TDI Swap Kit

[DangerBoy]

I'm sure this idea has been toyed around before, but here goes:

I just finished a TDI swap so I guess I fall into the more select group of people that have actually finished one, just so this post doesn't seem like a bunch of hot air as I'm sure they sometimes do. (Just finished an AEL TDI in a C4 A6 quattro wagon, car is pure awesome now)

I have my own CNC machining equipment as well as design for a living so I'm wondering if there is a vehicle that is most popular for swaps warranting a complete kit that required assembly only? I'm noticing that small truck swaps are getting alot of attention in the TDI conversion section, so I assume kits for trucks would be a good place to start?

I'm thinking a kit that came with the wiring harness to adapt to the stock vehicle, any engine mounts as well as adapter plates, a ECU with core charge (send in yours, get the replacement with no drama), basically everything that would make the project simply a matter of assembly with no fabrication required.

Obviously there are vehicles that need to be modified to have something like an ALH installed, but I'm targeting vehicles that could can accommodate the engine as is. No frankenwelded parts or mickey mouse fittings, the whole package would be designed to last a long time, look professional and be worry free.

During the day I design all the parts necessary to fit 2500HP diesel engines into fracturing pump applications as well as smaller diesels for a variety of functions. This would be very similar and although I do not know how it would be managed from a legal perspective, I think perhaps if there were shops that worked with the kit there could be turn-key prices for truck/vehicle conversions that wouldn't break the bank. This is my theory anyway.

I don't know if anyone can turn this into a poll and have it so anyone can add a vehicle to be voted on. I'm curious what people would be willing to spend money on to have. I could see wanting to build the equivalent of a VW Armarok for here, chances are by the time I'm done they will start offering it here. Then again, it isn't a cheap truck.

Let me know everyone, I'd love to hear from you!

Dave

 

[markd89]

TDI Toyotas seem to be popular.

Since you're looking to build something engineered, I'd suggest that you build into the plans the appropriate gearing so that the final swapped vehicle can cruise at a TDI-reasonable RPM in top gear (maybe 2200 in 5th at 65 mph or something like that)

 

[Scott02]

TDI older yotas do seem popular, but if you're really looking to do a marketable kit, then a Jeep TJ is definitely the best bet. Then this would easily roll into a JK after your TJ kit was completed.

For me personally, I'd love to see an XJ kit (Jeep Cherokee), as I've never been much of a wrangler guy, but the last xj was in 2002, so they too are getting a tad dated.

Gearing is more "normal" to change in the Jeep world, so no reason to engineer that for a Jeep swap.

Also to me, that XJ with an auto transmission would be the best bet. There's a wrangler auto swap thread around here I think.

There's many Jeep swap threads around here and on other forums.
Search Wranglerforum for Wrangler TDI swaps. Some WELL documented ones on there.

Last edit: It HAS to be cost effective for Jeep people to do it. The $1600 wiring harness that HPA sells isn't going to cut it from a sales standpoint.

 

[Yotaman87]

Another vote for the old yotas. You can even send me the prototype and we will make sure it works. I'm trying to gather parts for my 87 now and my other 87 a while from now

 

[Volks09Wagen]

I would really like to see a 2.0L TDI conversion kit to a Jeep TJ wrangler. I am doing research in to it now, and I am not sure its ever been done yet. It seems like a lot of people have done the 1.9L TDI in wranglers, but not the 2.0L. I am not sure how different it would be, there are kits only for the 1.9L I have found so far.

 

[toastyjosh]

Jeeps been done but would still be a good one.
http://cotybuilt.com/

Toyota also would be good, adapter to the W series, G series, and the R series. This would allow for lots of options.

Also a subaru kit would be rad, there was a ton of these cars, most of them had the 2.2 engine. A awd 40mpg subaru would be awsome.

 

[Scott02]

Jeeps been done but would still be a good one.
http://cotybuilt.com/

Toyota also would be good, adapter to the W series, G series, and the R series. This would allow for lots of options.

Also a subaru kit would be rad, there was a ton of these cars, most of them had the 2.2 engine. A awd 40mpg subaru would be awsome.

