Next upgrade - kickass gearbox

Nope. It's not a Vanagon gearbox. This is much better. :-)

012 EHV

TDI controller explained.

Ok, we have a Boot Camp at work this weekend. Not the army kind, the software kind. We are a big group of grown ups (believe it or not but the average age is closer to 40 than 20) that are isolated on an island with computers, potato chips and beer...
So I had this idea for a while to control a VP37 with a home made controller. The concept is "being able to make a conversion without ripping the electrics from the donor". The only parts needed are the engine and the accelerator pedal.
Right now I'm pretty on target. It took really long time to figure out the pins in the connector and to get the quantity adjuster moving. I need higher voltage out from my driver, except that I have the pump driven with an Arduino and a PWM driver kit from Velleman. Next thing to add is the feedback loop from the pump.
And then:
RPM triggering
Injector bank triggering
Advance table
Boost control
Temperature adjustment

Doable? Oh yes, I'm on it!

Tdi controller project

More to come...

Finest Gipsy ever?

I found this one at the local "Craigs", Blocket. Amazing condition!

Outside race

I got a mail from a guy, Emil. "I found your blog, I'm putting a TD in a Syncro. Can you help me out?".
Unfortunately not, but for sure I'll try to give a hand. So I put some valueable tools in the van including the motor lift and drove to the place where everything was happening. Emil is saving a Syncro with the ugliest Volvo conversion I've seen. But this guy seems to be the type that make things happen and he's a professional welder, so I'm pretty sure his pieces-from-4-different-vans collection will end up as a nice Syncro camper. To be continued!
The TD is out and I have another gearbox (might be an AAP) to play with. I also got my hands on a pair of rear springs that might be the extra stiff kind.

The bible has arrived

Verrry nice!

What is the clutch?

I'm running a solid ClutchNet disc. I was worried it was going to be too stiff but it's fine. Sometimes it bites a little bit but it's mostly when we've been heavy loaded. And by then it's time to use the first gear anyway (usually starting on 2d).
Oh by the way. Never forget the support bearing. The number is VW worldwide spare part ID.


EDIT!
Quite a few people ask me what model my clutch disc is. It's from a Swedish distributor of Clutch Net discs. It is a 228 mm Cush Lock disc with organic lining. The grip is fantastic but still driveable. If you search for KL13171 you will find it on Clutch Net's web site or call you local dealer.
(Volkswagen -> Beetle-Type IV  -> (1970-1971) -TYPE: 411E + 412 -> Clutch Discs -> KL13171)

Removing injectors is a pain

I have a home made heavy duty slide hammer to drive injectors out. Even though I hammered the third one massively it didn't come out until I heated the head with a heater gun for two minutes. These bastards really stick if they want to.
The reason I wanted them out is a suspicous knocking in my Vanagon. I think the first injector is dirty and causes the noise. Haven't decided if I should send these for a test/service first or just simply swap...

It should work...

..should I?
10 points to the one who figures out what this is all about. :-)

Everything is under control again :)

New cooler installed! 
I rinsed the cooling system with detergent, an old mechanic recommended me to do that. I filled the system up with fresh water mixed with "Ariel White" and drove around with it for an hour or so. I'll tell you it didn't work that well. A lot of oil was still there and came out as chunks when I flushed the system. I rinsed the system with soap and hot water for another hour (both forward and reverse direction) and I think it was as good as I could get it. 
Once again flushed with fresh water and filled up with red coolant. 

First check after driving there was a new layer of oil on the surface of the expansion tank. Not strange though as the coolant reach 90 deg C. I removed that layer of oil and after another session of driving it seems to be clear. 
I'm keeping an extra eye on the coolant and oil level, but I think it's all OK now. 110 km's of driving later and everything is smooth operating.

What to do next?

Noise reduction

For sure the open filter is generating most of the noise, I'll make a real filter box later on.

Mud flaps that also turns in between the wheel and the engine compartment and a front lip in front of the engine will make the underside noise to bounce away from the coupé. I know it works from a previous bus, will make it here too.

Except that, driving around and have fun! :)

Small fixes while waiting for parts

Doing some cleaning, fixing of the interior and noise dampening.

