How to Diesel Swap a Vanagon - 4x4 Camper Van Build 2.0L TDI
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 พ.ย. 2024
- In this episode we swap a brand new 2.0L TDI engine into Ethan's 1991 VW Vanagon Syncro Westfalia camper van. We drive accross the country to Tennessee to Boxeer for this project, and swap the engine in 3 days! This classis VW van is now a beast of a 4x4 offroad camper!
Check out the engine swap kit here:
www.boxeer.com/
Konig Wheels: konigwheels.co...
OHTSU tires: www.amazon.com...
Fan contact info
PO Box 2370
Sandpoint, ID 83864
USA
grindhardyewww[AT]gmail.com
Merch inquiries
grindhardmerch[AT]gmail.com
For business inquiries please contact Colin GHPC@solaromgmt.com
Other inquiries grindhardplumbingco[AT]gmail.com
Am I the only one who would love to see a diesel power wheels project. Love what you guys do. Keep it up
i think they should build something with the ford Godzilla crate engine
i love that this guy found his niche. he is definitely living his best life
On a beautiful piece of property. They both are very lucky, even though I know they've worked hard for it. Property like that is so expensive now.
I've seen and done hundreds of German-Engine-Swaps but this is totally different and amazing. Love it. Greetings from Bavaria Germany
Grüsse aus der Schweiz
But where's the laser cut, stainless steel air box with panel filter?? Lol cone filters are just unacceptable 😂
VW 2e swap on my bus.
Ya ok
1.8t vw t3 mine.. did it myself. Upside down 012 box
As a tdi owner, I can say you won't have any regrets. Love the content guys! Keep it up!
Imagine an old man sitting in a cabin in the middle of north Idaho thinking he’s all alone and all of a sudden a diesel 4x4 vanagon and a 2 stroke snow scooter just zip by him out of nowhere😂 love the stuff you guys do keep it up!!!
Thanks man! And that's our life purpose haha
@@Hitycooking LOL thats some funny shit bro
@Nouglas Terpine edwin creates most of the music himself im pretty sure, not sure if he made the piece you are referring to though.
These are some of the best vids on YT. These guys dont laser measure and spec torque. REAL LIFE wrenchers.
Agreed. My boss tried to tell me a good tradesman always uses a torque wrench. I said “bugger off a good tradesman doesn’t need a torque wrench”
TDI swap the world! Such an awesome build and crazy how fast it was all completed.
Last summer I did my first engine swap and put a 1.9 PD130 engine into my Audi A4 Avant. This summer I upgraded to a GTB2060VKLR, and it's an absolute riot. Can't beat AWD manual TDIs!
Hats off to that man, the sheer craftsmanship and detail is out of this world, that’s so bad ass looks OEM plus
I have an alh TDI in my 86 westy. It really is the best thing I’ve done to the van. You cut the input shaft on the trans, the shaft has a taper from where the OG bearing sat to the splines. It was cause a slight vibration that you’d contribute to diesel swap and it will take years to do any damage but it will eventually take out the bearing and input shaft. Also had to put a new gas tank in the van as the diesel ended up dislodging all the spuz that stuck to the inside and clogged my fuel lines.
Instead of having a low vulnerable oil pan you might look into a drysump setup which trades the big deep pan for a thin scavenge plate.
Great project btw, absolutely love the syncro!
I wonder if the oilpan from an older 1.7 Vanagon Diesel engine would work? The one from an actual Diesel Vanagon! I had one from 1983 and the oil pan was slanted off to one side for clearance. Plus the engine was tilted over for the same reason.
YES, I was waiting for you to finally do something with the Westy I’ve seen in the background of all your vids.
I have a 2.2 Subaru swapped Tintop Vanagon and a Westy full camper so you’re all right in my book.
This engine is my dream. I have wanted one for years. I have a beautiful 87 GL for over 20 years. She has blown the head gaskets twice over the years and now sits in my garage for the last 6 years. I follow BOXEER on Facebook and dream every day.
I don’t think you’ll regret it. Plenty of people put the older 1.9 TDI into those things and love it. I just got finished putting a 1.9 TDI in my Ranger and I’m loving it so far. Needs some attention in some areas, but’s a custom creation so it’s a journey, as I’m sure we all know.
I think the 1.9tdi is the perfect engine for this. I prefer the stout injection pump of the 1.9 over the cp4 garbage
I did a swap for a customer a year ago and used his kit. amazing kit! Very very nice quality! You will be very happy with the swap!
