Unfortunately our video cut of slightly early in Part 1, so here's more. We ran completely dry at 7.6Kms on 2cups from a standing start at 55-60MPH. Lets see Dodge do this with their ECO-Diesel.
I never had the common rail TDI vw but I heard they make good power how ever I driven the ALH and the AHU and they run good to me .Years ago I had a 98 jetta and it had a tune on it and it really good . Now I drive a 2001 TDI and I sure that it would be plenty of power especially with a tune in my Toyota 4x4 and good mileage as I don't need huge tires just ones that look and handle well . I don't need to drive 80 miles an hour so I rather have the mileage of 65 or so thanks
I’d love to see mpg tracking on a road trip. The ability to move that weight with that much efficiency is fantastic. Have you compared the older engine efficiency and power to the ALH? I’d like to put a TDI/5 speed combo in a 50’s 1.5 to 2 ton farm truck. I’ll have to figure out the gearing to work out the axles, but I think the power and torque will be sufficient and better than the original. Thanks for doing the video!
I'm really interested in getting one of these conversions sometime down the road. I was thinking with a 2005-2015 Tacoma 4x2 extended cab originally with the 2.7L and 5-speed manual converted to a VW 1.9L Turbo diesel. I'd use it for pickups and deliveries for my small engine repair business that I plan on starting.
Hello Adam, great to hear. Hopefully we have a kit designed for the newer (05-16) Tacoma's ready by the time you are looking to begin. We are hoping, over the next few years to have kits developed for all of the Toyota Truck line.
I love how everybody is calling you out on only getting 38 mpg. They need to consider that your test was only for 7.6 km. You also started from a dead start and used less than 2 cups as we learned later. How much did the swap cost you and how long did it take? Good job!
Hello Ben, and thank you. I can't be too upset when people nitpick what I'm trying to show/prove. I myself am a very skeptical person. Very few people think to take that which you mentioned into account. It is nice to have someone take these things into account and respond positively. As to cost and time, it's not exactly something I could decipher. We started doing a "one-off" for a customer, and soon after developed a kit. Now, the kit/kits keep evolving. As to the price we sell them for, depends on year and model of Toyota, which version of VW 1.9 diesel is chosen, and weather the customer needs us to handle the wiring. Average range is from $2500-$3500. Thank you again. S.C.Lawrence
zimtuff Before starting it up we ran the fuel pump dry. Upon starting up it swallowed one quarter of our jar very quickly. When the truck finally stalled the fuel pump spit nearly a quarter of the fuel back into the jar. Also talking with Giles Gallie at Performance Diesel he told us the pumps hold approximately A quarter of a cup of fuel. Lastly, we now have three customers driving out there in the real world who have proven over 640 miles on 15 US gallons. Of course this was highway at a fairly constant 60 to 65 mph. One of our customers has averaged 510 miles for 15 US gallons while driving predominately within the Chicago boundary.
Assuming you have a spare rebuilt 1.9 TDI kicking around and a bone stock 99 4runner in the driveway that's mechanically sound with a 4" body lift. Can the conversion be done for under $4k if you only grab a acme transfer adapter and flywheel kit and build the rest? Yes I have ample experience and enough tools to fill a dealership. And how many hours do you usually spend on a 4runner conversion (ball park)? Cheers from Ottawa
Tyler Swords Tyler Swords Hello Tyler. Give me a call at 519-938-9844. It may be possible, but depending upon which transmission (V6/4cyl, auto/5spd.), and do you have the wiring harness, ecu, accelerator pedal from the VW. Also which TDi are you using? It may need an imobilizer deletion.
TOY Works Autocrafters I ll have a look this weekend it's sitting in a buddies shed. it's a fully donor car. the tdi was rebuild and thrown in the trunk never to be installed made this side of the pond so immobilizer shouldn't come into play on the VAG or so I'm told anyway. 4runnner is 6 cylinder and 5 speed so minimal tranny issues l'm hoping. I ll give you a shout asap. much appreciated.
are you selling only kits or do you have a few motors already done? What is the biggest SUV Toyota model do you recommend (it doesn;t matter about the year). I'm asking for future investment because I have a sprinter with an I5 engine that I wanted to put into a truck for the same reasons but this seems better.
Hello Joe simple Network We sell kits, do complete start-to-finish conversions, and yes, can even supply motors with wiring harnesses and kits bolted to them ready to drop in. The biggest Toyota we've done thus far, I would say is a 1978 LandCruiser FJ40. While these are not physically that large, they are considerably heavier than a 4Runner, and are aerodynamically challenged as a house. So I would suggest it would approximate a full size truck. In the LandCruiser we installed the simplest of the VW 1.9 TD's, the 72hp AAZ engine as requested by the customer. It moves the vehicle surprisingly well, but I would personally choose a newer TDi if it was up to me. Something with a few performance modifications to achieve at least 150hp. This could have been achieved with the AAZ engine, but I'm also a fan of electronic fuel injection. You can find the video on RU-vid of it's performance. It should be linked to our other videos, or look up Volkswagen 1.9 diesel powered LandCruiser. The AN15 engine may be a great choice, I can't comment on that as I have never had any experience with them. We got into the VW diesel swaps accidentally. A customer came in and asked us to install one in his 4Runner, and no matter how much we protested and tried to tell him it was a bad idea, he was very persistent and talked us into doing it. When we saw the performance the little motor was capable of we became excited and launch in this new direction. Prior to that we were a Toyota off-road/performance/general service company for 25 years. Thank you very much for the reply, and if you would like to speak to us about more detailed information, please don't hesitate to call us at 519-938-9844.
