VolkToyZuki

[Suzuki_dude]

I figured it's about time to start a build thread. I have an AHU from an early 1999 Jetta. I got it with a broken timing belt and planned on using the crankshaft in my AAZ engine. Ended up changing my mind and got new valves, valve guides, valve seals, lifters, and cam. Rebuilt the head with my dad's help. Wrecked an injector trying to remove it so I got PP520 injector nozzles installed and a Malone stage 3 tune with EGR delete. I stole the K14 turbo off the AAZ because that manifold doesn't have egr, it's mounted higher to make more room for the starter, and the tune would be pushing the limits of the K03. I'm using a W56 transmission from a 1986 Toyota and a Marlin Crawler 1600 lb clutch. I'm swapping in a Samurai rear diff with the 3.73 gears and upgrading to 26 spline front axle shafts. For the back I have a Toyota axle that will also get 3.73 gears from a TRD Tacoma. This is where I'm at so far. Everything will be put into my parts sunrunner first to make brackets and stuff. Somehow I want to make the 24 inch core VW radiator fit. I'll have to hammer the passenger side fender to get it to fit right. I'd like to get a front mount intercooler but I don't know how that's gonna work. I had more pictures of the engine tear down and rebuild but my old phone decided to suddenly die on me and the pictures can't be recovered.

 

[Spokerider]

Sweet!
 Gotta love a another diesel build thread. 

 Pics, pics and more pics, we need more pics. 

I'm guessing that this isn't your 1st build? 

 

[Suzuki_dude]

I'll try to remember to take pics as I go. My family's hobby is mud racing so I've helped build a couple trucks. But this is my first that I've done the planning and the majority of the work.

 

[Diesel_Zuk]

Looks dang good so far!

 

[Newfie-Zuk]

Sweet!
Gotta love a another diesel build thread.

Pics, pics and more pics, we need more pics.

X2 !!  

Welcome Aboard !! 

 

[Suzuki_dude]

Tonight's progress. Got the sunrunner in the shop. Engine is almost ready to come out. This is the radiator I'm hoping to use. The bottom hose runs into the steering box. The other side is against the fender. I've spent so much on this project I hope I can make it work. Don't want to buy a different radiator.

 

[Suzuki_dude]

Picked up an oil filter. Got one for a 1986 Jetta because it's bigger. Oil filter hits the transmission. Good thing that bolt hole isn't being used and I have a reciprocating saw. Also got the waterpump/alternator belt on. It's a bit on the short side. I had to take the black cover off the alternator pulley to get it on. The water pump pulley is a VR6 pulley with a spacer. I had to trim the timing belt cover a bit for it to fit. Last picture is the wire that came off the Suzuki alternator that I think will work well for powering the glow plug solenoid. The ECU will still control the glow plugs but I'd rather have generic parts than VW specific expensive stuff.

 

[Suzuki_dude]

Almost forgot about my threaded glow plugs. I don't trust the factory slip on connectors and I'm building my own glow plug wire harness so I threaded them. I'm using brand new ones because I found out the hard way if you hold the hex part in a vice you'll snap the glow plug in half. Might as well replace all 4 at the same time.

 

[DDZUKI]

Cool, I will be following your build. Is a Sunrunner a Sidekick. Post some exterior shots of your vehicle.

 

[Suzuki_dude]

Yep it's an Asuna Sunrunner. A sidekick/tracker clone. I think it was part of Pontiac and only in Canada for a few years. The sunrunner is just for test fitting and building brackets so my daily driver can still be driven. I'll get some pics of both.

 

[Spokerider]

I don't know how the physical size / dimensions of the ahu compare to the aaz, larger or smaller, but either way, welcome to the "it don't fit" club. The fitting fun begins with your concept of this swap. 

