Progress on the Nomad (my 412 wagon)

[anglodeutsch4]

Apologies to keifernet, I'm posting this here and on Shoptalk because I figure folks in both places might be interested...

Latest on the continuing saga of my '73 412 wagon. Last night we got the '76 Plymouth Duster (working on for my daughter to drive) rolled out, freeing up the left garage bay for 412 engine and transaxle. The engine is over there, the transaxle will be tonight after getting a bath (it's REALLY filthy ).

Pictures of the Nomad are on the Samba Gallery, I'll post engine/transaxle images as I get them...

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_search.php?search_author=anglodeutsch4

Here's the list of remaining things to complete...

>Jack up the front and R&R the entire front suspension using Ray's ideas as much as possible...
>Remove remaining misc. stuff and prep the engine bay and area above the transaxle for repainting with high-temp rattle can paint, then repaint.
>Reinstall the Eber, do a full-up heater test (minus the engine heat exchangers)
>Overhaul the auto transaxle
>clean and relube the CV joints, strip and paint the driveshafts, new boots, reassemble.
>Hang the transaxle back under the car, connect up linkages and driveshafts.
>Strip the engine.
>Pull the heads and jugs, mike out the pistons and cylinders, check the heads.
>Install crankcase vent tubes in the heads for the PCV system.
>Clean, derust, repaint all engine tin, intake tubes, intake plenum, fan housing, etc.
>Since the A/C compressor's a pain to get to with the engine in there, I may overhaul the old compressor just so I can install it with belt on the engine.
>Reassemble the engine with new seals and and gaskets, and anything else needed.
>Install engine, test run
>Have a couple cold ones Maybe a Bitburger Pils or three...
>Replace the windshield seal, maybe the rest too.
>Down the road a bit...repaint

I've already got the rest of the A/C system flushed and inerted, the starter and alternator have been worked over, the floorpans front and rear prepped and repainted, front trunk prepped and repainted, electrical system work and mods done, fuel tank cleaned and inerted, brakes overhauled, new tires, new battery, and Blaupunkt Emden radio repaired and installed (whew)
_________________
Lane
MGVWFAN (STF)
anglodeutsch4 (Samba)
73 VW 412 (the Nomad, dropped valve seat land now, argh!)
67 MGB (Built-In Rust from Abingdon)
2002 NB TDI (40 MPG)
2009 JSW 2.5 (love it, love it, love it!)

[ecdez]

Progress is always good!

I wish I had some
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Type 1 - '68, '74
Type 2 - '69, '79
Type 3 - '66 Fasty
Type 4 - '74 412

[keifernet]

That's GREAT Lane ... man I wish I had any amount of time ( and $) to devote to one of my current keepers...

Hoping I can swing by sometime soon to get a look at the old gal and admire your progress in person... I'll bring the beer!

BTW.... what's the apolgoy for

[anglodeutsch4]

Crossposting is usually a no-no, but I'd bet one of those Bitburger Pils that postings on T4's are welcome from anywhere, anytime, as rare as these things are!

Sure dude, just give a ring to see if I'm in, and drop on by. I need to get you to help out with evaluating the P&C's in any case, and I'd be happy to get any advice on the Nomad you've got.

Herr Ecdez, don't feel too bad, it took 5 months to get to this state, so it's not really going at a blinding pace My MGB was in the garage and back out with an overhauled engine and trans, reworked electrical system, alternator (it had a Lord Lucas, the Lord of Darkness dynamo ), repainted engine bay, all in 3 months, so I'm really dragging on the Nomad...
_________________
Lane
MGVWFAN (STF)
anglodeutsch4 (Samba)
73 VW 412 (the Nomad, dropped valve seat land now, argh!)
67 MGB (Built-In Rust from Abingdon)
2002 NB TDI (40 MPG)
2009 JSW 2.5 (love it, love it, love it!)

[anglodeutsch4]

Hey Keith, what's up with the avatar? Is that your T2 with the crunched right rear? If so, man, what a bummer!
_________________
Lane
MGVWFAN (STF)
anglodeutsch4 (Samba)
73 VW 412 (the Nomad, dropped valve seat land now, argh!)
67 MGB (Built-In Rust from Abingdon)
2002 NB TDI (40 MPG)
2009 JSW 2.5 (love it, love it, love it!)

[keifernet]

[anglodeutsch4]

Whew! Glad it wasn't yours.

