T4 Take 2....

[SteveT4Pembs]

Hi All. So, after trying to teach myself to weld over the winter I decided that the green T4 I bought last year was going to be too much of an undertaking for me. I've kept an eye on the marketplace locally and thought maybe get a donor van for body cuts but everything that came up was slightly/quite a bit better than mine! One van popped up a few weeks ago that had been in a barn off the road for 5 years. It was over my budget but decided to go and have a look anyway. It was in a bit of a remote location and not that easy to get to. The lane was very rough and the bottom of my brother's Mk5 golf hit the ground a few times! Anyway, found this gem in the barn! The previous owner had done a tdi conversion and the existing owner told me that it was smoking and worn out and far too fast so he removed it. They had a 1.9 non turbo on the road that had failed an MOT so he started to put the 1.9 engine and box into this one but had too much to do as they had another lwb T4 with a 2.4 engine they wanted back on the road for towing. I had a quick look around the van and there was no rust on the early doors, no rust in the engine bay, especially where the bumper bracket, outriggers and inner wing are so I was already sold knowing the cost to repair the green one in these areas! The sliding door sat perfectly and no visible rust at all in that area! The front sills had been crushed so I knew I could tackle them myself and the paint bubbles I could see and feel seemed fixable, maybe rust treatment as opposed to new metal? I did a bit of research and guestimation that the wiring loom for the tdi conversion would not run the 1.9 engine so took some wiring from the scrap van they had taken the 1.9 engine from but not sure if I took enough? There are two sets of wires running through the bulkhead and I managed to get the lower set out before the delivery driver turned up. Nothing else is connected up to the engine - its just on its engine mounts. So my first challenge is to connect everything back up and see what happens. MOT prep, then camper conversion hopefully! I am definately going to need a lot of help and guidance from the forum so for your entertainment I will post my progress on here as and when I can. I have already built a lot of knowledge from the forum so I really appreciate your help and thank you in advance to anyone who can help me. Cheers Steve

[TommyP]

Too fast? Wtaf! If you’ve got the modified Tdi loom there I’d be finding a Tdi to get back in it, if the loom is there then the Tdi is a far superior engine in every way. Especially compared to a 1.9d. They are horrific. I’ve done the conversion myself and it’s piss easy. Absolutely fantastic the Tdi engine for a shitty little 4pot. A joy to drive and peppy as fuck.

Unless it had 250bhp I can’t understand why anyone would say it’s too fast. Astounding.

“Smoking, worn out and way to fast” tells me it probably had a shit map with the fuel turned up too far.

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[S49]

Sounds like they hadn't the gummtion to wire the TDI. Be far better than a 1.9. if the wirings there your half way to a TDI or even a 1.8 20 valve turbo.

[SteveT4Pembs]

Thanks gents. Tommy you are right! I would love to have the TDI in there and to be honest he offered me the engine which is still sat in the barn up there! I better head back to get it! It was a bit of a rush in the end as my delivery driver got lost for an hour and threatened to head back home so I had to drive around and find him myself! I took a picture of the engine under the bench if you recognise what it is? I assumed it was knackered and thought I may go down the route of a turbo on the 2.4 aab I have but kicking myself now for not getting the tdi engine on Saturday!

[S49]

Go back and get it. What's in T4 Take One? With the two vans you must have enough to get one going,keep stuff for Justin and have a yard sale.

[S49]

Wish I had a spare van

[SteveT4Pembs]

T4 take 1 has an AAB but sounds like a valve is broken inside when it turns over. My uncle has a 1990 with an AAB that was running well so may get one decent engine out of those two. However, if the golf engine can be saved that that could be the one! Hopefully going back to get the engine end of the month. If it's no good for me may be useful for someone else. Will have a few bits left so definately a yard sale coming up

[S49]

Those archs should clean up and the sliding doorstep channel looks good. They do suffer at the little sill by the fuel filler so you may "go through" there but i'm hoping your lucky.

[S49]

With it parked by your house i can see another T4 through the windscreen cant you use some bits of that???

[SteveT4Pembs]

With it parked by your house i can see another T4 through the windscreen cant you use some bits of that???

Ha ha! I try not to mention that van on here as people will think I’m the type not to wave to other vans! Yeah majority of surface rust I’ll sand back, treat, fill and rattle can paint for now. They are solid. Might get away with doing the same on the sills. Underneath it looks good. Surface rust but everything is rock solid.


