VR6 Swap ? Should i start with a 1.8,2.0 or tdi

[jwm9289]

which is better to start with
1.8,2.0 or tdi ?
what year range ?
auto or standart trans?

thanks, Jim

[FallinApartBoy]

most the engines mount the same so i would start with a 2.0 because its gonna be your cheapest bet. year range could be anything from 98-2005 because they are all MK4s. tranny should be the same but you are gonna want to replace the clutch while you are in there. whats an auto anyways? a VR6 auto beetle? HA!

[vdubbugman53]

Originally Posted by FallinApartBoy

most the engines mount the same so i would start with a 2.0 because its gonna be your cheapest bet. year range could be anything from 98-2005 because they are all MK4s. tranny should be the same but you are gonna want to replace the clutch while you are in there. whats an auto anyways? a VR6 auto beetle? HA!

boooo swap the VR. that would be sick

[wawalker]

Start with this guys' blown 1.8T. You get the bigger brakes over a 2.0L or TDI.

http://www.newbeetle.org/forums/showthread.php?t=21274

[The Cheat]

to answer your question:

1998-99 are the preferable years. why, you ask? because 1998-99 use the same cable-shift linkage in the 2.0l as the mk3 vr6. that means you can take any 1996-1999.0 mk3 vr6 motor/transmission (WITH harness!!!!) and it'll swap right in for the most part. no immobilizer issues to worry about like in the mk4 vr6en, and no need to swap clusters either. besides, mk3 vr6en are easier and cheaper to source parts for.

the immobilizer on all mk4 vr6en (and 2000-up nb's) makes things a big ol' bitch because you have to have keys, cluster and ecu from the donor car. problem is, the nb uses a unique cluster, and the jetta/golf cluster looks like hell. therefore, you're left trying to program the nb cluster to take the 6cyl input, and that doesn't always take, making it a big clusterfudge.

that'd be my suggestion for making the swap go smoothly. it's not gonna be cheap, and it certainly isn't easy. it's not a swap for the rookie or faint of heart. i reccomend having a shop do it. to be honest, i'm a vw-certified mechanic, and i don't know if i even would touch this swap unless i had no timeframe for it to be done. i've done it, and it has gone smoothly (it took a buddy and i a weekend), but another time, it took another buddy and i 2 weeks, and these were in jettas, where it's totally drop-in for the 99.5's.

seriously, if you don't have the tools, garage space, and certifications...don't even ATTEMPT this. you will hit delays. parts will break. you will throw your $200 air ratchet several times. you will curse the car at least once an hour. the one part you don't have will take a week to come in because it's on back-order. you'll question yourself enough to give up hope...but, if you persevere, you'll probably get it running.

oh yeah, don't forget to add $300+ for a timing chain rebuild kit and another $300 for a vr6 clutch. also, another $200 for tuneup parts and a water pump. and another $150 to recharge the a/c because you had to evacuate the freon you just put in it last year. oh yeah, and probably another $300 in custom exhaust work, and always have an additional $1000 put aside for emergency expenses (fluids, food for helpers, sensors that may break when the motor gets taken out/put in, new coolant flange (crack pipe), hoses (mk4 hoses will need to be purchased in this case)).

so as you see, there are lots of variables involved, and you may have wondered why i say to buy the whole car...because you'll need to sell the shell to make up for the additional expenses. a shell in good shape will still fetch around $1500. conversely, you can get a strong-running 1998 vr6 jetta with 100k on it for $4500. the motor and trans will cost you $3000 easy...with no harness or ecu. if the car was taken care of and had its chains done, it's safe to say the clutch is good as well. the trans comes out to do the chains (they're behind the flywheel). saves you some cash, which you can use for other parts.

so there you have it...a general idea of what it'll take to swap a vr6 into an early nb. it'll cost more than you plan, take longer than expected, and probably make your girlfriend or wife put you on restriction, but it'll be worth it.

[jwm9289]

Thanks for the Info!

I have a 40'x50' garage, so i have plenty of room. I have the tools( all hand,air, engine stands and engine lift) so thats not a problem.

i was planning on buying a wrecked/salvage vr6 car for the engine.( i can purchase salvage/destruction vehicles)

i found a good body 1998 tdi NB with a blown engine, i was going to purchase it and then look for a wrecked vr6 doner car. what do you think about this as a project car?
time frame- i have none!

i appreciate all the info

Jim

[The Cheat]

Originally Posted by jwm9289

Thanks for the Info!

I have a 40'x50' garage, so i have plenty of room. I have the tools( all hand,air, engine stands and engine lift) so thats not a problem.

i was planning on buying a wrecked/salvage vr6 car for the engine.( i can purchase salvage/destruction vehicles)

i found a good body 1998 tdi NB with a blown engine, i was going to purchase it and then look for a wrecked vr6 doner car. what do you think about this as a project car?
time frame- i have none!

i appreciate all the info

Jim

well, to be honest, i wouldn't sacrifice a tdi in any form for a vr6 swap. for one, you'll have to redo the entire electronics system. it's very different going from a diesel to a gas. and two...tdi nb's can bring a pretty decent premiu if fixed.

that being said, look for a 2.0 manual and a mk3 vr6 salvage car, and have at it. try to find a rear imapct car, you'll need a lot of the stuff in the front of the car for the swap. the early years are key, that way it insures mk3 compatibility. otherwise, have fun rewiring an entire car if you go 2000-up.

if you pick up a sequoia green jetta vr6 salvage car, i'll buy the remains. actually, come to think of it, i have the stock harness and 5-speed transmission from a 1998 vr6 jetta with ecu. i'll let it go fairly cheap. mainly, if you pick up a 2.0 with block damage...i'll trade you the bad motor and 2.0 trans for that.

let me know if you wants.