@@johnm-wv6bo problem is, if anything breaks or you have an accident, you are going to pay dearly your repair. Thats what attacked to the Mercedes brand.
Hi have a T4 TDI nowadays but I used to have a 1.9TD and I still remember it with big respect. Strong reliable engine, fast enough and easy to put your hand on it. It is a good choice in my opinion.
New channel idea, Rusty Dad Vans! 👍 a lot of good points made… reminds me of my Mk1 Golf Cabriolet… the kids grew up with it, not normal, and not precious or expensive, great memories made
First thing to do is replace the throttle cable. OE ones (with electrical connector to the EGR valve) are no longer available, so blank off the EGR valve and fit a throttle cable from the 1.9 non turbo. Not too difficult to add an intercooler and pipework to this engine. It is never going to be quick, but you should just about be able to pull the skin off a rice pudding.
Owned my T4 for a year now. I’ve got the 2.4d. It’s slow and heavy and I maintain the rust. My 6 year old daughter loves going out in it. I’ll always have a transporter now. It’s a weekend drive only, so will hopefully last for many years. Hopefully I’ll be able to hand it down to her when the time comes. 🤙🏻
Today I made a list of all the cars I’ve owned, I came to the t4 I had in bought around 2005, randomly I remembered the reg number and typed it in the google machine and this video popped up. I used to own that van. Used it when I was renovating a house in Newquay then when that was done I insulted and carpeted the back built a bit of a crude bench seat/bed got the Audi style wheels and lowered it, done a few trips camping to France in it, great fun. Glad to see it’s still going. 👍I’ve live in Australia now and aren’t many of them around over here, I’d have one again although the 2.5tdi or 2.5 petrol.
Great video! It's cool to see some diverse and yet ordinary vehicles on a motoring channel, the whole community thing and waving is great fun in a motoring world often devoid of fun these days, I drive a Chevrolet Astro dayvan and the dayvan drivers I have seen so far always wave enthusiastically when we pass each other, it never fails to bring a smile to your face. Great channel keep up the good work.
Hi I've owned a 1.9td for 18 years. I've fitted a passat 1.9td fuel pump which has the vacuum turbo boost. I've also fitted a boost pin. Done away with the stupid spring in the throttle cable. I can say it flies now and still good on fuel. Only downfall is the low 5th gear. Looking into the 5th gear mod and an intercooler.
Hi Ben love the channel I have one of those £100,000 van haven built transporter t6.1 204 dsg highline kombi camper swamper vans in your 1st few seconds of your video, I have never owned a volkswagan before let alone a transporter. I sold my bmw m3 and my sierra cosworth estate F20YBT to fund my new purchase and I don't regret it for a minute. I have been on so many holidays since I got the van and I have continued to modify, not a month goes by with out something new being done to the van . We have covered 22,000 miles in the van since we collected it brand new with just 11 miles on the clock ,she's been to Scotland twice been all over Europe and have been on the nurburgring twice. I cant imagine a day without my transporter in my life . And I'm level 3 all the time ,coming from a classic ford back ground I thought we was a tight nit community but the dubsters have got it licked.🤟 if you would like to review my van I would be more than happy for you to do so . Love the channel keep up the great work 👍
Great video..thank you...I have a 1.9td t4 and have had her for 10yrs..my daily for dogs and work etc...with ref to power...a mechanical tune by pp tuning sorted mine..good gains in both bhp and torque...never going to be a race car..but that's not the point...but hills are no longer a massive obstacle..enjoy your t4s everyone🤙
In my humble opinion there is nothing like a vw transporter. The first one I had was t4 caravelle with the 2.4 5 cylinder and had it for 8 years before I sold it and wished I never had. Now I have recently purchased a autosleeper on a vw t4 2.5 tdi and can't wait to get out in it whenever I can.
Hi, I've had my T4 1.9TD ABL for 24 years ('T' reg). It used to be slow but I've done a few things to it over the years, and now it absolutely flies, even with 270k on the clock. First check the throttle cable and either oil (3 in 1) it or renew it. Check the EGR as its probably clogged up. I fitted a TD4 Freelander intercooler and set it in to the bumper with a front grille off a MK4 Golf. To do this I blanked off, and reversed the EGR valve. This made a massive difference to the bhp and it's pulling power up hills. What makes it so easy to work on is the fact that it has no ECU, and therefore no sensor issues, as with the 2.5 engines.
It frees up the response from the pump and the engine becomes much more free-revving; you'll soon notice it when you try. Disconnect the cable from the pump end and cable-tie it up high, then trickle 3-1 oil down the cable and leave it for a short while. Then re-connect; easy.
I've had my T6 for the past four years, way before COVID bumped up the price tags. It's been a real gem. Think of it like driving an SUV, except I can snooze or toss in bags of rubble and sheets of plywood in the back. Went for the plastic bumpers (I bump and give zero sh*ts), aircon, satnav, and a higher powered engine. Not exactly a sports car, but with Bilstein's, it's the ultimate hauler to the dump. My van is a trusty tool.
Thanks for the nice video! I own a T4 California biker 1996. To make some improvements I blocked the EGR, adjusted the turbo (it easy to manipulate this old system to be more “closed” for a longer time, and when I had a giant leak from the fuelpump that was repaired at the garage, it came back even more slowly. What I discovered was that the valve of the fuelpump was more close when it came back from the garage. I hardly could get it to the high way. I opened the valve of the fuelpump more and screwed it down again, so it would be more open in the beginning. You have to adjust the idle position (I had to remove the whole screw to have an idling around 1000). And now the T4 has more power than before! Before hills were difficult, after changing the turbo, blocking off the EGR and adjusting the fuelpump valve it runs very nicely!
injector pump from VW aaz engine with landrover boost pin, add turbo boost by adjusting WG, deCat, EGR delete, diy shortshifter.... pretty much all you need with that engine.
@@Charlitoboy we did a road trip Tallinn-Dubrovnik-Tallinn with 4people and loads of baggage and we avaraged 7L/100km. Highway speeds were 90-100 kmh most of the time.
The van was so slow and comfy that pickle ended up falling asleep 😂 I have to say the VW community for the older school stuff seem like a decent bunch and the way they keep them running and mod them is all pretty cool!
