ABD to AEX

[MrAnderson93]

I have a ABD 1.4 engine in my mk3 and it has recently started coughing, cutting out and drinking petrol like a fish, so its either fix it or swap it as I read on here that it isnt a very good engine. There is an AEX on ebay now and I was wondering if it is a straight swap and wether the loom etc. will fit both as my friend has a mk3 with an AEX in it.
thanks fro the help, Rhys

[adamrob69]

you will need the ECU, and im guesing some of the engine bay wiring loom may be different.

[Jimp]

The ABD uses a carb while the AEX uses multi point injection, so the wiring will be different.

[MrAnderson93]

thanks guys, i thought the abd was single point injection seeing as it has a cat converter

[adamrob69]

thanks guys, i thought the abd was single point injection seeing as it has a cat converter

quite correct. The ABD is not a carb but a singal point injection throttle body. The AEX is dual point injection throttle body.

[MrAnderson93]

thanks mate, hmm so the aex will fit, so what would you all recommend, fix the abd or swap for an aex?

[adamrob69]

have a ride in your mates AEX. You will find its quite a bit more torque then the ABD, but speed wise its just as slow.

I dont know whats involved with the conversion between the two, but if its any hassle at all i wouldnt bother and fix yours (if it is easilf fixable ie. not headgasket timing belt failure etc).

If its just the throttle body and injection system that needs changing that might not be too bad - but that would mean changing the air intake system (not a biggy) and also the ECU (which may require a different engine wiring loom). It may well be easier to swap the whole engine?

I would get your ABD on VagCOM and find out what is wrong with that before doing anything drastic - it may well just be a 30 quid sensor that needs replacing!