Step By Step TDI Swap - Part 3: The Donor Car and Pedal Fabrication

Before you build a roll bar out of duct tape and push that donor car off a cliff, let's make sure you have all the items you'll need from it! We'll talk about the crucial items to remove from the donor car, as well as the fabrication of a throttle pedal bracket, and getting the clutch and brake pedal assembly set up. Since my XJ is a 2001 automatic being swapped to AX15 manual trans, I had to add a clutch pedal. I could not find a donor clutch/brake pedal assembly from a 1997-2001 so I had to turn to some fairly basic fabrication to make an older assembly work.
Part 1: • How can a 1.9L replace...
Part2: • Step By Step TDI Swap ...
Part3: • Step By Step TDI Swap ...
Part 4: • Step By Step TDI Swap ...
Part 5: • Step By Step TDI Swap ...
Part 6: • Step By Step TDI Swap ...
Part 7: • Step By Step TDI Swap ...
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This product is meant for entertainment purposes only. Your mileage may vary. Do not try this at home. Void where prohibited. Some assembly required. For off-road use only. Slippery when wet. Batteries not included. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle, heavy equipment, cherokee XJ, wrangler TJ, wrangler JK, or any Jeep vehicle, especially the newer Fiat ones. How-to videos may be too intense for some viewers and children under 30 years of age. Please remain seated until the 4x4 ride has come to a complete stop. Studies have shown viewing these videos causes increased cancer risks in laboratory test people. I am not a professional, I have no training, I'm not even particularly good at horse whispering. Don't believe everything that you know. Please keep your hands in the vehicle at all times. Do not tap on glass. Do not eat anything that has been on the floor for more than 3 days. Keep your hands to yourself. Not to be taken internally. Reproduction strictly prohibited. Driver does not carry cash. Objects in Bleepinjeep mirrors may be farther than they appear.
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[@mattc315]

TDI Jetta gonna go up in price now 😂

[@cameronwebb3959]

loving the progress

[@DRTJon]

Cameron Webb check out the IG for the most up to date clips and pics: @bleepinjeepjon

[@ewingfox6459]

Anyone who watches this video and doesn't realize how much of a feat it is to get pedals into a common plane on a custom build like this - hasn't ever had to do the work before! Nice job! I also decided to eliminate one of my threaded ends on my clutch pedal assembly while addressing some less than awesome work performed by a previous owner. Turns out that it was an odd metric thread/pitch and just wasn't worth trying to chase threaded rod or a useful donor bolt.

[@DRTJon]

Ewing Fox using the old style pedal bracket is a pain but it works. Thankfully the VW pedal on that little bracket worked out fantastic, that part was way easier than I anticipated! I’m having a heck of a time with adding a third pedal in my Wagoneer tho.

[@ewingfox6459]

@@DRTJon I won't show you the welds on mine lol *sigh*

[@stevekillick6260]

When will part 4 be up!?

[@m.steinfeld8802]

ohhh yessss, new episode, this project is crazy good 😍

[@peterwatson8295]

Intro is still SO good

[@autoholicmedia4794]

Great videos! Just acquired a 2001 XJ with a bad 4.0 and am seriously considering this swap.

[@DRTJon]

That’s how it’s done!

[@samm9295]

The automatic tdi had the 11mm pump with smaller injectors for higher injection pressure and improved emissions with the same power

[@NoWr2Run]

Nice pedal build, I know when I go to the salvage yard it's rough to find a stick XJ in any year.

[@DRTJon]

I know! Last time I was at mine there were THREE! One was even a 98, but all of them had the trans and pedals robbed. I was able to score a few needed, but not terribly hard to find parts off the 98 though

[@TheBladderman]

I’m a vw Head. However have always wanted an xj. This looks like a happy medium for me. Love the depth of everything. Ps what’s the intro song

[@fjnagle2nd]

Just wonder approximately where in Pa. are you. I'm doing a 95 sport xj project called "Bumble Jeep". Located in the Berks county area. So lad you went with "Short Bus". Looks like a fun project. With all the snow still around in your area, would you be near Erie? My old stomping grounds.