102 top. I had a 1.9. Was fine when you got going will sit at 70 Problem is nowadays people want to be able to do 100mph. I bought my t reg for £600 And sold it for £4500 10 years later. That said have now got an ex sky t5.1 with 176 bhp. Guess what still don’t drive it over 70. I’ve always had vw vans from the 80s onwards love it …
Great Vid Ben!! I want to see that short shifter installed :) The prices of these buses makes me cry, its just madness!! Must be a good ride, your little one was long gone
I have an S reg t4 and we love it ,everything you've said is correct , they are slow but steady , there is something about em thay we love , and full wave with every t4 we pass , I can also say I have a t6 23 plate and even though it's very plush and quick ect ,it doesn't have the charm the t4 has
Hi Ben & little one. Hope your doing good. That was a cool video. My father still has the last year of the VW Eurovan, it's a Turbo diesel. Back home in UK, my father has the last year of VW Vanagon GL Turbo diesel. They both still run. He does his own work on them both. Stay safe and take care.
Good video. Very simple to boost the performance of the ABL engine (although wont get above 95bhp). Adjust the fuel pump and turbo boost. All thats needed in a boost gauge to set the turbo up and ears to listen to the engine - old school tune!!
Thanks for the vid. Im picking up my X reg t4 800 special at the weekend. Its an ex plasterers work van but well looked after. It needs gearbox work so only cost me £600. Looking forward to doing the conversion as much as going away in it! I did hear somewhere you can adjust the fuel pump screw and actuator arm on the turbo for some gains but the most is fitting an intercooler. Just be careful of overheating.
Ive adjusted my fuel pump and also air intake and adjusted rhe tick over plentynof love and affection and tbh its a cruiser can attack hills in 3rd and 4th and tbh im planning on doing alot more too it too i love my bus
iv literally about an hour ago just bought my good mates 2003 t4 with over 200,000 miles on it and iv not even sat in or driven in he's just a mate and i know how cool the van is.. he's just bought a T5 so i didn't even hesitate and sent him the money XD. he converted it himself and i will be using it as a camper but also a daily work tools van along side my land rover defender.. im not sure of his spec its a tdi and it has been remapped so it does go quite well for its age. he's just going to give it one last look over service and then ill be picking it up in a week or so XD
Great video. I've owned my 2001 T4 1.9TD for 13 years now and I wouldn't change it for the world. Yes it's not going to win any races but that's not what's it's for. If you want fast go and buy something that was made to do that. It's been a work van , a fishing bus, taken me all over Europe, helped me move house numerous times and done too many festivals to remember. I'm definitely a level 3 + waver (and I flash my lights!) , I love the community aspect of owning a T4 bus. I'm undertaking a full renovation on my van presently as after 23 years it's starting to show it's age a bit. The simplicity of the van's construction is making body work and mechanics a doddle even for the home tinkerer. granted I can weld and I'm pretty practical but a novice would find it an easy vehicle to learn on. I'll be keeping my van forever. Thanks for the content and keep up the good work!
I bought my T4 2.5 TDi some 12 years ago. That was still only 88bhp. I had it remapped and it is now around 120bhp but has increased torque dramatically. Much more driveable even when towing. Sure enough rust is an issue. Mine has had new sills about 5 years ago. Also the underseal fails on sharp edges so these have been resealed with Tiger Seal. Much more resilient.
Ich habe meinen T4 1.9 td vor 4 Jahren mit 175000km gekauft. Im Sommer wird manchmal ein Wohnwagen mit 1800 kg gezogen. Ankommen ist das Motto. Am Wochenende haben wir eine Tour von 850 km gefahren. Wie immer ohne Probleme.
I love my T4 2.5 tdi 102 bhp....had it 7 years and intend keeping it until its no more. They are a bit dearer but the prices fluctuate up and down, the vw badge will always make it desirable.
Great video! Chuckling at the 'young un' fast asleep whilst you are driving, we Dads have all been through that! I bought my 1996 SWB T4 Caravelle almost a year ago, and paid well over the odds for it (more than double what this one cost) I didn't really know what I was doing and the seller was a bit pushy, and the only thing I can say is I have learnt from that . I have now removed and sold on all the rear seats and partially converted the van and done some much needed repairs and modifications, including servicing him (He is gender specific, his name is 'UWE' pronounced 'oovay' after an amazing German centre forward who used to play for my team Manchester City FC) I do sometimes cringe at the money I have spent ,but the T4 in my opinion is the best looking of the front wheel drive water cooled vans, mine has been lowered 40mm and has some Renault Alloys fitted and really does look 'Cool and Retro' . Re; engines there are many versions available and the most popular is the 2.5i, which is gives more than enough power cos some of these vans are LWB, and mine is a 2.4 non turbo but it runs superb after 230000 miles, and is really good on fuel. Mine has the old heater panel and steering wheel which don't look or work as good as yours, but I guess that is the 'period look' . He smoked a bit on start up when I first got him, but I regularly use a diesel additive and changed the fuel filter and that has cleaned everything up. I love VW's I have been running a Passat B5 2003 for 18 years and despite the mandatory rusty drivers side front wheel arch , it still looks and drives Beautifully, I have a full service history from new it is a wonderful car and I have driven it all over the UK. I am self employed and my work van is a 2017 VW Caddymaxi , which I bought to use as my work van in the week and a weekend camper, and I did that for a couple of years but it became too time consuming emptying it all out and cleaning it to convert it to a camper for the weekend and then putting it all back when I got back from the weekend away to put it back to work mode (but these vans do make excellent micro campers) I have subscribed to your channel and shall continue to watch with interest, many thanks dx
Love the t4s but moved on to a T5 1.9tdi I feel it gives me the same feelings ,apart from a shed load of work after a bad previous owner but that was 10 yrs ago now and been faultless , but yes still love the t4s
really simple, if you feel the risk is necessary, buy a boost gauge, wind the dump valve out to 1.7 bar, increase the mixture, apparently just wait till it starts to burn black and back it off, then bingo 110bhp. Obviously it's more complicated than that but no need to change parts but I would recommend going through an experienced person. i'm quite happy to struggle up the hills and enjoy the view and general longevity of the drive train.
