TheSamba.com :: View topic - Wildcat

Wed Mar 28, 2012 9:35 pm

The ALH is far from 'new tech' - it's already over 13 years old. It's also a mechanical injection system with an electronic throttle ('drive by wire') and ECU-modified linear timing curve + boost control. Nothing Earth-shattering, when compared to real electronic diesel controls as in common rail systems or the PD system that VW veered off into for a few years.

One of the problems with 'modern' techs is that they are more-often not skilled in basic diagnostics, relying instead on computers to tell them what to do. When that doesn't help they resort to swapping in multiple new parts until the car is fixed.

Wed Mar 28, 2012 9:45 pm

ALH = easy. I can teach you all you need to know in an afternoon.

Most of you guys who can post on a forum can time an injection pump using vagcom...

Just sayin... :wink:

Thu Sep 13, 2012 2:46 pm

First time poster here (long time lurker!), sorry bout that but hopefully I'll be able to get my own syncro soon. I just wanted to add my $.02 as a ASE master tech and advanced diesel specialist.
Blackdog mentioned it on page 4 but I will confirm that Proper injection lines are "a big deal" the engine as pictured has uneven injection timing. Cyl #2&3 are more advanced than 1&4. Whomever "fixed" your injection pump is of questionable skill if they let you leave their shop like that.
I would advise you to get the engine you have running correctly. In my opinion this should have been job #1. Chances are that its undamaged mechanically and if it has good compression and leakdown #'s will outlive you if properly maintained.
The mech. Pump is the only way to go for a "expedition" vehicle IMHO. I would order a new pump and injectors and TWO sets of new lines. Get your current pump timed correctly and tuned (governer,fuel,boost,timing) and it'll have plenty of power. Get the new pump tuned to your engine also and get your new injectors w/the same part#.
Get hold of the instructions for timing belt and print them out and carry them with you.Now all you need is someone who can change a timing belt and read and has basic mechanic skills and you have a complete spare engine management system. Do that w/a ALH.[/quote]

Thu Sep 13, 2012 3:03 pm

On second thought, although I really want a ahu m-tdi m-vnt 17/22 I might be willing to settle for your 1z m-tdi sight unseen. How much, i'd be willing to pay atleast twice what the the scrappers will give plus shipping!

Thu Sep 13, 2012 3:11 pm

Sorry about the double post. My phone tends to do that, its a cell network thing I think.
Swapping out the injection lines is a great beginer job btw, messy and smelly but dead simple. Doing it will also give you the skills to diagnose a dead cylinder or injector w/1 wrench (no computer needed).

Fri Sep 14, 2012 12:25 pm

kgold708 wrote: the engine as pictured has uneven injection timing. Cyl #2&3 are more advanced than 1&4.

Assuming the four lines are the same length and diameter then what are you thinking would cause 2&3 to be more advanced. From the pics I've seen, I sure can't tell if they are or aren't and I don't believe you can either.

Fri Sep 14, 2012 1:49 pm

Andrew A. Libby wrote: kgold708 wrote: the engine as pictured has uneven injection timing. Cyl #2&3 are more advanced than 1&4.

Assuming the four lines are the same length and diameter then what are you thinking would cause 2&3 to be more advanced. From the pics I've seen, I sure can't tell if they are or aren't and I don't believe you can either.

What you believe isn't my problem, or wildcats, however if you look closely at his engine pics its pretty clear(to me atleast) that the lines for cyl 2&3 are about 20-30% shorter. Btw it looks like someone "fabricated" those lines out of generic brake line and fittings. Which would explain why he has already experienced a fatigue failure on one of the lines. Bosch didn't put all those fancy mandrel bends on the stock lines to make them pretty!

Fri Sep 14, 2012 2:50 pm

Actually #2 appears similar to but a little longer than #4. #1 appears the longest and #3 the shortest. At the same time, it's pretty darn impossible to measure the length of a 3 dimensional object in a 2 dimensional image. How can you tell the length of a pencil pointing at the camera?

