2005 Tacoma VW Diesel Engine Swap, Help With Gauges

I am pretty much finished swapping a 2.0L Volkswagen TDI diesel engine in my 2005 Tacoma. Custom adapter plates, intake, exhaust and wiring harness. The build thread is over at the TDI Club website https://forums.tdiclub.com/index.php?threads/2nd-gen-tacoma-bhw-swap.516662/#post-5675802 All I have left to do is tidy up some of the electrical wires, install an electric rad fan and get the gauges working.

I am currently working on getting my temperature gauge working and I know the temperature gauge on the cluster needs a 12v square wave signal. According to the Alldata manual the frequency the gauge cluster requires is
Below 30degC 16ms between fall and rise
75degC 204 between fall and rise
Above 90degC 262ms between fall and rise
I’m not sure if the valve is a changing frequency or if it is a PWM duty cycle.

Since I now longer have the 1GR-FE or the Toyota ECU. I am wondering is someone with an oscilloscope and a 2005 - 2011 Tacoma could give me some more accurate frequency readings relative to engine temperature. The wire that goes to the temperature gauge is connector E7 pin 14 on the ECU, grey and black wire.

 

I can’t help. Sorry.

But that is an awesome build.
I’ve never seen or heard of it before?
A TDI swap? Nice!

 

Thanks,
I guess I should have added some more detail. I replaced the 4.0L V6 Toyota gasoline engine with a 4 cylinder 2.0L Volkswagen turbo diesel. TDI is what Volkswagen calls there Turbo Diesel engines.

 

Just curious what kind of mileage you are getting with your swap?

Vince

 

I get 9.4L/100km, 25 US MPG average with 35s and the speedometer recalibrated for those tires. Here is my recorded fuel consumption since I did the swap. https://www.fuelly.com/car/toyota/tacoma/2005/braddman/1062341.

 

Thats pretty good. Did you regear for the tires? How does it drive, or how is the power? I found your build thread and saw you chipped it. Anything else done?

Vince

 

I’m still using the stock 3.73 gears. With the diesel this gearing works great. The power is pretty good the only performance mods on the TDI are a stage 2 tune, this gives me 175hp and 305lb-ft at the crank. I have hauled 3000lbs and can still maintain 80km/h on hills. Taking off in high on hills with this weight takes a bit of throttle and clutch slip.

The low end torque is awesome. When off-roading in low range I can idle up 45° gravel hills and it will spin the tires. I can even take off at idle or with a slight bit of throttle.

 

OK, that's far out.......

 

I got my temperature gauge working. I had to develop my own conversion module with printed circuit board and program it because the Tacoma cluster requires a specific PWM signal to operate. The signal is supposed to come from the Toyota ECU but I no longer have that in my truck. The Tacoma Temp Gauge Converter reads the resistance on the instrument cluster part on the VW coolant temperature sensor and sends a PWM signal to the Tacoma cluster.




The Tacoma Temp Gauge Converters are available for purchase for $200 CAD if setup for a VW TDI BHW coolant temp sensor or $250 CAD if setup and shipped with a 1/8” NPT sensor with 10’ leads. Shipping is included in the price. You could use this converter with any engine swaps on 2005-2011 Tacoma, such as LS or 4BT swaps. This converter may work on Toyota FJ Cruisers or Tundras but I have not tested it.

 

Are these still available?

 

Yes, the modules are most certainly available. If I do end up selling all the modules in my inventory, I will just build more of them.

 

And it’s guaranteed to gain a 50 HP and 5 mpg to the wheels? LOL

No just kidding and you need to post in the For Sale or Trade section just get your post count up. I don’t imagine them selling really fast but you should hopefully sell a few being engine swaps are probably going to become more popular as our trucks get older.

I’m guessing you must be good at electronics? There was a gentleman who made an Airbag bypass switch then stopped making and selling them to a 4x4 company. The company could hardly keep them in stock. If you could figure it out I know for a fact that they would sell probably faster than you could make them once the word got out! I know I would be first inline! Here’s a tread on them…

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/frs-seats-in-2013-tacoma.488639/

 

I understand this is a niche product and I’m not selling these to make money. I just want to help out fellow engine swap folks that need a solution to get their temperature gauges working.

I am good with electronics but I’m not interested in developing any of those air bag bypass modules.

 

Ok, just thought I would ask. Sadly I love the Toyota 86 seats plus the bench seat is long gone and I love my wife so she’s not getting into the passenger seat until I can figure out how to get the dash airbag light off.
But thanks for the help with the temp gauge!

Randy

 

Can I buy one of these?