Very cool swap. I have the AFN 1,9 TDI in my Syncro. Always remember and never forget, your Transmission was never build for that amount of torgue. Enjoy the more power and speed.
Let's see if it holds up.
That shirt on 23:11 is so nostalgic! My dad had a 1991 VW Syncro, lifted it and put 18" rims, took that thing to Botswana and even towed a Toyota Hilux 80km through sand.
Sitting inside and using the vacuum pump to enable the diff-lock was the best.
He also replaced the engine 3 times from 99 to 2004 before selling it in 2005 because of overheating and blowing a piston through the block.
Dude, you have NO idea how much I desire your van. Carnal levels of want.
When you guys hit 1 mill I will be so proud. Right around the corner....
Love this. I’m putting a 1.9 tdi in a 96 Land Rover Discovery. I’m converting it to a mechanical injection pump. I’m mating it to a BMW 325 xi manual trans, that will be mated to the Rover transfer case.
Wouldn't it make more sense just to use the classic Landrover 200TDI engine ? Seems like a lot of work to use a VW electronic diesel, and convert it to mech, when there's a good mech DI engine that will bolt right in.
@@AndyMcClements 200tdi isn’t common in the US, and I already have the VW tdi. Plus I like the challenge, or I’d just LS swap it.
That oil pan hanging low is looking like a big problem. Next is making a skid plate ? Sweet setup though great content.
at 28:00 you can see that it doesn't actually hang any lower than the transmission, so while it looks like it affects departure angle, it doesn't look like it'd affect ground clearance.
This guy does some pretty serious overlanding. He first used to tilt the engine and had created a custom billet oil pan for extra clearance, but figured out a way to fit it vertically as intended. He said the engine runs much happier and he hasn't had any issues with the low pan.
Don't thease engines have plastic sumps? Definitely needs a skid plate
In addition those radiator hoses are right on top of the cv boots.
@@jagtan13 holy shit I didn't notice that. How did they all over look that????
Really want to see that tdi jet ski.
Same. Can’t find it on youtube 😔
Dude that would be sick
Fuck that.... I want to bolt on onto a welder generator! I want to Frankenstein a welder, generator, air compressor for the garage on a skid so we can load and go for future repairs at the track or in a field.
Atm I have an 8500 watt generator, mig/stick welders, plasma cutter, a gas air compressor. Would be nice to have it all in one on a trailer
@MAXMILIAN POLITTE Turbocharged Direct Injection.
@Calvin Schega Almost, it means Turbocharged Direct Injection.
edit: this is what you get when yt hides more replies, double answers...
GHPC gives me so much motivation to live your best life. I keep looking at ID as a wonderful place to live and i could see Ethan around town.
Man, the one dudes wardrobe was primarily made up of AvE tee-shirts, LOL! Looks like a sweet swap!
Great conversion .cant wait to see the mpg figures with better gearing .did you consider a 5 speed box .I prefer the 4 speed seems better suited to offroading
Ive got one kf the og thumb detecting nut fucker tee-sharts always gets a laugh from anyone that actually looks at it 😂😂
@@nickmassey9104 greg the builder has a Porsche 7 speed pdk in his
Did you see the bullet point tattoo?
Glad someone noticed my wardrobe! just found this comment!
at 12:33 he's talking about reinforcing the shaft/fork mech for the clutch so it doesn't fail. Yeah, mine failed on my '85--had no idea what it was, limped back to town, took it all apart. Easy fix when I saw it! good work.
I have no idea how hard it would be to do, but a dry sump would be sweet. That way you have even better clearance and don’t have to worry too much about scraping a pan. You also could do a nice skid plate with the extra room too.
I am so excited about this project. I have driven about 10 different VW Caravelle models in South Africa and found the power lacking to pull a tow-behind RV. I have had a V6 ford engine put into some of them, but it overheated easily. This would be such an improvement on that! I wish you many happy miles with this great transplant.
Seeing as how it was so unreliable, I got the engine drop on my VW splitty down to 13 minutes. 4 wires, 4rear panel bolts, 6 bumper bolts a fuel line and a cable. I would love a diesel conversion for it.
Simply you guys are awsome. These are things me and my buddies get into doing lol not on your scale but same fun factor just never in a million years would of thought to record let alone think that people would want to watch. Keep it up guys the world can use positivity like this.
I'd recommend some under engine shielding. Can imagine the debris damage from rock deflection etc from being at the back. Couldn't tell what the stock had.
