been keeping up on the post at all. So here is a quick one to bring you up to speed on the project.

The clutch master cylinder, upgraded brake master, and throttle controls are all installed. The flywheel is being machined this week. Frank is getting a revised parts list and $$$ together for the engine rebuild. As soon as the parts arrive and the flywheel is done the engine will go to the machine shop for block prep and balance of the rotating assembly. I will assemble the engine when the shop is done. I have been waiting on parts for the transfer case but they should be in on Tuesday so I can assemble it. I still have a long way to go but things are coming together. By the end of this week I should have all the new brake lines run as well as the fuel supply and return lines. I just recieved my 26 gallon fuel tank so that can be mounted. I need to concentrate on wiring while the engine is away at the shop.

Well, that's all for now. I inserted a few photos just for kicks. I need to take some new ones to show the progress. I'll try to keep up a little better on the posting of updates so that this thread doesn't just die. Hope all is well out there. Thanks for reading.

 

babyrattler

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 7, 2004
Location
LaCrosse, WI
TDI
Jetta, 1998, Green
Here is a more recent pic of the flywheel and adapter plate mounted to the engine. The actual flywheel is being turned right now at the machine shop. Hope to have a pic of that on Monday. More to come. Thanks for looking.
 

oil_me

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2004
Location
Woodstock, NY
TDI
Black '99 Jetta, Glacier Blue Audi 80 Quattro TDI
This is the conversion I'd like to do eventually. Looks great, thanks for the pics. Subscribed.
 

greengeeker

Vendor
Joined
Feb 8, 2006
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2002 Jetta GLS
Where did you pick up the clean Cj? I had to drive out to Washington State to pickup a rust-free tub for my CJ7 resto, made for an interesting drive home through the Rockies:

 

babyrattler

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 7, 2004
Location
LaCrosse, WI
TDI
Jetta, 1998, Green
The Jeep came out of the Harmony, MN area back in 1994. While I was 14 through 16 my father and I restored the Jeep from the ground up. It has a glass body with original steel hood and grill.

I have taken a few more pictures.

The flywheel is mostly done just requiring the holes, balancing and ring gear.





The engine has been soaked and needs to be blasted, honed, etc.


The brake booster from a Wrangler has been installed as has the hydraulic master cylinder.





The OME suspension system as well as the ss brake lines have been installed.



The 26 gallon fuel tank from CA has been installed which is a huge improvement over the 15 gallon factory tank.



The bracket for the Stainless Steel Brakes adjustable proportioning valve is ready for install.

The D300 transfer case is going together but I need to make up a .007" shim stack to tighten up the input shaft assembly before I do anymore. I have the Centerforce DF clutch kit ready to install. Ah, so much to do and so little time.



Well, hopefully I am keeping this a little interesting. Thanks for checking in on the project. Hope to write more after the weekend.
 

DCdesign

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2010
Location
Lancaster, PA
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI
This is amazing. I was a CJ-7 guy before I became a TDI guy. I would trade my small block chevy drivetrain in my CJ any day for a TDI. Good Luck!
 

N2TOH

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2003
Location
Chester County, PA
TDI
none currently
you beat me to it...

I am also interested in swapping a TDI into a CJ, how is you adapter coming?

When you finish working out the details of your adapter would you consider sharing the details?

What version of SolidWorks are you using?
 
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N2TOH

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2003
Location
Chester County, PA
TDI
none currently
Just wanted to start a thread on this. I am about 3 weeks into converting my 1977 Jeep CJ-7 from a 304 V8 (approx. 10 - 12 mpg) to a 1.9 TDI out of my now scrapped 1998 Jetta. I am using an AX15 trans, Dana 300 T-case, Ford 8.8 Disc Reareand with 3.73 gears and a D30 front end w/ discs.

I have the drive train pulled from both vehicals right now and I am using SolidWorks to model up the components and design the adapters between the crank and flywheel, bellhousing and block, motor mounts, etc.

Current questions are:
1) How do I drive a tachometer? I do not want to use the factory gauge cluster so I need some other option.

2) Who makes the best mechanical pump so I don't have to mess with all the wiring? I will go electric if I have to but I want to simplify things.

3) Are there any parts that would be desirable off the car before it goes to the scrap yard?

I'll keep you all posted as I go. Project should be done by Xmas time but we'll see how that goes.

Any suggestions/ advice is welcome.
1) the TDI ECU provides a Tach signal to drive the VW cluster, other then that I'm not sure how many pulses per rev or the voltage involved. If I had to guess I'd say it's standard 2 pulses per rev, and 5 volts TTL logic.
The voltage output is a nonissue, an optocoupler can be used to drive whatever your new Tach will need.

2) the wiring is not that bad after you strip out all the none engine related junk, I have several books on the 1Z variant and can help you with the wiring if you run into trouble.

3) yes pull the entire electrical harness out of the Jetta, the extra wire can be useful for other projects. plus if you have the whole mess with uncut wires it makes life a little easier.

4) If you decide to go with a full mechanical pump, I'd be interested in the unused ECU and harness with all the connectors for my swap.:D
 

N2TOH

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2003
Location
Chester County, PA
TDI
none currently
Adapter specs

I did a quick drawing with the TDI, and AMC bolt patterns. I noticed an interference problem on the right upper AMC bell bolt with one of the TDI block bolts. How did you solve the problem? Did you clock the engine?
 

jimbote

Certified Volkswagen Nut
Joined
Jul 10, 2006
Location
spiral arm, milky way (aka central NC)
TDI
Tacoma 4x4 converted to TDI
It looks like you're getting far along with the design of the adapter plate but I think the AX15 shares a trans to bell mounting pattern like that of the r150/r151 toyota trans...you could source a r151 22rte turbo toyota bell housing and use the acme adapter kit for your conversion....
 

jimbote

Certified Volkswagen Nut
Joined
Jul 10, 2006
Location
spiral arm, milky way (aka central NC)
TDI
Tacoma 4x4 converted to TDI
looking at pictures of the AX and the R transmissions side by side it looks like the AX has a much longer input shaft....so the acme would not work, unless you used the toyota input shaft in the AX trans, or the AX output in the toy trans...lot of work though...
 
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TheRedMagi

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2003
Location
Chalfont, PA
TDI
Golf GLS, 2003, Reflex Silver
Jealous

Droooolllll! Always talked about doing this to my 86 Cj-7 once my Golf's body rusts away from the still running TDI. Best of luck can't wait to follow the progress.
 

N2TOH

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2003
Location
Chester County, PA
TDI
none currently
WTB 1.9L short block.

I posted in the classified section, and someone there suggested I should ask here too.

Does anyone here have a blown or rebuildable short block they would like to sell/donate/dispose of?
 
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