Right my mk3 1.4 is packing up slowly so im going to do an engine swap. I'm going for TDI for my perfect daily I cant find a 3dr one so going to build one..... Ive found a donor car and got a list of things to swap. Engine/box/exhaust Engine loom/ECU Brakes Tank/fuel lines Clocks and all ancillaries. I know its alot of work but thats half the fun, is there anything big that i might have overlooked? Is there any fusebox wiring extra on a diesel? Help and opinions appreciated.
Sure am, i was always going to do an engine conversion as ive done everything else on the car and its mint.
Seriously though a MK3 with a 1.8T petrol is an awesome car, if you're going to do a swap then it should be to that. What diseasel engine are you thinking of?
Hello, mart Another thing you'll probably need is the pedal box (with accelerator pedal sensor), and the hydraulic clutch master cylinder.
There really is no point building a car you can buy... You`d be better off putting in a 130PD engine.
If he can't find a 3dr and his shell is mint then there's no reason not to build a car you can buy, it's fun too.
Thanks mate, thats the only thing missing on the donor is the fly by wire setup. Will it tick over for a test without it?
I have a pedal box you can come and remove for free if you want if you are quick (redditch just south of birmingham) I also have a stripped engine loom, cruise control chipped ecu available, not free though! But, i'm considering going to a mk2 and swapping my tdi in and using a mechanical pump - much easier
I expect so, mart. The symptom of pedal sensor failure is an inability to rev the engine. Also, make sure to get the two 'safety switches' on the clutch and brake pedals, which are used to help the gearshift and halt a runaway engine, respectively. I think they're the same type as used for the 'speed (cruise) control' option.
Yes was planning on swapping the whole pedal box, do you know if there is any more wiring to change apart from the main engine loom? One thing ive thought is that my 1.4 will have wiring to the tank for the pump, so on a diesel this will become redundant?
In a golf (not an E30) there is very little point in a petrol engine conversion for anything less than say 230bhp, when a TDI can do it for the same price with more torque and more mpg. Of course all IMO, but the naysayers can carry on with their 'engine note/tractor' argument and stay firmly in the past.
It is alot of work changing all the loom and associated TDI bits and pieces. The option of going MTDI as somebody mentioned already is worth considering as it drastically reduces the complexity of the conversion. Changing out the injection pump for a Mechanical one with a throttle cable has been done before with good success and keeps it simple too. Discovery TDI and Iveco turbo daily van pumps are apparently very close to ideal. VW diesel.net has a load of info on this. Worth a read for sure.
I think that some sections of wiring from the cabin/dash will be needed. Another thing I remember is that TDI's usually have the glow plug fuse clipped onto the main fusebox, rather than fitted on the bulkhead (just alongside the mounting for a petrol engines' ignition coil). The tank sender on diesels is just that, a sender only, so the unit only has a two pin plug. You could use your existing sender unit* with the pump disabled, change the sender unit and transfer the two sender wires to a 2-pin plug, or change both the sender and the whole rear harness, though as you mention 2-door diesels are scarce. Another cosmetic point is the fuel filler flap, or rather the 'Petrol/Benzin' and tyre pressures sticker on the inside of it. * Though thinking again, the pump might act as a blockage if it isn't running.
