[Vwdiesel] Better motor?

[LBaird119 at aol.com]

In a message dated 8/22/2002 10:19:49 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
jrasite at eoni.com writes:

> Were I to scour the boneyards looking for a 'better' Diesel for my '82
>  Westy, under what hoods (bonnets) would I expect to find likely
>  candidates?  Currently, there's a 1.5 bunny motor there, so about
>  anything would be an improvement.  I'm looking for a NA motor That's
>  effectively a bolt-in. Am I correct in assuming that the 1.9 was not an
>  option on American imports?

  My 1.5 has always seemed better than any 1.6 I've driven.  A couple
1.6's that I rebuilt were close in comparison though.

1.5 is in Rabbits, pickups up through 80.  I don't recall any Jettas prior
  to 81.
1.6 with 11mm (non stretch) head bolts are year 81 (supposedly half of
  81 but I've never seen 12mm bolts in any 81.  Pickups, Jettas and Rabbits.
1.6 from 82 through 84 come in Rabbits, Jettas and a few pickups I think.
   I've never actually seen an 82 diesel, strange.
85 Golf and Jetta have a different code engine than the A1 bodies but it
  seems to be the same.
86 through 91(?) with a couple year hole, is a 1.6 with hydraulic lifters and
a fast idle lever on the pump.  Mostly Jettas, there might be a few Golfs.
As said, 1.9 NA (1.9 IDI of any sort) never came to USA except in aftermarket.
     Loren