VW TDI 1.9 RWD Mini

[AstonMartin]

Dear all,

I have just finished my classic mini project 07, and have been driving it daily. Although it is only 998 CC it has a very torquey motor.

Now, after looking through several RWD mini projects, and most of them are Petrol powered either by Toyota MR2 or VTEC or Motorcycle engines.

I have a passion for Diesel Engine, i like high torque engine, and fuel efficient engine. I am planning to do a TDI (Turbo Direct Injection) into a mini. The original motor can be found on most VW Golf, Jetta, and Bettle.
All are FWD car, and now i want to put the TDI into the min and convert it to RWD. The weight of the engine is close to 300 lbs plus the tranny i guess will fall in near 400 lbs.

There aren' t much room in the front , as the TDI has a very tall block, due to longer stroke for the high compression ration engine. it will stick ou the bonnet and i think it will be too heavy for the mini. The stock mini engine with tranny is 330 or 350 lbs for the S.

I have to fabricate a complete chassis to accomondate the weight of the engine , suspension, then the shell will sit on it, much like a pick up truck.

I want the chassis in all aluminum, as i dont' want it to rust, and last forever, plus i don't need to paint it, as alumimum has very bright finished.

The wheel base will be longer then the original mini, measuring a total over of 13 inches , that is 6.5 inch on both side, which i have to fabricate a fiberglass fender to cover those wheels, then i have to cut some air duct on the fender to help cooled the intercooler and radiator , the shape of the finsihed project will look like the R5 (Renault 5).

Currently i am three problems,

1) the shifter to the tranny(cable is reverse, need help)
2) The TDI is drive by wire , (i need to find a way to contact the acceleration pedel to the ECU to the Engine)
3) Speedo? Should i use the stock VW Cluster?

Well, let me know what you guys think? Advice? Do's and Don's?

Cheers :oops:

[strudel]

For the shifter try these: JS

You'll have to search through this to find the right page. http://www.kimini.com/

This is preety slick http://www.team-integra.net/forum/display_topic_threads.asp?ForumID=15&TopicID=106670&ReturnPage=1&ThreadPage=41#1345985

[fbm-spec]

I don't think aluminium will be suitable for a chassis. It is difficult to weld has little strength and does not stay shiney for long :( and suffers from stress cracking easily.

Your drive by wire shouldn't be to hard to sort, get the throttle potentiometer & loom off a VW.

Gearlinkage / cable shouldn't be too hard to reverse. But I am puzzled ....if you need help to change the direction of a cable operation , how are you going to design and fabricate an aluminium chassis.??
:? :? :?

FBM

[AstonMartin]

Ah! You think? aluminum is not a good choice? Is it your own opinion?where did you get the idea from? Look at the Lotus Elise is one good example. Well it all depends which aluminum alloy you choose. 6061 is a good choice. it is corrosion resistant, and weldability is easy. (MIG). Many big fisher boat use this material, that can withstand all stresses in the hull.

Regarding the problem of the drive by wire i thank you and appreciate.

The second problem of the shifter, i was kindly ask for advice, not trying to creat a fight. I did not say i couldnt' do it, i was just stating "there is a problem" I want some advice. If you don't know how to answer or will not want to share, just simply ignore it, and keep quite.

The forum is to help each other out, not create your own happiness by turning down others.

[Geehawk]

The forum is to help each other out, not create your own happiness by turning down others.

You only joined yesterday :shock: How do you know what this forum is for :) :lol:

FBM happens to be a very helpful and knowledgable chap, who probably jumped to the same conclusions as many others who read your opening post. How about you introduce yourself :wink:

Accusing him of starting a fight and telling him to keep quiet are not great ways of persuading others to help you IMO.

Moved to the general Other Hybrids section, as it's not a build diary yet.

[Spag]

I want the chassis in all aluminum, as i dont' want it to rust, and last forever, plus i don't need to paint it, as alumimum has very bright finished.


Aluminium tends to oxidise though doesn't it? So is often lacquered or anodised.

But if you have the skill and facilities to design and build it then go for it, we look forward to some pics as things progress !




Currently i am three problems,

1) the shifter to the tranny(cable is reverse, need help)
2) The TDI is drive by wire , (i need to find a way to contact the acceleration pedel to the ECU to the Engine)
3) Speedo? Should i use the stock VW Cluster?



Regarding you being three problems. Compared to the manufacture of the chassis, these seem fairly trivial...

1) (a) Use longer cables then the orientation of all components could be maintained (b) Reverse the shifter, and modify the levers on the gearbox to accommodate the reversal of operation.
I used B when fitting an MR2 engine & box up front.http://spagweb.com/gallery/ed_06_mr_ed/

2) (a) Use the accelerator pedal from the donor vehicle? (b) Fit a suitable potentiometer to the existing pedal. (c) Use existing pedal and cable to operate a remote mounted pot. Connect it all up with wires ?

3) If it's convenient to build the VW clocks in, then could be sensible as it may all be driven from the ECU ?


Don't be upset if people have different opinions, it's the diversity that breeds change and new designs !!!

Right, I'm off to look at more engine options for the recently aquired Moggy Minor ... :D

[oli]

The Lotus Elise chassis is made from aluminium but in a very different way to what you are proposing. Having owned one i can tell you that it is made from lots of flat pieces not box section bonded along their largest surface area and not welded together. Another thing Aluminium also corrodes as it did under the floor mats of my Elise and practically every old set of alloy wheels I have owned do cannot keep a tight seal to the tyre due to the surface corroding slightly.

[mininut]

I've seen an Elise chassis up on a 2 poster and it doesn't look pretty after a few years road use. There a few folk that make chassis out of T45 if you look around. But hay its your money!!

Oh, and bad attitude doesn't work on this forum :wink:

Good luck.

M.

[The Mighty Mallott]

I wouldn't fancy making a chassis out of ally, especially using mig, not unless it was ultra triangulated. Also failure is catastrophic unlike steel which will bend and fail a lot safer.
Steel tube will take several years at the bottom of the sea to rust :P
The elise had rather a lot of r+d and experience put into it, the chassis was necessary to keep the weight down.
I'm also puzzled at the use of ally, build a nice light chassis then put a diseasel into it :?