TDI Ranger Build

[greengeeker]

The M5OD-R1 transmission is about 1" taller than the VW transmissions and interfers with the hard coolant pipe that crosses the back of the block/head.

The fix is easy to do but requires you to create a new mount for the water pipe. You MUST have the pipe bolted to the head and water neck when you do this so you get the orientation and angle correct.

I don't seem to have an intermediate pictures but I cut off the end of the pipe and welded it to the end of the section of pipe I'm going to keep:

I'll just make it over to the heater core with a longer length of hose.

 

[greengeeker]

Engine Cleanup and Paint Prep

So this is where I started:

and a close up of the crustiness:

I vaguely remember the last block I had to clean up and paint (AMC 258) but I recall I spent nearly 8 hours scraping, cleaning, degunking. Not happening this time around. I'm not sure where I got the idea but I decided to give a needle scaler a try to get in all the nooks and crannies of the block. Anyway, here is one I bought from Northern Tool for $35 since none of my buddies had one to borrow.

In 60 seconds (I'm not kidding) I've turned the above crusty pic into this:

After some cleaning and three coats of engine primer I'm ready for paint:

 

[bobbywalter]

Thanks! Cannot believe you shoehorned a 6.5 into a Ranger. Now I know what to do with 6.2L Redblock I have in the corner of the garage.

save that for a bigger 4x4 rbv. or better yet send it to me for a christmas gift


i would like to try this vw thing with some turned up fuel and improved turbo with a lightweight near stock b2.

 

[greengeeker]

That's one weird looking Cummins motor.

Oh wait, what's this on the back of the block?

Reassembly begins:

 

[Thed]

That looks so damn good... much props!

 

[greengeeker]

That looks so damn good... much props!

Thanks!

 

[Thed]

Are you going to need to move or make another transmission mount?

 

[greengeeker]

Are you going to need to move or make another transmission mount?

I made a small plate that inserts between the transmission and the mount to move it forward the 2". I'll snap a picture when I get a chance to show the way it's sitting in there with the the plate and new driveshaft.

 

[Jeeprider]

This is exactly what I want to do with my ranger once I finish college and can afford it. I can't wait to see it finished!

 

[greengeeker]

I was getting kinda nervous that I hadn't been successful finding the correct pilot bearing for the swap. To be more accurate I was looking for a pilot bushing since I wanted to avoid a needle bearing failure and taking the input shaft with it. In fact I have several core transmissions in my garage that suffered that fate.



I spoke to a friend about my predicament and he recommended a certain guy at our local Napa who has been a nightmare in the past with getting me the right VW parts. Anyway I went in with low expectations...I mean how many parts counter people do you know that are willing to dig into the books on the counter? 99.99% of them basically say "if you don't know what year, make, model then I can't help you." Well I walked into the store with the ID of the crank and the OD of the shaft and actually walked out of the store with the bushing! Once I got it back to the shop I checked it with my calipers and it appeared like the OD needed to be opened up .005".

I threw the bushing into the freezer for a couple nights and went to cleaning up the ID of the crank. Quite a bit of gunk/rust can build up after 10 years (you of course would do this before you measure the ID but I used a spare block I had sitting around). A light coating of grease and some persuasive taps with a drift and the bushing is in place.

Throw on the adapter plate, the flywheel and torque down the flywheel bolts using my nifty metalnerd flywheel holder. The Ford flywheel is ~10mm thicker at the center than the vw and requires new, longer bolts. I lucked out and the original Ranger bolts are the perfect length and the right length. Small dab of thread sealer to keep the oil from wicking into the threads and torque them down.

 

[greengeeker]

Engine Final Assembly

I really needed to get the adapter and flywheel in place so I could finish up on the timing belt end.

 

[RangerSVT]

Looking good, keep up the great details

SVT

 

[joecool85]

Wow, I'm seriously impressed. I would love to do a TDI swap.

 

[greengeeker]

Thanks guys!

 

[greengeeker]

Bench Start

Now these pictures might frighten some but this couldn't be easier to do if you have the whole harness, ignition, cluster, and of course the ecu. Really all you have to do is hook up the battery, have the appropriate fuses in place (6 or 7 if you power up the instrument cluster) and ground all the various grounding points in the harness.

Here is the result of about 6 hours of harness trimming:

http://youtu.be/3ugd7ilJATE