I owned a few T3 Transporters (well, one was a Caravelle, but I digress), with the 1.6 TD engine. Like the 1.9, it too had 68 HP. But the T3 was lighter, sitting at around 1600 kilos (even with Syncro 4WD), compared to over 1800 kilos for the T4. I had a T4 Syncro later on, with the 2.4D engine. Damn, that thing was sloppy, but it always started and ran like a charm. Great cars to be honest. Rust was not too problematic on the T3. It was mostly plagued by light surface rust in the panel gaps, unlike the T4, which often got eaten through. As for performance, these engines are surprisingly easy to tune, since you can adjust the fuel pump as well as getting a wastegate regulator for the turbo, enabling higher boost pressure. You could likely reach 90-100 HP without too much fiddling. And believe me. VW diesels, especially the 1.9 liter is built like a tank.
See if you can get your hands on a VW T5 that’s had the darkside developments treatment. I’m sure they used to have a transporter recovery truck that was pulling 325bhp
I know someone who bought a LWB VW Caddy and converted it into a 'camper' because she and her partner did a lot of skiing, hiking and climbing trips around the UK and especially in winter, being able to pull up on the camp site, put the handbrake on and not have to do any set-up made such a quality-of-life difference. Sure it wasn't as luxurious as a proper camper but it kitted out exactly how they wanted and she loved it. A 'proper' holiday for a family can be so expensive, and so I do think a DIY camper van is a great middle ground, especially if you or a friend are handy with a set of tools. I used to think pickle falling asleep was a sign of a good Dad Car, but at this point I think she'd fall asleep in a thunderstorm if she was in her child seat in the back of car.
Just been to view on of these, T4, 800 special, it's largely solid given its age, minor bubbling here and there, but it's solid underneath. Really debating buying, it's partly converted in the rear for a camper, just needs some finishing touches
Roll on T4. A mohhsheeeeen to be trusted. Away from the rust. I've had mine over 7 years & luv it.... LWB 2.5 tdi caravelle converted by me all these years ago. Love it . Have a trusted welder who is more than capable & willing to do what's required. I'm happy. Anywhere, anytime reguardless. Luv Ma van.............. Who needs new? NOT ME. I drive a 2024 volvo xc 40 & 2003 vw t4. T4 fun .... Volvo NONE.............
Hi.. Great video on the fantastic VW Transporter 🙂 I'm driving a '98 bus with the incredible 2.5TDI acv-engine (102Hp), 533.000km on the clock without opening engine and it still goes great, up or downhill. I'm on level 2 when meeting a type2, T5 or older. most of the people driving T6 or T7 don't get it so I've stopt waving at them ;-) Cheers from Sweden/Denmark.
Great video! Subscribed! I can hand on heart say that getting my T4 camper has been the best vehicle I’ve bought - completely changed the landscape for our family!
I have an 08 Vivaro £3k 8 years ago. 1. No rust, 2. 105bhp and loads of torque. 3. No timing belt worries. 4. Cheaper parts. 5. Smooth car like engine. But I agree VW has a following. Thanks
Gotta love a VW van. Im on my second Caddy which thankfully has less weight and more go than the T4. The following for these things is brilliant, as is the options of upgrades from other VAG vehicles. My little lad loves it too, school run is usually done in the van at his request lol
Recently bought 2.5 tdi for work due to new vans being absolutely rubbish ( got rid of my 2018 toyota proace) it was one owner full vw history 65k from new 😁 e/w and mirrors rcl and air conhad mapped to 130bhp and cruise control fitted what more do you want!took family away to sea-side this weekend they loved the van and it was bk to work Monday
I can’t believe you would say that the lack of power out ways rust problem, obviously the rust problem has to be the worst thing about these vans, my t4 does a top speed of 70mph, comfortably cruising at 65mph, I love the fact its slow and smooth and can go forever, but if it was falling apart from rot I would be gutted!
had 1.9td , turned up turbo with boost controled , regulated diesel pump a bit , done everything my self with no or not much knowladge . drove over Norways mountains ,loaded with 2 people and +400kg , had no problem whats so ever, who drove it couldnt believe its only 1,9td. the only problem with that engine was driving 130 engine was screaming :)
I recognise some of that scenery so might see his van around, My friend has had two T4's, both 1.9 td's, the engine decided that it didn't want to play anymore at around 150k on the first one a few years ago so that went and his recent one broke down on Friday, the cambelt seems to have moved across the pulleys and stripped around 5mm off its edge and slipped a tooth or two, we find out this week whether it needs another engine (possibly an upgrade to a PD engine) or not, have watched some of your videos before which are enjoyable but have been looking into performance upgrades for his T4 hence coming across this video 👍
Had several 1.9td and currently a tuned T4 2.5 Tweak the 1.9td little more boost 10/12 psi and makes it livable I favor mine over rubbish injector eating vivaro etc My Vito, my rust heap
Engine swaps are quite common on these and the caddy vans. They put the PD130 engine out of a mk4 golf into them, 130 bhp and with a remap you'll get 170 bhp. It's a massive difference compared to the 68 bhp lol.
mk3golf tdi engine fits with very little modifications i was running tdi from a mk3 fitted with a landrover300tdi pump so no ecu or electrics to go wrong you just need to find someone that knows what there doing to set and tune the pump went like a rocket
Good review, some good points made there, especially about not worrying so much about an older one, whereas a new one makes you a bit precious and can limit usage. I am very biased but I say get one especially 5 cylinder, with intercooler.
I have the slow vw transporter from 1996 and yes it's slow. Living in Turkey with many multiple km 10% climes it does get hard. I am among the the old trucks haha. But, I am totally in love with my self converted camper. Sadly parts are becoming a real problem here.
Fun vid i saw your vid about your vito and now this one i think fairly fair review, i have a 1.9td they are very slow you can do upgrades to make it faster but it still doesnt set the roads on fire ! you could have a 2.5 for more peformance more like your vito. Personally i think the vito is worse for rust when you compare age ? !
Yes Vito is rusting faster but the rust seems to be happening in more places on this T4… but it’s older than both the vitos I’ve owned in the same time and the 2002 Vito doesn’t exist anymore 😅
My dad has had 2 1.9 TD T4's (1 from '96 and 1 from '98) and they've both had their issues. He's buying a '00 2.5 TDi T4 in a couple of days (the 5 pot Volvo/VW engine with 102bhp) which should give that extra oomph. But even with the 1.9TD's you can still get some power out of it... eventually...
