Ok Veeky Forumstists, I'll be getting a shitbox for my GF as a learning car. I've no doubt she'll kill the engine after a year or two.
The car in question will be underpowered, old FR car, like Volvo 240, e36 318i or Merc 190 2.0d in manual.
Here comes the question (assuming she won't wreck it) - how money consuming is adapting an engine that was offered only in ff cars, namely the VW V5 AQN, to a gearbox from FR car?
Answering the question of why - because I like the idea.
Engines aren't built for specific orientations. That V5 should have the same transmission bolt pattern as all of VAG's 4 cylinders, so a transmission from say an Audi A4 should bolt up.
Honestly, your biggest worries will be:
1: finding the right transmission. Dig through the VAG 4 cylinder parts bin to find what you need. I can almost guarantee what you need will be from an Audi though.
2: engine mounts. No mounts exist for what you want to do, so you need to figure that out yourself. Not terribly bad, but still a legitimate concern.
3: propshaft. You need a proper driveshaft from the transmission to the rear differential. Again, not a huge concern. custom driveshafts are made all the time by certain companies.
4: The big thing that is more likely to sink this build before it begins. The ECU. You need to find a way to run this sonovabitch without making the computer piss its pants at missing sensors
Hmm, I know about the engine mounts, but audi gearboxes won't work, they may be bolt on, but they propel front wheels, not rear (unless quattro, but I'm unsure if I can modify them to put all power to the rear). Also with different gearbox than original one I have to modify driveshaft, which is something I'd like to avoid.
I thought about getting lets say an e36 318i, and, after its done its purpose, adapting only the engine to the gearbox (since its the same as in 320i, meaning it can handle 170 hp easy).
Is there a reason why you specifically want the VR5? Do you have one sitting around or do you just like the thing?
Audi A5 has the correct orientation and was available in RWD.
VR5s make a unique noise
youtube.com
Not to be a dickhead, but you're likely overstepping your knowledge a bit with something like this.
What said is typical. Using an Audi transmission with plugs made for the front driveshafts is pretty typical. Most RWD Audis are made this way. Plugs can be as simple as an old cv shaft cut and welded up and balanced.
Mating transmissions is witchcraft and voodoo. Stick to stuff that is known to work unless you have a shop full of CNC equipment. (I do, and still won't do it. Adapter plates are a fucking whore.)
Not to say you can't adapt a transmission to it, you can adapt anything to anything with the right skill or money
But it's going to be a lot of money. Probably 2-5 grand just to take an engine and transmission to a machine-shop and ask them to get them to hook together.
Assuming you could even find a shop willing to do it any more.
It won't be easy, you could get the transmission out of the VR6 4motion Bora\Jetta weld the diff and block off the 2 front drive shafts.
A mk4 platform only needs the ECU, cluster and keyfob to run on it's own.
>VR6 4motion Bora\Jetta
no. Those are transverse mounted. Try again.
The VR6 touareg has a FR layout, the trans from that may work
Just the like thing. I thought about the vr6 too.
Unfortunately, while my budget allows some fanciness, I think the a5 gearbox would be too expensive.
Biggest issue for me is adapting the engine to the gearbox.
Thats what I'm afraid of. I wouldn't be doing most of the stuff myself, only the minor bits. For now I just think about making the damn thing, because hey, why the fuck not?
Hmm, there's an idea. I could get this trans rather cheaply.
Question - I know V5 and VR6 have some overhgeating issues. Last I checked its thermostat has 80C open temperature. Would changing the thermostat to one that has 75C threshold improve things?
I think the touaregs trans is close to the W8s
youtube.com
This guys does crazy swaps on his channel
Well, I'll just throw you a bit more info then. When I learned machining, I worked in a shop that regularly did porsche adapter plates to run porsche motors to common transmissions.
$3800 a piece for a plate with some holes drilled in it.
Here's a thread on fourtitude that has some info in it that might help you in the future.
Google is your friend. It's been done, it's just complicated and costly.
forums.fourtitude.com
Also, should have chose a proper engine. Inline 5 > V5. AAN/07K are better, but I'm opinionated.
The VR5 was also mounted longitudinally in the Passat, if that makes life any easier.
But it's not an insurmountable problem anyway, people have mount K20s and B16s longitudinally and many many more
won't have the right bolt pattern. VAG's 4/5 cylinder bolt pattern and their 6 cylinder bolt pattern are not interchangeable.
"labor"?
"research"?
or porsche tax?
Thanks for the answer.
I consider either v5, vr6, i5 or v6 as an engine of choice, though for now the v5 is my fav. Others are considered, this is still just speculation thing.
Adapter plate would cost me about 250-500$ here where I live. Just gotta ask around if some1 can make me one.
"Research" and porsche tax.
It was an old part that had hundreds of copies produced of it however. The research cost had long ago been made up. Took about 2-3 man hours for one to be made.
I know 034motorsport makes adapter plates for the VR6 bellhousing bolt pattern to Audi transmissions. Since the VR5 is a VR6 with a cylinder chopped off I'm assuming they have the same bellhousing bolt pattern.
>transmission
>power transfer
Those two are enough to turn it into a proper *project*, not meaningful in relation to the upcoming purpose of the car.
I'm all for wild ideas but forget it, seriously.
One thing everyone forgets is the radiator piping. Where does the thermostat go? It's probably gonna be facing the firewall now, so get creative with piping.
Even the people who designed the NA/NB Miata fucked this up. They put the inlet and outlet on the same side of the engine because they wanted to have the thermostat up front. Which led to stale coolant around Cylinder number 4...
no. The VR5 uses the same bellhousing bolt pattern as the VAG 4 bangers