1st gen TDI ranger, prerunner style build.

[powerstrokekid]

I took the ranger to southington. It continues to impress me, I can’t wait to start on this tdi swap because the truck is slow, and is burning a lot of oil. It was loading up bad idling around. I ordered door panels, I think the only other thing I’m gonna buy for now is new door seals then I’ll start saving for the tdi adapter!

 

[powerstrokekid]

Gonna drive the ranger to work tomorrow, so glad to finally have a ranger after all these years.

 

[powerstrokekid]

So I have always wanted aluminum door panels in a first or second gen body style and thankfully someone on the internet sells them! LRB speed. They came with m5 rivnuts and hardware but I didn’t have that size die. I used 1/4” rivnuts and stainless bolts/washers.

Before closing up the doors I sprayed fluid film down inside since it’s rust free and I’ll be driving in the salt.

I added the middle bolt on the back edge of the doors. I felt it held it down better. Other than that they fit perfectly!

 

[powerstrokekid]

I thought a blew a radiator hose, after all they’re at least 20 years old if not original? So I replaced all hoses.

Started it and idled, no leaks. then after it started to get warm it opened up a crack in the radiator

 

[Dantheman1540]

There are some really nice large all aluminum radiators out there these days. I think I paid $240 for mine and it came with an E fan. It works so good I can rarely get the truck to heat up to the N in normal

 

[Bgunner]

Seeing how you did the door panels made me think of how nice a set of the seats from an old Astro I had would go in that cab. They had arm rests on both sides that were both foldable.

 

[Artemb]

I have been itching to start a build thread for this and I’m finally starting to make some progress on parts so I guess I’ll start.

GOALS FOR THE TRUCK
The goal here is to build my dream daily driver ranger that can get 30mpg to avoid buying any more commuter cars, or drive my full-size trucks at 9-13mpg.
The truck is a 88 ext cab 4wd ranger. It will be used as a daily driver 99.9% of the time but I want a prerunner style truck as I have wanted one since I was a kid. The truck is getting a BRM TDI engine out of a Volkswagen Jetta mated to the stock ranger 5spd transmission. It will have Dana 44 TTB and a 8.8 both from a 95 f150. Truck will be on coils front and leaf spring rear. This is the bare minimum requirements of the truck, we will see what else I do a long the way. I hope to have the suspension under the truck this year and get the engine swapped in the following year. Money for this project will just depend on how work goes this year and how much my current daily driver will need in surprise repairs.

BACK STORY
I have started building variations of a tdi 3 different times and then life got in the way and everything got sold off.

here is the current ranger. It’s lifted tall with jeep axles and tractor tires but that’s all going
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So far I have stripped my last daily driver which was a 2006 Volkswagen Jetta and saved the engine and all the wiring.
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One of my 2 OBS daily drivers attempting to crush the Jetta before the scrap guy comes to get it lol View attachment 95178
Next I acquired what was left of a 95 f150 for the front ttb and rear axle. I also saved the coil buckets, not sure if I’ll be able to repurpose them on the ranger.
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So naturally I live in Ohio so everything’s super rusty. I stripped everything down and to start, I took the rear axle to the sandblaster. I’m going to start with the rear axle, get it regeared and done up the way I want then move on to the front.
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I started messing around with making a truss of some kind.
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I ordered a diff cover from Ruffstuff
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and back from the blasterView attachment 95187View attachment 95189
Getting an idea where the spring perches need to beView attachment 95190

Hey I’m doing the same kinda build and also using my 06 Jetta are you using the Jetta ecu for the tdi swap or ranger ecu if using the Jetta ecu are using the Jetta key for the u
Immobilizer?

 

[Blmpkn]

Hey I’m doing the same kinda build and also using my 06 Jetta are you using the Jetta ecu for the tdi swap or ranger ecu if using the Jetta ecu are using the Jetta key for the u
Immobilizer?

OP hasn't posted in the better part of 2 years, don't hold out hope for a response.

That being said, id imagine using the vag computer would be a necessity... The ranger ecu isn't gonna have the slightest idea what to do with a diesel.

 

[JoeLeFou]

Hey I’m doing the same kinda build and also using my 06 Jetta are you using the Jetta ecu for the tdi swap or ranger ecu if using the Jetta ecu are using the Jetta key for the u
Immobilizer?

you need to use the jetta ecu for the swap or a standalone if you're using an automatic transmission, for the immobilizer you can probably bypass it