Believe it or not, but mine was towing my caravan from düsseldorf in germany up to sardinia and to croatia. Ok, I boosted the engine up to approx 90hp by adding an intercooler from the 2.5 ACV engine, adding a boost-valve wich was adjusting the wastegate to about 1.0 bar of turbo pressure (0.7 is stock) and for this adjusting the fuel-volume screw on the pump to enable all this punch :) If you use this carefully it will run forever :) .... in my case towing a caravan in Summer over the alps was .... em .... yeah, it blew the headgasket the last time (after 190.000 km with high power) :D
If you think that is slow you need to try the Citroën relay 1.9d (non turbo). Father-in-law has one in campervan form and it's soooo slow 🐌. Tops out at around 55mph and its screaming 😂. So funny 😁
Step 1 put yhe correct size wheels and tyres on. Step 2 buy a sail. But they can hit motorway speed without too much trouble and they do fairly good mpg.
I sold my 1.9td after 12 years of ownership to a lady around the corner to me. I do regret selling her every time i go past it! Chasing the rust down in salty Devon was drivjng me mad and couldnt get up any hills round here!
68 hp ... I had a mini metro 25 years ago with a 1.1 litre k series engine that had 60 hp output. Can't imagine how slow a t4 would be with just 8 horses more
10% methanol mix in the tank will improve torx im down the road from prtsdown hill and my 1.9td will smash that hill no worries. rev it up a little and change gear a litte later
Not all horses are created equally, it depends on gear ratios, torque, engine/turbo mapping and how and when it is applied, that said, 64BHP is quite low for a van if you're loading it up, can't imagine trades back in the day loading them up with 8x4 sheet goods and then hitting the hills, ouch
No ECU, the wastegate is set at 7psi factory, you can safely take it to twice that by shortening the actuator. mines at 11psi and has a longer 5th, i like it, there's no point in trying to drive at 70, they're old vans now, treat them as such.
That’s the reason why I am selling my t5 and buy back a defender 130 td5. A t5 and t6 is nice. And you can use it. But if you drive it and gets abused it’s worth nothing in the end. If you get a small dent in a t4 or t3 it’s not a big deal. Same with a defender. If it’s with my t5 it’s a different thing.
The only VW van I've ownedd was a 3·2 litre V6 auto. Went like s**t off a shiny shovel, and then some! I'd have another, but only with that V6 petrol engine!
Isn’t a 20+ year old vehicle with >200k on the clock the definition of being eco friendly? All the energy spent to create it is long since “paid for” five times over. Honestly. The EV brigade just make me want to weep.
Speed isn't everything, lack of ecu and multiple sensors is a great reality. I had a Peugeot 309 made in 1991, it was totally bulletproof, economic and easy to work on. My concern with old T4 models is not mechanical, its body rot. Sadly, they have issues
Saw one of them electric transporters the other day...they're tiny! Let's face it t4's /5's /6's arent massive either so I don't know what VDub were thinking.
I dont see why people are complaining about "slow" cars/vans. You dont need a fast car. You need a fast van. It is not a dealbreaker. Just stop complaining and enjoy your ride or buy a ferrari.
I’ve a 2.5 TDI T4 I am level 3 waver but I look at this way with the clean air zones if you don’t want me in the city ok I want go in the city I’ll order on line the city is going to lose out no skin of my nose I’ll keep my T4
I have a 1.9TD!! And I love it, it was one of the best investments in my 20‘s, no doubt about it. Greetings from Germany
237k on my 1.9 t4. its slow on hills and acceleration. but remember its not a slow van its a fast bedroom.
😂 that’s a good way of looking at it
416k on my old vito before i scrapped it and it was the back axle that gave up not the engine.
Ha! I like that..very witty!!
@@johnm-wv6bo problem is, if anything breaks or you have an accident, you are going to pay dearly your repair. Thats what attacked to the Mercedes brand.
Hi have a T4 TDI nowadays but I used to have a 1.9TD and I still remember it with big respect. Strong reliable engine, fast enough and easy to put your hand on it. It is a good choice in my opinion.
had my 98 td for 22 years daily use over 200.000 trouble free miles.normal repairs some welding but good for a few more years.still love it.
New channel idea, Rusty Dad Vans! 👍 a lot of good points made… reminds me of my Mk1 Golf Cabriolet… the kids grew up with it, not normal, and not precious or expensive, great memories made
We had a mk4 golf as our first family car 😊
I absolutely love my t4 1.9TD🥰
More van content please!! Cheers
I need to get a fast one on!
Thanks!
Wow! Thanks Malcom! That’s awesome 🥹
If you test drive a smiley transit on a w reg you will come to realise how good the transporter is.
😎
The old banana engine wouldn`t pull your foreskin back but would run forever. Easy start required. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
First thing to do is replace the throttle cable. OE ones (with electrical connector to the EGR valve) are no longer available, so blank off the EGR valve and fit a throttle cable from the 1.9 non turbo.
Not too difficult to add an intercooler and pipework to this engine. It is never going to be quick, but you should just about be able to pull the skin off a rice pudding.
That’s interesting! Thanks for sharing this 😎
I am looking forward to that video :) :)
Owned my T4 for a year now. I’ve got the 2.4d. It’s slow and heavy and I maintain the rust. My 6 year old daughter loves going out in it. I’ll always have a transporter now. It’s a weekend drive only, so will hopefully last for many years. Hopefully I’ll be able to hand it down to her when the time comes. 🤙🏻
2.4d LWB For the win 😃
Today I made a list of all the cars I’ve owned, I came to the t4 I had in bought around 2005, randomly I remembered the reg number and typed it in the google machine and this video popped up. I used to own that van. Used it when I was renovating a house in Newquay then when that was done I insulted and carpeted the back built a bit of a crude bench seat/bed got the Audi style wheels and lowered it, done a few trips camping to France in it, great fun. Glad to see it’s still going. 👍I’ve live in Australia now and aren’t many of them around over here, I’d have one again although the 2.5tdi or 2.5 petrol.
