Tag: alh

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Prepping Your ALH/BEW For a MK1 Install

I get a lot of the same questions about how to prep your motor for a mk1 install:

  • What do I need to remove ?
    • You need to remove anything you plan on deleting from the motor management system,  this could be accessories like AC or powersteering, hardware like EGR/ASV systems (check with your local regulations before removing emissions items) or possibly sensors such as MAF, Coolant Glowplugs, 02 sensor, turbo position sensors etc (please discuss this with your tuner/harness builder before you toss them in the bin)

Below I will go through some steps on how to attach our mk1 tdi motor mount onto your block, please note I am not covering this as a step by step, but more to answer the most common questions.

Use common sense, ask questions before assuming, don’t eat yellow snow..

 

ALH Motor Timing Cover Modifications 


Starting with the motor mount, this is how your bushing should be oriented before you mount it to the motor.

 

Next we see an ALH with the injection pump and tensioner removed (the pump bolts need to be removed and the outer pump sprocket are going to need to come off.  Also remove the cam gear and idlers (if you don’t know how to do a timing service on a TDI look it up BEFORE you take this apart)

 

 

The reason for taking all of this off is to remove the rear timing cover so we can trim it to allow room for the new motor mount :

Need to trim this lower corner off, you can see how deep to cut it by holding the new mount up to the 3 threaded holes on the block where the original aluminum mount bracket was bolted.  Make small cuts, its waaaay easier to take alittle more off, vs adding material back.

In the picture above you can see how the new cutout allows for a flat mounting surface across the 3 mounting holes

 

With that you can mount your motor mount to the block and you are ready to re assemble the timing components * DO NOT INSTALL THE LOWER 1″ roller and stud, yes it will clear the engine block mount, but it will hit your mk1 frame rail, DO NOT INSTALL IT, install the belt like normal and tension the belt like normal, it will be fine, there is plenty of room in the tensioner for the additional slack.

 

 

 

 

BEW Timing Cover Modifications

 

Starting with the same mount and bushing as the ALH above, you can see where the mount needs to go, you need to remove all of the timing components to get the rear timing cover off,

 

 

 

Take note of the location of the holes and the area you need to cut to get the mount bracket flush on the block

 

 

Make your cut and test fit, the mount must sit flush on the block..

Tighten the mount down once the timing cover fits around the mount bracket.  Reinstall timing components leaving out the lower 1″ roller just like the ALH.

ALH and BEW OUTER COVER

You can see in the first picture the timing cover is very close to the mount bushing, which means it will hit the frame mount on your mk1, it needs to be trimmed flush with the belt (the second picture shows a slight over trimming honestly but it will still be ok, you will also need to trim the upper cover slightly on both the BEW and ALH..

Engine mount being used can be found here 

TDI Mk1 Swap kit can be found here

Again if you have questions on how something goes, shoot an email, watch a youtube video, something other than assuming..

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Mk1 02a 02j Mk3 and MK4 Motor Swap Tips

I made a couple hardware overviews for our trans mounts, and engine swap kits, and I still have a few questions that I either didn’t address in one video or a tip I forgot, I am going to add a couple more videos soon, but this may make finding the info you’re looking for a little easier, if you have questions before during or after install please feel free to email me! Sal@s-pautomotive.com

 

General install Tips:

  • Press your bushings in before you mount the brackets onto the motor or chassis
  • If you have an 02j trans the upper trans mount holes are threaded, you need to drill them out to use the hardware provided
  • Grease the inner speedo cable with a silicone grease before installing!
  • I find it easier to set the radiator in the core support before I install the motor – but not bolt it down
  • For a cleaner install on a motor if you’re not using the AC/PS systems, (external WP motors ABA, HU, AEB cant be cut as much due to the waterpump) cut the bracket off just below the alternator mounting points to the block. (ALHs you will cut the PS off the top)
  • Always start all the bolts in a bracket, manifold,cover etc before tightening any of them down
  • If you are using the mk1 fuel lines, the best place to cut them I have found is just before the cross behind the steering knuckle, you can carefully hand bend them up toward the passenger strut tower and trim again to your desired length
  • Work the exhaust system from front to back, hang everything loose in the clamps and work each section into final placement front to back as well
  • If you’re using one of our harnesses the “Trigger” needs to have power in both the key positions START and RUN – this is often the problem for a no start, someone didn’t check that the wire they chose had power during the crank key cycle. A good source for this is your former coil power wire on gasoline cars, on diesels the injection pump power wire works well.

 

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Install Videos !!

