Caution: newb MTDi mkI inquiries

[the4ork]

Id like to build a mTDi for a mkI. I like the mechanical pump because I don't want to rewire the whole car and hack my dash for a different cluster that will never fit or look right.

My biggest hurdle is to FIND an engine (ahu I believe is the one that fits mkI) diesel engines are very hard to find in California, and are usually way overpriced $1500+ for a tdi long lock in used but runnining condition.

I'd like to do a build for a daily driver I will keep for a long time. High mpg is obvious, but I don't want it to be a slouch either.

I'd like to do a few mods to the motor during the build to include:
Knife edge crank, free up some rotational mass
Oil shedding coatings on the rotation assembly (crank/rods)
Friction coating on all bearings
Ceramic coated pistons, chambers, exhaust ports, turbo manifold

Trying to maximize efficiency here... It may all just be a waist of $ but I'd at least like to coat all the bearings at the very least.

I have no idea what to do from here with the pump. I'm a complete pump newb. What pump do I get? Who should I have it rebuilt by (performance and mpg wise) and what brackets pulleys belts and mods?

Turbo? Yes... Finally an area where I have some knowledge, I've built a few gasser turbo systems from scratch! I'm thinking GT2052 or something in that area, no vanes, every thread I come across says something like yeah I got vnt-whatever turbo, no controller yet.... I don't want to be that guy, I'll take a waste gate, nobody seems to come up with a good controller.....

Perhaps a smaller t3 .60 turbo with a drop in ball bearing center? Pricey tho.

Any recommendations? Like I said, first hurdle, finding an engine. I'm open to leads!

[theman53]

You can just power the E TDI from your current fuse box. No dash required or key and column if you get the ECU tuned.

M TDI, you won't coat any chambers as they are in the piston on a TDI, so if you coat the piston it will be done. More so, the laws in Ca are pretty rough in swapping engines IIRC. I would check on that before going much further. The knife edging and all that are good deals, but for the tdi engine that doesn't turn 10,000 rpm, I don't know how much it will help. I know it will not hurt, but if you are worried about the 1,500.00 for the block it is something to consider. Also, all the main and rod bearings I have ever taken out of these engines that have over 200,000 miles on them look pretty much new, so again, the friction coating will help, but if you are tight for money I think it is in an area you could save.
Libbydiesel has a mechanical controller and a guy in Finland wrote a program for arduino controller. Search for libby's, it is everywhere and the arduino is http://dmn.kuulalaakeri.org/vnt-lda/

https://www.sparkfun.com/search/results?term=arduino+uno&what=products


why not, says you searched before,
http://www.vwdieselparts.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=11042

[libbydiesel]

As mentioned in your other thread, I am currently selling properly built brand new (not rebuilt) zero-mile Bosch full aneroid bolt-on mTDI pumps.  They include the 20mm shaft, correct advance curve, governor for the whole range of the TDI engine and 12mm plunger.  I'll send a PM with more details.

[CRSMP5]

me and bbob did not get as far on hnis passat as we would have liked.. so may be 3 weeks... libby's pump is perty... i think ill be one of the few to see how his is vs rover.. like i said in other post.. you know what you get with his... a rover pump is a "cheaper" option.. but you will not know if the pump is good, uk seller is shipping a pump vs a brick so on... but for a poor person trying to save a few bills.. its a option.. gamble as if it has a issue.. add cost of libby as what a rebuild may cost...

coatings.. knife edge...

theman, bbob... and a few others have been in mine... crazyandy did some math for me and figured out mt max rpm is over 6k... and it pulls to the last bit..

i balanced my rod to piston weights.. ground on the big end of the ros to bring each hole, mix/max via pistom to rods to get under .5 gram on each hole.. keep pistons in stock holes.. move the rods around..

valve job..

pump..

the windge tray vw built into newer oil pan gaskets..

couple other things.. but nothing hp wise i can think of..

no knife edge required, coatings for oil.. the pump its self is your rpm hang up.. diesel only burns so fast... dont piss away max 5hp on all that silly crap... also knife edge is kinda like light weight flywheel.. may be good at high rpm.. but really kills torque... this is what tdi seek...

i know where, or did at least, the ideal 1k example for your need.. problem is shipping... and it was just longblock.. no assesories/tranny...

where in cali are you??

[bbob203]

vnt controller by libby

http://www.vwdieselparts.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=11042

if his pump is good as I'm expecting he may have a sales rep. 
I did math and ran the logic libby pump way to go esp for for
daily driver... all guess work done plug and play. I bet if you wanted for a couple extra bucks he'd weld up tbat linkage arm on throttle plate for vnt control.

