Audi Quattro Turbo Diesel Build - Now with video!

[blackdogvan]

Maybe even my favorite build thread ever.

[rabbid79]

Thanks very much for the compliments guys.  If we get the snow we've been promised this weekend, I'll try to get a video of it in the snow.

[ktownboostn]

wow ! Nice build ! I have always wanted to do that myself , just so damn hard to find 5cyl D's in Canada ! Keep it up and Videos are a must !

[JGWarner]

*sigh* I've got cylinder envy. I wish this motor wasn't several inches too long to fit in my Fox. That and it'd make an already nose heavy design even more unwieldy. 

Very clean work. Just a joy to look at this thread, thanks.

[lord_verminaard]

Just loving this.  Great work.

Where is your boost set right now?  Planning on keeping it at 20 psi max after the intercooler?

Brendan

[rabbid79]

Thanks as usual for the compliments everyone.  Brendan, I think the boost is around 16 PSI right now.  I don't have my boost gauge permanently installed, but that's what it was last time I hooked it up.  EGTs will ultimately dictate boost and fuel.  I don't want to go much over 20 PSI on the turbo because I don't know how it will fare.  I'm also hesitant to go much over 20 PSI on the intercooler.  I will probably strap the end tanks as an extra safety precaution.

I was able to get the car officially registered as a diesel!  In Utah County, it's a matter of taking it down to the county emissions station in Spanish Fork.  This is where they used to do all of the emissions testing for diesels on a dynamometer before they stopped doing it a few years ago.  Anyway, the guy came out and looked at it, listened to it run, and said "Yep, it's a diesel".  Then he filled out and signed an emissions exemption form and sent me down to the DMV in Provo.  I just had to produce the title, the exemption form, and $5 and they retitled it for me.  Piece of cake for anybody doing a gas to diesel conversion in Utah County.

[macka]

Have you figured out the cold start plumbing yet?

[rabbid79]

Have you figured out the cold start plumbing yet?

I assume you mean the automatic cold start advance that uses the "wax-stat"?  I had Giles removed all of that stuff.  Now there's a simple cold start lever on the back side of the pump.  So far, I haven't had to rely on it to actually start the engine when it's really cold, but when I do use it, the engine stumbles a lot less and has faster hot-starts.  I was planning on using a solenoid to manually actuate it, but probably won't worry about it until it becomes a necessity.

[rabbid79]

"Stage 2" is officially complete.  Installed the intercooler last weekend.  Wow, what a difference!  Night and Day.  As you would expect with a relatively large 5 cylinder, a long stroke, and long intake runners, the engine is definitely happier down in the lower RPMs.  Now you can really feel the torque down there.

Took an 8 hour trip to Colorado a couple of months ago.  My gear ratios are killing me!  27 MPG on the freeway and 32 MPG in town?  Honestly though, unless a 01A with better ratios falls into my lap, I can't ever see myself doing much about it.  I might start to run some taller winter tires, but that's about all.

There's not much left upgrade-wise.  It would benefit from a larger exhaust, but it may be a while before that happens.  If you look at the top of the "throttle-body", you can see where I tapped a 1/8" NPT hole for a possible future methanol/water injection nozzle.  It seems most of them use this thread pitch.

Beyond that, I'm working on the gauges, better speakers, replacing the torn shift boot (sew one up from scratch since they're NLA), recharge the A/C, and a G60 caliper/rotor upgrade.

Here's the modified throttle body.  I enlarged the original holes where the shaft when through, and tapped for 1/4 NPT plugs.  I also had to enlarge the holes in the mounting ears and the gasket because the diesels use larger screws.




Here I had to remove the compressor housing to rotate 180 so I could use the lower intercooler hose from the turbo-gas cars.  I couldn't just rotate it in place because too much stuff was in the way.  Fortunately my friend Dennis had a brand new o-ring for this application.  I don't know where he finds this stuff!



Relocated air filter and the crankcase ventilation tube.



1/8 NPT hole/nozzle for possible future water/meth upgrade.



And, of course, the intercooler.

[keaton]

nice swap  , but WTF is up with the motor having the IP on the back side of the motor? 2 timing belts, WTF?!? 

[rabbid79]

Thanks.  All of the VW/Audi inline 5 and 6 cylinder diesel engines work this way.

[keaton]

Thanks.  All of the VW/Audi inline 5 and 6 cylinder diesel engines work this way.

that's so weird....

[lord_verminaard]

Looks great!!!!

27mpg on the highway?  Wow, my 20v I-5 gas CQ does 34 MPG on the highway.  Damn that doesn't sound right...

What trans are you running now?  Does this car have the 4.11 final drive?  I have a 01A from a Audi 90 in my CQ, has slightly taller 3rd, 4th, and 5th than the stock CQ trans, unfortunately I don't know what RPM's I am turning at speed since my tach doesn't work.    But I know that helped my MPG situation a little.  I have a 6-speed 01E that needs rebuilt, if you haven't found a trans by the time I get it in the car, I'll sell you the 01A for cheap if it will work for you. 

Brendan

[R.O.R-2.0]

i want a 4kQ...

[rabbid79]

Looks great!!!!

27mpg on the highway?  Wow, my 20v I-5 gas CQ does 34 MPG on the highway.  Damn that doesn't sound right...

What trans are you running now?  Does this car have the 4.11 final drive?  I have a 01A from a Audi 90 in my CQ, has slightly taller 3rd, 4th, and 5th than the stock CQ trans, unfortunately I don't know what RPM's I am turning at speed since my tach doesn't work.    But I know that helped my MPG situation a little.  I have a 6-speed 01E that needs rebuilt, if you haven't found a trans by the time I get it in the car, I'll sell you the 01A for cheap if it will work for you.  

Brendan

Thanks Brendan.  Yes, it has the 4.11 final drive.  This engine just isn't efficient at these RPMs (3500-4000).  I appreciate the offer on the tranny.  That's the simplest one I could install.  It would give me about 2 MPH/1000 RPM in 5th gear.  I'm also considering a 01A with the 3.89 ratios.  There are several that are close to me for not much money.  Of course, I'll have to swap the rear diff as well, but it shouldn't be too bad.  I'm ok swapping parts for parts as long as there isn't too much fabrication.  That kind of thing drives me crazy.  Probably mostly because I don't have the tools for that kind of work.

If I installed a different tranny, I would also install a new (heavier) flywheel.  I'm sick of the gear chatter.  I wonder if the flywheel from the 2.5 TDI with the 01E transmission would work.  Or maybe I could have 034 machine an extra heavy steel one for me.

i want a 4kQ...

Me too.  ROR, that we be a good candidate for your 2.0TD.