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B5.5 TDI

16K views 57 replies 10 participants last post by  j-MAL 
#1 · (Edited)
Hello all!

I suppose I will use this thread to highlight all of the changes that I do with my B5.5 Passat TDI, as of right now it's bone stock, and quite boring lol. I bought the car for mega cheap ($1450) with a blown transmission, since buying it, I have put in a 'new' used transmission, did the timing belt, brakes and control arms, as I was planning on flipping it... but that didn't happen. I ended up selling my other daily (B5 Passat Variant), since it would have costed me more to own over the long run than the TDI.

So yeah, winter is coming and the brainstorming has already begun and since I cannot keep a vehicle I own in a bone stock state, this will also help me keep track of all the changes I do. I didn't really do that with my Mk3 which now has a 1.8T in it. But what can ya do!?

Here she be.




A new update actually will be coming sooner than I even thought! Stay tuned.

EDIT: actually, as of right now it isn't totally stock! I put in a Phatnoise, since I loved it sooo much in my Mk3! BOOM!
 
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#8 ·
I did. Including obviously the engine from a Mk4, and the wiring harness(es) from headlight to tail light. The wheels are also from a Mk4 lol. Seats are from a B5 A4... I call the car a frankenstein. It's all sorts of everything.

In regards to the Passat... terrible 'teaser' of sorts, but it'll do for now. There will be more teasers of other things when they come around... I'm sure.




Sorry about the night shots, I don't have much time during the day unfortunately, and I just so happened to be changing over to my winters so it was as perfect time as any to test the wheels out, and see if there was any major offset issues I'd have to deal with.... but I'm thoroughly satisfied. Warmer weather needs to get here quickly lol.
 
#11 ·
You may be on to something Dylan... sneaky sneaky!

Taking off your summers? Its only November? This is about the time I normally take mine off but the weather has been so nice, I'm still hoping for another few weeks or atleast a few days of sun..

you have a silverstone b5.5? I got a nice one if so... we should meet up sometime.
I'm took off the OEM wheels, the tires were almost cooked and I don't really have a garage to do work in, and I wasn't going to wait till it got too cold to do it. I was test fitting the summers actually. I have a Stonehenge Grey B5.5... it's bone stock still. A lot of time left until it won't be. lol
 
#10 ·
Taking off your summers? Its only November? This is about the time I normally take mine off but the weather has been so nice, I'm still hoping for another few weeks or atleast a few days of sun..

you have a silverstone b5.5? I got a nice one if so... we should meet up sometime.
 
#12 ·
Just recently did the auto windows up/down with remote... thanks to Dylan for pointing me in the correct direction! I also got word that my manual transmission swap has hit the shores of Canada... damn waves! That should be getting installed in the next week or two... usually when it comes to mechanical stuff like this, I would do it myself, but unfortunately, the longitudinal transmissions are like bodies and I really am not wanting to tackle the project, so it will be getting outsourced to someone else to do... unlike my Jetta where I did ALL of the work. This will be weird having someone else do it.

I'm guessing I should have a 5% or a little more, increase in mileage, cause there won't be a dimwit controlling how the car shifts, and when the car shifts. And shortly thereafter I plan on getting the car chipped by Malone Tuning. Depending on how the weather is come end of December, early January.

I also want to get my hands on a W8 Panel... or cheap out and grab an early 5.5 GLX rear mirror. lol
 
#14 ·
Thanks man, it's just my daily car, so I'm not going to go crazy on it, I just want to make sure it will last me a very long time. So that I can continue to work on my Jetta at some point and finish the vision I've had set out for it since I've owned it..... now coming to it's 8th year lol. First car love.
 
#15 ·
Manual transmission swap is here, it will be getting done in two weeks time, sounds messed up considering winter is coming, but so be it. I got a little bored today and decided to put the summers on and see what it would look like after a quick Photoshop session. The internet knows about my wheels before mostly a lot of people I know. So be honoured! :p

Hopes ya like. If you dont.... haha I don't care. :)



As well, I will be changing out the current tires (215/40/17) for a set of 225/45/17... I want to be low, but not insane low, I have my Mk3 for low, ground-to-car access.
 
#17 ·
Some news.

Auto transmission is out. The manual is in. These TDI's should have been available with a manual.

This car is just that much better now because of it and I will definitely enjoy it soo much more now. I wish I had pics of the install, but the best I can get for you guys is a third pedal and the gear shift boot lol. Once I get a grey one or a new black one in, I'll share some non-essential pics. For now I will hopefully achieve better mileage!
 
#22 ·
Really from europe? lol.. :poke:


... did you buy it from a euro import shop off hwy 7-8? Sounds like a guy i've dealt with. :wrench:

I've heard that our US spec tranny's bolt right onto the euro tdi's engines? I have pondered doing that mod if my engine were to ever go. and with gas prices, I barely fill up once every two weeks though.
 
#24 ·
I can confirm that the 1.8T transmission isn't good for it, but the V6 manual is a bit more closer in relation for the ratios, 5th is similar but a bit shorter. But I wouldn't have it any other way when it comes to this car, I'd rather be happy right away by installing a TDI transmission instead of being disappointed and changing it over to one afterwards.

Because of the price of a gas to diesel swap, you'd probably negate any savings over a large period of time, cause when you think about it, it's on average 3-4k+ to swap from gas to diesel, you could buy a lot of gas for that price, when it all boils down to it. If I had bought this car for full pop and and did all of the maintenance to it as I've done so far, I probably wouldn't have done the manual swap, but being so far ahead, it was a no brainer, but with the increased mileage I've been noticing from this very first tank of fuel since the swap, and on top of that the livelier feel of the car and an engine that isn't so 'slow' I can only give pluses for the swap.

My best tank with my auto was 922km - the manual I am just at about 3/8 left in the tank and I am at 820km... I am definitely heading towards 1000km+ for a tank. It's awesome. I'm pleased, and I never used to be so conscious about fuel and seeing what I can get out of every tank, it's literally a game for me now lol.
 
#25 ·
So that last tank, I got it to 1087km. So that was a good improvement, and it's literally guaranteed to achieve about 1000km each tank. Not to shabby.

Another bit of news, I just chipped the car earlier today, via Malone Tuning. I'm surprised the difference with just doing Stage One. Stock, my car is 134hp/240tq; with the tune it is now (according to Malone Tuning) 150hp/275tq. The car MOVES.

I love it.

Now time to save for some coils.
 
#27 ·
Jeff J hahaha

I work with him, he was asking me if I knew the guy who lived beside him. I said... I'm not sure, but it seems a lot of people know of me! He told me you were doing a whole bunch of stuff to your car, that they were VW's and that you are from out of town? Here for school? I said... I have no clue. lol

Definitely a small world! lol
 
#31 ·
whats involved? im looking at a 1998 passat manual sedan, going to take engine and trans (because i think the cranks are different?) and just drop it into mine (2000 gls wagon) but i dont know about the differences between the computers. obviously im going to need the ones off the donor, but will they just plug in and work off the 2000 hardware? will it work basically is what im wondering
 
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