Volvo 240 TDI swap

[2manyturbos]

I see you point, we as a whole should encourage new members. It’s hard to not jump on new members when most of the time it’s just bench racing and goes nowhere.

^^

This. And the fact that in the past someone like this would have had a new one ripped for hit and run tactics. Old habits die hard. It looked like poorly thought out bench racing to me as well. Anyway, all the useless chatter can be removed/cleaned up. I hadn't checked this thread since Phil responded to it.

 

[moise]

i put D5252t on 240 with holset hx27

 

[240 240]

The TB threads that have helped me the most is when someone asks a ridiculous question, and then people talk them out of it

 

[nordmaschine]

i put D5252t on 240 with holset hx27

View attachment 28372

Now that's a useful response. Maybe not to the OP, who is not likely to show up ever again, but to the rest of us that are interested in diesel bricks. Both now and in 20 years...

Do you happen to have a build thread for it somewhere? How long ago did you build it? Thoughts on power and economy?



P.S.
Gatekeeping rituals are not unique to this forum. In all honesty, I'm having a hwrd time thinking of a forum without it. Which is probably big part of the reason why forums are a dying breed today. That and the fact that average internet user today can not keep focus for more than 59 seconds. But that's all beside the point, let's try to get this one back on track.


My contribution to the thread:

D5252T with stock ECU controlled IP is almost as easy as a D24 make it run standalone, certainly easier that a redblock, and redblock is probably as easy as they come.

I'm still looking for a shell for this one (though I have ~40 700/900 shells laying around the property), since the one this was going to go into got an M57D25 for a swap, but that is also still waiting to happen because I have only so many hands and hours in a day, while work and projects are many.

 

[v8volvo]

^^ great notes.

The D5252T swaps that are easy to accomplish overseas are a terrific configuration. Would be great if we could do those more easily on this continent. Tough, powerful, quiet, and smooth running engines that can bolt into a 240 or 7/9 with many factory parts. There are folks who import engines and have brought in some of the 2.5L TDIs but most of them are out of Transporters which means most of the configuration is not helpful for a longitudinal install into a Volvo (transverse manifolding and oil pan etc, not lend itself to a RWD setup). I think the same would probably be true of a D5252T out of a Volvo, although I suppose the Volvo accessory stack that comes with a D5252T might mean you could use some 960 whiteblock plumbing parts easily enough in a 240 or 7/9 install. Most directly suitable would probably be an AEL or AAT out of a C4 platform Audi with longitudinal config. Again, common enough in Europe or UK but not easy to get here. A Frankenstein setup using Audi longitudinal manifolds and oil filter mounting with the Volvo accessory layout might be the best of all.

I don't really buy all the justifications of BS with the idea that it's idiotic "bench racing" conversation to discuss what's possible. Talking about putting a Detroit 2 stroke or a big block swap is for sure dumb bench racing. There, you are talking about impractical useless setups that at best would be a waste of effort and at worst would be impossible. Just daydream time-waster stuff. On the other hand, a question about a TDI conversion is an eminently realistic idea with many merits that has been done to many vehicles including Volvos all over the world. A serious useful conversation can and should be had about it. That's not bench racing or daydreaming, not any more than a +T on a B230F is, or a 16V swap, or a whiteblock or LS. The completed setups in daily use speak for themselves in the case of attainable and obviously logical endeavors like this, whether it's a TDI installation or a +T. Nobody asks "why?" here when someone is contemplating a +T on a late 240, LOL. The reasons are self-evident.

Those who don't get the reasons why in the case of this discussion ought to stay focused on the stuff that does make sense to them, or spend their time listening rather than talking if they're involved here. Speaking for myself, I don't get the point of something like a stroker turbo redblock build, given the alternatives that can be achieved for similar effort..... BUT I can see that it's an attainable and realistic goal to put together with clear upsides, and I can see that many folks are big fans of them. I have nothing useful to add to those conversations, and I certainly have no wish to disparage them or ask people why they're doing them. I assume they know their own reasons, or can be challenged "why" by someone who knows more about their pros and cons than I do. So I stay out of it, other than reading silently to learn whatever I want to learn and appreciating that there are other people with great knowledge on the topic and the generosity to share it. That approach makes sense to me, though I can see that some don't agree.