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[huskyman]

Hi there. You have got an early van with a sliding door step light. Not many of them. Hard to get the step cover with light. Good luck with it

[SteveT4Pembs]

Hi there. You have got an early van with a sliding door step light. Not many of them. Hard to get the step cover with light. Good luck with it

Ah cheers. It’s got electric windows wing mirrors too! I’m not sure if it even has central locking?? The drivers door doesn’t open from the inside nor does the electric window work that side either so will see what’s happened there. Apart from a few seats missing it all seems to be original. Guessing it’s had a paint job at some stage, especially with the black roof. It’s a much more realistic project compared to the green one I bought. Cheers


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[TommyP]

Go back for that engine. Unless you’re really unlucky, those tdi’s are far more robust than the indirect injection 1.9/d1.9td/2.4d’s as their heads crack due to an inherent design fault. They all crack between the valves and although you can often reuse the heads providing they don’t have cracks larger than 1mm as recommended by VW. Any cracks between the valve and pre combustion chamber means they’re an immediate write off. Seen this a few times for myself.

If you’ve got the option of a Tdi and it’s had one fitted and running at some point then, in my opinion, you’d bit bat shit crazy to piss around with a 2.4d - turbo or not.

That engine looks like an AHU to me. Perfect for the job. If it’s no good to you then I’d like first dibs - regardless of condition. I run this engine in my camper and it’s a little corker.

When you go back, make sure it comes with the injection pump and injectors and generally clear the bloke out of all related parts he has. Get back as soon as you can just in case he lists the stuff elsewhere. It’ll sell in a heartbeat.

Then, sell the 1.9d to recoup some dish. Admittedly I had temporary lapse of usual behaviour and rather cleverly I listed my ABL for sale before I removed it so the buyer came for a test drive with it still in my van. I had already found an ultra bargain AHU and even though I stripped it and checked the bottom end, fitted a new head gasket and uprated bolts along with a bigger turbo than the k03 they come with and big injectors. I almost broke even in the end for a far far far superior motor.

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[SteveT4Pembs]

Jesus kicking myself for not trying to bring it back now! Can't get there for a few weeks but hopefully he won't sell it! I'll keep you posted. Cheers Tommy

[TommyP]

Jesus kicking myself for not trying to bring it back now! Can't get there for a few weeks but hopefully he won't sell it! I'll keep you posted. Cheers Tommy

If it was me I’d be staying in contact and given you know where he is I’d send him a deposit. I’d be chomping at the bit to get it. You won’t look back. Don’t get me wrong, In working order the 1.9d/1.9td/2.4d/2.4td IDI (Indirect Injection) engines are perfectly good little runners although I couldn’t cope with a 2.4d so I rather be shot in the neck with a poisonous arrow than endure a 1.9d. But the DI (Direct Injection) engines are literally lightyears ahead in terms or performance and efficiency. The IDI engines plod along lovely to be honest but the lower powered ones and the non turbo ones aren’t really any good in modern traffic. Anyone that says “it’s a camper van, it’s not supposed to be quick” is just plain fucking deluded, I’ve had enough reports back from people after I’ve taken their vans from nothing to something to know that’s a crock of shit. “My girlfriend loves it now as I’m not shouting at it when I’m stuck on a hill in 3rd gear getting overtaken by lorries” and the like.

The caveat is the IDI engines are easier to tune and offer Everyman tuning with only the most basic of tools to add more fuel and boost (if fitted with a turbo). They are also more simple with no engine electrical/ECU sensors to go wrong. I’d argue the IDI are more reliable from my own experience. However…… what I did is have my cake and eat it. I fitted the Tdi engine but never the loom, sensors or ECU. I fitted a Land Rover 300 Tdi mechanical pump and have performance and reliability. It never brakes down from sensor issues (which aren’t that common don’t get me wrong), returns almost 800 miles to a tank on a long run without consciously driving for economy and I have tuned it for more or less power in minutes before I’ve gone away or even once when I took it on its first test drive after doing the conversion (650 miles to ans round mid wales). Perfection and although I love my hugely powerful 2.5tdi in the white van, the campers 1.9mtdi is a proper little stormer. I absolutely love it.


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