Subaru Conversion and Rebuild of a 1984 Blue Westy

wesitarz · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2015 4:22 am Post subject:

I notice you have two green striped timing belt pulleys. According to a post on Youtube, these are single bearing type and don't last. You might want to swap those out for double bearing type (black stripe),while you have the engine out.

88 Wolfsburg with 02 Subaru 2.5L

Bills85Westy · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2015 5:45 pm Post subject:

I just wanted to compliment you on your build! Good stuff!

I'm following along.
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89 Tristar Syncro Doka - White
85 Westfalia Syncro (conversion)
SAH 1.8T Conversion - 2005 AWP
Engine Conversion Thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=612144&highlight=
85 Doka L345 Grey - 1.9L

BlueNorthWesty · Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2015 9:00 am Post subject:

BlueNorthWesty · Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 8:38 pm Post subject:

I can't remember a winter as mild as this one in all the years I've lived in Calgary. I hadn't planned on getting anything done on the van but we've had so little cold weather that I'm should be able to get to most of the mechanical work before spring.

This is my back yard this morning, February 15, 2015. This is typically the coldest time of the year and there should be 3 feet of snow.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

There are only a few things left to do before the engine goes in. I'd though I'd start the day with a couple of bottles. One for the final drive, and the other for the gearbox. Please don't anyone tell me I'm using the wrong stuff. I really don't know much about automatics, and only recently learned that you fill them through the dipstick Embarassed

. That's covered in another thread.

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1984 Medium Blue Vanagon Westfalia 2WD w/ rebuilt Auto, Peloquin differential, 3.27 R&P gears, 2002 Subaru 2.5L engine, Girling G60 front brake upgrade, PS, power mirrors

Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=610481&highlight=

BlueNorthWesty · Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 8:49 pm Post subject:

One of the last things I needed to do before installing the fuel tank in was putting in some brackets to hold the new stainless coolant pipes. My van didn't have the wire hangars that the RMW guide says I should have, so I made new ones similar to the ones I removed. The one on the front were able to hold the heating lines as well so I incorporated that on both of them.

I started with mild sheet steel and marked 3" across, 1 1/2 " on the sides and left enough for the heater hoses.

You might notice that one of the brackets is missing a heater hose holder because there is no room up there for that one. It will have to be zip tied nearby.

I test fit them and then used galvanizing dry film to protect them before the final install.

They looked great but then I was concerned about the clearance under the tank, so I took the front pipes out and cut a bit of metal away from one of the channels. I don't think it made any difference but at least I wasn't concerned about it when it came time to put in the tank. Here's a photo because it looks cool with the sparks and it's really hard to take a photo like this when you're cutting metal under a van.

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1984 Medium Blue Vanagon Westfalia 2WD w/ rebuilt Auto, Peloquin differential, 3.27 R&P gears, 2002 Subaru 2.5L engine, Girling G60 front brake upgrade, PS, power mirrors

Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=610481&highlight=

BlueNorthWesty · Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 8:59 pm Post subject:

The tank has turned out to be my least favourite part of this project. Getting it out in the cold in December was a nightmare and left me covered in fuel. Getting it back is was a breeze in comparison but there were a lot of connections to make and seriously - it was so boring. I just want to put in the engine and hear it run. Here are some boring photos:

You can see I stuck a whole lot of rubber pads on the tank to eliminate rubbing and noise.

If felt a lot more optimistic with the tank in. It really went well except I broke a nipple off an expansion tank vent. I knew they were brittle and I barely touched it.

The tank I used has the larger diameter fuel outlet so I changed the filter to the new type.

Well, here it is - done. Now only only a few things remain before I can finally put in the new engine.

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1984 Medium Blue Vanagon Westfalia 2WD w/ rebuilt Auto, Peloquin differential, 3.27 R&P gears, 2002 Subaru 2.5L engine, Girling G60 front brake upgrade, PS, power mirrors

Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=610481&highlight=

wyldryce · Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 10:41 pm Post subject:

Excellent work, it's been fun to watch your progress. You've got to be loving this gift of a mild winter...I know I'm getting much more van work in than I had anticipated! Very Happy

wesitarz · Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 11:10 pm Post subject:

I did the same with canister pre-filter before the fuel pump. Nicer job than mine though. I also have a Subaru filter in the engine compartment. Have a look at the 'loose trans' thread regarding use of Type F or Trick Shift auto trans fluid.

