TDI motor into an R32

lupin..the..3rd

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2004
Location
USA
TDI
Passat B4 1996
So why hasn't anyone done this yet? Just curious. If I had a garage to work in, I'd already have done it. :D

This seems like the easiest plug-n-play method to get an AWD TDI in the US. Plus you get all the sporty R32 bits like big brakes, recaro seats, 3-spoke steering wheel, body kit, etc.
 

gruppe_a

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 30, 2005
Location
Lake Tahoe, CA
TDI
'91 Golf
TDI Power

Yeah, with as many that get wrecked you'd think one or 2 might have been infused with TDI POWER somewhere along the way... More money in the parts I guess?

But then, how long did it take for TDI's to start getting put into B3 Passat syncros? It's all relative.
 
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CandyCabrio

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
Location
Mars
gruppe_a said:
Yeah, with as many that get wrecked you'd think one or 2 might have been infused with TDI POWER somewhere along the way... More money in the parts I guess?

But then, how long did it take for TDI's to start getting put into B4 Passat syncros? It's all relative.
This is the best way to make a AWD golf... but I have to ask why?

I think tis pointless... waste of $... keep the r32 original! and your TDI!
 

G60ING

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 5, 2001
Location
MD
TDI
No TDIs Currently, I have an R36 Corrado. I've had an ALH Corrado swap, AHU Corrado swap and 2003 TDI Jetta
The TT is the cheapest/easiest
 

Scott_DeWitt

Vendor
Joined
Apr 7, 2004
Location
Texas USA
TDI
2000 Audi A4 1.9TDI quattro
lupin..the..3rd said:
So why hasn't anyone done this yet? Just curious. If I had a garage to work in, I'd already have done it. :D

This seems like the easiest plug-n-play method to get an AWD TDI in the US. Plus you get all the sporty R32 bits like big brakes, recaro seats, 3-spoke steering wheel, body kit, etc.
It's certainly do-able but your talking about converting car with a retail value in the high 20's. Even as salvage R32's bring big bucks. TT's are going for less than half that. There is also the A4 quattro with many earlier examples going for cheap.
 
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CandyCabrio

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Joined
Nov 20, 2007
Location
Mars
Scott_DeWitt said:
It's certainly do-able but your talking about converting car with a retail value in the high 20's. Even as salvage R32's bring big bucks. TT's are going for less than half that. There is also the A4 quattro with many earlier examples going for cheap.
TT are hard to find,

on vwvortex a certifed r32 rebuilder goes for 8,000...

you think you can get a TT for 4,000?
 

Scott_DeWitt

Vendor
Joined
Apr 7, 2004
Location
Texas USA
TDI
2000 Audi A4 1.9TDI quattro
2 years ago I bought a rebuildable 225tt roadster for 1,500 bucks from a salvage yard. I sold it to someone who fixed it and still owns it. So yes to your question. What about an R32? They are going for mid teens in repairable condition.
 

G60ING

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 5, 2001
Location
MD
TDI
No TDIs Currently, I have an R36 Corrado. I've had an ALH Corrado swap, AHU Corrado swap and 2003 TDI Jetta
I've seen running quattro TTs for well under 10K on craigslist in my area. Sell the running motor and electronics for $1500+ and you are way ahead of getting a wrecked R32 that needs body work on top of the drivetrain for the swap.

Plus the quattro TT allows to avoid buying the TDI AWD transmission until after the car is running provided you don't mind the gearing being rather high. The R32's transmission will not even bolt to the TDI motor.

