Former VWDieselParts.com Forum

I finished putting an AAZ turbodiesel into my kubvan, but have now learned that my turbocharger is shot. This is my only car, I gotta get this going! Can I use this engine without the turbocharger? For now, I just need my car back. For the long term, I want an engine that is reliable, durable and efficient. I'm not looking for speed, just a little more power than my old 1.6 had, for getting up the hill. The 1Y probably is an ideal engine for me. Can I make this into a 1Y, or at least a NA AAZ, by changing a few parts?

Here are options I'm considering; for you-all to talk me out of:

(I have many dead 1.6 Rabbit engines.) I put Rabbit manifolds on this engine. The ports are different shapes, there will be turbulence, or restriction. But will it hurt the engine?

Put on a 1.6 mechanical head: probably not a good option. But I can find a hydraulic, with matching manifolds, cheap, probably.

Locate 1Y manifolds, use them. How would an AAZ with 1Y manifolds compare with a 1Y motor? Any problems? Other than the manifolds, the 1Y and AAZ seem very similar.

Buy a 1Y motor. Only source I know of is from the importer of used German engines in Ontario California. I'm feeling particularly grouchy lately about engines that I can't evaluate until I bought them and installed them. Anyone got something I might want?

(I have bad luck doing searches on this forum, I can't search for "1Y" for example.)

The 1.6 exhaust manifold stuff will match up to the ports in the head,
You could probably use your TD intake until you find a 1Y, just have to route it to an air filter of some sort.

With the work involved you could possibly buy an new or rebuilt turbo and be running no problem in an afternoon. Down time is money too. The 1.6 N/A intake will be fine. A guy in canada does that to all his aaz engines. I would not swap the head as the 1.6 has smaller Pre chambers and will probably send the compression ratio up to 25 or 26 to 1.

The other options seem too pricey for me but probaby doable if you wanted. A 1y manifold is usually just a little less than a rebuilt or used turbo, unless you have a good source for 1y stuff that I haven't found.

I'm not abandoning the turbocharger yet, I'll rebuild ($50), have a mechanic go over it ($?), or just buy a new one ($400). I don't regret spending money for a good result. (I'll just... not heat this winter ). Slapping my old Rabbit NA manifolds on is just to get me to the mechanics shop for now and until the turbo is fixed.

But maybe normal-aspiration is better for my needs? Trading power for reliability and simplicity. the man 53: why does the guy in Canada do this- same reason? Is it not as good if I still have all the power I want? Is it foolish to try this?

If I do try this, what do I do with the oil lines? Just plug them I guess, replace that banjo fitting with a copper collar or something. Would this cause excessive pressure upstream? That is, do turbos have bigger oil pumps, with the oil running through the turbo necessary to the oil system's balance?

The guy in canada doesn't mind slow cars and he has had turbo problems. So he runs them as N/A.

Yes plug the lines so that you don't lose oil. I don't think there is such a thing as too much oil pressure, but regardless you won't see too much from taking off the turbo.

turbos only use a small amount of oil for lube and cooling the bearings

there is only a small hole in the fitting at the pump ( a restrictor) in the line TO the turbo. the pressure can build to over 100 PSI in the line if it is plugged so use some common sense when capping it ... the return line only has to handle the blowby pressure from the sump.

Hi Joat.

I'm confused by your comment. My line to the turbo connects at the top of the oil filter connector. Does that port go to a separate circuit at the pump? So the turbo gets a separate circuit, that should be allowed to flow freely back into the sump? Are you saying I have to do something at the pump itself?

I assumed the turbo had a branch off of the engine's oil system. letting it run free into the sump would drop the pressure; too much?

Your crank bearings run free into the sump,
after they have passed the bearings.

Turbos are much the same way.

Are You saying I should not block the oil outlet at the filter flange, but pipe it to the return fitting at the back of the block?

I would think that without the turbo it the circuit, there would be a pressure drop upstream. Just as pressure is maintained upstream of the crank bearings, as long as they aren't worn out.

Is my understanding wrong? I'm just a glow plug . "the man 53" says plug 'em, I think Joat says to cap it, but to make it good as the pressure is high at the flange. Are you saying to shunt the turbo's oil free into the sump ?

Thank You all for your comments .

I'm sorry , missred your last post.

Plug the oil supply to the turbo if you are deleting the turbo.

Old post, but hey.

I just put my NA-AAZ back on the road last week after two years of fixing and refitting.
It has been NA for a long while, but it's now as I wanted it to start with.
GTI dual downpipe with a custom L section to get rid of the restrictive junction,
TT exhaust (Caddy), 1Y NA intake, A2 TD airbox, 1Y crankcase vent setup and
a stock oil/coolant heat exchanger and a new Bosch NA pump.

It is, in a word, awesome.
While it's not nearly as fast as a well tuned TD, it is worlds stronger than a
1.6 with an exhaust and the pump cranked up, and smoke is almost non-existent.
I've had TD's with more boost and fuel and flow, they are still slow imo.
Anything much over a 14 second quarter is "slow" to me for reference.
I consider this a GREAT trade-off between longevity/durability and driveability.
There is at least one fellow running around with an NA TDI and he's had great luck
with it as well, I'd like to try one eventually.