That’s awesome! 😅
Great video! It's cool to see some diverse and yet ordinary vehicles on a motoring channel, the whole community thing and waving is great fun in a motoring world often devoid of fun these days, I drive a Chevrolet Astro dayvan and the dayvan drivers I have seen so far always wave enthusiastically when we pass each other, it never fails to bring a smile to your face. Great channel keep up the good work.
Thanks Malcolm! I’d love to try a big engined American van 🙌😎
Hi I've owned a 1.9td for 18 years. I've fitted a passat 1.9td fuel pump which has the vacuum turbo boost. I've also fitted a boost pin. Done away with the stupid spring in the throttle cable. I can say it flies now and still good on fuel. Only downfall is the low 5th gear. Looking into the 5th gear mod and an intercooler.
Forgot to mention egr blank and decat.
Awesome thanks for sharing this 🤙
Hi Ben love the channel I have one of those £100,000 van haven built transporter t6.1 204 dsg highline kombi camper swamper vans in your 1st few seconds of your video, I have never owned a volkswagan before let alone a transporter. I sold my bmw m3 and my sierra cosworth estate F20YBT to fund my new purchase and I don't regret it for a minute. I have been on so many holidays since I got the van and I have continued to modify, not a month goes by with out something new being done to the van . We have covered 22,000 miles in the van since we collected it brand new with just 11 miles on the clock ,she's been to Scotland twice been all over Europe and have been on the nurburgring twice. I cant imagine a day without my transporter in my life . And I'm level 3 all the time ,coming from a classic ford back ground I thought we was a tight nit community but the dubsters have got it licked.🤟 if you would like to review my van I would be more than happy for you to do so . Love the channel keep up the great work 👍
Awesome! Drop me a dm on instagram 🤙😜 I’d love to
@@dadcars 🤙🤙
Great video..thank you...I have a 1.9td t4 and have had her for 10yrs..my daily for dogs and work etc...with ref to power...a mechanical tune by pp tuning sorted mine..good gains in both bhp and torque...never going to be a race car..but that's not the point...but hills are no longer a massive obstacle..enjoy your t4s everyone🤙
I went to PP tuning too, it was a different van after they were done
In my humble opinion there is nothing like a vw transporter. The first one I had was t4 caravelle with the 2.4 5 cylinder and had it for 8 years before I sold it and wished I never had. Now I have recently purchased a autosleeper on a vw t4 2.5 tdi and can't wait to get out in it whenever I can.
Hi,
I've had my T4 1.9TD ABL for 24 years ('T' reg). It used to be slow but I've done a few things to it over the years, and now it absolutely flies, even with 270k on the clock.
First check the throttle cable and either oil (3 in 1) it or renew it.
Check the EGR as its probably clogged up.
I fitted a TD4 Freelander intercooler and set it in to the bumper with a front grille off a MK4 Golf. To do this I blanked off, and reversed the EGR valve. This made a massive difference to the bhp and it's pulling power up hills.
What makes it so easy to work on is the fact that it has no ECU, and therefore no sensor issues, as with the 2.5 engines.
Awesome thanks for sharing this 🙌
Why oil the throttle cable. Is there a difference in the power afterwards? Asking for a friend 😂
It frees up the response from the pump and the engine becomes much more free-revving; you'll soon notice it when you try. Disconnect the cable from the pump end and cable-tie it up high, then trickle 3-1 oil down the cable and leave it for a short while. Then re-connect; easy.
I've had my T6 for the past four years, way before COVID bumped up the price tags. It's been a real gem. Think of it like driving an SUV, except I can snooze or toss in bags of rubble and sheets of plywood in the back. Went for the plastic bumpers (I bump and give zero sh*ts), aircon, satnav, and a higher powered engine. Not exactly a sports car, but with Bilstein's, it's the ultimate hauler to the dump. My van is a trusty tool.
Nice one! Yeah things went mad post 2020
Thanks for the nice video! I own a T4 California biker 1996. To make some improvements I blocked the EGR, adjusted the turbo (it easy to manipulate this old system to be more “closed” for a longer time, and when I had a giant leak from the fuelpump that was repaired at the garage, it came back even more slowly. What I discovered was that the valve of the fuelpump was more close when it came back from the garage. I hardly could get it to the high way. I opened the valve of the fuelpump more and screwed it down again, so it would be more open in the beginning. You have to adjust the idle position (I had to remove the whole screw to have an idling around 1000). And now the T4 has more power than before! Before hills were difficult, after changing the turbo, blocking off the EGR and adjusting the fuelpump valve it runs very nicely!
injector pump from VW aaz engine with landrover boost pin, add turbo boost by adjusting WG, deCat, EGR delete, diy shortshifter.... pretty much all you need with that engine.
What is like fuel consumption after that?
@@Charlitoboy we did a road trip Tallinn-Dubrovnik-Tallinn with 4people and loads of baggage and we avaraged 7L/100km. Highway speeds were 90-100 kmh most of the time.
The van was so slow and comfy that pickle ended up falling asleep 😂 I have to say the VW community for the older school stuff seem like a decent bunch and the way they keep them running and mod them is all pretty cool!
Yeah she slept the whole time on this one 😅
I have T4, 2,5 liter TDI, it has 151PS you should try this.
I’d love to, faster than my Vito!
2.5 tdi with 151PS ????
I dont think so
102 top. I had a 1.9. Was fine when you got going will sit at 70 Problem is nowadays people want to be able to do 100mph. I bought my t reg for £600 And sold it for £4500 10 years later. That said have now got an ex sky t5.1 with 176 bhp. Guess what still don’t drive it over 70. I’ve always had vw vans from the 80s onwards love it …
Great Vid Ben!! I want to see that short shifter installed :)
The prices of these buses makes me cry, its just madness!!
Must be a good ride, your little one was long gone
Yeah she slept almost straight away on this on 🥹… short shift kit 😂
I have an S reg t4 and we love it ,everything you've said is correct , they are slow but steady , there is something about em thay we love , and full wave with every t4 we pass , I can also say I have a t6 23 plate and even though it's very plush and quick ect ,it doesn't have the charm the t4 has
Hi Ben & little one. Hope your doing good.
That was a cool video.