BTW, the Nomad's engine is stripped, and before I pull the heads I had a question. Any ideas on how to get the torqueplate off? I'm thinking I can stuff some small diameter rope in #1 and #3 through the spark plug holes, then rotate the crank until the rope is compressed against the heads, then loosen the five 12-point bolts and pull the torqueplate. The VW holding ring thingy looks to be made of unobtanium
_________________
Lane
MGVWFAN (STF)
anglodeutsch4 (Samba)
73 VW 412 (the Nomad, dropped valve seat land now, argh!)
67 MGB (Built-In Rust from Abingdon)
2002 NB TDI (40 MPG)
2009 JSW 2.5 (love it, love it, love it!)

[keifernet]

If you don't have that 12pt tool I have it... and I just zip them OFF with my impact and re -toruqe them with the torque wrench when re -assemlbing.

[anglodeutsch4]

Well, I've got the M12 size 12 point bit around here SOMEWHERE, but when I looked around tonight, it was missing from the drawer so I might have to borrow yours. As for the impact driver, I don't have one, so that might be a problem...
_________________
Lane
MGVWFAN (STF)
anglodeutsch4 (Samba)
73 VW 412 (the Nomad, dropped valve seat land now, argh!)
67 MGB (Built-In Rust from Abingdon)
2002 NB TDI (40 MPG)
2009 JSW 2.5 (love it, love it, love it!)

[anglodeutsch4]

Update on progress...

Latest...the AT is out, and de-crudded. Boy, was it FILTHY. The past two days, while waiting for the rain/drizzle/slizzle to stop so I could pull the AT, I stripped the engine down, and started wire brushing the stuff that needed it, the coil, brackets, manifold tubes, etc. Now it's on to the front end so I can get Ray the centerlink, then painting the engine bay and the area above the transaxle, or tearing down the engine, whichever works out better at the time.
_________________
Lane
MGVWFAN (STF)
anglodeutsch4 (Samba)
73 VW 412 (the Nomad, dropped valve seat land now, argh!)
67 MGB (Built-In Rust from Abingdon)
2002 NB TDI (40 MPG)
2009 JSW 2.5 (love it, love it, love it!)

[anglodeutsch4]

Update #2...the centerlink, idler bracket, tie rods, and steering gearbox are out. Boy, what a pain to get that centerlink out. We'll see if Ray can do something with it.
_________________
Lane
MGVWFAN (STF)
anglodeutsch4 (Samba)
73 VW 412 (the Nomad, dropped valve seat land now, argh!)
67 MGB (Built-In Rust from Abingdon)
2002 NB TDI (40 MPG)
2009 JSW 2.5 (love it, love it, love it!)

[anglodeutsch4]

Latest on the Nomad's engine!!!

OK, I pulled the left head tonight for a look-see (I just COULDN'T wait). No ridge whatsoever, no rust, just some carbon (expected), and the bore measures out to 93mm, so it is a 1.8 L set of P&C's, with 1.8 L heads like you told me, Keith (I trust you of course, but it's always good to verify things like that). They appear to be in excellent shape. The heads are in great shape, just some carbon. You did a great job with the previous overhaul, it appears to my Brit car trained eyes.

I could re-seal, re-gasket, clean, reassemble, and probably be OK with my 70 hp engine since the pistons are dished (low compression).

If the pistons were flat topped, I would just keep on truckin', but since they're dished, I have a decision to make. Keith and T4 gurus, advice please, do you recommend...

(a) Do nothing, keep on trucking with a good LC 1.8 L, maybe rebuild for HC later, or
(b) Build a flattop piston 1.8L, or
(c) Build a flattop piston 1.7L, or
(d) Build a domed piston 1.8L (if such things even exist), or
(e) Build a domed piston 1.7L

I'm keeping D-Jet, but adjusting the MPS won't be a major problem for me, and I might even be able to do some Ve compensation by tweaking the waveform generators in the ECU (it helps to be an electronic type guy sometimes), so fuel delivery can get sorted out eventually for any option above. If spending the $$$ for a new set of P&C's makes sense to me, I can do it, but I figure I'll ask first. I definitely don't want to spend the $$$ for a new set of heads, the ones I have now are low mileage (confirmed) and in great shape. I'm looking for a reliable driver with good power and the ability to handle the AT and A/C without becoming a dog on the road (or in town, either). No drag racer, but at least able to keep up with my daughter's /6 Duster

Good work Keith, the only oil leak was from the oil pump, and it was minor. Getting a T4 to seal that well is a challenge!

Thoughts???
_________________
Lane
MGVWFAN (STF)
anglodeutsch4 (Samba)
73 VW 412 (the Nomad, dropped valve seat land now, argh!)
67 MGB (Built-In Rust from Abingdon)
2002 NB TDI (40 MPG)
2009 JSW 2.5 (love it, love it, love it!)

[Triple Geek]

I would just leave it as is and make a clean driver out of it. Save the money for something else.

