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Light at the end of a halfa$$ rebuild
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Evilrift
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 23, 2014 10:56 pm    Post subject: Light at the end of a halfa$$ rebuild Reply with quote

Its been about 3 years but I think I'm finally getting to the point where my motor is about to be able to be reinstalled...But I'm scared...very scared that I screwed something up at some point.

This fear is making me slack off where I'm not making much progress to getting it reinstalled. I was blaming a parts supplier for holding up on shipping parts but now I can't even use that as an excuse. Its all on me and I'm just tired.

Any words of wisdom or motivation?

I'm pretty sure I have everything I need to get the engine work done in a weekend but then I think about all the other things such as plumbing, and WIRING, and adjustments for suspension/brakes etc... and I just get bummed out.

I can't be the only one who gets close and stalls out due to mental fatigue. Maybe fatigue isn't the right word as I spend most of my time procrastinating working on old Limey.

Soon I'll add Limey's rebuild story and pics to this thread as its been a long long road of half assed attempts at fixing all the things that were wrong when my GF bought this bus off ebay. It seemed time and time again after fiddling with the parts or buying second hand parts I'd end up just buying new parts (when available) and screw up buying the wrong thing, getting a damaged new part or when the part was correct screw it up installing it..

Thanks for letting me vent.


Last edited by Evilrift on Mon Aug 11, 2014 9:18 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Danwvw
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 23, 2014 11:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah, I know the feeling, It's not the Mechanical that gets me down it's the rust! Just got to do every little thing and make sure it's right then they fly!
Is this your bus the 1978 Westy? Just another 2.0 engine thread.
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Evilrift
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 23, 2014 11:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yep, that's my post. Got the motor all rebuilt, here's what it looked like a few weeks ago.


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Danwvw
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 23, 2014 11:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Really nice looking, So New Heads? New Pistons & Cylinders? Is it the 1979 2.0 Liter with the Hydraulic Lifters? Hope you split the case and put in some new bearings. That's about the only thing that could cause it to break-down anytime soon.
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Stuartzickefoose
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 23, 2014 11:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

took me over a year to buck up and finish mine...now im gonna do my trans soon, and its still not looking like a fun job,....new CVs, Stub axles, Wheel bearings, and i hate that CV grease job....gah! you can do it. keep at it! so worth it!
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Evilrift
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 12:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I took the short block to a recommended shop (from old DKP driver) near me (Jensen Enterprises) and told them to do what was necessary. They ended up machining the AMC heads I had putting in the new guides and whatnot, they did replace the bearings and used new cylinders and pistons. They knew their stuff and did great work from what I can tell. Of course now I'm putting it together I could screw it up.

I'm a little concerned about the distributor I'm using. Anyone know if I can use a 1979 distributor with 78 fuel injection wiring? What electrical plugs into the side of it? I've tried reading the threads and they make me more confused, but if you can point me to the right one to read I'd be grateful. It does have the two vacuum ports.

Tonight I think I'll finish up the fuel lines, I have metal lines that just don't seem bent perfectly but they appear they'll work. Are they stock? I ask cause I couldn't find a good image matching them in the galleries.

Here's how she sits now.

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Last edited by Evilrift on Sat Jun 28, 2014 11:07 pm; edited 1 time in total
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timvw7476
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 8:08 pm    Post subject: Dim light at the end of a halfa$$ rebuild Reply with quote

Your camera angles seem to hide the halfa$$ nature of the build...I must inquire about the zinc chromate blower housing back-half...is that zinc chromate applied to the back-half? Just curious, very pretty IV.
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Evilrift
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 11:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

No zinc chromate, the only stuff I've used is rattle can enamel paints, and for the fan shroud I just used a brass brush to clean (half-a$$edly) which left weird streaks but made it look good enough where I clear coated it to try and keep it looking semi clean.

I was doing everything to keep the sticker on the top, otherwise I think I would have just stuck it in the sandblaster and painted it grey... but of course I was wiping it down after using the brush getting ready for the clear and completely wipe the image right off the sticker (DOH!) by that point I was clearing it no matter what.

