Former VWDieselParts.com Forum

I have a 95 Golf that began life as a Gasser! Now with a turbo diesel! I have the W post, and I know the tac on the dash has a green wire! Where do I find the wire?

W post on alt puts out too many pulses for your gasser tach.

the gasser tach wire used to go to the coil ( on the firewall in front of the driver)

So how do I convert the tac?

I think it's Dakota Digital that makes an adjustable converter to put between the tach and alternator.
Otherwise there's a post on the GTD forum explaining how to convert the MK1 and MK2 clusters that might help. Requires swapping resistors and caps.

Dakota Digital is a compony that makes a converter? And how would I find what wire to use?
Thanx for your help!

I don't know enough about the MK3s wireing to help you with that.

Well I got the box from Dakota but then they tell me it wont work?
Is it possible to just get a diesel gauge cluster or will I have to rewire everything?

Don't know if you solved your tach problem yet, but I just installed a 1.6 NA into a Geo Tracker. I used the Dakota Digital converter box to make my tach work. I'm using the Geo alternator, and it doesn't have a W terminal, so I had to take it apart and tap the stator by soldering a wire to one of the stator terminals. That wire goes to the input on the converter box. The output of the converter box is connected to the wire that used to attach to the coil and goes to the tach. I had to change the switches on the converter box to get it to read correctly. It was covered in the instructions, although they weren't the easiest to understand. My tach works great. I don't know why it wouldn't work on yours?
-Brian

I understad the problem is in the VW gas tac?
I would love more info on your swap!! I have a 92 Geo I want to eventually put this motor into!!!

I used the Acme Adapters kit. It wasn't too hard. There were some modifications that had to be done. You have to cut a little bit off of the end of the drive shaft in order to bolt the Suzuki fly wheel. That was scary, but I took my time and used an angle grinder with a cut off wheel. You also have to enlarge one hole on the bell housing to accept an alignment pin. I used a step drill bit to start to keep the hole centered, and finished with a 5/8 bit. The hole had to be 7/16 deep.
The kit includes motor mount adapters that bolt to the engine. You re use the Tracker motor mounts. Except that you need motor mounts from an 89-90 Tracker. They are a little shorter. Napa part 103-3616. Ultra 8 brand.
Since mine is non turbo, I had to get an exhaust manifold for a longitudinal engine. I think mine came out of a gas Sirocco. I ordered a used one with the kit. I custom made the header pipe. Mine goes down on the passenger side, then crosses over to the driver side under the transmission. Turbo guys run the header pipe across the engine bay between the head and the fire wall, then down the driver side like the stock Geo setup.
Acme says that a non turbo needs a carburated intake in order to clear the hood. I couldn't find I used one, and wasn't will to pay $215 for a used one from Acme, so I did the most logical thing and used my original intake... and cut a hole in my hood. I just found a plastic hood scoop for it at Autozone for $32. Covers the hole nicely and probably added at least 50 hp
You can use either the Geo or a VW radiator. I ended up using an all aluminum racing radiator with the inlet and outlet on the driver side. I had to cut out the old radiator mounting brackets and custom make new ones. I mounted the electric fan as a pusher so that there is more room in front of the engine to work. I changed the aux. shaft pulley yesterday and had enough room to get a puller in there without removing the radiator. Top hose was no problem. Bottom hose took some work. I'll probably redo it with a silicone 180 bend instead of the rubber one I found that works, but is really tight. The kit includes a list of hose needed if you use a VW radiator. I used some of those, and used the Napa web site to find the rest. It is helpful in that you can search for hoses based on diameter on both ends.
If you have powersteering on your VW, you can reuse that pump. You will have to have new lines made. You can use the Geo powersteering pump, but have to make a custom mounting bracket. I haven't done that yet. I can steer just fine without it.
I've been working on mine for a month. Still have more to do like the p/s pump, spring spacers to level the front end, replace the rear main seal, etc. But it has been driveable for 2 weeks and I am pretty happy with it. One of these days I'll upload the pictures and do a write up of it.

My biggest problems were not with the kit, but with my Geo body. I bought it on EBay with no engine, and no top. I had to cut out the driver side A pillar and weld in a piece of 3x2 rectangular tube. Apparently this is a common problem. The A pillar rusts at the door hinges and the door falls off. I also had to make a new fuel tank mount. The bar that runs across between the frame rails and holds the fuel tank and shock mounts was rusted in half. I took a 4 foot piece of 1 inch round pipe and drove it through what was left of the bar then I cut it to length, and made new tank hangers. I found a hard top 300 miles away in good shape for $550. A good portion of my time was spent working on the body and chasing down parts.

HMM I was thinking a Geo Metro!