Different strokes for different folks. For many people, a RWD Volvo with 175hp/300tq that can get 35 mpg and has exceptional driveability and refinement and reliability is much closer to the dream than a loud turbo redblock that makes 250hp but is a hassle to live with in terms of NVH and gets 12mpg on premium if you're lucky. One isn't better or more obviously reasonable or justifiable than the other, and "cost effectiveness" or payback period is not the point in either case. It's whatever makes a person happy.

I've done more engine conversions than I can count on both hands, and several have been TDIs. Into Vanagons, a Toyota Hilux, and two Audis. Got another Audi TDI swap under way in the shop right now. Used TDI engines fly off the shelves of parts sellers, and there are at least five different manufacturers of conversion parts for TDI installations into Jeeps, vans, Toyotas, and more that are very busy churning out bellhousing adapters and mount kits and the like for eager buyers willing to spend thousands just on the parts to install one of these engines. Want to ask why all those things are true?? Folks asking why ought to do their homework.

That includes the OP in this thread, but I would cut him more slack because IMHO there is inherent value in starting a discussion like this for the building of an info archive, regardless whether the person asking the question follows through. Some of the info shared in response is evidence of that benefit. So those questions are what we want, right?

 

[v8volvo]

i put D5252t on 240 with holset hx27

View attachment 28372

Looks like a great example of how nicely that Volvo layout on the Audi engine can work in a 240. Assume this uses the 850 TDI MSA15 engine management? And a cut-down D24 intake clearly works well and looks good, as does the D5252T type valve cover arrangement. What exhaust manifold to mount the Holset? Audi C4 or Mk2 VW LT parts there? The LT 2.5TDI engine arrangement seems like another good option as a donor setup plus opens the door to LT manual transmission choices as well.

If I could figure out a good way to mate the electronic DBW throttle control to the mechanical kickdown cable, putting this engine configuration together with a ZF 4HP22 trans and installing into a 960 is a build I would like to tackle someday. Sourcing the complete engine with ancillaries and control systems would be a challenge here but they seem to be trickling in. There might be ways to use a later electronic ZF 4HP22 or 4HP24 out of a BMW or Jag with the D24T bellhousing and torque converter for mechanical compatibility and run the entire drivetrain via DBW and a standalone trans controller, but $$$$, and a lot of uncharted terrain, including how to deal with TCC control, if the hydraulic TCC from the Volvo TD trans setup can be run with solenoid control. Probably doable though. Also always the option of M-TDI pump and keep the fully hydraulic trans, although personally I think driveability and performance drawbacks of mechanical pump conversion and loss of the electronic management optimization don't go in favor of that route.

@nordmaschine ever considered a setup like this with a ZF automatic? Or do you envision a manual gearbox behind your AAT 2.5TDI engine? I guess a diesel M90 would be an obvious bolt-together solution if you are in a place where diesel M90s are available.

 

[240 240]

^^ great notes.

The D5252T swaps that are easy to accomplish overseas are a terrific configuration. Would be great if we could do those more easily on this continent. Tough, powerful, quiet, and smooth running engines that can bolt into a 240 or 7/9 with many factory parts. There are folks who import engines and have brought in some of the 2.5L TDIs but most of them are out of Transporters which means most of the configuration is not helpful for a longitudinal install into a Volvo (transverse manifolding and oil pan etc, not lend itself to a RWD setup). I think the same would probably be true of a D5252T out of a Volvo, although I suppose the Volvo accessory stack that comes with a D5252T might mean you could use some 960 whiteblock plumbing parts easily enough in a 240 or 7/9 install. Most directly suitable would probably be an AEL or AAT out of a C4 platform Audi with longitudinal config. Again, common enough in Europe or UK but not easy to get here. A Frankenstein setup using Audi longitudinal manifolds and oil filter mounting with the Volvo accessory layout might be the best of all.

