Powerful new engine in a vanagon

[diesel dunk]

I have posted b4 here about putting a 1.9Turbo diesel AAZ engine into a vanagon, but I am now just thinking miles ahead about a long term project for something better. I have a stock 1983 1.6NA diesel vanagon and it's obviously underpowerd, as they were, as it's 50HP. This is my project vehicle and I also drive a 2004 golf diesel TDI 140HP. I eventually want this sort of power in my bus. Are there any suggestions on engines/gearboxes that would make reasonable conversions and would fit the vanagon both engine and gearbox or mixtures from different cars. Appreciate any input from someone that has done such a thing. I don't want a super car, but just want a powerful engine/gearbox that will run really smooth/efficient. I don't want much. How do most engines compare with the engine size/mounts of the diesel vanagon? What really worries me is the fact that the engine is 90 degrees to the drive, so I suspect that there aren't many gearbox/engines that match, because all the cars I know have front wheel drive and the engines are in line with the drive. Cheers in advance, libbypapa I expect you know a thing or two about this.

[stopping]

Mr Dunk,

The AAZ seems like a great choice for these vans. I have one with a transmission from a gas 84'. The ratio of the top gear is much smaller than the diesel.

Early 4-speed boxes for watercoled gasoline engines:
Type 091/1 091/1 091/1 091/1 091/1
ID DT, 4D ABB DU, 5D ABD, ABE ACW
engine 1.9L 1.9L 1.9L 1.9L 2.1L
Power 44 kW 44 kW 57/61 kW 57/61 kW 79/82 kW
Year 84.7 84.8 84.7 84.8 85.2
1. gear 3.78 3.78 3.78 3.78 3.78
2. gear 2.06 2.06 2.06 2.06 2.06
3. gear 1.26 1.23 1.26 1.23 1.23
4. gear 0.85 0.85 0.85 0.85 0.85
Revers 3.67 3.67 3.67 3.67 3.67
Transa 4.57 4.57 4.86 4.83 4.83

Early 4-speed boxes for Diesel engines:
Type 091 091/1 091/1 091/1 091/1 091/1
ID character DM, DS DY, 6D ACP,ACR ABF ABH ALD
For engine 1.6L 1.6L 1.6L 1.6L 1.6L 1.7L
Fuel Diesel Diesel Diesel Diesel T-Diesel Diesel
Year 82.9 82.10 84.3 84.8 85.1 86.9
1. gear 3.78 3.78 3.78 3.78 3.78 3.78
2. gear 2.06 2.06 2.06 2.06 2.06 2.06
3. gear 1.26 1.26 1.26 1.23 1.23 1.23
4. gear 0.85 0.85 0.85 0.85 0.78 0.78
Revers 3.67 3.67 3.67 3.67 3.67 3.67
Transaxle 5.43 5.86 5.83 5.83 5.50 5.50

The tdi would be good too... if you know how it works.

As for the AAZ

The more powerfull motor can easily push the van with lower revs on the highway. I am a proponant of this solution untill somone gives me a good reason to rebuild my tranny just to change the fourth gear. The catch is that you will need to remove the fuel tank so you can use the improved gas tranny linkage.

The other option would be to swap the transaxle and keep the gear box but I don't know what is involved.

There are many drawbacks to this conversion.

-The oil pan angle as discussed in the "AAZ oil in breather" thread.
-The n/a 1.6 will likey out run the AAZ in durability.
-very loud much more than the n/a, sound control a must!
-many hours of research besides this forum
-many hours of hard work and more hours tinkering
-forever tinkering

Otherwise it goes like snot! Economy is good.
You must include an intercooler. Mine is from a saab and work ok in the driver side "d" piller with the main air intake from the right.

Steve

[libbybapa]

I can't see any reason that the 1.6na would outlast the AAZ. I see quite the reverse especially when you consider the added revs required (lower gearing) for the n/a to move the van. The AAZ is a more robust engine.

I'm also confused by you saying that the AAZ is louder than the 1.6TD. Any of the TD vw engines is much quiter than the n/a engines due to the turbo itself quieting considerably both the intake and exhaust. In fact I originally ran my 1.6TD with simply a downpipe and no other exhaust. When giving a friend who owned a na 1.6 vanagon stock with belly pan and intake snorkel a ride, he questioned me regarding what I was running for exhaust. When I stated that I wasn't running any exhaust after the downpipe he was quite surprised and stated that it was significantly quieter than his engine with full exhaust.

As for the tinkering, yes, I tinker a fair amount, but if done right the first time it usually doesn't need to be done again. The trick is engineering things right the first time. With any swap do absolutely as much research as possible and learn as much as possible from others who have done the swap.

Andrew

[stopping]

Hey there Diesel Dunk,

Andrew, Yes you are right. The AAZ is quieter because of the turbo, it is incrediable. I run only 2" pipe all the way out with only a cheap "High Performance" mufler (no baffles... you can see through 2" form one end to the other.) Easy and quiet exhaust.

I should clairify:

The noise to control is on the inside. The intake probably should not run in the "d" piller without some fancy sound tube like the one the 1.6 comes with. I have not worked this out yet but will tinker something together soon I hope.

Any ideas?

The intake snorkel should be large. Seems the aaz rubber intake on the golf widens from the turbo's 2" to about 3" I think the big air intake is the trick to getting power out of the engine on the highway. I plumbed it so the air goes through the "d" piller with the right side air catch at the top. I was hoping this would add some force to the incoming air (as, it seems, vw thought) and draw air from the coolest possible place. Problem is how fit a 3+" snorkel in 2x5id pillar?

fyi Andrew the runaway due to oil from the breather has stopped. Thankyou for your insight.

As for the durablity. I think engines are spent by torque and not revs. Especially vw's. There was an articule I read on another site it was writen by an engine rebuilder. It made a convincing agument that vw engines are well balanced and could handle the revs. He argued further that engine life could be predicted by torque output. ie more agresive starts less life in km/miles.

I think vw should have put the AAZ in these vans in the first place. All these vans should cruse at 70m/110km /hr. Everyone should do it!