88 Wolfsburg with 02 Subaru 2.5L

kalispell365 · Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 10:59 am Post subject:

If you add a small section of the rubber hose on the nipple of the valve in the top of the expansion tanks between it and the hard line, it is MUCH easier to work with.
Use a little heat to remove the hard line and usually you can get it off without breaking the nipple.
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1983 Diesel Vanagon Westfalia chassis with Subaru 2.2l

BlueNorthWesty · Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 9:07 pm Post subject:

syncroserge · Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 10:11 pm Post subject:

I hope you won't mind a small intrusion into your thread..

Trying to attract as much local attention as possible..

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=619515

please please everyone keep your eyes wide..

BlueNorthWesty · Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 10:21 pm Post subject:

BlueNorthWesty · Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 6:42 am Post subject:

BlueNorthWesty · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 9:48 pm Post subject:

This week I pulled the axles off and repacked the CV joints. They were in nice condition but the grease was like tar. There is a lot of debate about the right grease to use. I went with the Red Line CV-2 grease that GoWesty sells.

I learned that the axles on an automatic are different lengths, when you put together the joint don't mix parts from other joints, and pay attention to how it was before: the inner race has a step on one face, and the cage has one flat face, and one bevelled face. In case you are wondering, the step on the inner race faces out, and the flat on the cage also faces out.

If you look at the photo above you can see that the narrow ridges on the inner race line up with the fatter ones on the outer race. If it's done correctly the joint will move without binding.
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1984 Medium Blue Vanagon Westfalia 2WD w/ rebuilt Auto, Peloquin differential, 3.27 R&P gears, 2002 Subaru 2.5L engine, Girling G60 front brake upgrade, PS, power mirrors

Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=610481&highlight=

BlueNorthWesty · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2015 10:04 pm Post subject:

Last month I painted the inside of the engine bay and used a cold galvanizing spray on the rear apron where there had been some welding and rust.

The problem is, the zinc dry film isn't tough enough for that location and would need to be top coated. There's almost nothing (nothing I wanted to use) that will topcoat zinc, so today I ground off the zinc and applied two coats of POR-15 after prepping the area with degreaser and metal prep.

Some zinc still left to remove:

Mostly gone:

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1984 Medium Blue Vanagon Westfalia 2WD w/ rebuilt Auto, Peloquin differential, 3.27 R&P gears, 2002 Subaru 2.5L engine, Girling G60 front brake upgrade, PS, power mirrors

Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=610481&highlight=

kalispell365 · Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 10:11 am Post subject:

Those vent valves are readily available from any number of local suppliers, they are identical to the ones used in a Jeep.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fuel-Tank-Vent-Valve-Dorma...mp;vxp=mtr

This is just a sample from Ebay, I bet the Dorman number can be bought right in your area, if Bus depot says 4 weeks, chances are they will not deliver.

Also, if you use a small section of rubber hose on the valve side like the opposite side of the hard line in your photo, it will go right up in there, no problem.Then, you will never have a problem dropping them later without the stiff line stressing the nipple.
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1983 Diesel Vanagon Westfalia chassis with Subaru 2.2l

BlueNorthWesty · Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2015 10:33 am Post subject:

Halifaxwesty · Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2015 7:00 pm Post subject:

I just picked up my RMW Kit today...Christmas in February!!

Halifax is having an evil...cold...relentless winter...

My Calgary friends are rubbing it in...soon I will be in the engine bay of my van cleaning and repairing some rust damage..

Your thread is very inspiring...
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84 Westfalia Vanagon
2.2 RMW Conversion
Work in Progress

My first car was a 1968 VW Bug

BlueNorthWesty · Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2015 8:28 pm Post subject:

BlueNorthWesty · Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2015 8:48 pm Post subject:

The weather is still nice enough to work on the van in the evenings, but I don't have much time lately. I'm inching along putting in a couple of hours here and there. I'm down to the finer details. I got the propane tank assembled and put the other axle back on. I had to buy another boot since I left one in the degreaser overnight and that didn't do it any good.

At the same time I put on the RMW speed sensor. There are only a few things left to do before the engine goes in Very Happy

_________________
1984 Medium Blue Vanagon Westfalia 2WD w/ rebuilt Auto, Peloquin differential, 3.27 R&P gears, 2002 Subaru 2.5L engine, Girling G60 front brake upgrade, PS, power mirrors

Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=610481&highlight=


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Subaru Conversion and Rebuild of a 1984 Blue Westy
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