Date:         Wed, 31 Aug 2005 08:24:30 -0700
Reply-To:     mark drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         mark drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      Re: FOR SALE: '82 Vanagon w/'98 Jetta TDI Engine
Comments: To: John Bange <jbange@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <6da579340508302308b86ea38@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed

That's because you are underestimating the complexity of the TDI
electronics.and over estimating the advantages of that electronics.

The fully mechanical VW TD motor needs 1 wire to run the engine.
The gasoline wbx with Digifant has a 25 pin ECU.
The early simpler VW TDI has a 68 pin ECU.
The later VW TDI has a 100+ pin ECU.


While many people have implemented the TDI electronics in a Vanagon the
process is not a simple plug-n-play. People often spend months trying to
chase down fault codes and intermittent problems. The later TDI models
expect to see sensors that simply don't and in some cases can't exist in
a Vanagon. Special equipment is needed to setup and maintain the TDI
electronics. The TDI conversions can also be idiosyncratic.

Mark

John Bange wrote:

> Honestly, I'll never understand what it is diesel people have against
> ECU's.
>
>They'll build a highly idiosyncratic hybrid engine out of parts from three
>different designs instead of just using the dang electronic TDI pump and ECU
>that VW made just for that purpose. Presumably it's all in the name of
>"reliability through simplicity", but it doesn't seem to work all that well.
>Very strange.
>
>
>