VW T25 camper TDI engine swap - engine and gearbox now together! A garage update.

I fill you in on my progress in the garage with the TDI engine swap. The gearbox is now fitted and the engine is cranking over beautifully. Things are coming along nicely!

[@Mickyrst43]

Very positive,that engine will start up no bother when you give it a bit of fuel.

[@Endfloat]

I might stick the ECU on it again and run it for a few minutes now that it's more stable. I'm annoyed though cause I'd have gotten more done today if I hadn't run out of M10 bolts!

[@amineamir2572]

Please can you give us the measurements of the iron ring that connects the engine and the gearbox?

[@Endfloat]

No, sorry, I didn't make it. I bought it. It's available from ultimate engineering.

[@justinmacadam3924]

I'm renovating a couple of single cab T25 pickup's at the moment and have fitted a 1.9 TD AAZ motor with a 5 speed box in one of them. The other came with a 4 speed box and a TDi engine but I'm toying with the idea of fitting a Golf GTi 8v. What's the gearbox you have fitted to your TDi, this is one of the things that I was wondering whatever motor I fit, what are the choices of box apart from T25, any ideas where I can get any more information on this subject??

[@Endfloat]

I would strongly recommend speaking to Tim Shettle in Ultimate engineering. He sells adapter plates and has a far better knowledge of all things gearbox than I do.

[@Dave_Stafford]

Good stuff.

[@mpmp7609]

hi endfloat, and thanks for your vidS. I'll do conversion soon. I'm looking for gearbox adaptater and see that there is a 15mm in order to use DMflywheel. BUT, ...i personnaly don't want to use a DMF ans saw recently a 5mm adaptater. Which one did you use... did you get away 15mm on your gearbox clutch ? Because if i can do the conversion without doing this it will be nice for me. It seems that the 5mm adaptater allow the conversion without doing anything on the clutch but i'd like to know before buy it.... Hoping you understa'd my bad english.... Thank you 😉

[@Endfloat]

The 15mm isn't removed to allow you to use a dmf. It's to make space for the adapter plate, which is 15mm thick. I wouldn't like to use a 5mm adapter plate cause some of the holes are threaded so you'll need the strength. It's your choice as to whether you use a dmf or not but either way you have to remove the thickness of the adapter plate from the face of the bell housing.

[@mpmp7609]

@@Endfloat ok thanks to answer so quickly !!! so what do you thinks about the detailing of the saler of the 5 mm adaptater telling that it don't need to make space in the clutch... True or false ? About the threaded holes... you're saying that it's not strong enough...?

[@Mrvwmania]

Hello, it's a 6 speed gearbox or a 5 speed gearbox ??

[@Endfloat]

5 speed.

[@yosoy8199]

​@@Endfloat hello! I love your videos. I want to put the 012 trasmission on my t25 but want to keep the original 2.1 engine, is it possible or that conversion works only with the 1.9 tdi? Thanks

[@skinkish]

you have to relocate the gearbox breather, this is gonna give a mess. Trust me, I have the same setup. Check out page 18 on this (my) thread vwkd.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=4763&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=204

[@Endfloat]

Thanks. I'll have a look at the link. In your opinion would it be sufficient to extend the tube so it's up at a high position?

[@skinkish]

@@Endfloat No, I have tried that. I have a baywindow, and ran a hose up to the 'ears' but still oil was blowing out. Than I integrated a clear filter, filled with brillo but still oil was blowing out covering the entire back of the van with gearbox oil. The original breather does NOT directly go into the main chamber where the actual gears are. there is a separated room machined into the gearbox, coverd off with a lid, to which the original breather connects. This illustrates that also originally, quite some effort was done to keep oil from blowing out. I Have pictures of this if you would like to see this. I have driven 2-3 years with a hose on the gearbox, just as you have now. All the time had issues with oil leaks. After that, I relocated the breather, and now a smal pipe with just a cap is enough to allow breathing without loosing oil.

[@Endfloat]

@@skinkish I appreciate the advice but I'll do anything to avoid taking the gearbox back out again and having to strip it! I'll maybe try a breather box.

[@skinkish]

​@@Endfloat I didn’t realize you had everything in already. Hadn’t seen your other videos. Well just see what happens with the gearbox oil. Where do you have the open end of the hose hanging now?

[@Endfloat]

It's up in the engine bay just at the front above the aux water pump. I do have a breather box I'm not using so I might just install that at this stage to hopefully avoid hassle.