This is why I say a TT is a lot better of a starting point for an easy AWD TDI.
 

thebigarniedog

Master of the Obvious
Joined
Oct 14, 2007
Location
Fail Command (Central Ohio)
TDI
1998 Jetta tdi
Obvious Answer

lupin..the..3rd said:
So why hasn't anyone done this yet? Just curious. If I had a garage to work in, I'd already have done it. :D

This seems like the easiest plug-n-play method to get an AWD TDI in the US. Plus you get all the sporty R32 bits like big brakes, recaro seats, 3-spoke steering wheel, body kit, etc.
The answer seems obvious. The Jetta Tdi is an economy car; the R32 is an overpriced, under powered wannabe muscle car. I could shove my tdi engine in a Cadilac CTS.... but why would I want to 2??????
 

Syndicate

Veteran Member
Joined
May 14, 2007
Location
FL
TDI
14 Q7 TDI Sline, 09 335d
thebigarniedog said:
The answer seems obvious. The Jetta Tdi is an economy car; the R32 is an overpriced, under powered wannabe muscle car. I could shove my tdi engine in a Cadilac CTS.... but why would I want to 2??????
What?? You must have never driven an R32; lots of power for a small car!! Look of some vids with a simple supercharger installed, thats power!
 

Scott_DeWitt

Vendor
Joined
Apr 7, 2004
Location
Texas USA
TDI
2000 Audi A4 1.9TDI quattro
Syndicate said:
What?? You must have never driven an R32; lots of power for a small car!! Look of some vids with a simple supercharger installed, thats power!
R32's are underpowered from the factory. Yeah you can install a supercharger or turbos, but you can do that to any car.

Here's a few cars less expensive than as a new R32 yet as powerful or more powerful.

Saturn Sky Redline
Pontiac Solstice GXP
Dodge SRT4
Mustang Cobra

Don't get me wrong the R32 is a great car, however it's not the most powerful, it's not the cheapest and it's not the lightest
 

oldpoopie

Vendor
Joined
May 14, 2001
Location
Portland Oregon
TDI
2001 golf gl, 2006 jetta, 1981 ALH swapped rabbit pickup, 1998 beetle
thebigarniedog said:
The answer seems obvious. The Jetta Tdi is an economy car; the R32 is an overpriced, under powered wannabe muscle car. I could shove my tdi engine in a Cadilac CTS.... but why would I want to 2??????
Why not shove the cadillac v8 into a golf.... Oh wait, thats been done.
http://www.cwstuning.com/gallery/coupe-degolf
 

TdiRacing

Vendor
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Location
Baltimore, MD
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI Cup
Scott_DeWitt said:
R32's are underpowered from the factory. Yeah you can install a supercharger or turbos, but you can do that to any car.

Here's a few cars less expensive than as a new R32 yet as powerful or more powerful.

Saturn Sky Redline
Pontiac Solstice GXP
Dodge SRT4
Mustang Cobra

Don't get me wrong the R32 is a great car, however it's not the most powerful, it's not the cheapest and it's not the lightest
Yeah, the owners of these "beasts" were pretty pissed when I passed them at the track every session. Only the turbo ones were faster. And I still got 32 MPG racing. HAHA.

Build what you got. Much easier and faster. Lighter=Faster
 

thebigarniedog

Master of the Obvious
Joined
Oct 14, 2007
Location
Fail Command (Central Ohio)
TDI
1998 Jetta tdi
TdiRacing said:
Yeah, the owners of these "beasts" were pretty pissed when I passed them at the track every session. Only the turbo ones were faster. And I still got 32 MPG racing. HAHA.

Build what you got. Much easier and faster. Lighter=Faster


Amen, brother
 

yatzee

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 4, 2004
Location
Montreal, Qc
TDI
see sig
Now has anyone put a Tdi into a TT? Would the trans bolt up to the engine? That would be one way I could get a 6 speed :)
 

alphaseinor

TDI Innovator, Gone but Not Forgotten
Joined
Jul 30, 2006
Location
Denton, TX
TDI
'03 Jetta TDI 780,000 miles (totaled out), 01 Audi TT 225 Quattro 230,000 Miles (runs great!), 00 Cabreetle Beetle dash, ALH & MK4 harness Swap
I got to drive the Mk5 R32... much better control of power and traction, very interesting exhaust note... very porsche like...