[@michaelmayfieldjr427]

I'm not sure what part of PA you're from but Harry's U-Pull-It and another one on the other side of Tamaqua both have a lot of tdi's and constantly getting new ones in

[@DRTJon]

michael mayfield JR haven’t been to Harry’s in a long while that’s a ways away from me. Not sure which one you’re talking about near Tamaqua but I’ve been to a few in that area and south and they almost never have TDIs but lots of VW

[@russellmiller2801]

The one near Tamaqua is Joe's. Messy but cheap. Watch your tools, lots of foreigners.

[@jeremy8715]

17:49 = At the very least, tack it in place.

[@TheKillerMarine]

Where at in PA there is a TDI junkyard in Pitt

[@DRTJon]

TheKillerMarine other side of the state

[@LightWaIker]

Did you consider using a mechanic injection pump from a different VW and drop all electronics completely? For those that are interested search for mTDI.

[@chrispalmer1255]

Just started looking into this… read a forum post that said converting an ALH to mechanical pump will inevitably have a really rough idle? Also, does it ruin the fuel mileage?

[@a2js2]

Can you use the automated transmission in the jeep

[@keeganridenour9673]

If doing a tdi into an automatic transmission on the xj , is it a different process or do you just connect it to the transmission as you would take the old one out.

[@jud-asinsmith-stansell2022]

not you wont find a pedal assembly. It was well as the shifter and manual trans for the ALH motors are in screaming demand. The auto in those yrs are crap and the manual will keep the cars going forever. Ive done both my TDI Golfs and its a super sweet combo. Daily driver getting 46mph+ on home made Bio

[@bollarhide2315]

Do you have a video for the AX15 swap?

[@Blackcloud_Garage]

Cool video. What is the song at the 10:50 mark?

[@johnscott218]

Why did u make the clutch pedal assembly.... did u have an automatic before??... mine is already a ax15 so i can i reuse my pedals just add the throdle control??

[@caseypage7680]

Can you do this with an XJ automatic?

[@LostFart]

How long did it take you to do this from start to finish?

[@DRTJon]

4 months

[@kelsieiverson2858]

Do you have to send your ecm to get tuned or can you use it when you pull it from the doner

[@DRTJon]

Yes at minimum you should have the immobilizer turned off which is between $50-100 from most reputable tuners

[@tomd1939]

Set it on fire....sell it? DAMMIT, where's my lighter

[@elijahcavin2408]

Okay so if you clip the throttle pedal wiring where do you wire it back into

[@chrisguillen1495]

It’s got to go to the modified harness somewhere would be my guess.

[@adrian141]

Part 4 ?????

[@richeiler881]

HEY GUYS with all the XJ's getting stolen do a video on a kill switch...

[@letstalkcaliber704]

Is there any reason all the guys I see doing TDI swaps use manual transmissions? As I understand there's no reason the conversion wouldn't work on an automatic.

[@TheAmericanUhate]

Diesel engines rev much lower than a gas engine. You'd need a diesel specific auto trans for it to work. You could make the aw4 work but would need to rig up a TPS to work the transmission, and the shift points would be all out whack unless you figured out a way to correct them. Other option is nickintime's aw4 manual shifter that he's making. Basically would be an automatic trans that you'd have to manually shift 1st through 4th.

[@letstalkcaliber704]

@@TheAmericanUhate great to know as I plan to put one of these in my XJ. I'll have to look into Nick's manual shifter, thanks.

[@sebastianontiveros1450]

TheAmericanUhate those tdi motors redline at almost the same as a 4.0 at around 5k. I don’t think that would be a problem

[@letstalkcaliber704]

Talked with a friend who knows a bit about xj's. He seems to think its possible but would require work to get the systems to play nice with each other. He didn't seem to think manual shift in an automatic would be a good idea. Seems to think it would blow the trans quick. I'm definitely looking to make this work because I just hate the idea of wheeling with a manual. Autos make it so easy.

[@nathanwood3679]

What do you have for rear quarter armor?

