T25 1.6D to 72 Bay conversion

[Bugsy_malone 666]

this must be such a common conversion by now!

I have had a bit of a look through this site and gained some ideas about fitting a conversion. Basically what im getting is a 1.6D from a T25 and a matching Diesel gearbox complete(also a starter motor).

so with an engine and gearbox combo for transplant, whats the score and what problems?

I understand there are a few issues with the starter motor clearance?

My plan is to get the engine and gearbox home and start weighing up a transplant to do within about 4 weekends (and evenings as I have to work to fund the project somehow) between the volksworld show and bigbang.

so if i sit my engine and gearbox together on the floor what am I going to need to do to get it to fit easily and quickly?

- I`ll have to make an engine support bar I know
- Exhaust isnt a problem might already have that
- Cooling - is there an easy bolt in solution with a bay?
- what differences are there with a T25 gearbox (I understand it has a hydraulic clutch and needs converting?)
- fuel tank, are there any mods needed? I know i`ll need a diesel fuel filter (twin filters in my case as later i plan on running it on mixed diesel/biodiesel/cooking oil) do I need an addtional fuel pumps?

Im basically looking to overcome all the problems before I start the install so that I have in my mind what I need to do and its more a case of just deciding which way to mount flanges and stuff(normally the bit that takes the time) or at least know what I need to do and just be creative about what i make to solve the problem.


Ideas much appreciated as i want to go hammer and tongs with a todo list already to go


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Second Gear All The Way Baby!

Doing Thing Differently.

[beetleseb]

Hi mate

If you want quick and easy then the bellhousing and starter will be a pain.

I used a KEP adaptor and a starter from a 96 + golf tdi. You need to do some work to get the starter to fit but its fairly easy.

That way you can get a 1.9td in there easily!

Not including rad I just swapped a scooby to 1.9td in 5 days

Seb
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Everybody is someone else's weirdo

[caddy]

if your going to use the diesel gearbox the changer is diferent, it comes out the side of the transmission, not the front. If you use the diesel box you can mount it lower .
this may give you the extra room to get the starter under the tank.

you need a fuel return to the tank .

there is a hydraulic clutch on the diesel ,but you can swap the operating arm and make it cable again.
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1969 bay with vw 1.6td

[72panelvan]

What starter setup do you have seb? I got the starter adaptor plate with my KEP kit but firstly I've found it needs the chassis notched for it to fit but secondly I can't seem to find which starter fits it! Does the later diesel golf starter just bolt straight on to the lawn mower bellhousing without any probs?

Cheers

Tom

[beetleseb]

Hi

You have three options with starters

1 stock - will not turn the engine though!

2 custom hi tourque £325!

3 get a later 96 on tdi golf starter, areldite the mounting holes holes up (i know but you can't ali weld it due to the heat) make a template from a stock vw starter and redrill the holes. It works and cost me £25!

Seb
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Everybody is someone else's weirdo

[72panelvan]

sounds like a cracking idea, and theres no problem with the length of throw or anything? Are the post 96 starters the ones which self support themselves, i.e. don't need to have a starter bush in the bellhousing to support the spindle? I did look at my starter which is a off a 96 car but it's an aaz, and it did look like it would like the bolt holes were pretty close to similar but the lawn mower bolt pattern was slightly narrower.

cheers

tom

[beetleseb]

Yes its the self supporting style.

I didn't take the vw no off it but if you measure the throw and cog etc its a good fit. The holes will need filling and re-drilling as they are offset and too wide.

Areldite sounds like a bodge but you don't want to rip it apart and heat will kill it if its in one piece, so I couldn't think what else to use

I'll post piccys and stuff soon when I do my own thread, I realsie we are hijaking this one!

Seb
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Everybody is someone else's weirdo

[Bugsy_malone 666]

ok this is good, so far its sounding far to easy to be true

so starting at the gearbox, how do you adapte the side shifter to work on the front? whats the diesel gear ratios like better/worse/the same as a stock bus 1600 box?

output flanges I presume are the same.

cable operated shaft - seems to be a swap job so no problems

starter - im supposed to be getting a starter with the gearbox for the diesel, is this an issue or is it a major clearance problem?

what about an intermediate mount? the bus currently has the gearbox mounted at the nose and intermediate then theres a final support bar for the engine.

something I noticed is a problem with alot of golf based engines is the hose that comes out the back of the head which would interfere with the fuel tank firewall, is this a problem with the vw diesel being mounted at 50 degrees?

now fuel wise, its been mentioned i need a return to the tank. Do I need a return to the tank or will going to the fuel filter be enough? I have seen on alot of forklift/tractor setups that the injector return tends to go to the fuel filter? also based on the fact my diesel knowledge and workings comes from tractors/agricultrual machines, what about fuel pumps, all the tractors (30+ years old) and forklifts I have looked at have a mechanical lift pump to pump from fuel tank to injector pump, on the vw diesel is this type thing needed? as in do i fit something like a facet fuel pump? I remember a while back chatting to a mechanic guy i know who was having issues with a clio diesel said that it doesnt actually have a fuel pump, the injector pump draws it through?


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Second Gear All The Way Baby!

Doing Thing Differently.

[beetleseb]

[beetleseb]

Just a quicky.....

I've had a few problems with the starter earthing (maybe cos araldite is an insulater!)

To fix it there is a spare mounting lug on them you can easily mount a earth cable to and problem solved

Seb
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Everybody is someone else's weirdo

[Bugsy_malone 666]

right I now have my engine and gearbox

looks like a nice little job to install this! i think it`ll be a post bigbang job(although my current air cooled lump doesnt sound to happy and might not get to big bang!)

so having a look over the bits I have, gearbox/engine/starter, gearbox is interesting! its got a weird gearbox front mount, looking at another installation of a T25 box it doesnt look to bad to make something, its the gearchange that I find a bit odd, I see you need to mount the box a little lower to get the gear change to work but how does the whole mechanism connect to the front? normally the rods run through the chassis rails and over the rear torsion tube, but how do you get that system to work and clear everything with the lower t25 side shift? pictures of that would be cool, idealy from the engine end looking forward as well as the ones I have seen looking back at the gearbox.

Something I have been wondering is how does everyone make there support bars up, do they make a front mount to hang things from and then jack it up? I have stock T25 engine mounts still attached so looks like it might not be to hard to get to work.

I have yet to look at the radiator situation although I have some ideas of that.
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Second Gear All The Way Baby!

Doing Thing Differently.