I think I'll pick one up one day...
 

FirstOrbit84

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2006
Location
Jax, FL
TDI
'02 2-Door Golf TDI
Scott_DeWitt said:
R32's are underpowered from the factory. Yeah you can install a supercharger or turbos, but you can do that to any car.

Here's a few cars less expensive than as a new R32 yet as powerful or more powerful.

Saturn Sky Redline
Pontiac Solstice GXP
Dodge SRT4
Mustang Cobra

Don't get me wrong the R32 is a great car, however it's not the most powerful, it's not the cheapest and it's not the lightest
thought i'd add the MazdaSpeed3 to this list of cars that are faster and less expensive than an R32. I've test driven both, and while the DSG does provide lightning fast shifts, I'd still take the Speed3 any day.

Plus, on the build what you've got note, I outran an R32 by 0.5sec at a recent autocross in my auto TDI. Granted, He was on stock suspension and street tires, while I've got Bilstein Sport struts with Neuspeed Race springs and had Hoosier R6's in the front. The R32 owner did have another driver though, who bested me by 2sec. http://n.b5z.net/i/u/6145553/i/results/10_October2008_Results.htm


 

dparker

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Jun 29, 2008
Location
Georgia
TDI
2011 1M & twenty10 Cup Edition
It would take a lot of suspension work to make that super front heavy rabbit not understeer at every corner. Anyone know if it handles worth a crap?

By the way, Audi has a Tdi MkII TT in Europe so if Tdi takes off for them in the USA don't be surprised to see it come over here.
 

TDIJetta99

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Joined
May 17, 2005
Location
Port Jervis, New York, USA
TDI
03... Faster than yours =]
KROUT said:
Damn I bet that car is fast as hell. And probably still gets good mpg.
You can pull mid-upper 20's for gas mileage with that engine in an STS or SLS pretty easily... It has to work very nicely in a golf... Those northstars are very light for what they are too... Block and everything is aluminum... Oh yeah, stock with 300HP too... they are also geared really tall too... 2krpm in overdrive is something like 70-75mph....
 

TDIJetta99

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Joined
May 17, 2005
Location
Port Jervis, New York, USA
TDI
03... Faster than yours =]
The radiator is tucked in immediately behind the grille, down low... It's in there... There are a bunch more pictures if you follow the link above the picture posted here...
 

TurbinePower

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Dec 19, 2005
Location
Upstate SC
TDI
None
TDIJetta99 said:
The radiator is tucked in immediately behind the grille, down low... It's in there... There are a bunch more pictures if you follow the link above the picture posted here...
I'd followed the link to the pics, I guess I just must have missed it. Didn't see anything that looked big enough to cool a V8, I suppose.
 

TDIJetta99

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Joined
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Location
Port Jervis, New York, USA
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03... Faster than yours =]
The only time you would really NEED a big radiator would be a sustained heavy load, like a top speed pull on the highway or other race conditions like on a track or autocross... Cruising at 65 the engine is just loafing along not producing much heat... I don't think that car is heavy enough to be able to hold it to the floor for more than 10-15 seconds at a time.. I bet that thing hits 100 in less than 10 seconds from a complete stop...
 

cheeba

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Joined
May 9, 2006
Location
Regina, Saskatchewan
TDI
'02 Audi TT 225
dparker said:
It would take a lot of suspension work to make that super front heavy rabbit not understeer at every corner. Anyone know if it handles worth a crap?
As previously mentioned the Northstar is all Al; IIRC the difference between the VR6 and the Northstar is <20kg. Put the battery in the trunk, remove the front sway, and it's lighter in the front than a stock VR6 . . . and oh yeah, 300hp! Add giant turbo and :eek:

I've never ridden in the car, but the owner says it handles quite well. I can tell you that it sure sounds does good :D
 
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