Jeeps, yes, HPA has done it, however, their "parts" are not "kits", and stupid expensive. Why mount the TDI that way? It's very odd. Why not design something simple where the longitudinal mounts bolt on?

Subaru, lots of hood clearance issues. Though I agree that it would be cool.

 

[toastyjosh]

Jeeps, yes, HPA has done it, however, their "parts" are not "kits", and stupid expensive. Why mount the TDI that way? It's very odd. Why not design something simple where the longitudinal mounts bolt on?

Subaru, lots of hood clearance issues. Though I agree that it would be cool.

I agree, I think if you do a kit for jeeps, toyota, subaru and MK1,2and 3 VWs it would be very popular!!!

 

[DangerBoy]

I can see availability and cost of vehicle donors could play an important role. I agree the price of that wiring harness seems excessive. I spent many hours on mine when I did my swap but that was a one-off. A production run of maybe 10 at a time depending on demand would allow the price to drop by a very significant margin.

One reason I would like to consider the older jeeps lies with the fact the vehicles didn't have a diesel option as far as I know. The Toyota vehicles did, just not here. If you were so inclined you could import the parts for an older Toyota and have a diesel that way, though it wouldn't be a TDI.

I had a great discussion with a friend about advantages and disadvantages we have found between the various TDI's over the years and I can't help but like the ALH 1.9. The newer common rail TDI's have plenty of emissions components and do not produce as smooth of power delivery as the older VE Tdi's, at least according to the experience of my friend. They also do not get the same fuel economy overall, since they have to purge the exhaust once in a while which wastes fuel.

I think looking at which adapters would be applicable to the most applications may help too, since many manufacturers (VAG is a great example) like to keep the same bellhousing patterns across various transmissions and engines. If I can build a solid kit that works for more than one vehicle then there is a better chance I could sell more, which would fund the next kit... and so on.

Thanks for the feedback so far guys. I appreciate it!

Dave

 

[rspring]

In my opinion, the greatest niche is for a bell housing versus an adapter plate. The adapter plate that is probably covered the best is the Toyota W series. A bell housing that went direct from the TDI/1.8t block bolt pattern to and R-series/AX-15 would be the schnizzle. That would be one product that would be highly useful on large numbers of Jeeps and Toyotas. Build it in both 6.5 and 7.5 lengths. The second one would be the TDI/1.8t to the AW4/30-40L/30-43L, for Jeeps also known as the Aisin A340 series in Toyotas.

With these two products, hopefully full bells instead of adapter plates, you would help out lots and lots of folks. I am looking to try to do the second one next summer, but if you beat me to it, I'll buy yours!

As I have explained in other posts, the factory diesel option for Toyotas is really not a good option. It has zero aftermarket support and is very very expensive.


Happy new year!

 

[Airstream]

Yes to the AW4

Any progress or thought on this. I have a 1998 Jeep Cherokee 4.0 with an aw4 screaming for a TDI. First reasonable adapter/bellhousing that makes it work gets my $$.

 

[G60ING]

A bell housing already exists: http://www.jegs.com/i/Quick+Time+BellHousing/698/RM-4082/10002/-1

 

[rspring]

Quick Time Bellhousing#698-RM-4082
Steel Bellhousing
Adapts
Engine: Audi 4, 5, 6-Cylinder & VW 4-Cyl and VR6 6-Cyl
to
Transmission: Muncie, Richmond, Saginaw, Falcon, Bert, Brinn, Borg Warner T-10, Chevy TKO 500-600, Jerico 4-5 Speed (Internal Hydraulic Slave)

I don't see where this helps with Toyotas, only Jeeps. Am I missing something? Thanks

 

[G60ING]

Swap transmissions, you are already swapping the engine and potentially a number of other subsystems.

 

[jimbote]

make a kit for the 2nd gen 4 runner...it's a cheap vehicle (often $1k or less) rugged but with a completely crap motor, the adapter is already made by acme and is an excellent product... the niche is in the motor mounts, intercooler and piping etc...the above argument for importing a toyota diesel is bogus because you're faced with high initial prices and parts will be nearly impossible to find stateside.... as for wiring harnesses the tdi-E harness is so easy to fab up why would you pay someone to do it?