Recommended companies to perform TDI conversion

Post by **T3 Atlantic** » 23 Feb 2008, 13:47

Hi

Can anyone out there recommend someone, or a company who can do a good professional TDI conversion on a T3? If so how much would it be and how long would it take?
Had a quote back from HA Projekt of 6500 Euro for the complete job or 4800 if I supplied an entire donor car! Seems a little costly!

Post by **Russel** » 23 Feb 2008, 14:11

That is the going rate give or take £300.
U can get cheaper but then u get a half job or someone who dosent stand by their work.

Post by **woodman** » 23 Feb 2008, 14:13

Theres a guy named philippacman on here shos doing mine in a couple of weeks, theres various posts that suggests Phils the man for the job, reasonable too. I'm supplying all the tdi bits.

Try contacting him.
Hope this helps,
Cheers.

Post by **T3 Atlantic** » 23 Feb 2008, 15:11

Thanks. I'll give him a try.

Post by **shropshirevanman** » 23 Feb 2008, 21:13

Mr Woodman where are based in shropshire?
picking mine up from phil this weekend.....cant wait!!!!
regards
dan

Post by **westyguesty** » 23 Feb 2008, 21:21

Shropshirevanman, your not far from me, i live near Bridgnorth. Just trying to find a donor car or engine, Phil's meant to be doing mine soon, he said he had a few to do before March. I can't wait, let me know how you get on.

Post by **shropshirevanman** » 23 Feb 2008, 21:44

hi westyguesty
im in telford, is your van drivable? if no I know a chap who hires car trailers at a resonable price......take it steady no going over 50!!!!! scary business towing a t25...and we where in a LDV 11 seater mini bus towing it!!!!

One thing, as soon as you spot a donor car move quick!!! they seem to go like hot cakes I found a N reg Vento decent services history 150k on the clock for £650!!
cheers
shropshirevanman

Post by **westyguesty** » 23 Feb 2008, 22:20

Yes, it's drivable, got it last summer, done about 4,000 miles so far in it, but it smokes alot and doesn't like hills at all. 1ltr of oil for 100 miles, but keeps going. You may have seen it around, I go to Hortonwood in it most Fridays, dark red, with lots of grey primer !
Got yours back yet - bet you can't wait.

Where did you get the donor from, I tried to get one from the Auctions this week, but nearly ended up buying at XJ6 Jag for £400

. The Audi TDi I was after sounded really bad when they started it and drove it.

Post by **Russel** » 24 Feb 2008, 07:27

The most inportant 2 things that u need to consider.If the person doing the job dosent insist on a gearbox rebuild "stay away"A standard box is no good on a TDI.If they dismiss this then they havent a clue whot they are doing.And make dam shure that the diagnostics plug is inclooded in the loom fitted to ure van.

Post by **shropshirevanman** » 24 Feb 2008, 08:18

I found the donor car on autotrader from a bloke in codsall, its just pick of the draw!

russel at syncronutz........
whats the craic with the gearbox mate? i know that it will work harder as the gear ratios are set up for a 1.6 and not a 1.9, and it must be down to how hard you drive, common sense tells me, keep revs down as much as you can and get into the high gears quickly...
you guys are the pros at the conversions what are your recomendations?
thanks for your advice
dan

Post by **Westy.Club.Joker** » 24 Feb 2008, 11:40

It`s the ratios that matter, have a search, there`s loadsa things been discussed on this.

Post by **Russel** » 24 Feb 2008, 15:18

The 2 factors are ratios and the amount of torque going through the box.
A high reving tdi is a short lived engine with a high feul consumtion.
U need ure revs to be about the 3000 to 3200 mark at cruising speed(70mph)
Anything less than this isnt very suitable for a van.
The other thing is when dropping ure cruising reves u are using a lot more torque to drive.This will strain and eventualy(quite quikly)destroy the teeth on 3rd and 4rth.And put a lot of strain on all the old bearings.
russel

Post by **camper** » 24 Feb 2008, 18:34

shropshirevanman wrote:I found the donor car on autotrader from a bloke in codsall, its just pick of the draw!

russel at syncronutz........
whats the craic with the gearbox mate? i know that it will work harder as the gear ratios are set up for a 1.6 and not a 1.9, and it must be down to how hard you drive, common sense tells me, keep revs down as much as you can and get into the high gears quickly...
you guys are the pros at the conversions what are your recomendations?
thanks for your advice
dan

A TDI engine mated to a 1.6 gearbox now that would be a laugh.

Post by **westyguesty** » 24 Feb 2008, 20:06

I've got a 2.1 Petrol box to go with mine, when i find an engine. I do 80% on A roads and probably only 500 miles a year on the motorway, and as i can only do 60mph ish now tops, 60mph with a tdi at 3000 revs should be fine. As long as it's quicker round the A roads, up hills, doesn't smoke and starts well, I dont mind taking my time on the motorway.

Post by **PC52** » 24 Feb 2008, 21:02

If you don't have your gears done on tdi engine upgrade it is definately a ticking time bomb.