TDI diesel swap in an AD truck?
 

With all the adapter plates available now I have been thinking about powering my '50 with a VW TDI...has anyone done one? (my first choice would be a 4bt but too expensive now)..I would run a 700r4 or 4l60 for a tranny..

Re: TDI diesel swap in an AD truck?
 

Check out this thread. https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...d.php?t=769441

Re: TDI diesel swap in an AD truck?
 

I'm thinking that and AD truck weighs about the same as a VW passat that would have a TDI. I see a 2010 VW Passat is shown to weigh 3331 lbs. Ideally if you were to gear the truck out including tire diameter so it matched the final gearing that the engine donor had you ought to be in pretty good shape. Good mileage and enough power to roll down the long roads at real freeway speed and still pass a lot of gas stations.

Re: TDI diesel swap in an AD truck?
 

I loved my '09 TDI. Lots of torque and 40+ mpg. I think you're on to a great project.

Would you consider a 5R55E? The gear ratios seem to be more appropriate for the engine, adapters exist to bolt the TBI to Ford transmissions, and there are aftermarket controllers that can be used to control the transmission and to keep shift points appropriate to the TDI.

Re: TDI diesel swap in an AD truck?
 

700 R 4 would take too much parasitic power to operate compared to a transmission intended for a smaller engine such as a 200R 4. Even with turbo the TDI diesels aren't torque monsters having around 200 lbs of torque.

Ideally you would end up with a final drive ratio that incuded trans final gear, rear end gear and tire diameter that let the engine run down the higway at 70 or ? at it's happy rpm. Simply meaning that if you know someone who has a car that is the same as the donor car and can get them to give you rpm at speeds you dig out the rpm, speed, tire diameter, gear ratio calculator and figure out what total setup you want.

That may actually start with your rear tire diameter of choice and work backwards. That way you don't end up with a truck that either lugs the engine at road speed or the trans wants to shift up/'down right at the desired road speed. On the other hand you aren't geared so low that the rpm is a bunch more than necessary and your fuel economy just went away. The engine will be happiest all around if it thinks it is still in the rig it came in.

This is the simplest calculator for rpm, gear ratio, tire size and speed I have found on the net. It is pretty well fool proof. put in three factors and get the fourth and that works with any combo. http://advanced-ev.com/Calculators/TireSize/

Re: TDI diesel swap in an AD truck?
 

Here's one with an Isuzu engine: https://engineswapdepot.com/?p=77507

Re: TDI diesel swap in an AD truck?
 

That's a nice truck all around. That engine usually pulls pretty good fuel mileage in the little NPR box trucks it is usually in. The Turbo came in the NPR59 starting in 1985.

Re: TDI diesel swap in an AD truck?
 

We loved the TDI in our truck. Great fuel mileage and good power. I would probably not go with a 700r4 next time with the stock s10 gearing a 3 spd like th350 would work great and cheaper. Next time I would use a slightly newer tdi like 2000-2003 you get more power easier. I have a 03 TDI in my 4000bl jeep and it is a rocket, with a stage 2 tune I have about 160whp and 240wtq. You want to run about 2300-2500rpm on the highway. I buy a running Jetta for $500 and the motor only weighs 350lb.

Re: TDI diesel swap in an AD truck?
 

Really Like the idea of the TDI but the entire drive train from a v8 eco diesel on a 4x4 chassis is my dream.