Engine Swap: BMW E2 CAN Engines

Hello everyone,

I have a 2003 Golf 4 with 130 hp (ASZ) engine, which, to my knowledge, is equipped with a CAN-Bus system. According to VW's "SSP" documentation, the engine control unit communicates with the ABS and ESP systems via CAN. If I now install a different engine, for example, a 5-cylinder TDI from a T5, which also has a CAN-Bus system, would it work without any problems if I simply connect the other engine control unit to the bus?

Where could there be problems on the electrical side?

Best regards, Torsten.

Will it work without any problems if I connect the other engine control unit to the bus?
Hello,

If you can ensure that both MSG messages are based on the same CAN data structure, then it is definitely possible.

Where could there be problems on the electrical side?

You could potentially reverse the connections of CAN-H and CAN-L .

Best regards, Jochen.

Hello Jochen,

What do you mean by "CAN database," and where can I find out if it's correct?


Best regards, Torsten.

The data basis describes the messages that are sent on the CAN bus.

You need to find out if these are the same as the ones listed in the MSG.
However, it is a difficult undertaking, as this involves 'top-secret' information.

Perhaps someone in the forum or your VAG dealer knows something about this topic.

Best regards, Jochen.

T5 and 2003 G4 models "should" still be relatively compatible (both should be TP 1.6), I think. However, you probably won't find any truly accurate information anywhere - especially not from a dealer.