My father still has the last year of the VW Eurovan, it's a Turbo diesel. Back home in UK, my father has the last year of VW Vanagon GL Turbo diesel. They both still run. He does his own work on them both.
Stay safe and take care.
Thanks Frank 🙌😊
@@dadcars Your welcome Ben.
Good video. Very simple to boost the performance of the ABL engine (although wont get above 95bhp). Adjust the fuel pump and turbo boost. All thats needed in a boost gauge to set the turbo up and ears to listen to the engine - old school tune!!
Thanks for the vid. Im picking up my X reg t4 800 special at the weekend. Its an ex plasterers work van but well looked after. It needs gearbox work so only cost me £600. Looking forward to doing the conversion as much as going away in it! I did hear somewhere you can adjust the fuel pump screw and actuator arm on the turbo for some gains but the most is fitting an intercooler. Just be careful of overheating.
Waving to club members is great, I'm in the MX5 owners club and we wave at each other all the time
I loved it in my MR2 and everyone waves in Astons too
Ive adjusted my fuel pump and also air intake and adjusted rhe tick over plentynof love and affection and tbh its a cruiser can attack hills in 3rd and 4th and tbh im planning on doing alot more too it too i love my bus
iv literally about an hour ago just bought my good mates 2003 t4 with over 200,000 miles on it and iv not even sat in or driven in he's just a mate and i know how cool the van is.. he's just bought a T5 so i didn't even hesitate and sent him the money XD. he converted it himself and i will be using it as a camper but also a daily work tools van along side my land rover defender.. im not sure of his spec its a tdi and it has been remapped so it does go quite well for its age. he's just going to give it one last look over service and then ill be picking it up in a week or so XD
Yea mate. Everyman content. This is gold.
😊
I had a t4 t reg 2.5 tdi for 16 year. Great Van.
🤙😎
Great video. I've owned my 2001 T4 1.9TD for 13 years now and I wouldn't change it for the world. Yes it's not going to win any races but that's not what's it's for. If you want fast go and buy something that was made to do that. It's been a work van , a fishing bus, taken me all over Europe, helped me move house numerous times and done too many festivals to remember. I'm definitely a level 3 + waver (and I flash my lights!) , I love the community aspect of owning a T4 bus. I'm undertaking a full renovation on my van presently as after 23 years it's starting to show it's age a bit. The simplicity of the van's construction is making body work and mechanics a doddle even for the home tinkerer. granted I can weld and I'm pretty practical but a novice would find it an easy vehicle to learn on. I'll be keeping my van forever. Thanks for the content and keep up the good work!
Awesome 👏😊
check if you can get it re-mapped makes a big difference
I bought my T4 2.5 TDi some 12 years ago. That was still only 88bhp. I had it remapped and it is now around 120bhp but has increased torque dramatically. Much more driveable even when towing.
Sure enough rust is an issue. Mine has had new sills about 5 years ago. Also the underseal fails on sharp edges so these have been resealed with Tiger Seal. Much more resilient.
Ich habe meinen T4 1.9 td vor 4 Jahren mit 175000km gekauft.
Im Sommer wird manchmal ein Wohnwagen mit 1800 kg gezogen.
Ankommen ist das Motto.
Am Wochenende haben wir eine Tour von 850 km gefahren. Wie immer ohne Probleme.
I once went level 3 wave towards another transporter only for them to flip me the V, though for the most part got waves back. I miss my T3 Wedge :(
I love my T4 2.5 tdi 102 bhp....had it 7 years and intend keeping it until its no more. They are a bit dearer but the prices fluctuate up and down, the vw badge will always make it desirable.
👌😊
Great video! Chuckling at the 'young un' fast asleep whilst you are driving, we Dads have all been through that! I bought my 1996 SWB T4 Caravelle almost a year ago, and paid well over the odds for it (more than double what this one cost) I didn't really know what I was doing and the seller was a bit pushy, and the only thing I can say is I have learnt from that .
I have now removed and sold on all the rear seats and partially converted the van and done some much needed repairs and modifications, including servicing him (He is gender specific, his name is 'UWE' pronounced 'oovay' after an amazing German centre forward who used to play for my team Manchester City FC)
I do sometimes cringe at the money I have spent ,but the T4 in my opinion is the best looking of the front wheel drive water cooled vans, mine has been lowered 40mm and has some Renault Alloys fitted and really does look 'Cool and Retro' . Re; engines there are many versions available and the most popular is the 2.5i, which is gives more than enough power cos some of these vans are LWB, and mine is a 2.4 non turbo but it runs superb after 230000 miles, and is really good on fuel. Mine has the old heater panel and steering wheel which don't look or work as good as yours, but I guess that is the 'period look' . He smoked a bit on start up when I first got him, but I regularly use a diesel additive and changed the fuel filter and that has cleaned everything up. I love VW's I have been running a Passat B5 2003 for 18 years and despite the mandatory rusty drivers side front wheel arch , it still looks and drives Beautifully, I have a full service history from new it is a wonderful car and I have driven it all over the UK. I am self employed and my work van is a 2017 VW Caddymaxi , which I bought to use as my work van in the week and a weekend camper, and I did that for a couple of years but it became too time consuming emptying it all out and cleaning it to convert it to a camper for the weekend and then putting it all back when I got back from the weekend away to put it back to work mode (but these vans do make excellent micro campers) I have subscribed to your channel and shall continue to watch with interest, many thanks dx
Love the t4s but moved on to a T5 1.9tdi I feel it gives me the same feelings ,apart from a shed load of work after a bad previous owner but that was 10 yrs ago now and been faultless , but yes still love the t4s
really simple, if you feel the risk is necessary, buy a boost gauge, wind the dump valve out to 1.7 bar, increase the mixture, apparently just wait till it starts to burn black and back it off, then bingo 110bhp. Obviously it's more complicated than that but no need to change parts but I would recommend going through an experienced person. i'm quite happy to struggle up the hills and enjoy the view and general longevity of the drive train.
I owned a few T3 Transporters (well, one was a Caravelle, but I digress), with the 1.6 TD engine. Like the 1.9, it too had 68 HP. But the T3 was lighter, sitting at around 1600 kilos (even with Syncro 4WD), compared to over 1800 kilos for the T4. I had a T4 Syncro later on, with the 2.4D engine. Damn, that thing was sloppy, but it always started and ran like a charm.