Rear break summary

These are the parts, the bold text is what I've been looking for. The other models have the same part and will work equally.
Disc. From VW Sharan 96-/Seat Alhambra 96-/Ford Galaxy 95-00
Caliper. From VW Golf 92-98 (1.6i, 1.8i, 2.0i)/Seat Toledo 92-98/VW Passat 93-96/VW Vento (1.6i, 1.8i) 92-98
Caliper bracket from a VW Passat 97-00 (3B2 or 3B5)/Audi A4 97-01/Audi A6 98-04 (note that these calipers will not work)
-- Note that I used the brackets from another pair of calipers as the ones I wanted to use wasn't complete (brackets missing). I think though that the brackets are the same if you find Golf-calipers that are complete.
Hose. Audi A6 94-96/Audi 100 87-94
Pipe. Approximetly 550 mm of length
Bolts 10.9 M10/1.25. The calipers are threaded for these
Bolts 8.8 std M10. For the adapter
6 mm steel plate. For fabrication of the adapter.

The parking brake cables are the old ones. The spring is removed in the drum brake end and an 80 mm extender is added in the front end, made by a 15 mm copper pipe (plumbers stuff).

Here's the routing of the hose/pipe. I made a rock solid holder that is mounted by the upper bolt for the adapter. The hose is fixed with a stainless hose clamp. Much better than those crappy clips.

For you Scandinavian guys who have access to Biltema, use following part numbers:
Discs - 64-357
Calipers - 66-5069/66-5068 (the brackets are from 66-5010/66-5011)
Hose - 66-346
Pipe - AA-0560 or similar

Oil cooler pressurized

It's leaking more than Fukushima.

Early brake down

Well, she was running for a couple of days. What a ride! The bus accelerates like my ordinary car and I haven't been flooring the pedal yet.  

Three days with just a few miles driving, then the oil buzzer and oil light goes off. I checked the oil level and the entire volume was gone! No smoke, totally clean engine, not a single trail of oil. Then - I opened the coolant reservoir... 

All the oil is flooding out! 

First I thought "Crap, I need to check the header", but the almighty guys at thesamba.com hinted about the oilcooler which appearantly is prone to cracking. After some googling I think the same. All symptoms leads to a cracked cooler. Oil in the coolant, no coolant in the oil. 

What seems to happen is that a crack in the cooler acts like a one way valve, and when the thermostat opens the oil has enough pressure to force itself out to the coolant. 

I really really really hope this is the case, I'm not keen to take the engine out again.

Next swap...

This is the engine from the Multivan. I have bought a Syncro (gasser) and the plan is to make this engine really fresh and install it OR make it running again, sell it and get another TDI.
Haven't decided...

Rear brake adapter

I don't remember were the original drawing comes from so I can't give cred for it. But here it is with my bracket and measurements layed on top.

Rear shock length

I know people are looking for alternatives for rear shock (specially with air bags). The org dampers are 530 in max length and 335 at the shortest. Anything in between is too short. :-)

Heavy duty shocks

Right side, didn't have to cut it off.

Finally done with the left side...

...only right to do now. Will go pretty fast I think. All engineering is already done.

Rubber protection for hand brake

I've read (at thesamba.com) that a guy who did a disc upgrade got problems with water coming into the wire and below freezing temp the brake got stuck. To avoid that I made a cover out of bicycle tube and two cable ties. I also filled the cover and wire tube with grease.

New shock mount

6 mm is way overkill but that was already on the bench. :-)

Stuck?

You tell me...

14" does fit...

...but it's eeextremely tight. 15 will not be a problem, I will swap the studs and the rims with the pickup though. 16" :-)

Disc fitting pt 2

Centered the disc with the wheel nuts and drilled two locking screws for the disc. The bracket is made of chain plate, the steel plate that conveyer belts are made of. Tough shit. 6 mm thickness is almost perfect for the alignment. All other parts are now Audi/VW. Parts list will come later. :-)
As a bonus, the old hand brake wire will fit too.

New caliper = perfect fit

Nuff said!

Glowers

Yes. New.

Disc test

Testing the discs. Unfortunately the calipers have the inlet at the inside and it's really tight to the swing arm. An upper mount seems to be the best so far.

Rear brake upgrade

I broke the bleeder on one of the rear brakes. I already have the parts for a disc upgrade so what the heck...
The hubs are taken down to 145 mm to accept the discs.

Lid cut

Short gearbox mount. Raised engine. Results in customized lid.

Exhaust. New and fresh.