Im interested in doing this swap but in to a suzuki samurai. I have the donor car and a toyota v6 transmission. The catch us though i would like to use the Toyota ac, power steering and alternator brackets that you make for this swap. Were can i order these bracket if you sell them separate? Oh almost forgot the donor car is a 97 passat. Thank you and regards
Hello Edgar R. The best way to get in touch with us is by telephone at 519-938-9844. We know due to locations and time zones this can be hard so we can also be reached by e-mail at. thetoydoc@hotmail.com. Internet availability in this area is quite limited so it often takes us a while to respond back by email unfortunately. We look forward to speaking with you and will assist you in whatever way we're able. Thank you for your interest. S.C.Lawrence M.P.G. Conversions 519-938-9844 thetoydoc@hotmail.com
Hello Michael Unfortunately the ALH is a completely different design and will not work with this kit. We have full intentions of designing a kit to fit the ALH, but due to some personal issues being dealt with a time line is not clear currently. S.C.Lawrence TOY Works 4WD 519-938-9844 thetoydoc@hotmail.com
Your two part video is kinda funny. First off, your calculations are a tad off,but that's not a big deal. Any truck that could make 38 to 40 mpg would be cool. But it's NOT realistic. The reason manufactures use a standard test track of stop & go, idle time, and blend of fuel fuel load, passenger loads is to assert a modicum of real world fuel economy under PERFECT conditions. In your first video, you never stayed at 60 mph either. You teetered well below at around 55 mph for several long stretches. The VW TDI 1.9L engines are awesome and work very well for a number of small truck and SUV conversions. But the installation, fuel tank systems and cooling and heating system modifications are not for the faint of heart. The starter - bellhousing and axle clearance demands are a key reason the 1.9L engine is a good choice for some swaps. But here's the thing. The SUV world is where many owners push their rigs to maximum weight, lots of city and highway driving and never at the speed limit. The reality is, if you got 30 mph on the highway, consider yourself a winner. It's still better than any gas engine under the same load conditions. Strictly city driving, the diesel should perform better than a gas engine by at least 20 percent. But here's what will really tick off many. The newest diesels in Europe are in the 1.0 to 1.6 liter class and used in small SUV - Crossovers like Nissan's Quashqai make 60 mpg without sweating on the highway. They are a lighter vehicle than your Toyota 4 Runner by about 800 kg. Ford's new 1.5 Liter Turbo 4 cylinder 120 HP European diesel used in the Focus makes 70+ mpg using real world driving. When I drove one in Germany at autobahn speeds of 220 kmph, the fuel economy was still a shocking 27 mpg (8.5 liters per 100/km). When driving through Poland, I averaged 68 mpg on the highway (110 to 140 kmph). Try doing that with an older generation diesel in any car or truck. New 2018 European Nissan diesels will be compound turbocharged, only ONE liter in size and still produce 100 hp and 175 ft of torque. They are also 75 kg lighter than previous generation diesels because they are only 3 cylinders and are built using aluminum block and cylinder head. In 2014, Nissan built a 3 cylinder model, 1.5 Liters that weighed a mere 88 pounds and cranked out 380 hp using compound turbo setup. Ford is considering (along with Volkwagen - Audi) building a new 1.2 Liter all aluminum construction diesel that will weigh 160 lbs and produce 100 - 105 HP and capable of being used in small cross overs and small cargo vans with a target fuel city economy of 85 mpg and exceed current Euro 6 emission standards. The biggest issue with conversions is getting the final drive gear ratio's right for the average light and full gross weight of the vehicle. This is particularly true of SUV's with multiple tire size options. You fully load that 4 Runner up with passengers and cargo and don't have the right transmission and axle gear ratio's, fuel economy, wear and tear and durability are all going to suffer. The older TDI engines are not as efficient or capable with as much torque as newer common rail models are - even with a modern tune and bigger injectors because the compression ratios used in the diesels varied between model years. A better engine and injection choice might have been the BEW TDI series that are pretty good and run the Bosch CP3 model pumps. But sooner or later, someone is going to try importing European standard 1.5 to 2.0L sized Ford and VW - Audi diesels that are Euro 5 / 6 compliant and attempt a conversion into older small pickups and SUV's. Then you might get 45 to 55 mpg in real world conditions.