Great cars to be honest.
Rust was not too problematic on the T3. It was mostly plagued by light surface rust in the panel gaps, unlike the T4, which often got eaten through.
As for performance, these engines are surprisingly easy to tune, since you can adjust the fuel pump as well as getting a wastegate regulator for the turbo, enabling higher boost pressure.
You could likely reach 90-100 HP without too much fiddling. And believe me. VW diesels, especially the 1.9 liter is built like a tank.
Awesome thanks for sharing this 👍
@@dadcars Anytime. Gotta share experiences whenever I can
See if you can get your hands on a VW T5 that’s had the darkside developments treatment. I’m sure they used to have a transporter recovery truck that was pulling 325bhp
Oooo I’d love to have a go in a van with 300+
I know someone who bought a LWB VW Caddy and converted it into a 'camper' because she and her partner did a lot of skiing, hiking and climbing trips around the UK and especially in winter, being able to pull up on the camp site, put the handbrake on and not have to do any set-up made such a quality-of-life difference. Sure it wasn't as luxurious as a proper camper but it kitted out exactly how they wanted and she loved it. A 'proper' holiday for a family can be so expensive, and so I do think a DIY camper van is a great middle ground, especially if you or a friend are handy with a set of tools.
I used to think pickle falling asleep was a sign of a good Dad Car, but at this point I think she'd fall asleep in a thunderstorm if she was in her child seat in the back of car.
Just been to view on of these, T4, 800 special, it's largely solid given its age, minor bubbling here and there, but it's solid underneath. Really debating buying, it's partly converted in the rear for a camper, just needs some finishing touches
Roll on T4. A mohhsheeeeen to be trusted. Away from the rust. I've had mine over 7 years & luv it.... LWB 2.5 tdi caravelle converted by me all these years ago. Love it . Have a trusted welder who is more than capable & willing to do what's required. I'm happy. Anywhere, anytime reguardless. Luv Ma van.............. Who needs new? NOT ME. I drive a 2024 volvo xc 40 & 2003 vw t4. T4 fun .... Volvo NONE.............
Hi.. Great video on the fantastic VW Transporter 🙂
I'm driving a '98 bus with the incredible 2.5TDI acv-engine (102Hp), 533.000km on the clock without opening engine and it still goes great, up or downhill.
I'm on level 2 when meeting a type2, T5 or older. most of the people driving T6 or T7 don't get it so I've stopt waving at them ;-)
Cheers from Sweden/Denmark.
Great video! Subscribed! I can hand on heart say that getting my T4 camper has been the best vehicle I’ve bought - completely changed the landscape for our family!
Amazing! 🫡 such a great vehicle to make memories with your family in 🙌
I have an 08 Vivaro £3k 8 years ago. 1. No rust, 2. 105bhp and loads of torque. 3. No timing belt worries. 4. Cheaper parts. 5. Smooth car like engine. But I agree VW has a following. Thanks
to be fair when I travel I don't need to tear around anywhere... but great channel
There used to be a phenomenal 2.8vr6 version of t4
My brother has a vr6 golf 🙌 I’d love to try that engine in a T4!
Gotta love a VW van. Im on my second Caddy which thankfully has less weight and more go than the T4. The following for these things is brilliant, as is the options of upgrades from other VAG vehicles.
My little lad loves it too, school run is usually done in the van at his request lol
Recently bought 2.5 tdi for work due to new vans being absolutely rubbish ( got rid of my 2018 toyota proace) it was one owner full vw history 65k from new 😁 e/w and mirrors rcl and air conhad mapped to 130bhp and cruise control fitted what more do you want!took family away to sea-side this weekend they loved the van and it was bk to work Monday
I can’t believe you would say that the lack of power out ways rust problem, obviously the rust problem has to be the worst thing about these vans, my t4 does a top speed of 70mph, comfortably cruising at 65mph, I love the fact its slow and smooth and can go forever, but if it was falling apart from rot I would be gutted!
had 1.9td , turned up turbo with boost controled , regulated diesel pump a bit , done everything my self with no or not much knowladge . drove over Norways mountains ,loaded with 2 people and +400kg , had no problem whats so ever, who drove it couldnt believe its only 1,9td. the only problem with that engine was driving 130 engine was screaming :)
I recognise some of that scenery so might see his van around,
My friend has had two T4's, both 1.9 td's, the engine decided that it didn't want to play anymore at around 150k on the first one a few years ago so that went and his recent one broke down on Friday, the cambelt seems to have moved across the pulleys and stripped around 5mm off its edge and slipped a tooth or two, we find out this week whether it needs another engine (possibly an upgrade to a PD engine) or not, have watched some of your videos before which are enjoyable but have been looking into performance upgrades for his T4 hence coming across this video 👍
Had several 1.9td and currently a tuned T4 2.5
Tweak the 1.9td little more boost 10/12 psi and makes it livable
I favor mine over rubbish injector eating vivaro etc
My Vito, my rust heap
Engine swaps are quite common on these and the caddy vans. They put the PD130 engine out of a mk4 golf into them, 130 bhp and with a remap you'll get 170 bhp. It's a massive difference compared to the 68 bhp lol.
This makes a lot of sense 👍 even at 130 this would be a awesome van
mk3golf tdi engine fits with very little modifications i was running tdi from a mk3 fitted with a landrover300tdi pump so no ecu or electrics to go wrong you just need to find someone that knows what there doing to set and tune the pump went like a rocket
Good review, some good points made there, especially about not worrying so much about an older one, whereas a new one makes you a bit precious and can limit usage. I am very biased but I say get one especially 5 cylinder, with intercooler.
Thanks Geoff 😊
I have the slow vw transporter from 1996 and yes it's slow. Living in Turkey with many multiple km 10% climes it does get hard. I am among the the old trucks haha. But, I am totally in love with my self converted camper. Sadly parts are becoming a real problem here.
Fun vid i saw your vid about your vito and now this one i think fairly fair review, i have a 1.9td they are very slow you can do upgrades to make it faster but it still doesnt set the roads on fire ! you could have a 2.5 for more peformance more like your vito. Personally i think the vito is worse for rust when you compare age ? !