I used to be super hard core VW guy,over 30 different bugs busses square backs rat rod bug and had a 91 vanagon for a while.The 60 bus was the one that got away!Cool seeing that Kootenai county Idaho plate in Tennesee,as I grew up in Samuels Idaho,just north of Sandpoint.
That departure angle though, gonna need a bash guard
Kick ass engine. I threw a GTB2260, forged rods, girdle, injectors, plumbing, head studs, tune and clutch and I'm at 300hp.
So cool seeing some great quality vanagon content! I’ve been working on them a while now and this is my ultimate dream build. I’ve been filming my builds and progress too. Good work man!
nice clean build... I had a 2003 ALH TDI (108kW) put into my 1989 Westie in 2009 and it worked pretty well... one thing that was noticeable right away was the resonance noise from the engine just above 3100 rpm, which with the stock transmission was about 65-75 mph. I think that resonance is pretty universal for the TDI and VW went to great lengths to keep the engine speed down in the Jettas and Golfs. Another problem that turned up was due to the Wasserboxer low torque power train design, on one trip the bell housing cracked, and later the 4th gear blew up (but we made it home in 3rd!). I had a 5 speed transmission from Germany built with the gear ratio 4.11:2.33:1.48:1.03:0.74 and put larger tires on the car (6.82' circumference) which improved the milage to roughly 30 mpg and cruising on the highway at 75 mph (at about 24 mpg) running below the resonance. Eventually the fuel pump clogged, once again leaving me stranded. Probably should have changed the fuel tank (as recommended in an earlier comment). In that build the engine was raised higher to retain the high clearance of the original engine and even though it was two wheel drive it held its own in rough terrain.
With time the Westie, which was supposed to get me to and from my adventures became the adventure... so I sold it to the mechanic that did the conversion...
Good luck with yours! have fun... obviously I'm still in love with the idea as evidenced by viewing this episode.
I met greg at a car cruise-in in MI a few years back. He had his blue/teal 4x4 Westphalia with the TDI conversion. This was, I think, shortly after his Pikes Peak run in the TDI Beetle race car. Very cool guy.
Yeah man! It was great fun just after our Silver lake sand dune experience! I'll remember that time for my whole entire life! That meet up was also really cool!
Nice video !! Whe drive a Audi A4 from 1999 with a 1.9 tdi engine, no problems and she have 520.000 kilomters on the clock and still going strong ! Watch this from the Netherlands.
Being from europe, it's so weird to see people get excited for TDI sound.
Yeah being an American it's weird also...
I love tdi I had a diesel Jetta it was so cool
Being an Aussie it's all we talk about
th-cam.com/video/TYs2q35Bw9g/w-d-xo.html
@@hayimhere9604 same they sound so nice
I've got one of those rare Chevy Cruze sedans with the Opel 2 liter diesel here in the US. It's all stock and quiet. I love the 280 lb-ft of torque though! Yeah, and the 48 mpg highway is pretty cool too. 740 mile range.
I used 1.9 alh engine on oe TD 5 speed GB. Tilt 50 degree.
No projection on the lid.
Crankcase, I have fused TD into TDI crankcase.
I loved your Audi engine mount bracket.:):) clean work.
Is that a garage build in feeling? Grind hard garage with bike lift and car lift, smooth floor and high roof? And maybe even a dry storage for the builds :o
This was really sweet. You grinning the whole time was pretty fun watch. Simple looking project in 4 days.
god damn them tracks are fire. Seeing it this great now is amazing. cant imagine what you'll do in the future
I met that dude in Arches National Park, Utah. He gave me and kid a tour of his blue Vanagon. Way cool dude.
I miss Utah big time 💕
11:51 pupper was like, you need a hand with that trans, nah you got it
So funny
Enter Matt.
He is always so helpful haha
More like fuck bro you woke me up
I was going say he looked lonely and needed to be pet
I LOVE your van! When I was like 13 my friends mom had one 4wd with low gear and diff lock and we would sneak out and take up crazy logging roads in northern washington! It would go anywhere!
Anyone else notice the power wheels on the hoist in the back?
That’s a two post lift not a hoist😂
@@codyallen9729 Hoist was the word I could think of at the time 😂😂
I was wondering about that. Maybe they are getting a lift.