 

 

We have needed to do this since the first day we said, “Why don’t we ship out parts for everyone to put a tdi into their mk1” …

 

Well almost 10 years later, and we have a good start on a video library for using and installing our parts..

 

4cly Motor/Trans Parts Overview :

 

 

Hydro Clutch Kit

 

Mk1 DBW Pedal Install

 

Mk1 02a/ 02j Linkage Install

 

Mk1 Vr6 Hardware Overview:

 

Mk1 VR6 Harware Install 1&2:

 

 

Wiring Harness Removal Videos –

Mk4

 

Mk3

 

 

Recaro Seat Frame Install

 

Installing one of our “Standalone” style harnesses into a mk1 (this is a 24v but all of the connections to the car will be the same as any of our swap harnesses)

 

A shorter more concise version is here

 

MK1 02j Shift Box Install

 

 

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1980 Caddy TDI Swap

We are building a tdi swap for a customer, he sent us his 1980 caddy, an ALH out of a 00 beetle, and instruction to make it a functional truck, and a great daily driver.

 

  • Alh TDI swap
  • New brakes with rear disc
  • Working Ac
  • New heater system
  • 020 trans w/LSD

 

Onto the evidence :

Getting the truck and motor ready for a steam cleaning, 250 degree pressure washer will cut right through the old grease.

 

Prepping the motor for mk1 install:

  • Remove power steering, trim bracket off
  • Clock Turbo oulet
  • Remove Egr
  • Remove small idler

 

Trimming the cover for the motor mount:

  • Cut along the ridge of the timing cover, then straight down through the relief for the lower roller bearing
  • reinstall and check the fit with the S&P Mk1 – Mk4 bracket

 

  • Clock the turbo by removing the bracket and VNT vacuum pod from the exhaust side,
  • Then loosen the 6 bolts on the charge side and rotate the housing so that it is pointed up instead of down.

 

We installed our 020 clutch kit, the transmission, hung the rebuilt alternator and the new starter.  Waiting on the intake cleaning,  and we are almost ready to set a motor in the car.

 

Motor is IN!

 

 

 

Last thing to do is get the pedal mounted for the DBW ALH ecu..

 

For this to fit the way you want, you will need to trim the floor vent on the factory airbox.. its hard to see in a picture but once you hold the pedal up there you will see exactly what we mean.

Truck is outside for final fluid checks and setting the timing on the pump, hopefully we will have some driving videos from the owner soon!

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Billet Coolant Sensor Adapters

These adapters are great if you are a mk1 owner with a mk3/4/5 swapped chassis and are needing to keep that mk1 cluster working perfectly.. Simply install this in one of the spare locations found in the coolant system, attach the included ground wire, thread your sensor into the adapter, attach your original signal wire and boom, a working mk1 cluster again!

They also work for aftermarket gauge installations for the mk3/4/5 owners, install the sensor into the adapter, ground the adapter with the provided ground wire, install into the coolant flange, enjoy an aftermarket gauge in your cockpit!

*sensor thread size is m10x1*

 

$24.00 shipped in the USA Check them out HERE

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S&P Digital to Analog Tach Converter/Adapter with Cylinder Correction

Here is our “magic” box !! Its a dual purpose unit and has 2 modules in it, digital>analog + cylinder conversion. It’s used for many applications, putting a VR6/1.8t/TDI/2.0 into a mk1/2 and retaining your factory cluster.  (However if you wanted to drop an ls1 into your mk1 and drive the stock tach, this will do it for you)


This module will allow your factory cluster to read the correct rpm of the engine. It will save time on not having to do a dash swap or retrofitting the 6 cylinder cluster and allow you to maintain that stock sleeper look inside your mk1 or mk2.

In stock and ready to ship HERE

 

We are going to test soon on vanagon, beetle ect for those running subaru or late model swaps in their aircooled beasts..

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S&P And Tech53, Joining Forces to Bring You Better Parts Faster!

In the MK1 world, you’ve probably heard of or even purchased some of Freds awesome parts he provides for the mk1 community.  To help us with our Canada canada customers and to help his USA customers we will be stocking some of Tech-53.com ‘s gear here in the USA, cheaper on shipping, faster shipping with no customs for the customer to deal with ect…

Keep an eye out for some new things coming our way!!

