Want To Buy: VW Pathfinder marine diesel

[AndyEss]

As far as I know (and my Pathfinder engine is sitting under my companionway stairs right now) the heat exchanger was the only thing bolted on to marinize the VW engine. Your VW manuals should be useful for nearly all the important repair work.

[hpeer]

Originally Posted by RobertPA

I recently purchased a VW Pathfinder 50 marine diesel here in Newfoundland (Canada). The engine is rare here.It was been sitting in an unheated garage for ~10 years. I have the Bentley and Haynes VW Rabbit diesel manuals on order. However, to date, I have been unsuccessful in tracking down the Pathfinder Users Guide and Parts Manual, which would help me understand better how the Rabbit block was marinized. If any of you know where I can obtain these Pathfinder manuals, please PM me. Thank you.

I can’t be of any help with your engine however…
We are nearly neighbors. We have a summer cabin in Plate Cove East and keep the boat in Lewisporte. Mom was a Philpott from Plate Cove East.

[RobertPA]

Thanks to those of you who replied to my post. I have the Haynes workshop manual in hand, and I can see why the Bentley manual is reputed to be better (I have it on order). The photos and explanations in the Haynes manual aren't great. I have additional questions about the engine which I will move to a new thread under "Engines & Propulsion Systems" if that's okay with you. We've been posting on various topics related to an initial "Want to buy" posting.

[CaptainLen]

I didn't know there were so many of us with Pathfinder diesels. Most yards I talk to have never heard of them.
We are finally repowering our 1981 C&C40. The engine always starts and runs well but the transmission is failing.
I have a four oil filters (free, you pay shipping), a spare Bosch starter (rebuilt) $100) and a new Jabsco water pump">raw water pump model 2620-1101 ($150).
Also I have the 3 ring binder with all service information on the model 50 engine and Hurth transmission.
The engine itself will be available as soon as it is removed by the yard this fall.
Anyone interested?

[AndyEss]

Originally Posted by CaptainLen

I didn't know there were so many of us with Pathfinder diesels. Most yards I talk to have never heard of them.
We are finally repowering our 1981 C&C40. The engine always starts and runs well but the transmission is failing.
I have a four oil filters (free, you pay shipping), a spare Bosch starter (rebuilt) $100) and a new Jabsco raw water pump model 2620-1101 ($150).
Also I have the 3 ring binder with all service information on the model 50 engine and Hurth transmission.
The engine itself will be available as soon as it is removed by the yard this fall.
Anyone interested?

Where are you located?

[CaptainLen]

We are presently in the Boston area. If you're interested in something I can be more specific. I have the items here.
The engine is still in the boat which is in southern Maine.

[Rumrace]

Darn that motor is Purdy.
The voice of doom caution. Several VW motors are banned from North America marine use. They lied their faces off deliberately to dodged clean air testing with a pc designed to trick the known testing. They took over 2 years to settle class action suit changing lives of customers who could not drive their cars.
Can’t speak for the US but in Canada GM and VW suffer cause they lie and steal. GM for not paying debt VW for being scumbags. End rant.
My a Yanmar 40hp $5200.00

[AuroraGH]

Originally Posted by CaptainLen

I didn't know there were so many of us with Pathfinder diesels. Most yards I talk to have never heard of them.

I have never met another owner with one.

As a result, finding a mechanic willing to work on it is invariably a challenge.

[CaptainLen]

However, there are other owners with VW Pathfinder diesels, and with the service manual it's DIY.
I have some items they might want. If you don't, then don't bother replying.

[Wayne Bostow]

I've come across a five-cylindar Pathfinder. I can't find anything about it. Story is the current owner purchased a marina from the guy's widow and this engine was retrieved before the building was demolished years ago. Might the marine items which appear to my untrained eye to be in good condition be expected to fit the more numerous 4 cylinder engines? It seems light. Is this one of VW's aluminum mistakes? Maybe I should be looking for Audi (VW) engines? Belted parts have been stripped and maybe more. How can I tell if it is seized? Where can I find a model number? Thanks! [WB Houston, still looking.]

[CaptainLen]

Wayne,

I have a functioning VW Pathfinder model 50 engine just removed from my boat along with spare parts. Oil filters, raw water impellers and pump, and a Bosch starter.
The engine itself runs well, the transmission however needs a rebuild.
Are you interested in any of these items??
Capt Len

[cottonsail]

The 5-cylinder diesel is basically the 4-cylinder VW in the 5-cylinder Audi block. These are really great engines. There are 2 Achilles heals. One is overheating. It will kill the rings and therefore compression. The engine has almost zero tolerance for overheating. The other issue is the timing belt. If it breaks it will bend valves. OEM maintenance schedule call for replacement every 60,000 miles. I do not know how that converts to hours. If you have to remove the Cylinder head remember the head bolts are one time, use and are "torque to yeild". Critical info is to blow out the cylinder hesd bolt holes. IF you do not coolant will be trapped in the botton of the hole. When the engine is started the trapped coolant will build up pressure and crack (break) the engine block. This is a very light high RPM/high torque diesel engine.

[Wayne Bostow]

I've seen a diagram which shows the five as a modified six in this fashion:

-O-O-X
O-O-O

So, Im still wondering if the marine attachments for the 5cyl could work with the VW 4. Understand that until proven otherwise, I need to assume the block is no good.

[tbehm]

New to forum, just reading this thread. I have a question I hope you can help. I currently have a marinized pathfinder 1.5L. May need to replace with a 1.6 due to parts availability of the 1.5. The 1.5 has a Bowman VW150 heat exchanger on it. Would that work on at 1.6L?

[osprey877]

Originally Posted by tbehm

New to forum, just reading this thread. I have a question I hope you can help. I currently have a marinized pathfinder 1.5L. May need to replace with a 1.6 due to parts availability of the 1.5. The 1.5 has a Bowman VW150 heat exchanger on it. Would that work on at 1.6L?

Yes it will. The head and block are early identical and all of the marinization parts on the 1.5 will fit on the 1.6. The only change you may need to make to an automobile block in orderi to marinize it is to drill and tap a hole at the highest point of the fresh water cooling system to allow for a breather tube to the expansion tank. This hose should already be on your 1.5l block, so just make a note of its location so you can fit it to the 1.6l.