@@codyallen9729 eh I've heard it both ways, in a lot of shops.. I do prefer 'lift' though
...why am I even commenting this
you guys...
awesome conversion !
where i live (Holland) the fourcilinders are the most common engines in any car and the amount of torque and ponies that you can get out of these machines is unreal...
personally i prefer just the mechanic and machine sounds instead of the screaming little baby music,
but hey i guess that comes with it..
keep 'm coming, especially the 2-stroke snowmobile conversions!!!
23:48 the younger fella hits his head on a tyre and leaves the scene keeping his cool. 😂
Could be worse! There's a metal bar right next to that tire!
My family had I believe an 87 (not %100 sure of the year, vanagon syncro. My pops swapped a 2.7 liter 6 cylinder Subaru SVX engine. Only 170hp but man it was fun to blow the doors off of little honda civics. He also put Porsche phone dial rims from a 944 on the van.
it's about time you worked on the syncro! i have an 87 4wd that i'm putting an ALH in at 15 degrees.
Do you have a vender in mind for your mount kit etc? I've wanted to do a BEW swap in one of mine for some time👍
@@robertmuckle2985 going to build my own adapter and mount kit using bhw mounts and a modified 2.1 mustache bar. Adapter will be a hybrid using a 02J Bell and aluminum vanagon bell. I want to go this route so I can use a 02J DMF at 15 degrees.
I own a 1.9L TDI in my MK4 Jetta. Love these motors!!! Awesome what you do.
And a diesel powered Jet Ski..HELL YEAH
Hands down my favorite video from GHP yet!
I saw that Barbie jeep on the lift in the background... Nice touch!
Wow! Never heard of this conversion before. Yay!!!! Looks awesome to say the least. Miss my Syncros!!! Miss my '89 Wolfsburg Carat too! Loved my 5spd '93 Eurovans too. But of course, there's nothing like the Syncro and NOT GETTING STUCK in the snow, muck, and ice up here in New England in the winter, or on the beach! Can't wait to win the lotto and bring back some early 2000 models from South Africa with ABS and Air bags! ha! Just two more years to go till the 25 year import mark. :))
Lol, Ethan looks like he haven't slept in ages. Love your videos guys.
Pretty accurate
It screams for new rear and front custom bumpers and sick tires with fenders
Time for a TDI badge on the back !
Love seeing the blue LT at the start of the video.
I feel like she could really use a skid plate under that engine
Yes that is what I noticed you need a skid plate/cover for the engine.
Awesome to see people design and install modern reliable motors in a classic loved vehicle.
My boy Greg wearing Fjallraven! Represent.
Skål🇳🇴
Im in love with this guy who made that add on ..! ! Greets to all from Dinmark ( local down behind the gasoline station ) ..! Yeah - I want one too ... ! ! :D
isnt this the guy that brought the diesel bug to hoonigan that had like a porsche transmision n shit?
yeah he's wild
It was a VW Bug only in name. Buy the time he was done.
th-cam.com/video/B53qGnActp4/w-d-xo.html
Hell yes nothing like a vw tdi in its natural habitat spooling in the snow.
I love it, but it’s hanging pretty low. And those hoses looked to be laying close the CV boot on the right side.
Hanging real low oil pan is going to take a beating.
Yeah these guys half ass everything.
@@tterryshenanigans1820 Dont talk out your ass. If you got shit to say then go build it better.
I thought the same.
I was gonna post something about a TDI prolapse, but then I saw it wasn't too bad. Still, I'm gonna leave you with the visual of a TDI prolapse. Very cool swap. Will be recommending to friends.
You guys need to do an electric motor conversion on something or build something around an electric motor. I feel like if you built a buggy from scratch with electric motor and all that it would be badass!
Ailen8ed1, electric motor conversion is gay.
@@jasonjgr8580 wow seriously?! You must not be a true enthusiast of any type power is power speed is speed. And honestly I give a fuck less what you think!
@@coachnutt61 just my thoughts ,so relax.
Tesla power wheels perhaps?
@@wide7340 that would be cool but I was thinking a little bigger like full size buggy bigger I guess you could make a body and make it look like a Tesla power wheels lol
That thing is a beast now. I enjoyed the long format full build.
my dad put an 911 engine in one of those VW vans back in the day
Smart since it's also a boxer !
Years ago I owned a 1970 VW Single Cab, with a Porsche 911 flat six (2.7 litre) engine and Porsche transmission. That thing moved!
Out of all the vehicles I've owned over the years it is the only one I regret selling.
We've got a friend installing a LS in his.
I knew someone who put an Alfa Romeo flat 4 engine in one of these.
