Sema show

Mechanic209

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Salida
I just got back from the sema show in Vegas. A lot of really cool stuff but one of the coolest things I saw was a vw tdi conversion for the cherokee. It was by codybuilt ran $5500 not including the motor. Has anyone had any experience with this?
 
Apart from weight savings, WHY?? you have to mod and tune the crap out of it to make good power on the 1.9L. The 2.0s are much more expensive and involved but make better power. The 1.9s make a lot less power and torque than a 4.0L. Its a cool idea, is pretty good in something like a samurai that is very light, but it doesnt make a lot of sense in an XJ. I looked into them for a long time before I settled on a 5.3 which I paid a lot less than $5500 for all the parts of my swap and it makes like 3x the hp and 2.5x the torque. If its just for a trail rig I think it would work pretty nicely but if you plan to drive it on the road it will probably be pretty disappointing. Get a late 90s 3.0 turbodiesel merc motor instead, those can blow your socks off.
 
I believe there is a member on here that is in EU somewhere that has done a 1.9 TDI swap.
The 1.9TDI is easy to mod, can make very good reliable power and nets awesome mileage.
A friend of mine with a Mk4 Jetta TDI, slightly modded pulls a 2k pound boat and averages 35 mpg cruising at 55-60 mph.
 
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