I don't really buy all the justifications of BS with the idea that it's idiotic "bench racing" conversation to discuss what's possible. Talking about putting a Detroit 2 stroke or a big block swap is for sure dumb bench racing. There, you are talking about impractical useless setups that at best would be a waste of effort and at worst would be impossible. Just daydream time-waster stuff. On the other hand, a question about a TDI conversion is an eminently realistic idea with many merits that has been done to many vehicles including Volvos all over the world. A serious useful conversation can and should be had about it. That's not bench racing or daydreaming, not any more than a +T on a B230F is, or a 16V swap, or a whiteblock or LS. The completed setups in daily use speak for themselves in the case of attainable and obviously logical endeavors like this, whether it's a TDI installation or a +T. Nobody asks "why?" here when someone is contemplating a +T on a late 240, LOL. The reasons are self-evident.

Those who don't get the reasons why in the case of this discussion ought to stay focused on the stuff that does make sense to them, or spend their time listening rather than talking if they're involved here. Speaking for myself, I don't get the point of something like a stroker turbo redblock build, given the alternatives that can be achieved for similar effort..... BUT I can see that it's an attainable and realistic goal to put together with clear upsides, and I can see that many folks are big fans of them. I have nothing useful to add to those conversations, and I certainly have no wish to disparage them or ask people why they're doing them. I assume they know their own reasons, or can be challenged "why" by someone who knows more about their pros and cons than I do. So I stay out of it, other than reading silently to learn whatever I want to learn and appreciating that there are other people with great knowledge on the topic and the generosity to share it. That approach makes sense to me, though I can see that some don't agree.

Different strokes for different folks. For many people, a RWD Volvo with 175hp/300tq that can get 35 mpg and has exceptional driveability and refinement and reliability is much closer to the dream than a loud turbo redblock that makes 250hp but is a hassle to live with in terms of NVH and gets 12mpg on premium if you're lucky. One isn't better or more obviously reasonable or justifiable than the other, and "cost effectiveness" or payback period is not the point in either case. It's whatever makes a person happy.

I've done more engine conversions than I can count on both hands, and several have been TDIs. Into Vanagons, a Toyota Hilux, and two Audis. Got another Audi TDI swap under way in the shop right now. Used TDI engines fly off the shelves of parts sellers, and there are at least five different manufacturers of conversion parts for TDI installations into Jeeps, vans, Toyotas, and more that are very busy churning out bellhousing adapters and mount kits and the like for eager buyers willing to spend thousands just on the parts to install one of these engines. Want to ask why all those things are true?? Folks asking why ought to do their homework.

That includes the OP in this thread, but I would cut him more slack because IMHO there is inherent value in starting a discussion like this for the building of an info archive, regardless whether the person asking the question follows through. Some of the info shared in response is evidence of that benefit. So those questions are what we want, right?

U NO NUTHIN UNTIL UVE DONE A BIAG BLOZZX CHEVY SWOPP

 

[nordmaschine]

Looks like a great example of how nicely that Volvo layout on the Audi engine can work in a 240. Assume this uses the 850 TDI MSA15 engine management? And a cut-down D24 intake clearly works well and looks good, as does the D5252T type valve cover arrangement. What exhaust manifold to mount the Holset? Audi C4 or Mk2 VW LT parts there? The LT 2.5TDI engine arrangement seems like another good option as a donor setup plus opens the door to LT manual transmission choices as well.

