TheSamba.com :: View topic - When VW mechanics need to pull a big trailer.....

Tue Oct 07, 2008 4:43 pm

These local guys have done quite a few conversions, lotsa TD & TDi vans, Diesels into samurais & their shop truck is a Isuzu p/u with a eurovan 5cyl diesel. Then Russ decided he wanted to pull a trailer full of dirtbikes. This is the bas$#rd child he created.

5spd with limited slip, 4 wheel disks, Porsche 4 piston's up front & the mileage isn't bad either! I didn't get a shot from the rear but the ground clearance is good too, bit higher than a subi conversion WITH shortened oilpan. Exhaust is routed SA microbus style with cat conv.

(Yes very dusty from pulling around dirtbikes.)

This isn't a ad for their shop but anyone in BC looking for one of the best can PM me for details on them.

Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:57 pm

Looks like a clean swap.

Wed Oct 08, 2008 3:50 am

that is bad a$$

Wed Oct 08, 2008 4:18 am

kayakwesty wrote: that is bad a$$
+1

Typical Vancouver Island street????

Wed Oct 08, 2008 6:19 am

That is evil in its purest, most unadulterated form... I F'n LOVE IT! Any sound clips of it?

*drool*

Wed Oct 08, 2008 8:56 am

Sorry no sound clips, it wouldn't do much for ya anyway, its pretty quiet. Pulls like a mofo tho!

Quote: Looks like a clean swap.

Its a VERY clean install, all the brackets look like a factory build & no duct tape or haywire anywhere.

Wed Oct 08, 2008 11:43 am

does it has a stick or a slush box tranny?

Wed Oct 08, 2008 12:19 pm

I would sacrifice my deck height for that. No question...

Wed Oct 08, 2008 1:10 pm

Quote: does it has a stick or a slush box tranny?

Euro 5spd manual with peloquin limited slip.

Thu Oct 09, 2008 4:41 pm

Can I get more information about this swap? I am going to have the opportunity to do a swap of this magnitude within the next three years and I would like more information on this particular van.

Thu Oct 09, 2008 5:14 pm

I've seen a couple of those Audi V8s in the junkyard ~ eyeball gauge said the motor would fit, but it's nice to see it done.

For us CA guys (and other stickler smog states) that might be a pain in keister, but I'd like to do it if I could. The Subaru is fine, but I'd like a little more engine for the hassle, I guess.

Nice.

Lanval

Sun Jul 10, 2011 5:47 pm

hmmmmm. :lol:

Sun Jul 10, 2011 6:26 pm

BlackDogVan wrote: Its a VERY clean install, all the brackets look like a factory build & no duct tape or haywire anywhere.

Clean +1 Very nice 8)

Aren't those 32V V8's a bit pricey to work on? I know TB jobs on them are critical and parts are a bit $$.

Sun Jul 10, 2011 6:39 pm

BlackDogVan wrote: Quote: does it has a stick or a slush box tranny?

Euro 5spd manual with peloquin limited slip. Thanks for sharing, DAMN YOU :evil:
:D

Very very sweet!

Sun Jul 10, 2011 6:43 pm

I had the chance to drive Russ's van. Its is nice, very smooth and quiet. You run out of first very quickly, and for me the shifting was the acceleration limiting step. I think Russ said he starts out in second most times.

alistair

Sun Jul 10, 2011 9:36 pm

Looks very toight, toight like a tiger. Nice.

Sun Jul 10, 2011 10:04 pm

Thats friggen cool.. 8)

Sun Jul 10, 2011 10:25 pm

Nice wake up on a 3 year old thread!

Sun Jul 10, 2011 10:29 pm

James 93SLC wrote: BlackDogVan wrote: Its a VERY clean install, all the brackets look like a factory build & no duct tape or haywire anywhere.

Clean +1 Very nice 8)

Aren't those 32V V8's a bit pricey to work on? I know TB jobs on them are critical and parts are a bit $$.

The actual Audi V8 car is pricey to work on. The hydraulic system that assists the steering and the brakes is high maintenance and the components are expensive. There are also a lot of unique cooling system/trans cooler hoses that are pricey. But the engine itself isn't a lot different than other VAG engines of this age. It uses Bosch Motronic and most of the sensors and other components are priced like you'd expect.

The timing belt job isn't too bad. You need two special tools - a bar that holds the cams on both cylinder banks in position while the belt is being installed/tightened, and a locking pin that holds the crank at TDC #1. Then it's just the belt and two idlers that need replacing.

The biggest problem I see with using one of these early 3.6 Audi V8 motors is that they are now very old (90-91 only) and if you look at the cars still on the road they all have a zillion miles on them. The engines can't really be rebuilt because they use Alu-Sil cylinder walls (Reynolds 390 format) with aluminum walls with high silicone content and then plated pistons. This actually wears very well, but come rebuild time you can't bore or hone the cylinder bores.

I actually used to dream about this conversion back in high school. I knew the Audi V8 was essentially two GTI 16V engines put together at a 45 degree included angle and that a diesel Vanagon used a diesel version of the same 4 cylinder family mounted at 50 degrees. So I knew length wise it would fit, and I was pretty sure height wise it would come close - which it does.

It's cool to see that someone has actually done this. The Audi 3.6 V8 was a relatively weak performer with an automatic, but Audi sold a very few 5 speed manual V8s here and the 0-60 time went down to 6.6 seconds from the 9.2 that the automatic gave. The engine definitely likes to rev. And that's in a car that tipped the scale at 4000 lbs. So, yes, a Vanagon would definitely move with this engine pushing it.

David

Mon Jul 25, 2011 12:24 am

*drooooooool* Why don't more people do this?

It looks AWESOME! And super fresh and clean.