Yes Vito is rusting faster but the rust seems to be happening in more places on this T4… but it’s older than both the vitos I’ve owned in the same time and the 2002 Vito doesn’t exist anymore 😅
My dad has had 2 1.9 TD T4's (1 from '96 and 1 from '98) and they've both had their issues. He's buying a '00 2.5 TDi T4 in a couple of days (the 5 pot Volvo/VW engine with 102bhp) which should give that extra oomph. But even with the 1.9TD's you can still get some power out of it... eventually...
Believe it or not, but mine was towing my caravan from düsseldorf in germany up to sardinia and to croatia. Ok, I boosted the engine up to approx 90hp by adding an intercooler from the 2.5 ACV engine, adding a boost-valve wich was adjusting the wastegate to about 1.0 bar of turbo pressure (0.7 is stock) and for this adjusting the fuel-volume screw on the pump to enable all this punch :)
If you use this carefully it will run forever :) .... in my case towing a caravan in Summer over the alps was .... em .... yeah, it blew the headgasket the last time (after 190.000 km with high power) :D
Class doesn’t have to be fast, but then again I have the 2.5 drive ,so best of both,but air con would be nice especially in the south of france..
my wave level depends on what mood i'm in that day. full 3 shakas in the summer though, usually level 1.5 as standard I'd say 😅
If you think that is slow you need to try the Citroën relay 1.9d (non turbo). Father-in-law has one in campervan form and it's soooo slow 🐌. Tops out at around 55mph and its screaming 😂. So funny 😁
I don’t think I want to 🙈😅
I had one of those as a company van, put anything in the back and lorries would be overtaking you on the motorway going up slight inclines
Add a spring to the turbo actuator to boost it . Fit a boost gauge adjust it to get about 9psi . Much better !!!
Step 1 put yhe correct size wheels and tyres on. Step 2 buy a sail. But they can hit motorway speed without too much trouble and they do fairly good mpg.
keep on buying the veto's M8 i had my engine rebuilt at qcs engine it now go's like the clapper's and the fuel economy is best on the 1.9td abl
Old ABL engine loves braking valves stamping the head 55hp
I have the ANU Out of a mk1 galaxy with 5 speed box cable gears 120hp
I'm full level 3 but in devon on the surf coast it's allowed haha
I sold my 1.9td after 12 years of ownership to a lady around the corner to me. I do regret selling her every time i go past it! Chasing the rust down in salty Devon was drivjng me mad and couldnt get up any hills round here!
Yeah we live near the coast too 🙈
68 hp ... I had a mini metro 25 years ago with a 1.1 litre k series engine that had 60 hp output. Can't imagine how slow a t4 would be with just 8 horses more
10% methanol mix in the tank will improve torx im down the road from prtsdown hill and my 1.9td will smash that hill no worries. rev it up a little and change gear a litte later
Oh and LEZs apply all around Europe as well.
You think that’s bad. I drove a 1.9 flat diesel. That was scary Pulling out in traffic 🤣
Oh god! That would be a painful thing to drive around these days 😅
Not all horses are created equally, it depends on gear ratios, torque, engine/turbo mapping and how and when it is applied, that said, 64BHP is quite low for a van if you're loading it up, can't imagine trades back in the day loading them up with 8x4 sheet goods and then hitting the hills, ouch
3:08 - Most vehicles can be tuned including the one in the video
2.5TDi 102hp is the one you want. Also a mig welder.
No ECU, the wastegate is set at 7psi factory, you can safely take it to twice that by shortening the actuator. mines at 11psi and has a longer 5th, i like it, there's no point in trying to drive at 70, they're old vans now, treat them as such.
i find it very rare for any t5,6 owners to put there hand up to a t4 im level 1 for a non modified and 3 if its modified
Yeah I bet if it’s clearly modified as a camper you’re more likely to get the 🤙😜
That’s the reason why I am selling my t5 and buy back a defender 130 td5. A t5 and t6 is nice. And you can use it. But if you drive it and gets abused it’s worth nothing in the end. If you get a small dent in a t4 or t3 it’s not a big deal. Same with a defender. If it’s with my t5 it’s a different thing.
Yeah I wouldn’t enjoy driving something practical like a van that was very expensive if I was stressing about keeping it pristine all the time
Hey, nice rims , what are they from ?
Hi! I was wondering how it performs uphill? And or if it can really handle alot of weight like maybe idk more than half a ton (600kg)
there are fourbangers and five banger variants. the fourbangers are lowend. look foor R5 engines.
Go for the 2.5tdi plenty of power
The only VW van I've ownedd was a 3·2 litre V6 auto. Went like s**t off a shiny shovel, and then some!
I'd have another, but only with that V6 petrol engine!
I’d love to try a V6 😎
Just a query, is it not possible to fit a PD engine or is it just too much work to do?
Isn’t a 20+ year old vehicle with >200k on the clock the definition of being eco friendly? All the energy spent to create it is long since “paid for” five times over. Honestly. The EV brigade just make me want to weep.
Dont forgot you can run it on chipshop oil
Speed isn't everything, lack of ecu and multiple sensors is a great reality. I had a Peugeot 309 made in 1991, it was totally bulletproof, economic and easy to work on. My concern with old T4 models is not mechanical, its body rot. Sadly, they have issues
hey could you do a ora funkycat review
I will if they offered to send me one 😅
Electrics can sometimes be a bit recalcitrant too
Pd engine turbos fit that head AUY galaxy shoran seat Alhambra 1.9
Fast in this camara ladened country ?? 😊
Saw one of them electric transporters the other day...they're tiny!
Let's face it t4's /5's /6's arent massive either so I don't know what VDub were thinking.
I dont see why people are complaining about "slow" cars/vans. You dont need a fast car. You need a fast van. It is not a dealbreaker. Just stop complaining and enjoy your ride or buy a ferrari.
Getting stuck at a short slip road, overtaking slow moving vehicles on b roads etc. I agree with your final 3 words though ❤️😚
I’ve a 2.5 TDI T4 I am level 3 waver but I look at this way with the clean air zones if you don’t want me in the city ok I want go in the city I’ll order on line the city is going to lose out no skin of my nose I’ll keep my T4