Topic: Update from HPA concerning diesel swap and transmission options

[stan98tj]

I got an email from HPA Motorsports about the swap I'm looking to do. I want to keep the jeep as an auto, I like how an auto wheels AND the fiance needs to drive the jeep from time to time and she doesnt drive stick. Problem is, HPA doesn't convert for the auto.

here is the response sent:
"Stan,
Thank you for your interest in our Jeep TDI program.   We have not fitted this kit to any Automatics at this point so while it may work, we have no experience in doing that conversion.   Technically we do replicate the back of the 2.5L motor with the sandwich plate adapter, however I'm not sure how much clearance or work would need to be done on the bell housing to clear the starter.
 Also does the automatic have a kick down cable?   As the PD TDI's the kit was designed for uses an electronic gas pedal,  there is no way to hook such a kick down cable up without something custom being made.
 I also don't know if the starter interchanges, as we are using a Passat automatic diesel starter as it has the same pitch and teeth count as the Jeep 5speed flywheels do.
Please let me know if there is anything else I can help you with, and I'll do my best to get you the information you need. "

So i know the jeep has a kick-down cable, and now the starter seems like it would cause a problem. I still want to do this, so I'm looking for ideas. I asked them if maybe a different auto would work. Maybe a GM 4spd? Anyone have any ideas? I'd appreciate any thoughts on this. If it's custom parts that need to be made, as long as I'm told what needs to be fabricated, I could prob get a shop around me to do it.

[sharpxmen]

make a custom kick-down cable that hooks at the pedal and not the t/b, that should work. not sure about the starter (why they didn't use the stock 4 cyl starter i don't know but if it was me i would have rather made a new housing for it as opposed to finding a passat starter (more parts to source out , that's all. The bolt pattern to the motor is the same between the auto and manual, the bellhousing on the auto imo would have more room and not the other way around but you should check to make sure.

[stan98tj]

make a custom kick-down cable that hooks at the pedal and not the t/b, that should work. not sure about the starter (why they didn't use the stock 4 cyl starter i don't know but if it was me i would have rather made a new housing for it as opposed to finding a passat starter (more parts to source out , that's all. The bolt pattern to the motor is the same between the auto and manual, the bellhousing on the auto imo would have more room and not the other way around but you should check to make sure.

Thanks for the input Sharp. I was cringing for an answer that looked a bit more like "Nope, can't do it, won't work, you're crazy" lol. At least there is some positive in there. So if you would keep the stock starter, how would you suggest going about it? Mount it elsewhere?

[sharpxmen]

you could make a front housing for it so it'll fit the opening in their adapter, i have a spare starter in the garage and i'll give you some more details on it once i have a look. In all honesty that transmission adapter is not that hard to make if you can weld and drill holes. you would need their spacer though and use cold rolled flat bar the same thickness as their adapter and for sure won't cost you $1,500, imo the adapter is the part that's probably towards the easy side of the difficulty scale compared to the rest of the mods (the wiring i would put on the hard end imo)

[stan98tj]

you could make a front housing for it so it'll fit the opening in their adapter, i have a spare starter in the garage and i'll give you some more details on it once i have a look. In all honesty that transmission adapter is not that hard to make if you can weld and drill holes. you would need their spacer though and use cold rolled flat bar the same thickness as their adapter and for sure won't cost you $1,500, imo the adapter is the part that's probably towards the easy side of the difficulty scale compared to the rest of the mods (the wiring i would put on the hard end imo)

They sell a wiring harness already set up, basically plug and play from what I understand.

[sharpxmen]

They sell a wiring harness already set up, basically plug and play from what I understand.

yeah but that's another 13 hundred or so, by the time you're done you'll be $10k into it imo if you buy all this stuff from them.

[stan98tj]

yeah but that's another 13 hundred or so, by the time you're done you'll be $10k into it imo if you buy all this stuff from them.

i wont buy the engine from them. Just the wiring harness, flash and kit.

[sharpxmen]

i wont buy the engine from them. Just the wiring harness, flash and kit.

how much you think the engine, ECU and harness will take you? (if i understood correctly you still need the engine's harness but not sure, maybe not). You have a source?

[stan98tj]

how much you think the engine, ECU and harness will take you? (if i understood correctly you still need the engine's harness but not sure, maybe not). You have a source?

junk yard for the engine. I've been seeing 2500-3k. HPA sells a harness for 1500.

[sharpxmen]

junk yard for the engine. I've been seeing 2500-3k. HPA sells a harness for 1500.

is that with the ECU?

[stan98tj]

is that with the ECU?

i haven't asked

[stan98tj]

I talked to a custom 4x4 shop about the swap. They figure the stock starter can be used as well. The kickdown cable shouldn't be too complicated to get around either. Also spent some time talking about the 3spd auto and how it would handle the torque. He mentioned that the 3spd is pretty robust and folks use them in drag racing after mating them to fairly powerful V8s, should handle the 1.9 just fine.

[Tr00b]

Good luck! You may be some sort of a guinea pig for HPA and maybe you could "barter" your answer to the automatic trans problem for some free parts? I'm sure they'd love to expand their applicable potential customer base by 1/2 or more by including the auto transmission girls... And  boys.

[dwtaylorpdx]

I believe the Passat starter is used because the torque required to spin the TDI is pretty high. Higher than the stock YJ unit is gogin to be happy with. The PAssat starter is also a common unit on the VW side of the fence...  Its the highest torque of the VW units.. NEar as I can find...

YMMV

Dave

[sharpxmen]

I believe the Passat starter is used because the torque required to spin the TDI is pretty high. Higher than the stock YJ unit is gogin to be happy with. The PAssat starter is also a common unit on the VW side of the fence...  Its the highest torque of the VW units.. NEar as I can find...

YMMV

Dave

actually you're right, i didn't think of that.