Big brake kits, mk1 mount options, billet bearing inserts for the steering column, scirocco rain trays, ect.  billet camber billet caps billet guides BBKmk1-8T TRSMT02A02J-2

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Summer Software Sale

It’s time for a summer sale, if you are thinking about a mk4 motor swap for your mk1, we are offering 20 percent off your wiring harness work or ecu tuning when you purchase an integration kit from us. This offer is good until around mid August. Purchase of the integration kit must be between July 10 and August 15, your harness can be scheduled up to a month after that. image image

 

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S&P Radiators For Your MK1 Swaps

So you’ve installed your new mk4 powerplant into your mk1, now you are left with plumbing it in.  Some swaps (vr6 specifically, the TDIs dont fit well either.) require you to modify the radiator, and finding stock hoses that will work can be a scavenge-fest.

We have used a stock mk1 rabbit radiator flipped upside down, then you have to cap the overflow port, and it wants to leak eventually, not to mention that your temp switch is now across the engine bay and in the way of everything you just installed..

Soo… we went looking for OEM options, found a dasher radiator that works pretty well, unfortunately the aftermarket support for Dashers is very small.  There seems to be little to no stock of the replacement dasher radiators anymore. Leading us to our natural course of action, make something that works the way we want.

 

In about 1-2 months, we will be stocked with a new radiator for your swaps.  Fully tig welded endtanks, no plastic all aluminum construction coupled with the dual pass design will help keep your rabbit running cool. Stock mounting pins and core-support mounting tabs are in place.  We also have removed the overflow port as most mk4 based swaps have a port on the motor or in the factory hoses.

These will also work for those who want to run carbs or ITBS and are using some sort of an overflow container.

 

dualflowvw search rescue 2sciroccorad2sciroccorad1sciroccorad3

 

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Grumman

“What is it?”

#1 question I am asked about this thing..

It is for no better explanation, a sales pitch.  Grumman Olsen was trying to get the USPS bid for manufacturing the postal carrier vehicle..   between 1983-1985 they produced 500 kubvans in 2 different models (70 and 100) with a couple different options.  High or low Floor (cargo area) dual or single rear doors, automatic or manual shift and right or left drive.

Most were automatics, almost all were diesel, I have heard that a few may have been ordered with the CIS gas engine.

Mine is a 100, with a manual trans (1/23 supposedly) single rear door, high floor.  I looked for almost 4 years for one, and in January of 14 I found one in Ohio.  After a little time talking with the owner we struck a deal and it was on its way to me.

kubvan 002kubvan 001

I drove it around the neighborhood for a while trying to find out what worked and what didnt .. all the while thinking of paint schemes and engine options.

With a local show coming up in April I wanted to have it there and the simplest way with our work load and project list piling up was to work on the exterior first and then pull the original drive train out after the local show.

kubvan 003 A little bit of OD Green and Raptor tintable bedliner produced the finish I was looking for, and I can scrub it with a brush if it gets dirty and not worry about scratching the paint.

 

kubvan 004

 

 

 

We added a bullbar for safety… you know how rough the city streets of Chattanooga can be..

 

 

Final touches were a set of wheels that I use on every car, but never sell with a car. My Ronal Turbos. They were not what I had in mind but with the fenders and the offsets I was going to have to work with, these fit the bill.  We also added a roof rack and a functioning ladder to access the rack.

kubvan 011

It made it to the local show and we had a great time.

 

 

 

kubvan 012

 

 

From the local show to SOWO14 was only 30 days, so we were still under a bit of a time crunch to get the new driveline inplace to make it to Helen GA.

kubvan 008

The rebuilt ALH motor from an 03 Beetle TDI was painted CAT yellow before installing the accessories or transmission parts.

 

kubvan 009

 

 

 

With all the accessories on we were ready to try out the new MK1 02A mounts and mk1 02J shift linkages we had made.  Of course they fit like a glove and work even better.  The Eurovan Cable Clutch conversion kit was also used on this chassis to simplify the mk1 02a/j conversion.  Scirocco 16v axles were used with the standard mk1 hubs.

 

IMG_4328

IMG_4327

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With those installed we were onto wiring, inter-cooler plumbing,and maintenance parts on the spindles and hubs.

kubvan 020After a snafu with the VNT 17 turbo we put on it having locked up vanes, we got a new one in a hurry and installed it, made about 20 miles of test drives and set off for SOWO14.  We received our new decals as we were pulling out of the shop

kubvan 015

 

We made the trip with out any issues,  had a great time cruising around town seeing old friends.  They had a mobile dyno setup so we crawled on top of it to see how we did. kubvan 017kubvan 016kubvan 023 The video is not that great as we were having issues finding a tach signal to work off of.  After that was sorted we got 3 good pulls and managed 325ft/lbs of torque and 146hp.

 

Overall I am very happy with the performance and drive-ability of this vehicle,  I have put a total of 1000 miles on the swap as of 6/4/14 and will continue to update as we add new parts.

kubvan 022kubvan 014