Regarding the rad fitting, if you want to keep that rad, have you considered changing the steering box to an IFS box, FJ box or a nissan box that mounts to the outside of the frame? That will create a little more room for the lower rad hose. Or, find a different rad for the swap? When Newfie Zuk chimes in, he'll have a good answer for you, as he is doing a similar swap right now. 

Is this going to be a mud racer too? 

 

[Newfie-Zuk]

I did manage to use a VW radiator in my first diesel install ( Sidekick ) ... Tight fit but it worked fine ... There are pictures over on yahoo , in the Samuraidiesel group ...  

You will need to pound that lower fender back a little ,  just like you suggested ... Even if it is up against the box , as long as the hose goes on , there is no movement , so it will work ..

I pulled it after and used a Sidekick sport radiator , it fits like a glove ... I relocated the lower mounting holes ahead of the factory ones about an inch ...  Then made two brackets for the top .. I have a 2.0" body lift which helps , but I have heard it will still work without the lift too ..  This is the same radiator used in the second generation North American Vitara too , form 1999 onward , it measures about 17" X 21" I believe .... And yes the inlet and outlet both correspond with the VW diesel ...

 

[Suzuki_dude]

The AHU and AAZ have the same block other than the crank sensor on the AHU.

I have thought about it but I'd prefer to leave the steering alone. If I can find a narrower vw radiator that would be ideal.

No this is my daily driver. If it was a mud racer it would have one of my dad's spare Chevy v8's shoehorned in.

If a radiator like this has been used that gives me hope. Seems like most info is for samurais. I have a radiator from a 1999 tracker I got for free but that one has nowhere to put a fan switch like the vw does. I tried setting the tracker radiator in place and the hood didn't close. Possibly had something to do with the cross member that I've heard was changed to stamped steel instead of a tube in the later models. If that was modified or removed it would work.

 

[Newfie-Zuk]

I have thought about it but I'd prefer to leave the steering alone. If I can find a narrower vw radiator that would be ideal.

If a radiator like this has been used that gives me hope. Seems like most info is for samurais. I have a radiator from a 1999 tracker I got for free but that one has nowhere to put a fan switch like the vw does. I tried setting the tracker radiator in place and the hood didn't close. Possibly had something to do with the cross member that I've heard was changed to stamped steel instead of a tube in the later models. If that was modified or removed it would work.

If you can come across a VW Rabbit , or Golf , in both models some used the narrower VW cross flow radiator ..  

I would prefer using the radiator from the 1999 you speak of .. I will be using one pulled from a 2004 Vitara , for my latest build ....

The radiator switch ? Not a problem , it can be installed into the top or low radiator hose sure  . Just figure out what size hose your installing it into , and purchase the appropriate tee size .. .. That is how mine is into my daily driver , although with the 2nd generation radiator ,  it rarely kicks in ..

 

[vwzzuk]

Just get a later model Vitara like Newfie suggests. It fits perfect and has the inlet and outlet on the correct sides and cools effectively.
I've found that if you put the fan switch on the top radiator hose, it takes an unusually long time before the fan(s) shut off. If you put the temp sensor in the lower rad hose, it works better there and shuts off at the more realistic cooling time.

 

[Suzuki_dude]

What kind of fan switch do you have? With the newer tracker radiator my hood doesn't close. Don't really want a body lift. I've read somewhere a 1 inch body lift will help with fitting the W56 transmission so I may have to anyway. I'd like a rabbit radiator if I could find one. 

 

[Spokerider]

Maybe you can mod the underside of the hood or mod that frame cross tube. 

Like I mentioned earlier, welcome to the "it don't fit" club. You'll have to get inventive / industrious to find ways around these problems, but thats what building these zuks is all about. 

 

[Suzuki_dude]

I could move the front suspension forward an inch or 2. It would get my tires to quit rubbing on the back of the fenders and the radiator would fit. Sounds like a lot of extra work though.

 

[Suzuki_dude]

Or move the bottom of the radiator back as long as there's enough room. That sounds much easier.

 

[Spokerider]

Now you're on the right track!