Let's get the motor swap conversation going early on this one.

the paving the road part is definitely why I wanted the public conversation to start. There are very few people publically talking about this just yet. I will be taking advice from plenty of others, including @MESO here. I will also be compiling said advice and trying to document what I learn as best as I can.

I will be doing this, as I am very very hard on my truck and don't expect it to last the next 60,000 miles to the 100k mark, I am after all already having issues with a few things. So I will continue to compile research and I will continue to design the parts that I will need for the swap.

I'll let youall know how that goes haha

 

There are some tunes for it, you can get 200hp/400tq, but from reading on the repower forums you dont really want to go much past that. Still 400tq would be pretty nice in these trucks.

 

Who said you had to use the factory gauge cluster , Holley makes some very nice digital dash clusters

 

I plan on using the Motec C1812 myself

 

Motec makes some nice components

 

Agreed. Maybe when I hit 200k miles I'll look into it lol.

 

Ive seen the motor swapped into the old toyota pickups (pre-tacoma) and 4runners. People like them much better than the VW tdi swaps

 

I hate working on VW's so much, I'd rather keep the stock motor.

 

I worked for a VW dealer for 6 years.... even VW mechanics hate working on VWs.

 

You don’t. In fact it will be tricky to get the aftermarket engine data into the stock gauges. But I want to retain as much as the vehicle’s I.C.E as possible. This includes things such as the factory push start button, anti theft, turn signals, dash indicators, etc. most of that stuff won’t work when you unplug the OEM cluster(I’ve tested it). What I am doing is more of a “hybrid” setup. I will keep the stock gauges plugged in behind the dash. Desoldering the warning buzzer/chime so I’ll never hear it, and then running a new display screen in front of it (HALTEC IC7)
This way the truck won’t know the difference(besides a bunch of Christmas tree warning lights which I will never see). I can even use the factory start signal wire in the engine bay to the new engine.

 

I shudder when I think about working on another early 2000s Beetle.

 

problem is getting any American motor to fit bwtween the fenders wells, a few LS swaps on you tube, not cheep or easy

 

Oh lord, those headlights... every single time we got a headlight bulb to replace we had to explain to the customer that the headlight latch is going to break, we are going to charge you for that part now, if we dont need it then we will take it off the bill.

At least the early beetles came with the 2.slow engine...

 

I've only worked on a few (I'm 17 after all) but basically every single plastic piece I needed to remove on all of them, snapped.

 

Ah, I got 20 years on you. But yes, every single plastic part can and will break after 3 years, they had immobilizer issues that could not be fixed and made VW buy beetles back, didnt matter the condition, VW would buy your beetle back because the immobilizer was trash and they couldnt fix it. The seats were not very solid because of the flip forward mechanics. The whole thing smelled like crayons, the dash layout was trash, the windows fell into the doors, just nothing worked right on them.

 

Oh so they all smell like that? Jeez, guess I wasted my time looking for that smell.

 

Yep, all VWs and most BMW smell like crayons. Its the cavity wax they use on them to stop rust. In the sun it starts to melt and makes that horrid smell.

 

I

Don't need to make it fit between the fender wells if you don't have fender wells... Check out how KibbeTech builds some of their nicer trucks. relocate off of that crap and ditch the metal inners.

 

Most fuel injection/ignition systems offer their own dash. I own one myself. I don't think anyone would expect to drop in a LS with the ECU and try to integrate it with the Toyota. That's like putting a goat heart in a 35yo man. LOL. Holly 7" dash, ECU and keep it manual trans, brakes, and find a genius to figure out everything else. Dump the ABS, Security module, Power seats and ah..the cigar lighter....Ahahahahaha.
Zim

 

Right now, this hour I'm watching 979ci motors in 90 Mustangs run 3.?? in the 8th @195+mph. I could put a 323 in a Tacoma. LOL
Zim