TDi swap?

[Steinola]

Assuming I had the money... how possible would it be to swap out the 2.0L in my NBC with a TDi? Would it just be a straight swap? Or is there considerably more to it than that?

I'm thinking at a minimum one would need to swap the engine (obviously), the ECU, the gauge pod, replace or stabilize the fuel tank/filler pipe... anything else? Are the headers/manifold close to being the same? Can you save everything from the cat back... or does it all need to come out? What about the tranny? I realize that along with the engine comes the snowbox, etc... what else?

And while we're on the subject of money what's a ballpark for something like this? Do you get a brand new engine somewhere, or try to find a refurb?

I'm not saying a swap is in Kermit's future... I just got a wild hair, and thought I'd try to get some more info just to see how do-able it might be.

[ASurroca]

I guess if you had the cash, yeah. I know Europe gets them, but, say, does Canada get the New Beetle Convertible TDI? Because, while importing from Europe is arduous, importing a car from Canada is do-able.

[Steinola]

But... but... but... I don't want the whole car. I'd just want to swap the engine.

[Growler]

engine
tranny
ecu
motor mounts
intercooler
cluster


no tank swap needed
remove cannister in rear fender

new sending unit in the fuel tank needed
everything in the engine compartment except the air filter box, and the coolant reservoir will need replaced.

it can be done.. try www.worldimpex.com for engine/tranny/ecu/cluster/etc etc/

and have money squared..

[Steinola]

Originally Posted by Eeyore

and have money squared..

Horrph... the whole tranny has to go?? Oy. That makes it quite a bit less appealing The rest I kind of assumed... but figured I'd be able to keep the transmission. What's the reasoning? The TDi must have different ratios? Would it be completely detremental to keep the old tranny with the 2.0 ratios?

[The Cheat]

Carl...lemme put it like this: find a wrecked 04 with DSG and gut it. it'll be cheaper, and this way, you know the parts are OEM-spec.

that being said, it's something i've wanted to do myself for a while now, if i could find the right NBC (blown motor).

[noR]

Headers and such arent' at all the same.

You might as well be planning an R32 swap....

[acheney]

Originally Posted by Steinola

Horrph... the whole tranny has to go?? Oy. That makes it quite a bit less appealing The rest I kind of assumed... but figured I'd be able to keep the transmission. What's the reasoning? The TDi must have different ratios? Would it be completely detremental to keep the old tranny with the 2.0 ratios?

I've thought about doing this swap as well. One of the things that worries me is the amount of diesel exhaust that occupants would be subject to with the top down. I can smell fumes in my TDI occasionally when I'm backing up or when the windows are down and the wind is blowing the wrong way.

TDI has completely different ratios. Gearboxes aren't that expensive compared to everything else you need. $600 or so for a used one.

For the newer VW's there is also the issue that the ECU, immobilizer, keys, locks, and instrument panel all talk to each other and may need to all be swapped out.

Best thing to do may be to get a "front clip", the entire front end from a crashed TDI, since you'll need a lot of small parts that are expensive to buy new but almost worthless to a junkyard. Intercooler, hoses, engine/trans mounts, wiring harnesses, vacuum lines, etc etc etc. I'll bet you could find a front clip for $3k to $5k.


If you decide to go for it, share the joy and take/post lots of pictures.

Also, www.tdiclub.com has lots of diesel nuts who can offer you a ton of help. I'm lurking there a lot - my member name is andrewc over there.

Cheers,
andrew

[Blue_Stinkbug]

What do you have to do to import one from Canada and make legal in US?

[Beeble]

Ever since the NBC and TDI were announced, I have lusted after that combination. I finally gave up and got a TDI coupe, but I'd still think hard about a vert with a diesel in it.

What's the impediment to bringing them here, since they're already available in the EU? Lack of marketing will?

[Growler]

apparently Americans would not like the smell so much and would complain about it... sigh.

[Nate_Grauvogel]

Originally Posted by Growler

apparently Americans would not like the smell so much and would complain about it... sigh.

Vaht smell?

These TDIs don't smell at all compared to my old 7.3 IDI Ford... not to mention when it only ran on 6 out of 8 cylinders!