If I could figure out a good way to mate the electronic DBW throttle control to the mechanical kickdown cable, putting this engine configuration together with a ZF 4HP22 trans and installing into a 960 is a build I would like to tackle someday. Sourcing the complete engine with ancillaries and control systems would be a challenge here but they seem to be trickling in. There might be ways to use a later electronic ZF 4HP22 or 4HP24 out of a BMW or Jag with the D24T bellhousing and torque converter for mechanical compatibility and run the entire drivetrain via DBW and a standalone trans controller, but $$$$, and a lot of uncharted terrain, including how to deal with TCC control, if the hydraulic TCC from the Volvo TD trans setup can be run with solenoid control. Probably doable though. Also always the option of M-TDI pump and keep the fully hydraulic trans, although personally I think driveability and performance drawbacks of mechanical pump conversion and loss of the electronic management optimization don't go in favor of that route.

@nordmaschine ever considered a setup like this with a ZF automatic? Or do you envision a manual gearbox behind your AAT 2.5TDI engine? I guess a diesel M90 would be an obvious bolt-together solution if you are in a place where diesel M90s are available.

I have (& had) a couple of LT's, so I do have a couple of transmissions stashed somewhere. Those things are huge and heavier even than a M90. I might use one to AAT/AEL swap one of my S10's, but can't see it in a Brick.
Ideal 10v TDI trans would be M90, of course, but only one I know of is in a car that's as of yet not for sale, but I'll just keep bugging the guy until he gives up. OTOH, I have several redblock M90, even whiteblock one, which makes me think of a gen 1 Euro3 D5 swap as well.
In the meantime, if I do decide to put one of those engines in a brick, it's going to have an iron case M46 behind it.

As for ZF, I never had much luck with them in run-of-the-mill B230A/E/F cars, or 524TD E28's for that matter, so I'd venture a guess that AEL would chew it up in a day. But I pull a lot of car transporter 2 axle trailers, so I avoid automatics anyway. YMMV.

Either way, you could use a throttle spool off of a 1Z Audi B4, they have cable from the throttle pedal that operates a spool with a TPS bolted to the inner fender. You could add a spool for kickdown cable to it, I guess.

Trans related, on a side-note. Some time ago, I ran across a site, I think from Poland, that sells adapters for bolting BMW E46 2.0i manual transmissions to VW 1.8T engines. I don't see why it wouldn't work with 1Z/AFN/AHU to E34 Getrag 260 off of a M50, bellhousings are the same.
I personally don't like PD engines, so never thought about going down ATD/BKC/whatever route - drove/had too many Golfs/Passat/A4/A6's with them, they just feel like they don't have enough rotational mass for low-throttle-2nd-gear starts, and torque "feels" fake. But PD engines share bellhousing pattern with V6's, so if newer 1.8T's do as well, I could use that adapter to bolt an BAU/AKN to a propper RWD transmission. Or just stop being lazy and make an adapter. Either way, food for bench-racing thoughts.


And many thanks to 240240 for invaluable input.

 

[OttoB]

U NO NUTHIN UNTIL UVE DONE A BIAG BLOZZX CHEVY SWOPP

Thank you. I'm just in the middle of horrible manflu and sailing in to the dark waters. Your valuable message made me feel a whole lotta better.

HOW ABAUTZ THÖ GOLUM SIFTÖ

 

[classicswede]

i put D5252t on 240 with holset hx27

View attachment 28372

What did you do with the sump? Thinking of replacing the 6 cylinder with one of these

 

[mikep]

So what are saying is we should have answered “yes”.

You know i am all about making people feel welcome here, but

He started this thread on Jul 28 and hasn't logged in since. Don't know if he's reading without logging in.

Ordinarily, I like to give (more than a little) benefit of the doubt... I often go overboard with that... but in this case I don't feel bad for the responses this user has received.

View attachment 28362

This man is correct.
Sometimes posts are pure fluff from a 14 year old.
And don’t try to tell me that this place is as bad as any other automotive forum, or even early 2000s turbobricks for hazing.

 

[nordmaschine]

What did you do with the sump? Thinking of replacing the 6 cylinder with one of these

You could shorten an aluminium D24 sump for that OEM look.

I had a couple of 5cyl gasser Audi C3 engines that I threw away, but kept pressed steel sumps so I think of cut and weld. Not much easier, but I like steel pans because I like bashing into rocks and not worrying about pans cracking.

