Post-mortem - a water-cooled conversion in a 1972

[Sloride]

Forgot to mention the fans didn't come on but I got up to 205 on a long grade going 75 mph. Oil temps were about 230.

Tristessa/Dan are you checking oil temps as well?

C
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1972 Westfalia - 1.8 VW in-line h2o conversion
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Link to the engine swap:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=565304&highlight=

1964 Ruby Red Beetle

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=705757&highlight=ruby+red

[danfromsyr]

I have a oil/H2o cooler on the filter block and I run 15/50 synthetic oil (napa brand when on sale for $3.50/qt)
only time I had oil troubles was on NY to FL trip (before the owing bit) we drove it too hard for a day in Virginia & north carolina.

really these are very forgiving engines and I still don't feel a need to monitor oil temps if the pressure and water temps are staying where they belong.

your water temps will likely be fine.

the stock redline for that motor is 6500-7000 in the jetta.
I run a Vanagon tach that redlines at 5500-6000 and don't really pull it up past 5k unless it's really needed.
but I spend ALOT of time 4000-4500 rpms in my 3rd gear that's 64mph.
the vanagon aircooled trans is geared really high and I have 205/70/15 nokians this year that hurt my horsepower to 4th gear ratios. little power below 4000rpms at all in 4th.
I can only run 4th now if I'm maintaining 70+mph
guess I could tweak ign timing and bump a Octane grade.

but I'm going to toss in a Mtn geared trans (Diesel) as I use this mostly in the Mtns and for towing/hauling schtuff anyways.
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[Krautski]

The beauty of the VW 8v inlines are you keep oil in it and flog the hell out of it and it'll still run forever.

I want to say factory redline was always 6200. I wouldn't take a stock 8v head to 7k. With HD valve springs - sure.
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BUS FOR SALE

[tristessa]

No idea what the oil temps are. Coolant temps are good, hot-idle oil pressure is 20PSI and shoots right up with when the engine revs. I'm running Chevron Delo400 15W40 diesel oil, have an external stacked-plate oil cooler with a Wahler/Volvo thermostatic sandwich plate that starts opening at 160F and fully open by 180F if I remember the specs right.

Gotta get back to work, breaktime is over...

[danfromsyr]

I would say that the water level (float) light would be more important to alert of a loss of coolant over a oil temperature gauge.
coolant temperature gauges do not indicate a loss of coolant, only once it's all gone to steam (steam is 212* and reads fine on a temp gauge)

it's far more important in any of my converted engine installs.
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[greenbus pilot]

I like this install. As some here know, I have a 1.8 in my 76 Bus, with some of the same quirks- the resonance/ harmonic noise in a very narrow RPM range- it goes away if I drive faster.....I think it would be difficult to fully remove it, but I am no vibration expert.
The water temps you describe sound close to mine, but my HUGE, GM radiator under the floor keeps it quite tolerable. My fans do not run at all at highway speed with my present setup, but ran continuously when I had my smaller radiator in the rear engine lid hole. It is not a good idea to rely solely on the fan(s) to cool the engine, hence my personal vote for a floor mounted radiator.
I have a real heater now, up front. Try it some time.
I just pulled my Bus out of winter storage 4 days ago........I've been busy...
I love these threads!
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Sent from a white van down the street.

[markd89]

Really clean job, congratulations!

Comments: The radiator setup is tricky. People told me it was about using the high->low pressure to force air through the radiators.

I listened somewhat -- my radiators are tilted down at the front and somewhat sealed up on the sides so that air is pushed through.

I also have two radiators which means my system can be less efficient and still work and I have a diesel which throws off less heat.

The final test is a nice 10 mile up-hill in 100*F weather. If you can do that and stay < 200*F then you're looking good.

Good luck!
Mark

[BigDan1]

I know this subject is 3 years old ....

we plan to install a 1.8T (2003) in a 79 Bay...

I read Tristessa say we need a mexican beelhousing besides the kennedy adapter to clear the gas tank compartment ....

But sloride, you dint seeem to use this sort of bellhousing ,,,,
did you move the transmission backwards to obtain enough space ?

reason to ask is that today we tried to get the engine in there ....it wont clear the gas tank panel

thanks

Daniel ,qc
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2000 Rialta VR6 , 1994 TDI Eurovan westfalia 7.5L /100 kms
86 CJ JEEP modded ,4.0L 230 hp , AX-15, dana`s 44 ,tera lo , 4:10`s .....
84 resto mod cutlass ....350 LT1, 700R4, ford 9" dropped 2" ,4 wheels disc brakes ....
lots of toys !

[Sloride]

Bigdan,

Yes the thread is old but all is well with the motor. I guess that's what happens when you do a swap. I will have an update but it's not motor related. I am picking the bus up from the paint shop on Friday. I did a strip to bare metal respray.

