VW 1.9 TDI diesel in a cruiser. (1 Viewer)

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Hey guys, I searched and didn't really find anything on here about putting an VW 1.9 tdi diesel into an 80 or even a 60. I have been planning a diesel for a while now and somehow came across VW 1.9 turbo diesel. I know it must seem like I'm high but I'm not. Originally I was thinking of a 1kz-te with the 2lt/1kz hybrid mechanical pump for ease of installation, independence from excessive electronics and reliability. The downside is that they're hard to come by for a decent price. And even then You have to mod them to make as much torque as the 1fz-fe. I don't really want a cummins, for the most part I've had good experiences with them, just don't like the excessive noise and vibration or the cost for parts. That and they're not exactly easy to find cheap with the way the cummins crowd is growing. Anyway, I did some searching and found a plethora of VW 1.9 engines from 98-2006 and they're all pretty cheap >$800<$2600. Parts are fairly cheap for the ALH engines and the performance mods necessary to pull 300 lb-ft of torque ring in at <$3500. There are countless threads on performance mods and fuel mileage etc.. Some of these guys drive their VWs with 200hp and over 300 lb-ft torque around as commuters and they report low 40- mid 50's mpgs for fuel economy. I figure high 20's or low 30's wouldn't be out of the question with this engine in a cruiser. That and there are adapters for the 1.8 and 1.9 to toyota transmissions. Albeit most are 4cyl transmissions. I'm sure you could get one for a beefier 5spd and transfer case combo...maybe a H55 and dual cases. Anyway. It seems just as viable as far as money than a cummins and parts would be easier to come by than a toyota. What do you guys think? I will post this in the diesels too. I was just hoping someone had heard of this or has experience with it.
 
It won't make that much torque for long!
 
well, an 80 series weighs half again more than the cars the ALH came in.

I think this might be a bit much for one. aim higher. you don't have to go cummins, there are other diesels out there.
 
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yeah, but a samurai weighs 1000 pounds less than the cars these came in, and it had a smaller engine.

Yeah and a VW double cabin van comes close to a 80, got that engine in one of them, dont worry about weight. Low torque is a different thing.
 
I had a '02 Jetta with the ALH engine. Great engine, lousy car. Anyway, I had installed a hitch and towed a 300# utility trailer, the type with the mesh fold down gate/ramp. It was all the car could do to move itself and that trailer at highway speeds. The tailgate acted like an air brake. The engine was bone stock, so some hop up in power would definitely help matters.

The problem with comparing hopped up cars with 300 ftlb of torque is the car is rarely using the power. It just doesn't take much to move a Jetta or Golf down the road. Stick one in your Cruiser and you will be using much more of the extra power. It will work for awhile, but how long is anyone's guess.

They are light weight engines. I sold the engine out of my Jetta. The fella that bought it and I picked up the long block and placed it in the back of his wagon. It was not a struggle, and I have a bad back.
 
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You can start wearing hippie outfits and watch the world pass you by,as you drive your tdi 80 bus down the highway or trail
...that motor will hate life in a 80.
I had a jetta tdi...had to change/add things just to get it to move the jetta around at a reasonable speed....cant see it pulling a 80 around, even with good gearing...
 
Another crazy idea my buddy came up with was to drop a 3.5 liter turbo diesel from a BMW 335d in a 80. It has just under 300 hp and over 400 lbs of torque. Not as cheap as as a vw but the bmw inline 6 is a sweet engine.
 
Is this something you have decided on already or just considering? I am interested as I have considered this swap into a wrangler for years. For reference as I know its a different animal entirely but I work on Linde Forklifts with the TDI all the time (they are great little engines that take abuse pretty well) As long as you keep the timing belt, oil, fuel and air filters good they run forever. The forklifts are all hydrostatic drive. So only thing attached to flywheel is a coupler to a large and complex hydraulic pump that provides drive and lift power. Very interesting system and only one of its kind in the forklift world. I have become a bit of a specialist on them and would be glad to share any knowledge on the engine I can and can order/ship parts to you or provide you with my contacts in order to source parts. There is a guy that I would talk to before continuing and that would be http://www.xsboostturbochargers.com/ they will be able to help develop a turbo solution for you. May take some coaxing but they helped a friend setup a cummins Holset on his Mitsubishi Eclipse and it was a better turbo than any of the garrets or mitsi turbos he had ran in the past because it was built with a wheel that was choosen to match his setup ( high revving 2.4L stroker )

All in all my .02 is there are better swaps out there due to the limited power that can be output from the little guys while keeping reliability high. But if your still ok with being slow and just want something different and the possibility of fuel mileage increases do to it. I would just be weary of how much that engine will work to move the 80 and if it truly will net mileage that much better than a 5.3 swap.
 
