TDI Ranger Build

[greengeeker]

Thanks Richard.

 

[greengeeker]

Battery Tray Modification

This isn't a sexy, exciting update but one of those mundane detail items that needs to be completed in the course of a swap and as most of you know there are a lot of these sort of tasks.

I started out with a rusted out battery tray for the group 58 battery which isn't going to cut it with the pre-cranking current demand of the glow plugs AND cranking the 19.5:1 afterwards.

Here is the original battery tray as I'm drilling out the spot welds:

Here is how I intend to position it while holding the much longer TDI battery:

Test fit of the battery shows that I need to section out some width from the bracket so the battery clamp is functional (I had to remove the broke off portion in the tray and scour the junk yard for a replacement clamp&bolt):

Sand blasted and sectioned tray ready for fan control module attachment:

Back in the truck with an initial coat of paint:

And how it looks with the battery and my modified accessory bracket in place:

 

[RangerSVT]

Looks like your getting close for an initial start...


SVT

 

[greengeeker]

Yessir. I could at any point throw the harness in the truck and essentially do the same "bench" start that I did earlier. I'll be posting my game plan for the wiring (lots of hours planning this) pretty soon.

 

[joecool85]

Yessir. I could at any point throw the harness in the truck and essentially do the same "bench" start that I did earlier. I'll be posting my game plan for the wiring (lots of hours planning this) pretty soon.

Wicked, keep us posted.

 

[greengeeker]

TDI Ranger First Start

Looks like your getting close for an initial start...

Wicked, keep us posted.

I was getting antsy so I decided to have some fun and start her up. Really I needed to power up the vw system to confirm operation of a few of the electrical circuits so all I really had to do was hook up some fuel.

http://youtu.be/rnQIKqBtVEs

Technically this is cheating since I haven't wired everything in but hey, it makes noise. I was really happy to find out that the vibration at idle is VERY smooth. I can hardly feel the engine.

Oh, during the video I gave it a couple throttle blips to get the turbo to spool - I forgot to hook vacuum to the VNT actuator before I took the video. I hooked that up and fired it up and that little vnt15 is singing at idle....sounds great.

Well I'll be plugging away at wiring for a while and will post updates as they come.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

awesome. I like the grin at the end.

Richard

 

[greengeeker]

awesome. I like the grin at the end.

Thanks. I didn't want my mug in the video but what do you do?

 

[joecool85]

Sounds great!

 

[Jeeprider]

What kind of smog and registration issues are you going to face when you try to register it? Being from CA it seems like it would be a nightmare, just wondering what its like where you're at.

 

[greengeeker]

Well we don't have inspections here in MN so I really could just drive it without issue. I do plan on having the registration changed from diesel to gasoline so I'll find out. From other swappers in other states it usually is just as easy as going into the DMV and having them change a check box from 'Gas' to 'Diesel'.

I do know that one guy swapped a TDI into a Toyota in CA and successfully got it registered so there is hope!

When in doubt maintain all emissions equipment as your motor was originally equipped and certified by EPA. For my engine that would mean keeping the EGR system and a cat. Both are easily accommodated.

 

[Jeeprider]

I've been reading up on the registration for CA and it doesn't seem like it will be as hard to do as so many people say.

I know this doesn't apply to you at all but just for anyone reading this wondering about smog and registration in CA. Basically it just has to be an engine from a highway vehicle with a model year the same or newer that came from a vehicle of the same weight class. And as you mentioned the engine has to have a sticker saying it is EPA certified and has all emissions equipment still on the engine.

(don't quote me on this as I do not know it to be 100% true but it should be quite accurate. Calling a smog referee is the best way to find out for sure)

I can delete this post if you don't want it up here, but I figured that since this thread is already such a great resource for people doing a swap that having this information on here would just add too it.

 

[greengeeker]

I can delete this post if you don't want it up here...

No way. Thanks for posting the info.

I should have included that info in my post: the stricter states will want the engine to be from the same model year or newer.

 

[Jfive]

Really like the info you've come up with. Any thought on making a few extra transadapters. I always thought a diesel swap from south america would be a good idea, but this is probubly easier to find. Sure this cold weather has slowed progress. Im in minot nd and it was frigid the last two days.

 

[greengeeker]

Any thought on making a few extra transadapters.

Yes, I'm still working out my supply chain but I'm getting closer.