You need to get the King Crawler creeper. It has 5 inch caster wheels. Rolls on my gravel driveway. Get it with the brake option so you can anchor yourself to have better leverage on stuck bolts and it helps for getting on and off of it too it rolls pretty easy.
Yeeeeew it’s Moab Time
Looks nice. I have a syncrostien. (a 2wd van that I used a rusted out syncro for it's conversion.) I ended up converting it to a pop top as well. So it's truly a Frankenstein. The added kicker is I was one of the 1st guys to put a 2.4 ecotec motor in mine. Super awesome motor for the Vanagon, but I got the diesel bug and I've been thinking of doing a diesel swap just because.. you know lol That set up he makes looks super nice. I lived in the van for almost 2 years road tripping with that ecotec I dunno why I'd ever change it but the diesel is calling..
Next is you fabing and putting on the giant greasy skid plate to protect such a low slung oil pan...
Right?
My thoughts exactly.
Thought the same thing. That engine orientation is just asking for a torn off oil pan. WAY too low. He's gonna have to make a 100lb 1/4 in steel skid plate to protect that.
Nerd
I drive a 2011 tdi golf. I would LOVE to have a van like this. Incredibly versatile fun vehicle
Diesel 4 seat jet ski
Ok you peaked my interest
Awesome swap! I’d slap a filter cover over the intake filter, for added insurance against water 🌧
i would be so worried about slamming that pan on a rock. please tell me you will lift in and put a guard on it LOL
pro tip, if your creeper won't roll use corrugated plastic sheeting. you can slide on it really nice and its pretty tough.
Is that a Fun cup race car in the background? Didn’t realise they’d made it to the US.
It's got the tdi as well, he took it up pikes peak. Hoonigan did a build breakdown on it
Very cool engine swap . Dude knows his stuff & does quality work just like you . Nice shirt , I talked to my buddy that works for amerabrade & he said y’all were one of the first to get one . I wish I could afford one , I watch Paul use his all the time . ( fab rats )
Now all you have to do is see if it survives whistlindiesel
🤣🤣🤣 it’s a Grind Hard car what did you expect, with the oil leak. Break it first then rebuild it better 😎 I love this conversion.
Just get bigger tires with more power to turn them easily.
Will help the gears are awfully short
That’s Awesome ! I put a 2003 1.9L TDI in my 1981 VW Caddy truck. The mpg is 47 city 65 highway! It has a 12 gallon tank does 582 miles on only 11 gallon of diesel!
I thought I recognized greg from somewhere, he did all those cool subaru EE20 diesel swaps a while ago
He just ran pikes peak th-cam.com/video/B53qGnActp4/w-d-xo.html
Sweet set up guys lots of work in just 4 days I noticed the big smiles while you guys were driving Great video bro Fireman 🔥🔥🔥
5:48 I spot an AvE fan
And a Tom Sachs '10 bullets' tattoo as well.
For at least a year now I've felt like I physically recognize you guys from the stage rally crowd, and now I think I realize it was from the Volkswagen crowd all this time. Looks like a riot!!
When do we see a diesel power wheels build?:)
Just did the same on my T4, from a 1.9 TD to 1.9 TDI AFN engine with 130 HP, I add the 6th gear and syncro gearbox and transmission :)
1:34 Is that the next next next project!!?? (On the lift)
So cool. You can really tell he understands his craft.
Thanks! Yeah, Greg knows what he’s doing for sure!
How long will the stock gearbox hold up to that motor? I know when doing any engine swap on a bug they say yo use the van box but being the Van's heavier then the bug wouldn't it be a ticking time bomb so to speak?
Probably depends on how you drive it. Done 20'000Km with my 2.0TDI 103KW/320Nm without a problem.
I am totally amazed as too how many talented and highly skilled professionals there is in the states amazing just wow so superb and superior 👏🏆👍🥇
Im trying to weigh out the pros and cons of this kit over a subie swap. My biggest concern with this is the loss of clearance in the rear. Not sure how you are supposed to use the bed anymore unless you hollow out the rear cushion.
you guys are finally so close to 1 million great job
So much for the break in period as he mashes the pedal and black smoke rolls...
I love the clean swap work! Too often these types of swaps are ghetto and lack reliability. Well done!
Do they make one that would work in the older beetles?
That would be so cool!!
That is why I came to these comments.
Wow that swap kit is amazing! I wish someone made a TDI swap kit like that for my Jeep XJ.