Oil pickup is just a steel tube, I would shorten a D24 one.

 

[v8volvo]

So what are saying is we should have answered “yes”.

You know i am all about making people feel welcome here, but

....

This man is correct.
Sometimes posts are pure fluff from a 14 year old.
And don’t try to tell me that this place is as bad as any other automotive forum, or even early 2000s turbobricks for hazing.

What I was trying to point out is that if it's a good question that can lead to a good and useful discussion, then whether the OP was a tween posting from the back row of the short bus in between rounds of Candy Crush is irrelevant. The rest of us can still learn new things and share info. If it helps the OP, great. We all asked dumb questions in our younger days (and probably still do now), and just because we started with no knowledge doesn't mean we won't get our brains in gear and do something interesting with the help we receive. But if it doesn't help the OP, then still great because it could help others, now or later -- IF the thread doesn't get filled to the brim with dumb trolling BS like this one did for a while.

Now, on page 4 we're back to some really good info here and posts from folks with serious knowledge to share. From what I can find this is not repeat info from other threads on TB. So doesn't that mean the conversation has value even tho the OP is long gone? To me it does. Maybe to others the goal is to just answer a simple "yes, USE THE SEARCH FUNCTION NOOB" and keep the conversation to trolling related topics, limiting new discussion of technical topics and sharing of knowledge as much as possible.... Hope that works out well for ya in the long run on this group. My hope is to continue with the real discussions for as long as this board has them. There are still many threads where that's the focus and those are terrific, still many members here who approach it that way. When the BS content takes over, a lot of those kinds of members find someplace more interesting to spend time.

Yes, I do agree as I stated before that this has always been a serious problem on TB. Probably not any worse now than it used to be. I don't see how that is a good excuse but whatever. You're a moderator, and you can make the environment what you think serves the community best. If hazing and trolling is what that is, then that's at least consistent with what the place has always been, and those of us who find it a waste of time can deal with it or leave, as we always have.

If the original question was "can I put a Detroit 16V92T in my 240" then I would say go full speed ahead with the dumb comments. But as the responses from folks who have done successful installs here show, this was not a stupid topic to bring up by the OP, and there is plenty to learn from those who have completed builds.

 

[v8volvo]

I have (& had) a couple of LT's, so I do have a couple of transmissions stashed somewhere. Those things are huge and heavier even than a M90. I might use one to AAT/AEL swap one of my S10's, but can't see it in a Brick.
Ideal 10v TDI trans would be M90, of course, but only one I know of is in a car that's as of yet not for sale, but I'll just keep bugging the guy until he gives up. OTOH, I have several redblock M90, even whiteblock one, which makes me think of a gen 1 Euro3 D5 swap as well.
In the meantime, if I do decide to put one of those engines in a brick, it's going to have an iron case M46 behind it.

As for ZF, I never had much luck with them in run-of-the-mill B230A/E/F cars, or 524TD E28's for that matter, so I'd venture a guess that AEL would chew it up in a day. But I pull a lot of car transporter 2 axle trailers, so I avoid automatics anyway. YMMV.

Either way, you could use a throttle spool off of a 1Z Audi B4, they have cable from the throttle pedal that operates a spool with a TPS bolted to the inner fender. You could add a spool for kickdown cable to it, I guess.

Trans related, on a side-note. Some time ago, I ran across a site, I think from Poland, that sells adapters for bolting BMW E46 2.0i manual transmissions to VW 1.8T engines. I don't see why it wouldn't work with 1Z/AFN/AHU to E34 Getrag 260 off of a M50, bellhousings are the same.
I personally don't like PD engines, so never thought about going down ATD/BKC/whatever route - drove/had too many Golfs/Passat/A4/A6's with them, they just feel like they don't have enough rotational mass for low-throttle-2nd-gear starts, and torque "feels" fake. But PD engines share bellhousing pattern with V6's, so if newer 1.8T's do as well, I could use that adapter to bolt an BAU/AKN to a propper RWD transmission. Or just stop being lazy and make an adapter. Either way, food for bench-racing thoughts.