Here's a few warm up pictures of the underside wheel wells and engine compartment.
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Tcash
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 11:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi
You need the numbers off the distributor.
It list one for 76-(79-Fed) and one for 79-Calif.
The 76-(79-Fed) shows one wire going to it.
The 79-Cali is wired threw an (Ign. Control Module) and shows three wires going to it.
Good Luck
http://www.oldvolkshome.com/ignition.htm#B7679
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/wiringt2.php
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/wiring/baybus_77-78.jpg
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/wiring/baybus_79_color.jpg
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Evilrift
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 12:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm 99% sure it is a CA 1979 disti, I'll have to pull it out to verify. Can I use it with the 78 wiring? I'll read through the links once I have the actual part number. Thanks!
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skills@eurocarsplus
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 2:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

don't be a wimp. put it in, and see what happens
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streamr
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 6:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

skills@eurocarsplus wrote:
don't be a wimp. put it in, and see what happens


I was thinking that but didn't know how to say it. I remember a 356 rebuild I did many years ago and after I installed the pistons and heads, I was thinking I may have missed something. I was leaving the next morning to drive it to Canada to visit my sweetie for a week so I needed it done. I finished putting it together and put it in. Fired it up to see white and blue smoke billowing from the exhaust.

I pulled it back apart and found two bad rings, I must have snapped them when I installed them. Put it all back together and back in the car. This was about two in the morning, I took off for my 1000 mile break-in trip a few hours later with no problems.

I was much younger then.
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telford dorr
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 8:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm reasonably sure that you can use the '79 distributor with the '78 fi - assuming you have the ignition control module for it. It's kind of like a Pertronix, except the controller is outside the distributor rather than inside. See the '79 schematic in Technical.
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Evilrift
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 9:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The next two weeks will be telling. I'm going to use the July 4th week to reinstall it.

Its comments like "don't be a wimp" that I was looking for. When people asked me how I could pull an Audi or Subaru motor to replace heads and whatnot I was very nonchalant and both times things were great just a few minor hiccups. I guess this time its been ongoing so long it feels different. I know, woe is me right?

Just some more pics of how my rear end turned out and the exhaust my bus came with. Yeah it wasn't stock.

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Evilrift
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 9:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I didn't want to create a new thread even though it is not a bay but thought someone might get a kick out of the cake that was made for me for the baby shower.


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PostPosted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 9:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Awesome cake!

It appears you're pushing yourself to "get er done". The suspension work looks terrific!

I know when I get burned out during a VW project, I'll take some time away from it. If I find myself procrastinating, I'll simply tell myself, "ok, go spend an hour and complete that part".. I then go do that and sometimes get in motion and spend more than the hour.

I find that breaking down BIG projects into smaller sections, makes it easier to complete on small section at a time until the BIG project is done.

Now, get off ASS and stab that nice looking motor in and post a video of it purring! Laughing
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guitarman63mm
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 10:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I installed my first rebuild a few weeks ago - I was dreading it for months, worred i had installed something incorrectly, and that it would blow up in my face, until I finally just decided that enough was enough. You have to buck up and just do it. You either built it right and it'll run great, or something went awry and you'll have to pull it apart- leaving it to sit in purgatory isn't doing you or your bus any good. Dig into it.
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old DKP driver
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 11:53 pm    Post subject: engine build Reply with quote

So you didn't end up going to Ken for your engine rebuild Question
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Evilrift
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 1:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I did go to Ken at Jensen Enterprise he did awesome work (from what I can tell without firing it up) and was extremely knowledgable.

I've been sitting on the engine he did for 3 months now. To be fair though there was that week where I sent the injectors off.
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ned
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 7:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My trick is to look at each job one at a time. Dont look at the whole pile. Crying or Very sad Small goals. It helps it feel like a little victory. Very Happy Learn to enjoy the process as well. Very Happy Very Happy
And bye the way it looks really good. I can assure you that when you start that engine for the first time you will be stoked.
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