Don't like the *faint* smell at startup? ...burn the bean! BioD!

I read somewhere else that us Amis don't like the TDI's noise, either, as a reason VW doesn't import the soft top TDIs. Ludicrous!

Go for it, if you want a NB Cabrio TDI... so the rest of us can droooool.

[PunkinBug]

Are there no "lawful" restrictions here, then?

And yeah, DOES Canada get them!? I ache for one. To the point of moving overseas :P

[vdubbugman53]

i do belive there are law restrictions like a new bumper 15mph insted of 25, headlights, hell even your rear view mirrors have to say "objects in the mirror...bla bla bla" and i belive there are some emission thing you need to change....could be wrong but when i was looking at importing a car from japan that is what i was looking at doing....i say if your going to import do it from the UK and get right hand drive....now that would be sick

[vdubbugman53]

just fell in love..... http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2003-Volkswage...QQcmdZViewItem

[Dorado]

I think you would be better off getting an existing US spec NB TDI, and taking it to a shop that does custom convertibles, ragtops, and the like. Then add some components to beef up the suspension and strenghten the structure, upgrading the suspension and integrity with strut braces, HD struts, and the like:

http://www.tdiparts.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=36_63

http://www.tdiparts.com/catalog/prod...roducts_id=580

http://www.tdiparts.com/catalog/prod...roducts_id=581

If I manage to keep our NB TDI for a long, long time as we plan, I've always thought of puting a nice custom ragtop of some sort when it reaches 15 yrs or 20 yrs. By then I also plan to install something like an Elsbett conversion kit, to be able to run on veggie oil... TDI's have a lot of potential. :-)

[HudsonValleyVDub]

I personally prefer the get-up-n-go the gas engine has over the TDI, and the fact that it's SOOOOO much quieter but..that's just my taste. And the extra mileage is far outweighed to me. I guess you'd have to weight the cost. It's probably way cheaper to sell yours and get a TDI.

[jazzcat]

Originally Posted by HudsonValleyVDub

I personally prefer the get-up-n-go the gas engine has over the TDI, and the fact that it's SOOOOO much quieter but..that's just my taste. And the extra mileage is far outweighed to me. I guess you'd have to weight the cost. It's probably way cheaper to sell yours and get a TDI.

drive a modified tdi and say that..the diesel pulls way harder than any 2.0 or even 1.8 could due to the torque that it puts out..plus the sheer fact that you can have 300+ ft lbs and knock down 50+ mpg is just awesome

you can make the diesel quiet too..a little bit more maintence but they are worth it by alot

if punkinbug would let me i would put an automatic tdi in my beetle so quick..maybe when we have a house with garage hmmmmmm

[HudsonValleyVDub]

Originally Posted by jazzcat

drive a modified tdi and say that..the diesel pulls way harder than any 2.0 or even 1.8 could due to the torque that it puts out..plus the sheer fact that you can have 300+ ft lbs and knock down 50+ mpg is just awesome

you can make the diesel quiet too..a little bit more maintence but they are worth it by alot

if punkinbug would let me i would put an automatic tdi in my beetle so quick..maybe when we have a house with garage hmmmmmm

I was talking about stock cars. Anything can be fast with enough $$$ thrown at it. But in general, you won't get that 1.9 TDI as quiet as the gas motor, and it'd take quite a bit of $$$ to make it as fast as a modded gas engine. I don't like Diesels, they smell..ALL OF THEM, Diesel is more expensive to boot, and a Diesel, unless you're in a foreign country where Diesel is "the" fuel, they belong in nothing but trucks meant to haul heavy loads. My .2

[CoriBug]

I like hearing the engine! It's the sound of longevity, GREAT fuel mileage, and burning something in Daisy's tank that's better for the environment and our economy. I have a very sensitive nose(got that from lots of babysitting! )and the only time I notice any smell is on a cold morning. A little noise and smell is hardly a sacrifice for an engine that I expect to last twice as long as a gasser NB.

And diesel is actually less expensive in many areas of the US, not in Colorado, of course!

Cori