VW diesel in a rear wheel drive vehicle?

1RED-RYDER1 · Post by **1RED-RYDER1** » Fri Sep 26, 2008 12:47 pm

other than the suzuki 4X4 diesel conversions...anyone ever 'put' a vw diesel in a rear wheel drive vehicle? [yes, i know acme adapters makes an
adapter.] i'm hoping someone has 'experience'.
thanx red ryder.

Quantum-man · Post by **Quantum-man** » Fri Sep 26, 2008 3:09 pm

Volvo?

libbybapa · Post by **libbybapa** » Fri Sep 26, 2008 3:21 pm

Yup. I've got one in my Vanagon.

Andrew

Bubba1 · Post by **Bubba1** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 4:20 pm

Ive got one in a 87 4runner.

VW cat · Post by **VW cat** » Sun Sep 28, 2008 5:49 pm

There is alot of interest in putting this engine in vehicles other than the Suzuki design. If Acme will sell you just the flywheel and the adaptor, I would consider using the Suzuki transmission and putting the assembly in whatever small rear wheel drive vehicle you want to. I read the same question on alot of different forums. Never saw a non Suzuki conversion. The Suzuki swap though is very popular and very highly rated.

I'm not sure what a 4-runner is Bubba1, my apologies. What tranny did you use and are you happy with it? Phil

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Sun Sep 28, 2008 11:48 pm

We-e-e-ell, Ihave a friend that has '75 914, but that is mid-engined. Anyway he is a mechanical engineer/machinist and has a bit of coin. He put a '04 TDI( I think that's the right year ) in his 914, after going to the 915 tranny replacing the old stock 901 tranny. The engine I know he has reinforced on the bottom end(main webs, caps, etc.) 'til the cows come home. Then he got a bigger(?) turbo, modified injectors, and reprogrammed the computer chip thingey. His intake and exhaust manifolds were made by him. It's been balanced, the engine. I've had two rides with him, in the middle of the night, on I-25, down toward Socorro and T or C, and he kicked over a 5 mile level(+/-) stretch at an average of 23.45 seconds per mile, upwards of 150mph. He was cussing the fact he didn't have more gear. The 915 trans has been modified at least on the ring and pinion, but I don't know the ratio. The noise was horrendous, nearly deafening. The thing has 3 small/medium sized 4-core radiators to cool it. Just the thing if you have your own money pit. Sigh!! Now he wants a 6-speed out of a newer 911, or whatever they are called now.

surfcam · Post by **surfcam** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 11:08 am

I just don't get the big fan club around the Porsche. Especially the 911. With the engine right in the back it over steers like crazy. They usually suffer rear end damage because use leave the road backwards. At wrecking yards I see this all the time. Now they have tryed to kept it on the road with electronics skid control and other stuff. I think if you want a real sports car you go for a mid engine side winder engine. 50/50 split on weight distribution. With a classic four wheel drift on the corners. These cars don't have a 20% penalty for a rear end hipoid gears because they use a trans axle.

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 3:32 pm

The 914 IS mid-engined, it IS a transaxle in it. The transaxle, like in VW bugs, buses, and Porsches has been called a transaxle at least since the 1930s when Porsche designed the first VW proto-types under Arch Swine Hitler.

Losing the a$$-end on a Porsche is atributle to one thing, PILOT ERROR.

Thirty years ago we stuffed a few 911s with 350s. That was over-steer. Try stuffing that in a sidewinder. Cadillac had a Northstar mess of some sort, wouldn't think of it as a sports car.

Years ago there were 2 cars that did moderately well(understatement) in Gran Prix. The Auto-Union(AUDI diesel, anyone?) and the Mercedes 300SLR, all designed by Dr. Porsche in part. They cornered, at extreme speeds, like in the Mille Miglia d' Italia. Until Count Juan de Portago flew into the Mediterranean, taking several souls with him, in 1957. Hagar should remember that last Mille Miglia.

Bubba1 · Post by **Bubba1** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 4:15 pm

A 4runner is a toyota 4x4 vehicle it weighs close to 3500lbs so its heavy.lighter then the vavagon though.It just like the pickup(hilux)with a cab on the bed with rear seats.very cool vehicle

surfcam · Post by **surfcam** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 5:13 pm

Harry said

The 914 IS mid-engined, it IS a transaxle in it. The transaxle, like in VW bugs, buses, and Porsches has been called a transaxle at least since the 1930s when Porsche designed the first VW proto-types under Arch Swine Hitler.

I guess what I should have said is hipiod gears in the transaxle. Thats where 20% of the power disappears. Compared to a sideways mid-engine mount. GT-40, Lotus Elise, X19 Fiat lots of others have this configuration. Granted sometimes they put the engine the other way if its too big. Or other reasons. Like aesthetics. Ferrari builds one with twin turbo longitudinally. I'm sure it wouldn't look as pretty the other way with the big red pipes going to the turbo's under smoked plexi-glass. It's more of an art form with performance thrown in. I don't buy that Porsche drivers just always smash the rearends. I think there a good reason for it with the engine so far back in the car.

VW cat · Post by **VW cat** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 5:28 am

Bubba1
So how did you do it? What transmission did you use? A Toyota truck is a good rig. A small pick-up, 4x4, with a diesel, come on Bubba, let us know how you did it. Phil

Bubba1 · Post by **Bubba1** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 7:28 pm

I used the 22re manual tranny and made a plate to bolt to the vw block.heres my build thread.
http://vwdiesel.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php ... =generator

VW cat · Post by **VW cat** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 8:10 pm

Wow, going to take me a while to digest this. Found the 2nd link. Thanks, Phil