[@DRTJon]

JCR Offroad. I got the longer ones to tie into the rear bumper and will be doing that eventually

[@allinmota4787]

The "Old Goat" AKA "Tetanus"

[@davidtwa8492]

No the old goat is either a XJ or a TJ but I'm leaning towards a TJ tetanus is a xj

[@dankennerson2080]

Wait, so did you cut the harness where it goes into the firewall?

[@DRTJon]

Dan Kennerson no there are plugs under that boot, unplug there. The only thing you want to cut is the accelerator wire

[@dankennerson2080]

@@DRTJon so the plugs are up by the boot? Thanks for all the info by the way

[@DRTJon]

That is correct. If you’re on IG I can DM you a picture of the pulled harness. Forgot I had one and should have put it in the video!

[@dankennerson2080]

@@DRTJon I think I can find it, just haven't dug into that part of my donor. Thanks!

[@YouTubeDoxedMyRealName]

Replace the drive by wire with a cable

[@DRTJon]

That's called a "MTDI" and it's waaaaay more complicated than just replacing the drive by wire with a cable. The pumps on these are internally driven by the electronics. Converting to mechanical requires a different pump (most people use one from a Land Rover 3.0) and also swapping to a waste gated turbo instead of the variable vane type found on all factory TDIs. Personally I weighed the pros and cons of each and decided to stay with all electronic and VNT turbo.

[@YouTubeDoxedMyRealName]

@@DRTJon I would have gone the other way my self. I will never drive a drive by wire auto. How ever that information you just provided my is extremely useful. Than you!

[@notimegarage8632]

Anything new coming soon?

[@DRTJon]

August for sure, thanks for hanging in there

[@jonathanskogebo728]

sooo is the project dead?

[@DRTJon]

Far from it, I've been driving it! Follow me on IG @bleepinjeepjon. I just mountains of editing, will be releasing more videos soon!

[@jethro9341]

If you are going to make a "series", why would you not link to the other videos that go with it? I'm really not going to search for them, but if they were linked, I would probably watch them.

[@DRTJon]

check out the playlists section on the BleepinJeep channel page

[@cupofmilk24]

Can anyone help me. I have a 99 xj 4.0 and it shuts off when the car gets up to operating temp. Itll start back up, run for a lil, then shut off. I replaced the plugs, wires, cap and rotor to see if that would help. It didn't. Any help would be awesome.

[@andyhorvath9611]

Mateo San You need a new crankshaft position sensor. Also make sure to get one from Jeep because the aftermarket ones often don’t work right.

[@DRTJon]

sounds like it could be your fuel system. depending on service records and how many miles on it, it would be a good idea to start with the pump and filters. filters are in-tank on the pump, theres no other filters on a 99 and fuel pumps are not expensive so just replace that while you have the tank down, clean out the inside of the tank and you shouldn't need to be in there again for a very long time

[@ChasWG]

It could be either of the suggestions so far. That's why you should go get a fuel pressure test kit from you local auto parts store. They rent them out. You need to see if there is a leak down or the check valve in the fuel pump before just replacing it. But It could be the CPS just as easily. They are pretty commonly bad and can cause a situation like what you described as well as the fuel pump. Doing some testing to see if you are getting any spark at the plugs is a good test. I try to not just throw parts at the Jeep in hopes that it gets fixed. Do some basic testing to help figure out the best course of action first.

[@Shannon-wg8pv]

Fuel and crank sensors are perfect answers to that problem. My advice would be keep a can of start ya bastard in your glovebox and when it plays up spray some up the intake and see if it will fire. If it fires you know you have spark so crank sensor is ok and if it doesn't run you'll know it's a fuel issue.

[@Mandatorytexas8]

My 96 XJ just had a similar problem. Ended up being the fuel pump, water pump, and crank shaft.

[@demoninthelight1]

I found one in a junkyard for 200 bucks

[@AlY-jv2ew]

I am not arguing about this VW engine qualities, BUT to install Nazi heart in true American icon...? I want different engine for this swap. BTW XJ is the pinnacle of Jeep SUV world design