Tdi conversion kit for Ranger. Want one?

[fastpakr]

Potentially stupid question - can you not just reverse the polarity?

 

[RamblerRyGuy]

Potentially stupid question - can you not just reverse the polarity?

No, you are on to something, but unfortunately with the way starter gears protrude in order to engage and catch the flywheel or flexplate and then disengage, it would not work to run backwards. The teeth are beveled a certain way to not clash teeth. I've also read that the internals aren't really designed to run backwards. With any other motor, you're totally right, though.

 

[fastpakr]

I didn't think about the issue with the bendix not pushing out.

What's beveled about it? I can't visualize that issue.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I didn't think about the issue with the bendix not pushing out.

What's beveled about it? I can't visualize that issue.

The front of the teeth are beveled to a dull point. Makes it easier for engagement with the flexplate or flywheel. And its beveled only on one side.

 

[fastpakr]

Interesting. I'll have to stare at one tomorrow and commit that to memory. Never noticed it only being one side before.

 

[adsm08]

I'm not familiar with this starter. Would it be possible to remove the gear and flip it over?

 

[Bird76Mojo]

You'd still have the spiral cut shafting that propels the gear outwards, towards the flywheel.. As far as I know anyways... You'd still have to find a reverse cut, reverse rotation to replace those parts with.

 

[RamblerRyGuy]

I didn't think about the issue with the bendix not pushing out.

What's beveled about it? I can't visualize that issue.

Each individual tooth is beveled in the direction opposite the rotation of the starter.

 

[jmcrow1954]

Swap is easy, TDI harness is easy, getting VW CANbuss to marry to Ranger instr cluster not so much fun

 

[RamblerRyGuy]

No doubt, the older Rangers are much easier to swap engines in.

 

[dilford]

Did the kit ever hit production? I'm still very interested.

 

[sgtsandman]

Did the kit ever hit production? I'm still very interested.

The original poster hasn't been on since 2018. My guess that the project fell through and never got out of development.

 

[Curious Hound]

Did the kit ever hit production? I'm still very interested.

You might have to do some other internet Googling. The original poster hasn’t been online here in about 7 years.