His pump probably will push big injectors nicely

[the4ork]

guys please dont get the idea im being cheap. i have about $5k to spend on the whole car, luckily it doesnt need much more than wheels/tires, suspension, and engine.

big ticket item: engine

i'd like to pick up a long block in the $750-1000 range and save $500 to buy a set of tires, now i can get more expensive pumps and turbos. see? the biggest hurdle is finding an engine in good shape as the basis of my project, without busting the budget wide open.

i could run out and buy a $1500 motor today if i wanted to, but im pacing myself to find a good deal.


Also, the car is originally diesel, so california would never know, and yes they are a-holes when it comes to swaps. to ref a tdi, it would have to be completely original, luckily i wont have to ref, so i could build a mTDi if i wanted.

[CRSMP5]

i sent you a pm on a person to ask abt the longblock... something only a few know of...

and cheo no.. i saw no inclines... i just  had to saw what ii did abt knife edging and all...  waste $.. 

when you bring it into cali i think dmv goes and looks under hood... my friend has found a lazy one in his area.. for the pop the hood is it gas diesel..

diesels till 98 are exempt... so even if you mod it the engine your using is exempt.. but the lazy one would not be able to tell if a tdi or idi... he will see injector vs plug, and throttle cable... must be diesel...

[keaton]

I don't buy the premiss about the dash/cluster not fitting... you can always make it fit and look nice if your willing to spend the time to do it right the 1st time. there have been people who have put the Mk4 dash/cluster/steering in a Mk1.  I have even seen custom dashes made using the mk1 dash as the core...

While I do applod the mTDI for its simplicity and all those who support it and keep great things going (like making pumps, VGT/VNT control etc). you will be better off with a computer under the hood. you get better control, and they natively control VGT's can be tuned to work with bigger VGTs like the GTB2056vk or GTB2260vk...

for what it is worth the guy who is doing the ardunio VGT+LDA controller (posted above & in my sig) is doing a version that runs the electronic injection pumps and allows you to do your own mapping...

while doing wiring can suck, its a Mk1... there is like 10 wire on the whole car... and your going to have to pull the engine harness anyways... again just spend the time to do it right the 1st and you will thank yourself later.

[CRSMP5]

the guy with the 77 bunny, up in pnw and his car made it into pvw? he did bypass things like vss to keep the oe 78 dash and all.. till you popped the hood you did not know it was a tdi.. looked show room...

ill agree a e tdi is not a bad thing.. but mine had bad pump.. 1k+ to resolve... friend had the rover pump.. heard it was a hot but cheap set up tpo do.. so a little dealing.. i had a rover pump for the electronic crap.. me guni pig for it type of thing..

i have a custermers mk3 here with a bad pump, no $ and well 1k+ for pump.. his misses on 3 like it lacks pressure the other 3 have... not injector or compression... its a rover canadate.. car rotted to hell.. but has serp stuff, 02a.. so even to sell running on 3 its a 1-1500$ car..

the one i pmed you on.. electrical/pump?? issues.. so.. m canadate.. its also a longblock.. but i heard a unreal price im to poor to spend.. else id own it, a rover pump.. my 84 coupe would live..

the 200k b4 tdi that ive done all maintence and all to within the past 30k.. got arss ended... to make it a m... no.. hell no... its a perfect e swap.. 2500$ example.. but intake done, belts/pumps/rollers and all.. add in new hydro clutch parts in the past 10 mo.. its value isthere..

so thats how i go about the m vs e.. the conversion cost.. a tdi w/bad pump/electronics has no value... a perfect swap worth more..

ive done both.. for $ bang$ my m is more fun then the same set up as a e... and im getting close to see how a libby m is to them... i really am feelng honered in that.. seat of paints dyno going to love it..

[the4ork]

I may be picking up an entire 98 jetta tdi 5 spd this weekend, 141k miles and no cel. Car got crashed into a ditch.

[Henk]

you guys have some unreal pricey diesel stuff over there! My engine and gearbox complete cost only £175 delivered (about $250?) and rover pumps are easilly got for £50
I'll throw a vote in for a VNT turbo though, even if you have trouble finding/getting a control method, they just seem much more efficient and better drive too.
Certainly instead of your ideas of coating everything i think you'd want to get bigger injector nozzles put in, possibly uprated con-rods and sputter bearings if you're shooting for high HP?