And many thanks to 240240 for invaluable input.

I have wondered the same about the ZF. But the original one behind the D24T in my wagon went well beyond 300k miles before having any issue, and that was behind a heavily turned up motor and spinning large tires on lifted suspension. They also ran them in Land Rovers behind the V8 engines, and Porsche and Jag used versions behind powerful motors. I believe they are probably pretty tough once rebuilt with the correct updates. I imagine it could stand up to an AEL spec 2.5L. But haven't tried it of course. I would like to someday if I could source a 2.5TDI engine here and work out the trans control questions. Thanks for the tip about the Audi B4 1Z throttle control. I believe some Cummins and Mercedes have similar systems also to adapt cable control to a DBW TPS and those might be usable if I could retune the MSA ECU to recognize a different input range compatible with those TPS.

Getrag 260 would be nice. Here in the US there are adapters to many various RWD gearboxes behind the VW 4cyl bellhousing pattern as used by the TDI 4-banger engines. T5 trans, various Toyota and Nissan gearboxes, GM units, etc. Of course none of those are much good if you're looking to bolt up to a 5cyl which has its own bell pattern.

Agree the PD driveability characteristics sometimes can fall short. I think that has less to do with physical properties of the engine hardware and more to do with the way they are tuned from the factory. I've driven a few PD swaps that ran really nicely, more progressive response like the old VE engines had. Factory PD cars to me have too much nonlinearity in the response to throttle input, hard to drive them smoothly, but again I think that can be modulated with tuning. I don't think the PD engines share the V6 bell, unless you're talking about the R5 TDI PD aluminum block engines from the Touaregs and T5 Transporters/Crafters (?) that we never got here. The 4-cyl PD engines are the same old 4-cyl VW bell pattern that dates back to Mk1 Golf engines in the '70s. Same as AFN/1Z, ALH etc.

A BAU/AKN V6 in a RWD chassis would be nice for sure. That IS real bench racing though. Lots of issues to work out, no off the shelf solutions for them like a 4cyl or 5cyl install would have. Some folks on TDIclub have talked about welding up the Torsen center diff in an Audi trans and just running it RWD with nothing coming off the front drive flanges. That seems like it would work although I am not sure how much the trans would like doing it with a torquey diesel engine over a long period of time. But all bellhousing/clutch questions would be easily solved.

 

[nordmaschine]

@v8volvo
W210 Mercedes chassis has throttle cable with potentiometer on inner fender with OM604/5/6 engines which are IDI with electronic pump control, but usually made by Lucas. But if memory serves me, also first gen OM611 engines in that chassis have the same setup. It's the same with W202 chassis. Those are CDI2, by Bosch. My W220 OM613 of similar vintage has DBW pedal, though.
Also, W210 290 TDI has cable with potentiometer on fender. 290 TDI is basically OM602 from a T1 van with DI head and pistons, with AAT hardware bolted to it - pump (counter-rotating though), injectors, ECU... Great thing, shame they didn't make a 6 cyl version.

I admit I never compared PD and VP TDI 4-cyl bellhousings. I just thought that new blocks, with internal water pump, have "new" bellhousing. I was also sure they have bigger flywheel, too big for older trans. I know for a fact that Audi/Passat transmissions take both 4 and V6 engines, but now that you mention it, I seem to remember that that starting from B4 Audi they had 2 sets of holes on bellhousings.


R5 PD sounds great in theory, but seeing them IRL, I'm inclined to conclude they are garbage. Aluminium block, gear-train, gear driven auxiliaries, and the mere fact that I never seen one with any significant mileage and original engine. Whereas I had LT's and S70's with upwards of 700k km's still running strong with original AEL/D5252T.