I'm not sure what the issue is. I was told the 1.8t block is the same length as the 1.8 that I used. I know the Vanagon guys are using the 1.8t without clearance issues. I used a 091 transmission with the 3 rib bellhousing and a Kennedy adapter plate.

I seem to recall the mex bellhousing as being shorter than the 3 rib and the 091.

Craig
_________________
1972 Westfalia - 1.8 VW in-line h2o conversion
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Link to the engine swap:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=565304&highlight=

1964 Ruby Red Beetle

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=705757&highlight=ruby+red

[curtp07]

Great thread thank you!
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Subaru

[Abscate]

Enjoying the workmanship and thread immensely.

It not uncommon to find stones in your fuel tank - probably an earlier owner was told his fuel was too low roctane and thought of a clever fix.
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.ssS!

[vwwestyman]

You do not need the Mexican bellhousing AND an adapter plate. You need one or the other.

The Mexican bellhousing is deeper than a standard bellhousing. (This is opposite what was said a few posts up.) I don't know for sure how much deeper it is than a standard bellhousing + adapter but I believe it is at least a little deeper.

The Mexican bellhousing will bolt up with an 091 transmission for sure, and since I believe the bellhousings are swappable, that should mean it would go onto an earlier transmission too.

If you use the Mexican bellhousing, you'll want to have the matching flywheel as it has a bit of a "snout" that pushes it away from the motor and deeper into the bellhousing. Additionally, because of this, you'll need the longer Mexican input shaft to the transmission to match it all.

Source: I used a Mexican bellhousing and all the accouterments to mount my TDI to my 091 in my '78
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Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing

[tristessa]

[Ride_On]

Hey Craig,

Love your second line - great to hear as we are set for a swap in the spring! (Subie 2.5 and SubaruGears though)

We are starting to have a need for some paint work though. Would love to hear about your experience and where you went. No full blown respray in the cards for us - perhaps the front more fully, but mostly just spot treatment.

Hope your dazzled when you pick the bus up tomorrow!
Paul

[skills@eurocarsplus]

Subaru in a bus. may as well buy a Toyota



























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[Abscate]

Honda. You meet the nicest people in a Honda
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.ssS!

[Ride_On]

Anyone calls it a Kia... they will get kicked in the nuts!
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1977 Westfalia 2.0 FI Skills EJ25 w SubaruGears 5sp
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=687254
2018 Golf Sportwagen 4MO DSG (Dieselgated 2013 Golf Wagon TDI DSG)

[Sloride]

Let's get this back on topic. Here is a picture from the last road trip we took in the bus. It was in Burlington, Vermont at burton snowboards. We were on a way back from our annual trip to Wells, Maine. That was in August 2015.

Wasn't long after I started the strip down to bare metal. Will post pictures of it later. Man do I miss my bus. Having two kids play competitive basketball and I coach one of them leaves little garage time. Ten games this weekend between the two of them. My goal is hoping to have the bus back together before June.

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1972 Westfalia - 1.8 VW in-line h2o conversion
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Link to the engine swap:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=565304&highlight=

1964 Ruby Red Beetle

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=705757&highlight=ruby+red

[Sloride]

Most people including my friends thought I was nuts for stripping the bus down. The paint still looked great but it was starting to get the tell tale signs of rust forming under the window rubbers and a couple of small holes in the driver's rocker. Besides why have a bus if you are not wrenching on it. Last time I painted the bus was over 15 years ago and at the time I didn't remove the glass. This time it was going to be done right.

So in the fall of 2015 I started in.

And of course none of this could be done without theses two guys helping me out.

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1972 Westfalia - 1.8 VW in-line h2o conversion
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Link to the engine swap:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=565304&highlight=

1964 Ruby Red Beetle

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=705757&highlight=ruby+red

[Sloride]

Here is some of the rust that I had to deal with. While the rocker looked solid from the outside I decided to cut it out and I'm glad I did. The inside was all rusty and nothing worse than a new paint job and having a rust spot come through a couple months later. I'm sure all of this was because of the rear vent window leaking. Rusted the outer edge of floor as well.

If you look carefully at rear wheel well you can see the repair that was done 15 years ago. It was a piece of metal welded over the rusted piece. I always say if you want it done right you got to do it yourself. I cut it out and replaced with gerson panel. Cleaned and por15 everything I could. Weld through primer where required.

These gerson panels fit well. Found the top piece just a shade too short. I split the difference and welded it up.

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1972 Westfalia - 1.8 VW in-line h2o conversion
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Link to the engine swap:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=565304&highlight=

1964 Ruby Red Beetle

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=705757&highlight=ruby+red