Doug Hanchard Hello Doug. I commend you on your well thought out comment. I'll always respect someone whom disagrees, as long as they show some intelligence in their reasoning, and not just comment "your retarded" as another viewer has. I really don't know how the major manufacturers come up with their fuel ratings, and have always suspected it was on a track. But to date, with the exception of VW, I've never been able to come close to their consumption estimations. When Toyota, for example, claims 8.5 litres per 100 kms, the closest I've been able to coax from said same vehicle is, on average 20% lower (11 litres per 100 kms) and that's driving unfathomabley calm. Volkswagen seem to be the only manufacturer who seem able achieve their claim. 1145 kms per 50 litres on the highway at 110 km/h. (50miles per U.S. Gallon) Now I too, was a complete skeptic when I heard claims of near 40 MPG from my first customer who had me do a VW 1.9TD swap. Before doing the conversion I outright stated "this is the stupidest thing I've ever heard of", but he talked me into it anyway. Upon finishing the job I took it for a drive and was mildly impressed with the performance from the little motor. This was the 72 hp 140 lb.ft. torque, AAZ engine. It wasn't until a month later, when the client called for other work, that he relayed to me his claim of 35 MPG. My first reaction was "B*ll S%#t!". When he dropped off the vehicle he told me to keep it a couple weeks and drive it around. I did, and I had to eat some humble pie. From there we started looking into the performance upgrade possibilities with these engines, and soon found out we were using the least fuel efficient of the 1.9 VW turbo diesels! This is where we started really getting into this. I just thought I'd give you a little of the background. You mention "due to fuel system differences, heat/cooling system modifications, etc. this swap is "not for the faint of heart." I would normally agree! But, that's where we have concentrated out efforts. We are manufacturing an install kit. All the mounts, adapters, pulleys, wiring harness conversion, exhaust, radiator hoses, etc. to make this a direct bolt in (no cutting, no welding) job! To an end that, a shop in Cedar City Utah (THE AUTOMOTIVE SHOP), reported starting at 10am, and had it up and drivable by 8pm the same day. Granted these are professional mechanics, and from talking with them, very good ones. This however, is a straight forward procedure when you have a complete kit, and ours retains all the Toyota accessories (alt, p/s, starter, flywheel, a/c comp. etc.) I would somewhat agree that the SUV owners push their vehicles harder than car drivers, although having worked professionally, on nothing but Toyota trucks and SUV's since 1991. In my experience most just like the stature and style of these vehicles, and could easily do the same things with a car. Of course we're not suggesting removal of a Cummins from a 1Ton and replacing it with a 1.9 VW, and I don't have any data on how it would work in a 1500 series Chev, Ford or Dodge. But Torque is torque, and most of our modified 1.9TDi's are between 240 & 325 lb.ft. Far more, and over a much, much broader RPM range, than our original Toyota engines. Look and see what loads and abuse people have done with the Toyota 22R series engines! (For easy investigation, ask Dario C. Dario and Paula have been friends of mine for 40 years. He'll tell you some of the loads I've run over long distances at hi way speeds. He may even be able to confirm 20 MPG while towing another Toyota pickup with my 22RE. Non towing, I've pushed 26 MPG ((750kms 70litres)) I've always been a fuel miser😇) It seems everyone is concentrating on weight when discussing fuel economy. To me, this is a red haring. While weight plays a big factor in the expenditure of energy during acceleration and climbing an incline. It has relatively no bearing at a constant speed on level ground. Add the factor of far more torque and a far more efficient energy production and it starts to equate to the fuel efficiency we claim. On average we loose 8-12 mpg versus the VW car we source the engines from. With the added tuning to the VW engines the fuel efficiency is raised above manufacturers output helping overcome the increased drag from aerodynamics and less efficient rear wheel drive of the Toyota. In the case of common rail. In North America, Volkswagens most fuel efficient engine is widely regarded to be the ALH, which is not a common rail system. The ALH is notorious for easily reaching and handling 300+ lb.ft. and 195+ hp. Injectors+tune+turbo+intercooler+exhaust~$3000 The pumpduse BEW can achieve more I suspect, but with it's inherent cyl head issues. Far more costly. Lastly, over 300 lb.ft. the Toyota drive line is likely to be at it's safe limit. Heck in 1985 few 1Tons hadn't much more than that! In the gearing department, I must admit, we got lucky. The RPM in the Toyota truck vs the original VW car is increased by, on average 250RPM. Just enough to take up consideration for the mass and aerodynamics of the truck. Gotta love Toyota and their 4:10, 4:30, and 4:56 ratios! Considering your experience in Europe with the stated, Nissan's and Ford's, I'm quite surprised at your response. However, I do appreciate it, and I always enjoy a good debate! Take care, and maybe we'll meet through our mutual friends. If you see them before I do, say hello to Dario and Paula. Sincerely Shane Lawrence
BDR The only difference is, off-road diesel is dyed to change the color. We used the dyed diesel so it was more visible. The rest of the time, we too, use normal diesel.
