[Vwdiesel] tdi in 72 bus

[Dave Cook]

I've seen a bay window bus with a TDI installed, and it was at the normal 15 degree angle.  The engine covers on the earlier type 2s (split and bay) are higher up, so fitment shouldn't be much of an issue.  It is true on a Vanagon that they don't fit at 15 degrees, but they have a lower engine cover.  

I've got a '78 bus that will one day get a TDI engine, but not till I find a good deal!

I would probably recommend getting the trans rebuilt to beef it up some, and get gearing set up right.  I think I'd just rebuild the existing one to the right specs rather than find a vanagon trans that is a compromise and fool with making it work in the bus (like the side shifter, mounts, etc).  Though I don't think the flat four motors revved up much more than a TDI, maybe it would be useable with the current trans...?

For a radiator, I've thought about a couple options, either a bigger one mounted between the frame rails under the bus, just like the air conditioning coils were.  Or, a couple small radiators on either side of the engine compartment by where the batteries are, so air can come down through the former air intake vents up top and through.

This afternoon I was daydreaming about a TDI in a old beetle.  I wondered if, because the engine would be so efficient and not have to push around much weight, if a couple heater cores placed in series on either side of the engine compartment wouldn't suffice for cooling in that car.  That would make for a much cleaner install.

Dave Cook


--- On Sun, 2/22/09, Patrick Dolan <pmdolan at sasktel.net> wrote:

> From: Patrick Dolan <pmdolan at sasktel.net>
> Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] tdi in 72 bus
> To: LBaird119 at aol.com
> Cc: vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> Date: Sunday, February 22, 2009, 8:05 PM
> You can't just throw a TDI and its gearbox ahead of the
> rear axle in the type 2, since that is where the suspension
> anchors and the torsion bars go.  You need to use a bus box,
> and hang the TDI off the rear.  You can use a diesel
> gearbox, but nothing after AHU/1Z work well at that angle. 
> There are several aftermarket bellhousings that will adapt
> an inline engine sitting upright, but then you have to raise
> the engine cover to clear.  There are infinite ratios
> available for the top two gears in Type 2 boxes.