As for welded Torsen... V8 Audi community seems to run those cars with serious power levels and RWD only without issues. But have you seen one of them in person? Manual C5 6 speed quattro transmission is fairly longer than a D24 and weighs upwards of 80kg, and bulky to that. Wouldn't make much sense to me, I'd rather make an adapter plate or weld two bellhousings together than mess with that thing.

When you see all the V10/V12's that people put in these cars, BAU doesn't sound that far fetched. Bolting it to a RWD trans is not a real issue as such if you have some skill and experience with things like that, as much as the fact that there's no off the shelf solution is just making you lazy to start on it. At least in my case. As for engine control, I've already done most of it and built standalone engine harness, de-immobilizered EDC16, just got sidetracked as I usually do a couple of years back and never got around to test-running it. I get like that a lot, I have to admit.
Another thing that's giving me a mental block is oil pan. V6 TDI has oil pump that's hanging under the block and there's not much you can do about that, and if engine was to sit far enough back to look like factory put it there, then oil pump wants to occupy the same space as the crossmember. One could either hack the crossmember, which I'm really not a fan of, or pull the engine forward so much that it looks riddiculous. Like, more than a PRV.

 

[v8volvo]

It is true that the Audi quattro gearboxes are big and heavy. I have a couple 01E's and 01A's on the shop floor now, Euro market transmissions with diesel gearing. The 01E 6spd is bolting up behind my BDH 2.5L TDI V6 and going into my 2001 Allroad this winter in place of the 2.7TT. They're good transmissions but it is true they are heavy and very long and bulky. No issue in an Audi platform where the engine mounts so far forward but I agree in a Volvo or other RWD, making it fit in the normal gearbox location could be difficult.

It is dual-drilled as you say, though. Bolts up to either the 4cyl pattern or the V6/V8 pattern. I think the 5cyl/D24 pattern is very close to the V6 pattern but one or two holes may be different. Pretty sure it's close enough to work though, as I remember selling a D24 bellhousing years ago to a guy who wanted it for use installing a T5 trans behind a 4.2L Audi V8 that was going into a Miata.

The 4-bangers use either a 228mm or 240mm flywheel but to run the bigger FW you need to use a bellhousing spacer and different pilot bearing. Maybe that is what you are remembering. Either way though, I share your greater interest in the 5cyl and 6cyl options. The 4cyl TDI engines are terrific powerplants for what they are designed to do but the bigger versions are even better. I swapped an AHU 4cyl into my '93 Toyota Hilux a few years ago because it was the easiest to fit space-wise and adapters were readily available but if I could have gotten hands on a V6 at the time I might have tried to use one of them.



Now I have four of the 2.5L V6 motors somehow, timing is everything. Next project for me after the allroad swap is probably putting either one of the V6's or a D24T into a Land Rover Discovery 1 or a P38 series Range Rover, but at my pace of building these days, that is years away. The forward sump could be an issue with them as you pointed out but truth is most of the 4cyl engines share the same challenge, with an oil pump chain driven off the front of the crank right at the front of the pan. Advantage for the older external water pump 4cyls and the iron block 5cyls there.

We never had the R5 PD engines here but from their reputation overseas, I agree hard to see wanting to use one over the classic iron block belt-driven 5cyl. We did get the "doubled" PD R5 here in the form of the V10 5.0L in the Touareg. Driven a few of those and they are awesome runners, but could not imagine wanting to own one. A little too much of a "science project" type experiment by VAG there, from they days when they did crazy things and then actually put them into production just to prove that they could (W8, W12, VR5 .....). No belts, all gear driven, $1000 alternator, and a diesel with an aluminum block has never seemed like a good idea.

Seems hard to lose with the old VE pumped 5-cylinders or others from that time period. Been helping a buddy a couple towns over who has two T4 camper vans with the 2.5L ACV engine swapped in, they are nice and smooth and fast vehicles, especially compared to the T4 with 1Z 4cyl swap that I used to have. It is always frustrating to hear about the other options available overseas for great "golden era" (late 90s to early 00s) diesel powerplants. Particularly the early DI BMW/MB/Audi 6cyl and 8cyl engines.