My MK3 Cabrio VR6 build thread

[Pineapplegti !]

small update today

got it over to our VW dealership where i have a good friend who is a tech there. He installed my driver side window regulator so its nice to be able to go through drive thru's now.

he also spent quite some time diagnosing the P1613 fault code to no avail. we checked some of the basics and coding that we found on vortex and google but nothing worked. then an Audi tech came over to assist and between the two of them they tried a few other things with specific wires in the cluster harness but couldn't solve it.
we then realized we were trying to do this strictly to get the car through emissions and for me to get plates on it, BUT if we are doing a VR6 and transmission swap then all of the stuff related to this error code will find a dumpster or be sold off.

So where i stand now... keep the car in my garage until i can find a donor. The one i had backtracked on me and now i'm searching for another.
I found a 98 GTI DE VR6 in AZ with 290k on the motor but it seems like the owner has taken good care of it. It is a complete running car with a full interior i could also use and for the price, it may be worth buying the entire car so i can ensure the whole swap is complete with parts.

You can only use front seats and front door cards and dash and console. Id give Derek a call. Im sure he has a line on a donor.

[VR6 NRG]

Yup, i will sell the back seats and stuff from the rear of the car. but at least this would give me all of the front stuff in one swoop.

Derek has a bunch of VR6 parts but not enough for a full swap right now. plus having a full donor car will make things easier instead of piecing things together.

[VR6 NRG]

Planning to go see and hopefully buy this 98 GTI on thursday.
and i got the title for the Cabrio today into my name.

progress is slow

[Pineapplegti !]

Yup, i will sell the back seats and stuff from the rear of the car. but at least this would give me all of the front stuff in one swoop.

Derek has a bunch of VR6 parts but not enough for a full swap right now. plus having a full donor car will make things easier instead of piecing things together.

I might of just had a vr donor car dropped in my lap tonight.. Ill let ya know the details. I do know its a current driver right now.

[VR6 NRG]

I might of just had a vr donor car dropped in my lap tonight.. Ill let ya know the details. I do know its a current driver right now.

cool let me know.

[..Derek..]

small update today

got it over to our VW dealership where i have a good friend who is a tech there. He installed my driver side window regulator so its nice to be able to go through drive thru's now.

he also spent quite some time diagnosing the P1613 fault code to no avail. we checked some of the basics and coding that we found on vortex and google but nothing worked. then an Audi tech came over to assist and between the two of them they tried a few other things with specific wires in the cluster harness but couldn't solve it.
we then realized we were trying to do this strictly to get the car through emissions and for me to get plates on it, BUT if we are doing a VR6 and transmission swap then all of the stuff related to this error code will find a dumpster or be sold off.

Why not just code the ecm to a manual trans just to get you though emissions..

[jazzcat2001]

We're friends on facebook but i'm following this on here as well cant wait to see progress dude

[VR6 NRG]

Why not just code the ecm to a manual trans just to get you though emissions..

because we don't think that would help it. the coding for the ECM and TCM were all correct, its some stupid wire somewhere that isn't doing what it is supposed to. So instead of wasting time on it, we'll just do the swap and not drive the car.

[.T.o.n.y.]

Why not just code the ecm to a manual trans just to get you though emissions..

We did, we tried:

;00000 Golf Jetta Manual trans TIER 1
;00001 Golf Jetta Auto Trans TIER 1
;00002 Cabrio manual trans
;00003 Cabrio auto trans
;00004 Golf Jetta Cabrio manual trans TLEV
;00005 Golf Jetta Cabrio auto trans TLEV

Regardless of coding same fault, definetly a wiring issue.

[VR6 NRG]

So today I took the drive to Tucson with a friend to pick up the new donor car. 98 GTI VR6 drivers edition in ginster Yellow. It's high miles but maintained well (drivetrain). What we thought was a bad alternator turned into a shredded serpentine belt just 10 mins after driving it away after purchase.
Luckily we didn't yet get to the highway when it happened and pulled into a gas station.
After some quick searching and 3 store later we located a new tensioner and a belt.
The seller met us there with tools and a flashlight and within 10 minutes we were on our way with a new belt. The engine pulls extremely strong for 280k miles and the TDI transmission at 80mph is at 2500rpm. So I'm getting great MPG too






Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GTi2OV]

280k!? Whoa!


