Former VWDieselParts.com Forum

I am looking for ideas on what all cn be done to this motor when I rebuild it? I've done some high performance upgrades to other diesels in the past, but nothing this small!

The Eco-diesel is not the best engine to start with, the turbo is probably a Garret T2 (tiny) and the injection pump doesn´t have boost enrichment (LDA). The IP has a 8mm head, I think the full turbo has 9mm.
I ran my Eco @1.2bar of boost, increased the fueling and advanced the ignition a bit, it was much faster than stock, and clearly faster than my Golf TDI with 90hp.

For more power you should start by getting a real TD IP.

Is it possible to increase the pump to 9mm or do I need to find a different pump?

I'm guessing you can swap the 9mm plunger and head from any 1.6,
onto the eco pump.
Can also put an aneroid on it. If you remove the stop post inside the pump. The LDA/aneroid replaces the stop, creates sort of a moving stop.

Many people love the smaller turbo.
the K14 it came with spools up faster but I don't think it does as well at the top end.

KCCats wrote:I am looking for ideas on what all cn be done to this motor when I rebuild it? I've done some high performance upgrades to other diesels in the past, but nothing this small!

What year eco diesel do you have? and what is the part number on the head? I want to put an eco head and turbo on my caddy but want to verify head bolt size and hydro or mechaincal lifters. Let me know on the head if it is hydro or mechanical lifters and 12mm?

81caddyGuy wrote:

KCCats wrote:I am looking for ideas on what all cn be done to this motor when I rebuild it? I've done some high performance upgrades to other diesels in the past, but nothing this small!

What year eco diesel do you have? and what is the part number on the head? I want to put an eco head and turbo on my caddy but want to verify head bolt size and hydro or mechaincal lifters. Let me know on the head if it is hydro or mechanical lifters and 12mm?

An eco diesel head would be hydro/12mm.

So it may be a feat to bolt it to my block then? I know my head is mechanical. and I am about 70% sure it is 11mm. I can tap it to 12mm if needed unless there is some special diffrences in block (let me know if there is please) or use a stud kit?

81caddyGuy wrote:So it may be a feat to bolt it to my block then? I know my head is mechanical. and I am about 70% sure it is 11mm. I can tap it to 12mm if needed unless there is some special diffrences in block (let me know if there is please) or use a stud kit?

IIRC drilling the head bolt holes out to 12mm has been done.

The oil drains are the biggest difference, mech has two, hydro has one. And I think the hydro head's second drain lines up with a coolant passage in the mech block.......very inconvenient but it's been done too.

It looks like i will be taking the whole engine and transd from the donor car than if i want eco. just found out the eco has piston cooling jets. so the N/A block will be a bad idea with the turbo. DAMN

Yep, an eco diesel is a great engine to start with.
They were under fueled, with an 8mm pump,
and had a small quick-spooling turbo to keep smoke down when leaving a stop sign.
,. they had a cat, so they had to keep the soot down or they would plug it.
Because of this detuning; they weren't really beat on,..
as much as the earlier TDs.

Many of the upgrades are the same as with any engine:
port the head
ARP fasteners

it has a hydrolic head so you can use the metal head gasket
The 1.9 head that the metal head gasket was made for will fit on your block, the larger prechamber will lower compression and make starting harder,.. better flow with the D-shaped intake.
the three-piece main bearing, with seperate thrust washers, is probably better than the one-piece

Most of the upgrades are outside the engine.

Ok so external upgrades would be the pump a just resealed of my N/A. the caddy is an 81 so the cat converter is a non-issue. We dont have emissions testing in FL anyway so not to worried about it. Now the hydraulic head. My 92 golf had a hydraulic head and the lifters always "clicked". I put a whole new set and two weeks latter it sounded like my head was falling apart. So if I can use solid lifters I would rather do that. Any input on mechanical lifters in a hydraulic head? an can you explain the metal head gasket a little more i have not seen one of them for a non race application.

The metal head gasket is what you get when you order a headgasket for a 1.9 IDI, AZZ block.
... but it fits earlier hydrolic blocks.

If your oil pressure is good the lifters shouldn't tick.

Well just getting back to this project! I put a Non Turbo pump on my Eco block, as well as a new Garret muc larger turbo! I did get a Mech head and it is suposed to bolt right up, and it seens to have without issue? And larger injectors!
I set the pump timing at .040 and all else looks good?
But no power (wont hardle pull its self) a bit of white smoke, and a sound of like a head gasket leak?
Anyone have any thoughts?

Are you sure it's pulling fuel? Any leaks or air bubbles in the fuel feed line going to the pump? (you do have a clear line feeding the pump, right?)

If fuel supply is good and you are sure cam/crank timing is dead on you might try advancing the timing more. I am assuming that all else is good, compression is good, etc.

White smoke can be low compression, air in the fuel, or retarded timing but can also be water leaking into the compression chamber - usually that will yield a slight antifreeze smell in the exhaust. Best to go back over everything very carefully. Also make sure when you set the timing that the cold start was not pulled or that will result in retarded timing off-idle.

Well not sure on anything! Timing and belt is all correct! I just pulled the motor back out and the pump off too! I'm haveing the pump looked at? I though I had an oil leak out the back of the head, but now looks like it was comeing from the valve cover? I do have a mech head but it might be the std with something added to take out the hydro? Will the 1.9 head gasket still work? Will I need to to get new head bolts again, Got like 1/2 mi on this! This has been a real PITA!