Time for an Engine Swap
Hey reddit, looking for some advice.
For context; I currently have an ‘03 with the 2.2 and the nv1500 5 speed manual. The 2.2 is starting to get to the end of its life and i’m thinking its about time for an upgrade. I do a lot of driving relatively long distances and around half the time i have a full truck bed, but I don’t do any towing or real serious haulage so i’m not looking at any V8 swaps (especially since i’d probably have to upgrade to the nv3500 to handle the torque anyways).
I’m hoping to keep the nv1500 in the truck if at all possible.
All that to say, after looking through forums at possible engine pairings that fit my needs i saw a lot of mixed reports on what works and what doesn’t. Allegedly both the Buick 3800 v6 and the VW 1.9 TDI can bolt up to the nv1500 with relative ease or an adapter plate.
Now I understand it wont be quite a necessarily cost effective nor plug-and-play situation either way, but i’m leaning towards the 3800 so i don’t need to mess with converting the truck to handle diesel. I’m not looking for an insane output of power. Both engines will be built and tuned with the idea of reliability, longevity, and the ability to go uphill with a truck full of gear without dropping 20 mph as the first priorities.
Does anyone have any experience with either of these pairings? If so, how does it hold up over time? Full disclosure: this is my first engine swap so any advice is helpful.
TLDR; Which is best paired with the nv1500 transmission, a VW 1.9 TDI or Buick 3800?