How hard is it to switch a gasser to a diesel? Is it worth the hassle?

[mtnbob]

I have an opportunity to get a gasser Jetta in great shape for cheap and I will have an extra 1.6 N/A engine after I rebuild the 1.6TD that I have for my Golf. Is it worth the hassle? I'm guessing the wiring might be a mess, fuel tank?

[745 turbogreasel]

It only needs one wire to run....

[maxfax]

Turbogreasel said it..  Excluding A/C and the Tach all you need is the + wire on the coil connected to the IP..  Glow plugs can be handled ala Vince's Pimping...

As far as the tank- drain gas, enlarge hole in filler neck (or replace with diesel one), eliminate the external fuel pump & filter and bypass with hose, fuel pump in the tank can go and have a tube put in it's place (or relace with diesel specific.. You'll have to do a bit of plumbing under the hood on the fuel lines, but nothing crazy..   I think I still have the Jetta diesel specific parts for this about in my junk pile if you need...

Get rid of the cat on your exhaust if it's still there..

Check and see which trans it has..  Gear ratios could be a little odd for the diesel depending on what they are.. For something just to use as a beater most gasser trannies are *tolerable*....

[Henchman]

I have an opportunity to get a gasser Jetta in great shape for cheap and I will have an extra 1.6 N/A engine after I rebuild the 1.6TD that I have for my Golf. Is it worth the hassle? I'm guessing the wiring might be a mess, fuel tank?

It's not as bad as it would be for most other car manufacturers.  VW's are like Lego in many ways.  The wiring is not too back, but you need schematics from both vehicles to really make sense of if.  My Wagon started like as a 2.0 and now has an AAZ.  Out of the 40 wires or so under the hood, I use 10 maybe?  If you have a diesel trans, stick with that if you can, but the gasser trans will be fine unless you do a lot of highway, then it tends to buzz a little high.  My fuel tank and pump are the same, no bypass, just the larger opening for the diesel filler neck, but check in your area, you may find that like here most diesel pumps have the standard nozzel that gas pumps use (unless you are at an actual truckstop with the highflow pumps).

The important thing to keep in mind is that diesels and gassers came down the same assembly line and the Germans kept the vehicles as similar as possible to keep costs down.


You will need a diesel tack in your cluster as well.

Ian

[R.O.R-2.0]

its only the trannies out of the later mk2s and gli/gti cars that suck. econo-box freeway flyer trannies ROCK on diesel engines.. the 3.67 gears and .75 fifth <3

[mtnbob]

So if it is an earlier one like mine(86) there is a chance that it has a decent tranny?

[rallydiesel]

Most of the 8v gassers had decent trannies for a diesel swap. For ex: the very common ACN is nearly ideal for a daily driver diesel IMO.

[Dakotakid]

Bob, you initially ask, "Is it worth it?"
It sure is if the Jetta body is good and diesel models are hard to come by in your area.
Which fuel injection system is on that Jetta? Is is CIS lambda (black fuel distributor head) or is it CIS-e (silver (aluminum) fuel dist. head)?

It could be either system.

If it is CIS-lambda, I might want to get some of the fuel inj. pieces if they are relatively fresh  (as in the car has not been sitting for very long). If it sits for long it is a matter of "varnish-city."

I might be taking a Jetta in the "opposite" direction pretty soon.

[mtnbob]

I'll let you know when I look at it again. It has been sitting for awhile though

[R.O.R-2.0]

Bob, you initially ask, "Is it worth it?"
It sure is if the Jetta body is good and diesel models are hard to come by in your area.
Which fuel injection system is on that Jetta? Is is CIS lambda (black fuel distributor head) or is it CIS-e (silver (aluminum) fuel dist. head)?

It could be either system.

If it is CIS-lambda, I might want to get some of the fuel inj. pieces if they are relatively fresh  (as in the car has not been sitting for very long). If it sits for long it is a matter of "varnish-city."

I might be taking a Jetta in the "opposite" direction pretty soon.

getting an 86 golf soon, very good shape, still runs. but im gonna drop my GTI engine in there, along with swapping the CIS-L for CIS-KE

what parts would you like?

[R.O.R-2.0]

So if it is an earlier one like mine(86) there is a chance that it has a decent tranny?

85, 6, and 7 cars all had great transmissions. only the lower model cars tho. the ones with 85 hp, not 100 hp. the more powerful cars had close ratio boxes.

[mtnbob]

Good news and bad news!!

Good- Body is excellent, no rust, just dirty from sitting in a field. All body panels look excellent.
1985 Wolfsburg edition, made in W.Germany 4-door Jetta. Has A/C setup

Bad- Gasser 1.8 (V6FAF6) 027133223 serial # on intake
       Auto transmission    
       160,000 miles not running, and has sat for 4-5 years

[Dakotakid]

I've got two '85 Kraut bodies and just love them a bunch.
It seems as though the welds or the clearances in the body panels are tighter than my American made Golfs. The just feel like they move as a very definite unit....whereas the Golfs have this uncertain "hinged" feel about them.

Footpedal set and shifter/with the linkage should not be overly hard to find. Will have to pop-rivet in the reverse lock-out plastic plate.

Readers: is there a difference in gas vs. diesel pedals? Why the difference in clutch cables.....this info will help Bob please.
I've been told that there is a difference.....but, not sure.
I threw away several sets of pedals last year when I moved off the farm .

[mtnbob]

The auto tranny was the biggest bummer for me. It sucks because the body is great and I hate for it to go to the crusher

[R.O.R-2.0]

the slush box poses a problem...