Hey guys, I searched and didn't really find anything on here about putting an VW 1.9 tdi diesel into an 80 or even a 60. I have been planning a diesel for a while now and somehow came across VW 1.9 turbo diesel. I know it must seem like I'm high but I'm not. Originally I was thinking of a 1kz-te with the 2lt/1kz hybrid mechanical pump for ease of installation, independence from excessive electronics and reliability. The downside is that they're hard to come by for a decent price. And even then You have to mod them to make as much torque as the 1fz-fe. I don't really want a cummins, for the most part I've had good experiences with them, just don't like the excessive noise and vibration or the cost for parts. That and they're not exactly easy to find cheap with the way the cummins crowd is growing. Anyway, I did some searching and found a plethora of VW 1.9 engines from 98-2006 and they're all pretty cheap >$800<$2600. Parts are fairly cheap for the ALH engines and the performance mods necessary to pull 300 lb-ft of torque ring in at <$3500. There are countless threads on performance mods and fuel mileage etc.. Some of these guys drive their VWs with 200hp and over 300 lb-ft torque around as commuters and they report low 40- mid 50's mpgs for fuel economy. I figure high 20's or low 30's wouldn't be out of the question with this engine in a cruiser. That and there are adapters for the 1.8 and 1.9 to toyota transmissions. Albeit most are 4cyl transmissions. I'm sure you could get one for a beefier 5spd and transfer case combo...maybe a H55 and dual cases. Anyway. It seems just as viable as far as money than a cummins and parts would be easier to come by than a toyota. What do you guys think? I will post this in the diesels too. I was just hoping someone had heard of this or has experience with it.


Not worth it, if you don;'t like Cummins for some reason. Go isuzu or go mercedes. Much more viable engines with lots of people doing them which equates to saving time and money in your build. BTW you should go with a Cummins. :cheers:
 
There are other VW TDi engines with more displacement that would be a better fit. The 1.9 powerband is not suitable for the 80, you need to wind it up pretty well to get the torque and thats not what the 80 is about. Since that is the case you would need 6 or more gears to make it worth it. looking at a total of 10k+ for the swap IMO. It would be a serious step back from the 1fz-fe and I don't think it would pay off in MPG's enough to make it worth it.

I would look Mercedes, the Brazilians did it with the bandeirante. And Mercedes the turbo 3.0 I-6 is not a bad engine
 
Another crazy idea my buddy came up with was to drop a 3.5 liter turbo diesel from a BMW 335d in a 80. It has just under 300 hp and over 400 lbs of torque. Not as cheap as as a vw but the bmw inline 6 is a sweet engine.

Now THIS I would be interested in seeing...
 
Yep. Cummins, Merc, or Isuzu.

OR

If you're a man...

3-53-T

I should have done that... damn.
 
A buddy had the crazy idea of dropping a 3.5 liter turbo diesel out of a BMW 335d. Those BMW inline 6s are smooth and have over 400 lbs of torque. Lighter than a cummins but we are talking unchartered territory. Cummins would be easiest.
 
Right idea......wrong VW motor...... Try the toureg V10 taxi twin turbo.... My neighbor in Durban had a built one on 33's that was just under a 1000ft/lbs of torque. It was insane...... I actually debated that over the 80 but they're impossible to service if needed as no one know
 
Right idea......wrong VW motor...... Try the toureg V10 taxi twin turbo.... My neighbor in Durban had a built one on 33's that was just under a 1000ft/lbs of torque. It was insane...... I actually debated that over the 80 but they're impossible to service if needed as no one know

Which is a good reason, NOT to put that motor into something else....that is a guarantee no one will be able to service it.

Cummins, Isuzu, benz. In that order. :cheers:
 

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