Diesel to td or tdi? What upgrade have you done?

[Barbarella]

Hi all,
We have a 1.6 diesel and want to an upgrade but can't decide whether to go td or tdi. Wanted to know what others have had and the reason for your choice as well as if you were happy with the end result. Have talked to mechanics and had some comments from a post on Facebook and the tdi seemed popular but it costs considerably more to do and I still can't figure if it's worth it in terms of performance/speed so let me know what you decide to go for

[toomanytoys]

Alternative engine section.... all the answers are there...

[max and caddy]

I have a AAZ td...and a 1Z tdi in a van and a pick up ( both syncros) the AAZ is very capable...good fuel consumption, will do 80 mph if its pushed and will cruise with the hgvs no problem..the tdi is however better..faster, smoother, better on fuel to a degree...the thing is the AAZ cost me £200 with a car round it...the tdi cost £250 without the car but the cost is in yep the installation...the td bolt in with a handful of conversion parts but the tdi needs much more including electrics, inter cooling, and the biggest cost of all is the gearbox as the engine won't like the standard ratios provided by a JX equipped van let alone a puny 1.6D one.

I have no idea how much you want spend, how you drive or how far/often but if I had a 1.6D I would want it out ASAP and would consider the 1Y non turbo unit as well...even easier to fit and A LOT better than the 1.6...

[lloydy]

ive gone tdi (from jx) and it does cost a lot of money. AAZ's are a pretty old engine now so could bring their own problems. I'd seriously consider the 2.0l gti petrol engine, will fit with your diesel bits and is pretty cheap to fit and run

[max and caddy]

But petrol is an obselete fuel now! Totally agree however your biggest hurdle now is findings a good engine, TDIs are plentiful and cheap, 1Y is fairly common and cheap but needs an element of luck...AAZ prices are mental now and often the lump is ruined as despite the engines good points it does feature some poor design in certain areas...(front pulley) ...er...that's all really..

To replace a diesel with a petrol is a step backwards in my opinion.

Hutch knows this...ask him.

[lloydy]

Get what your saying, just another option. There is a aaz in the for sake section (Jes) £200...
Just think though, if I ever succumbed to my addiction and got a non camper syncro I'd HAVE to go petrol

[max and caddy]

Why? Oh...coz of London...?

[lloydy]

Yep, poxy LEZ. Typically my road is the border

[keytouch]

With a modern tdi engine, would it not meet the emissions standard?

[max and caddy]

With a modern tdi engine, would it not meet the emissions standard?

No idea as such but I'm sure llyody will know the ins and outs of it all and it will be no for the Afn family engines..

[Aidan]

Is London not nicer now because of the LEZ ?

Cheap option is 1Y with a petrol gearbox instead of the diesels old one, swap the bellhousing and input shaft and remember to fit a spigot bearing to the new engine. If real long term ownership tidy van then TDi would be the choice I think. So are you in this van for 12-18 months or 'for life'

[MattBW]

I've gone aaz/td simply because it's an easier conversion and as I have an engine remanufacturer in the family I'll get it fully sorted before it goes in.

[lloydy]

Options are fitting a approved filter, which can cost between £1500-3500 and getting it tested every year
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/low ... t-a-filter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
There is talk on a lot of f0rd and LR forums of fitting newer compliant engines (euro3 for our weight vans, although could be worth putting in a euro4 to future proof yourself) but I can find no definite answer on that, you may still have to have a approved filter, rather than the one from the donor.. Lez would be the best people to ask..
Other option is fit a petrol and be done with it.

[discipleofsketch]

I originally went from CS to 1Y naturally asthmatic, it was a good upgrade, taking the camper from dangerously slow to just laughably slow, but generally able to keep up with the HGV's fully loaded on motorway inclines, and revving it's nuts off with the diesel box at about 65mph on the flat. Mine turned out to be burning oil at an unsustainable rate, so after a lot of consideration, it's currently nearly got a 1z tdi installed, with a petrol box. The bespoke gearbox will have to wait but it's on the shopping list. Should be great on A roads in the meantime though

I would have gone for another 1Y or AAZ, but after my experience with the 1Y, I didn't want to gamble on another worn one, and looked into remanufactured engines, and they're not cheap! So the trade off with the tdi, besides the installation costs is that there is more to go wrong on them, with all the added ecu/ wiring/ sensors etc. but on the other hand all that stuff makes for a more modern, efficient engine and you can take advantage of all that electrickery to use the diagnostic kit that most garages have.

[colinthefox]

It's probably time for my traditional plug for the much maligned AEF engine. Similar in many respects to the 1Y, but with a Lucas injector pump, they are found in Polos and Skoda Felicias up to about 1999. They are just about a bolt-in replacement and all the hose connections are the same. In my opinion, a good engine.

You'll get 30% more torque and can usually drive your van one gear up from what you're used to. Except fourth gear of course, so you will still be limited to cruising at 56-60 MPH. You can fit a longer 4th gear in the gearbox at some stage to improve cruising speed, although that will cost more than the engine!

There's a guide to fitting at http://www.brick-yard.co.uk/forum/16cs- ... aef+engine" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If you are starting with a normally aspirated (non-turbo) engine, it is MUCH easier to swap to another n/a engine, as the inlet and exhaust tracts, sump etc. can be reused from the old engine. Similarly if you are staring with a turbo engine, consider fitting another turbo engine for the same reason. Having properly designed and seqled inlet and exhaust systems will make your new engine much quieter.

I bought two engines and keep one as a spare.

Whichever larger engine you choose, don't even think of using your old injector pump, as whatever engine you fit it to, it's still only going to pump enough fuel to give the same power as it used to do.