82 VW Rabbit Diesel Truck build

[TedV]

You will have to screw the swap up pretty bad to only get 40mpg in the truck. My 78 Scirocco with TD 1.6 IDI with Giles performance diesel super pump running 21psi boost gets 47mpg with a close ratio 83 GTI transmission. Use the trans from your TDi for the proper ratios. Pick up will be about 1000 pounds less than the jetta. The front bumper cover from a Mk2 big bumper car fits the pickup with some massaging for a little better rounded front.

I have an 81 Scirocco S that will be getting a TDi swap eventally. Have all the parts, just not enough time. Can't wait to see the truck running.

:edit: we have 3 sizes of diesel pump nozzles in the states. regular car size, larger truck size, and then the semi pump nozzels have a larger lip on the larger truck size nozzle so it doesn't slip up and out of the tanks when fueling. Most 70's early 80's VW have large filler opening that the regular non flaired truck nozzles will fit in. I didn't have to change a thing on the filler neck of my Scirocco

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

I'd also expect the truck to get better mileage. I recently talked with an old man who owns a Diesel-powered Volkswagen Saveiro (Fox coupé-utility) fitted with the 1.6L IDI and he told me 50MPG were the usual mileage he achieved, without any eco-mod, altough it was fitted with a full-height bed cap.

[EcoBill]

updates!

Just an FYI on how my belts are setup. I bought the AC delete for AHU. I will get the part #s of the black pulley in the middle and the belt #.


New Clutch, flywheel and rear main seal all done. Sealed oil pan. Passenger motor mount fitted behind timing belt, WRD trans mounts installed and all new motor mount bushings.

Passenger motor mount - Trimmed the back plate off without taking the belt off with hand cutters and put 2 studs in the block and put a bolt down on it first as it was tilted up on that end. Worked out great and makes for easy access later on.


Cleaned up the backside a bit and my mechanic made me an egr delete plate.




Initial trimming of the timing belt cover prior to install. (it needed to be cut from that corner down to the k to clear the motor mount bracket in the engine bay).


Patched up all rust spots in engine bay area. It was my first time welding so I am not going to post up pictures...lol. I was using a Hobart Handler 400 w/ flux core no gas at the moment.

[EcoBill]

Finally got the TDI motor in the truck.


Pulled the old gas tank out and had it cleaned



When pulling the filler neck out, I tried disconnecting this and ended up breaking the plastic off in the dry rotted hose. What is this for?


I also picked up a diesel rabbit filler neck as I didnt want to deal with modding the gas on to work. (I will post up a side by side to show the difference soon)

Now on to the fun stuff... everything else.
Wiring
Hydraulic shifter
Fuel tank install
Brake booster?
Clutch master?
Intercooler piping
Radiator

[Jakins]

Hell yah! My friend did this with his rabit truck. Unfortunately he sold it. But it was cool as hell. When we sat more then one person in it, the back wheels would bottom out into the wheel wells and rub the entire time smoking the tires all the way down the road haha. It was on the ground.

[TedV]

the broken plastic part in question is the fuel tank gravity vent check valve I believe. Hold it upright and see if you can blow air through it. then flip it upside down and see if it closes off. One side goes to the tank, the other side to the evap emissions control/charcoal cannister. Diesel doesn't evaporate as quickly as gas, but it is nice to have the " no fuel leaks out the vent" if you ever roll it over in a crash.

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by Rusty94cx

Wait dumb question the gas tanks for gas have a smaller hole. The diesel pumps have a larger nozzle as prevent accidents don't they? How do we overcome this?

Swap over the parts from a diesel version ?

[EcoBill]

So I pulled the seats and carpet out today and was going to pull dash out to make room for wiring and to do the pedals.

Noticed a lot of hidden rust and holes in the floor. Passenger front has two sides that are not held on by anything.


Looks like someone used spray foam then a lot of clear silicone to fill in all the holes through the floors :facepalm:.



Have no idea whats going on here under glovebox. I did patch up a rusted spot opposite of this in the engine bay near firewall/strut tower.


Driverside floor is dented up from what looks like improper jacking location and has some rust holes near the pedals.


Kind of worried to see what's under the blue paint on the rest of the truck. I started to scrape some off and it still looks like the white under it wasnt even sanded and still has clear coat on it. It had a salvage title when I got it, guess I'll find out soon enough why. I'm not going overboard on this build. I'm going to cut out any rust and weld new patches in it the best I can. Its not going to be a show car. I'm actually going to use it.

Guess I'm patching up some rust this weekend.

[EcoBill]

Dash and all wiring is now out. Not looking forward to the wiring. Waiting on a bentley book for the MK1, already had a MK3 one for reference.


I have the following parts


Central Electric 2
Full engine & engine bay harness and some interior harness from MK3 TDI
I have the fuse box for this but I dont believe I took all the wiring out when I gutted the car.
On the fuse box, I have the following connector plugs and wires with it = A1, A2, C, E, F, G1, G2, N, P, Q, R, U1, U2
I can't seem to find the steering column harness, will have to keep the MK1 steering column harness.

Engine harness from Passat B4 TDI which seems to have the following connectors = F, G1, G2 (seems to have a few extra wires then the Jetta harness)

Full engine, engine bay and interior harness MK1 Rabbit gas

Heres what Im working with...feels a bit overwhelming. I'm slowing checking it out everyday and figuring small parts here and there.

[TedV]

The steering column harness's plug into J, H1, and H2. The good thing is the column harness is the same for gas and diesel so you should be able to pull that harness from any Mk3 donor. Pretty good chance the switch stalk that goes on the Mk3 column will bolt onto the Mk1 column. If not you can use the Mk1 switches and addapt the wires to the CE2 fuse block connectors. It will be much easier if you have all the correct plugs to go into the fuse block. I have swapped a 86 harness into an 84 and 78 chassis. I adapted the wires at the lights and had to make an adapter/splice in the harness to the instrument cluster to keep the original cluster. With my TDi swap I am planing to use the 97 cluster and make it fit in the earlier dash ( best laid plans so to speak) since there is so much more computer interaction with the cluster. There are some slight differences between the Passat and Jetta TDi computers.

I use painters tape and sharpie marker to mark notes on wires and connectors. I learned a while ago thats the easiest way to know where things go... unless the tape gets ripped off.. ggrrr. Label as you go and keep whittling away and you eventually get it done.