[keifernet]

IMO I would just get new rings for those pistons... they were Kolbehscmidt or Mahles if I recall, we can see the insigina when one comes off. I am pretty sure I did not use Cofaps on that engine, but it was a long time ago so don't hold me to it. All I remember is I bought the best I could get at the time of everything as it was a personal project.

Might want to take the springs off and check the valves, I can touch the valve job up, I have the tools / equipment.

That engine had no problem cruising 80MPH and still had more pedal. Now that you have the FI trouble figured out it should be even better. I really don't think you need to do much more to it, unless you just want to...

[anglodeutsch4]

You know what? As easy as it is to drop the engine in an ACVW, I might just re-ring and hone the jugs, get you to look at the heads, and save the rest for a later day. I'd like to up the CR and get a solid 80 hp out of it like the factory advertised in the stock 1.7L, but it's not like an engine drop takes 8-12 hours (like on my MGB!). I guess the only difference is the A/C, I'll be using it in the summer, and if the extra hp draw makes it a dog, that would crank up the gain on getting more hp sooner. But, I can assess that after I get it back on the road, eh?

Mahles or Kolbenschmidts...wow, good stuff Keith

BTW, I have a set of NIB white T3 seat covers that the PO gave me, and I have no use for them. Do you?
_________________
Lane
MGVWFAN (STF)
anglodeutsch4 (Samba)
73 VW 412 (the Nomad, dropped valve seat land now, argh!)
67 MGB (Built-In Rust from Abingdon)
2002 NB TDI (40 MPG)
2009 JSW 2.5 (love it, love it, love it!)

[anglodeutsch4]

Today's progress...due to the low humidity conditions, painting was in order. Today was cleaning, de-rusting, painting, and baking the intake manifolds and air distributor. Doesn't sound like much, but the rats had left their...mark, shall we say, on everything topside of the engine, and the cow's udder (what I took to calling the air distributor) was especially rusty and nasty. The udder took 4 hours by itself. Wire wheel on the grinder, and rotary cup brushes on the drill press, along with sanding and scraping. Damn, wish I had a media blaster and 5 hp compressor to run it
_________________
Lane
MGVWFAN (STF)
anglodeutsch4 (Samba)
73 VW 412 (the Nomad, dropped valve seat land now, argh!)
67 MGB (Built-In Rust from Abingdon)
2002 NB TDI (40 MPG)
2009 JSW 2.5 (love it, love it, love it!)

[anglodeutsch4]

Hey Keith, how's sometime this week look? The engine awaits...

Progress...wire brushed and painted the Aux Idle Air Regulator, mounted it on the udder and tested it, got 3/4 through wire brushing the rear half of the fan housing (what a pain, all those surfaces to hit), wire brushed, painted, baked the oil cooler end bracket, wire brushed, painted, and baked the second valve cover, started removing the wiring harnesses from the engine bay (getting ready to paint it)...not much, but the MG needed some TLC this weekend, too. I'll be very glad when I graduate from cleaning and painting to real wrenching
_________________
Lane
MGVWFAN (STF)
anglodeutsch4 (Samba)
73 VW 412 (the Nomad, dropped valve seat land now, argh!)
67 MGB (Built-In Rust from Abingdon)
2002 NB TDI (40 MPG)
2009 JSW 2.5 (love it, love it, love it!)

[keifernet]

Lane, I started coming down with the crud/flu going around the house/office, it finally caught up to me so I had to stay in bed and rest up this weekend.

If I don't get it too bad I can try and stop by one evening this week.

I would be after 7 or 7:30 though.

I'll give you a call, I have your #'s.

[anglodeutsch4]

Oh man, that crud is really going around. A couple folks out here at JSC are down with it. I hear 2-3 DJ's at KKRW are also out with it (and the rest are whining about having to cover for them ), Get better! Drop by when you can.
_________________
Lane
MGVWFAN (STF)
anglodeutsch4 (Samba)
73 VW 412 (the Nomad, dropped valve seat land now, argh!)
67 MGB (Built-In Rust from Abingdon)
2002 NB TDI (40 MPG)
2009 JSW 2.5 (love it, love it, love it!)

[anglodeutsch4]

Latest progress...got underneath last night and cleaned the area above the transmission (above the Eber) to see if it needed to be repainted. So far, no rust there. I'm finishing the prep there tonight, and moving to prep the engine bay, which WILL need to be repainted (it's a bit rusty). I'll post pics on The Samba gallery when I get them.
_________________
Lane
MGVWFAN (STF)
anglodeutsch4 (Samba)
73 VW 412 (the Nomad, dropped valve seat land now, argh!)
67 MGB (Built-In Rust from Abingdon)
2002 NB TDI (40 MPG)
2009 JSW 2.5 (love it, love it, love it!)