Bent Fab AZ Pinata build

SMKYTXN

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Joined
May 27, 2020
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29
My 2011 Tacoma "Smokey" has done me well, but I can't keep up with the cool kids any longer, time for a new build.

Here's the list:
  • Bent Fabrication AZ - Pinata Chassis
  • JHF portals
    • 17" rotors
    • New style housings
    • Heat treated straight gears
  • TG 9" axle housings
  • Speedway 5.14 spooled thirds
  • 1.9L TDI (2006 Jetta)
  • 4l60E (shorty tail housing)
  • 10.3:1 Atlas
  • 18" ORIs
  • Scott's Custom Off Road - hydraulic pump
  • PSC 3x9 rams
  • 6.5 gallon fuel cell

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I originally bought the Jetta to swap the motor into my Jimny, but the Jimny's body developed cancer so it had to go.

I found existing 3D models of a 1.8T, 4l60E, and a 4spd atlas online. The 1.8T and TDI blocks are nearly identical when it comes to the bell housing mounts. I had drawings for the rest, like the crank pattern. Fun fact, VW has one offset bolt hole on their cranks.

Overall model
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The adapter needed to be 1" thick so I opted to make two 1/2" thick plates. Much cheaper to have Send Cut Send laser cut 1/2" plate than having a 1" plate machined.

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The starter adapter is based on the LS design. It bolts to the adapter plates and the starter can be indexed as needed. I 3D printed the starter adapter and crank adapter prior to having them machined. I ended up using PCBWay to machine the adapters.

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Crank adapter

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Here's the first version of the complete adapter. I ended up having the starter 0.9mm too close to the crank centerline with this version. I had to rework my model and have another set of plates cut.

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Final "working" version.

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In to watch this one. Any concerns with getting smoked out by the Diesel on the trail? Assuming a healthy tuned TDI will "roll coal" on WOT.
 
DesertCJ said:
How much do those engines weigh? My wife is gonna be pissed if she walks out to her car and the engine is hanging from a cherry picker:lmao:
Click to expand...

I don't have a scaled weight, but the interwebs say 360lbs dressed. It's a pretty compact little motor. Don't scrap the car when the time comes, pull that motor!

Blase said:
In to watch this one. Any concerns with getting smoked out by the Diesel on the trail? Assuming a healthy tuned TDI will "roll coal" on WOT.
Click to expand...

I have a "stage 1" tune, basically enough to delete all the accessories that aren't needed for the engine to run and add a little power. (124hp, 227ftlbs)

With the stock turbo I should have minimal smoke at WOT, but time will tell.
 
These next couple of posts will be a photo dump to bring this build up to current day.

Scott's Offroad pump installed. The mount I made for it mounts the pump where the AC compressor used to be. The stock VW belt worked perfectly, but we'll see if I have enough wrap on the pump pulley for it not to slip.

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Motor mounts

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Atlas and transmission mounts. The plan is for the drivetrain to come out the top of the car.

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Finding wheels to fit over Jesse's 17" rotors was fun. So far this is the list of wheels that actually fit.

Battleborn Crawl Spec Forged
Battleborn Sierra Flow Formed 5.5" backspacing (verbal confirmation)
Raceline RT951M with 4.5" backspacing
Raceline RT260M Avenger, 5" backspacing
Trail Ready HD20 20x9.5 with 5" backspacing

The the_white_shadow can add his new wheels to the list. I went with the Raceline RT951M Ryno wheels.

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Link mounts and links

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Engine bay time

I 3D printed mockup tubes for the coolant line routing.

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VW Scirocco radiator flipped upside down gives me the inlet and outlet on the drivers side to match the block.

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I designed the shroud and had SCS cut and bend it for me.

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I'm going to run a 5 gallon fuel cell with a 1.5 gallon sump. I'm banking on the TDI fuel economy for this to be enough fuel for a full day of wheeling.

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The original oil cooler was attached to the block and in the way of everything. I found another cooler that worked with a remote oil filter that will work. This one comes off of a v6 chrysler 300.

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Scotts fancy pump requires a lot of fluid, at least a gallon. So here's a comically large hydraulic fluid tank that comes in at 1.4 gallons with a 2" air gap.

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I didn't find a 9:1 single master mount that I liked so I designed one. I printed out the pedal and bracket to see if it would fit and what needed to change. I need to get my gas pedal situated before making the call to have the mount fabricated.

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Lots of awesomeness so far, but this little adjustable arm thing is neat. I can see a million uses for it.

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On your alum welds. You seem to be stacking dimes on stuff that will be seen and what isn't seen is simply alumaglued together.
Not knocking it, both styles are sound welds, just happened to notice it. :beer:
 
gt1guy said:
Lots of awesomeness so far, but this little adjustable arm thing is neat. I can see a million uses for it.


On your alum welds. You seem to be stacking dimes on stuff that will be seen and what isn't seen is simply alumaglued together.
Not knocking it, both styles are sound welds, just happened to notice it. :beer:
Click to expand...

The "third hand" is a stronghand tools deal that's currently 70% off. For $17 each I picked up two of them.

Stronghand Third Hand

I think you're seeing my "good" welds and my "I'm still learning" welds. It typically works out that my best welds are hidden and the **** ones are right in your face.
 
SMKYTXN said:
The "third hand" is a stronghand tools deal that's currently 70% off. For $17 each I picked up two of them.

Stronghand Third Hand

I think you're seeing my "good" welds and my "I'm still learning" welds. It typically works out that my best welds are hidden and the **** ones are right in your face.
Click to expand...
Hard to pass that up…just bought 2
Great build
 
Bitchin' build, thanks for sharing :smokin:

Interesting drivetrain choice. I am curious why you went with a 4 speed Atlas? 312:1 crawl with an automatic seems, well, excessive...
 
'84 Bronco II said:
Bitchin' build, thanks for sharing :smokin:

Interesting drivetrain choice. I am curious why you went with a 4 speed Atlas? 312:1 crawl with an automatic seems, well, excessive...
Click to expand...
Excessive is a good word for it. I've had that 4spd on the shelf for a few years for one. For another reason, I had planned on this drivetrain going into a Suzuki Jimny with an R150F tranny.

Will I ever need to be in double low, no. Will I have the option of 2.3:1 or 3.8:1 yes. So at the end of the day I used what I had laying around.
 
I dig your prototype work. That water to oil cooler is cool and appears to be 3/4 -16 thread? (“Ford” filter)

Edit for oh starry night 🙄
 
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Blase said:
In to watch this one. Any concerns with getting smoked out by the Diesel on the trail? Assuming a healthy tuned TDI will "roll coal" on WOT.
Click to expand...
In europe these engines are popular in offroad.

250-300 hp is possible but you need an engine or sometimes 2 each season
 
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