There are alot of vortexers looking for info on the X-Flow swap. I was in the same boat before doing mine, so I've decided to make an offfical detailed post about it.
Here is the basic info of what I started with.
1995 OBD1 X-Flow motor (no doner car) $200
The motor was basic no alternator or tensioners.I had to buy/borrow/ and steal alot of parts. go with the buy and borrow methods if your not confident in your ability to steal
What I needed
Alternator (Must be A3) $200
power steering pump and bracket (MUST BE OFF OF AN A3) $20
Water pump bracket (MUST BE A3) $Free
A/C Delete pully (I ditched the A/C) $16
MAF ($50 for both Coil, and MAF)
Coil
New spark plug wires (A2 wirers wont work) $78
Wire harness (engine and fuel rail) get the VAG harness if you can but its not necessary. $150
Gaskets (might as well)
38 inch V belt for the alternator. If you do the A/C delete use this belt! It wont fit exactly but it will stretch on. 38.5 will fit good for about 4 days then it will touch, put the 38 on and let it stretch. beleive me I have 60 dollars worth of belts in my car that I have to return. $20
ECU Stolen (sorry ma!)
General notes
Radiator: You can use the stock radiator with this setup. eliminate the long tube from the overflow bulb to the upper radiator and get the one from the A3 that goes from the back of the block to the overflow bulb. simply cap off the open end on the radiator
Buy a clutch: You might as well go ahead and do this while its out. get a flywheel too if you can I bought mine from qualityvwparts.com. I love it!
wiring: This is where the problems are, when the old harness goes out and the new one goes in there are only 4 or so harnesses that are being switched. when that is done there will not be enough power to the comp to make it power up and run the car you will need to tap into some power supplies, Ill post up later and tell you what color they are
Also, there will be some wires that you wont use hook up everything else that you know of. again this is one of those things that I will have to get back to you on I do know this off the top of my head:
1. use the alternator wires from your a3 (red and a little blue) place a small slide on terminal on the end of the old herness and stick it onto the BOTTOM pin of the alternator simply cut thesmall blue wire on the A3 HArness.
2. there is also a singl red/black wire next to the blue alternator wire on the new harness. put a spade termainal into the single harness and connect it to the starter, this is your starter turn on wire.
The downpipe
I have a 1992 GTI 8V I used the downpipe that came with my car and the exhaust mani fron the new engine no spacer was needed to make this work, maybe thats only an issue for CIS cars. Im not sure but Im just happy that I didnt have to buy one.
Ill update this as I remember if there are any questions email me or IM me and Ill include them into this post. HAVE FUN!!!
Here is the link to the pictures of the swap. Feel free to look at my other albums while your in there
Modified by X-FlowA2 at 4:07 PM 6-30-2003
Here is the basic info of what I started with.
1995 OBD1 X-Flow motor (no doner car) $200
The motor was basic no alternator or tensioners.I had to buy/borrow/ and steal alot of parts. go with the buy and borrow methods if your not confident in your ability to steal
What I needed
Alternator (Must be A3) $200
power steering pump and bracket (MUST BE OFF OF AN A3) $20
Water pump bracket (MUST BE A3) $Free
A/C Delete pully (I ditched the A/C) $16
MAF ($50 for both Coil, and MAF)
Coil
New spark plug wires (A2 wirers wont work) $78
Wire harness (engine and fuel rail) get the VAG harness if you can but its not necessary. $150
Gaskets (might as well)
38 inch V belt for the alternator. If you do the A/C delete use this belt! It wont fit exactly but it will stretch on. 38.5 will fit good for about 4 days then it will touch, put the 38 on and let it stretch. beleive me I have 60 dollars worth of belts in my car that I have to return. $20
ECU Stolen (sorry ma!)
General notes
Radiator: You can use the stock radiator with this setup. eliminate the long tube from the overflow bulb to the upper radiator and get the one from the A3 that goes from the back of the block to the overflow bulb. simply cap off the open end on the radiator
Buy a clutch: You might as well go ahead and do this while its out. get a flywheel too if you can I bought mine from qualityvwparts.com. I love it!
wiring: This is where the problems are, when the old harness goes out and the new one goes in there are only 4 or so harnesses that are being switched. when that is done there will not be enough power to the comp to make it power up and run the car you will need to tap into some power supplies, Ill post up later and tell you what color they are
Also, there will be some wires that you wont use hook up everything else that you know of. again this is one of those things that I will have to get back to you on I do know this off the top of my head:
1. use the alternator wires from your a3 (red and a little blue) place a small slide on terminal on the end of the old herness and stick it onto the BOTTOM pin of the alternator simply cut thesmall blue wire on the A3 HArness.
2. there is also a singl red/black wire next to the blue alternator wire on the new harness. put a spade termainal into the single harness and connect it to the starter, this is your starter turn on wire.
The downpipe
I have a 1992 GTI 8V I used the downpipe that came with my car and the exhaust mani fron the new engine no spacer was needed to make this work, maybe thats only an issue for CIS cars. Im not sure but Im just happy that I didnt have to buy one.
Ill update this as I remember if there are any questions email me or IM me and Ill include them into this post. HAVE FUN!!!
Here is the link to the pictures of the swap. Feel free to look at my other albums while your in there
Modified by X-FlowA2 at 4:07 PM 6-30-2003