So are you going to destroy the Ginster? Or will you exchange all the 2.0 parts and sell it?

[VR6 NRG]

the GTI has body damage on each rocker panel and some rust starting to form. its not really worth saving.
The engine pulls super strong for that amount of miles.

I will take from it:
Motor, harness, cluster
TDI Transmission with 3 month old clutch
full dash board
front door cards
5 lug conversion
brakes
the stereo stuff out of it
and any other miscellaneous parts i can use

i will then sell off what i can't including the shell, front and rear seats, and anything else i don't use.

[taymk2]

yeah brian getting closer

[Bennett@C2Motorsports]

Looking forward to seeing where this build is going to go and welcome back! Always good to have some OG's around also, if you're looking to do software, let me know!

PS: I have some 16" RS's for sale, would look gorgeous on there. Hit me up if interested!

[rawkusmode32]

cant wait to see more

[VR6 NRG]

cant wait to see more

me too

I am trying to narrow down color choices to my top 3.

so far I am thinking about
Volcano Red (the color of my current TT)
Macadamia Metallic from Porsche
Sepang Blue from Audi
or some kind of dark cherry red

[.T.o.n.y.]

Let me know what you have left over once your done with the donor

[VR6 NRG]

will do Tony

all of the seats will probably be available.

[.T.o.n.y.]

Serious? I got dibs

[VR6 NRG]

Serious? I got dibs

maybe we can work some kind of trade-off out for some help on my motor stuff.

[.T.o.n.y.]

you got it.

[PigPen14]

In my opinion on paint i would either go with the Macadamia Metallic or the Sepang Blue

[VR6~aholic]

Macadamia Metallic from Porsche

There's no other option since you threw that in there

[VR6 NRG]

Macadamia Metallic was my first thought, its now between that and the Volcano Red on my TT,. but i think the Macadamia with a tan roof and black interior with some caramel colored seats would look sick.

this interior color but black carpet, dash, doors

with this exterior

[highbeam]

Good Luck
Here's mine

More
http://http://forums.vwvortex.com/sh...t-on-Camera...

[BHCgreene]

So will you be doing the swap and all the work or will the dealership be doing it? Just wondering

[VR6 NRG]

So will you be doing the swap and all the work or will the dealership be doing it? Just wondering

I will be helping 2 friends do it. One of them owns his own maintenance shop with a lift and the other friend is a audi technician. this will all be done on the weekends when we can get time. the downside will be logistics. the shop is 40 miles from my house. but we'll make it all work.

[mk2driver]

Adding to my watch list!

[VR6 NRG]

We hope to start ripping into at least one of the cars this coming weekend or later this week.

the decision now is this:

Start taking the stuff out of the cabrio, so i can at least have the engine bay started on. not going for a full smoothed look because between the few of us, we honestly don't have the know how to do it correctly. So we will do the best to clean it up and hide things. I really think the harness extending is what would be holding us back, not the physical labor. but again cost will be the biggest part of it.

the other option is to remove the stuff from the GTI first. get it all ready, start doing some maintenance stuff on the motor. but doing them both at the same time probably won't work out too well because of space limitations.

ugh, getting started will be the most difficult part i think or i hope

[MKllllvr28]

Good stuff. Keep up the good work.

[taymk2]

Don't do the brown Jason duerrs wife cabby is already that color I'd do the blue or amulet red from mk1 audi tt

[VR6 NRG]

there is another cabby in Macadamia Metallic? I need pics for proof

[BHCgreene]

I will be helping 2 friends do it. One of them owns his own maintenance shop with a lift and the other friend is a audi technician. this will all be done on the weekends when we can get time. the downside will be logistics. the shop is 40 miles from my house. but we'll make it all work.

Cool. Had me worried

[builtvw]

i love following builds im in

[jazzcat2001]

another Porsche color...Ruby Red Metallic