I agree that the lines need to be the same length. If someone fabbed them from brake line of varying lengths then it was a very bad move.

Fri Sep 14, 2012 4:10 pm

Andrew A. Libby wrote: Actually #2 appears similar to but a little longer than #4. #1 appears the longest and #3 the shortest. At the same time, it's pretty darn impossible to measure the length of a 3 dimensional object in a 2 dimensional image. How can you tell the length of a pencil pointing at the camera?

I agree that the lines need to be the same length. If someone fabbed them from brake line of varying lengths then it was a very bad move.

I know the relative positions of the pump outlets and the injector inlets and that the lines in the picture move in a pretty smooth arc. I know I can't go to NAPA and buy line rated for 220bar injection pressure. And even if I could find line and fittings and the proper hydraulic flare tool, I would order the lines from bosch. Have you ever seen what diesel fuel at 220bar does to human tissue!?
Btw.. it depends on if its been sharpened :)

Fri Sep 14, 2012 4:34 pm

syncrodoka wrote: All vw bus panels have the upper rear louvers, back from the early busses to the vanagons.

No they don't my 68

Sat Sep 15, 2012 4:37 am

Kurt are you sure yours didnt have the louvers. I've never seen one without them.

A quick browse of the classifieds brought up these images

looks like its got no louvers

but it does have em

Sat Sep 15, 2012 4:50 am

taigagreen wrote: kamzcab86 wrote:

I'm guessing those rear side vents are for the furnace... :?:

Those are standard vents on all panel vans or half panel vans. They have the same function as the vents on the back of the rear side windows. Like so:

Had rear but not side.

Sat Sep 15, 2012 3:54 pm

Andrew A. Libby wrote:
I agree that the lines need to be the same length. If someone fabbed them from brake line of varying lengths then it was a very bad move.
Those were the lines on the van when I bought it. And those were the lines still on there when the pump was rebuilt. They are the incorrect lines and in fact one of them broke on a road trip and left us semi-stranded! Luckily we were able to make it back less than an hour from home, so it wasn't too bad.
They have since been changed by a mechanic that knew they were the wrong lines. My current mechanic is the only person who has ever told me that those aren't the correct lines for the van. So I hadn't changed them due to neglect, only lack of knowledge. I never took photos of the updated lines to post because I was too busy enjoying the van.

kgold708 wrote:
I would advise you to get the engine you have running correctly. In my opinion this should have been job #1.
:D To those who know me well, they probably had a good laugh when they read this too. Yes, I agree with you 100% and that's exactly what I've been trying to do for a long time. I took it to a top-rated VW shop in my area (Dallas/Ft Worth at the time) had it fully gone through, had the pump rebuilt by a VW/Bosch Shop and spent thousands fixing it up. At the end of the day, the van that arrived to my house on a car-shipping truck compared to that same van a few months later after work had been completed, was a night and day difference. A van that couldn't climb hills without losing RPMs was now doing just that. It is awesome.

Fast forward a year, and the "hills" of Dallas don't compare to the "hills" in San Francisco...or the trails and mountains all around us. For me personally, I like the diesel, but I want more power from it. I'm sure I could absolutely do more work to my current engine or fuel pump, but at this point I don't want to spend even more money on an engine I've never been 100% happy with. I would rather spend that same money on an engine that I know more about and can go through before installing. It isn't the right thing or the wrong thing to do, it's just what I am choosing to do.

Sat Sep 15, 2012 4:36 pm

Its sad that these more basic diesel systems simply aren't in use as much anymore, I consider them to be very elegant EMS. The school I trained at started throwing mechanical diesels in the dumpster soon after I received my training in 2005. No more running engines in the classroom on a cup of veg oil without so much as a battery in sight.
I've been to San Francisco and you have a VERY valid need for as much torque as is humanly possible! I'm sure Wildcats M-tdi will get a good (sub-2ton) home.:)

Sat Sep 15, 2012 4:43 pm

What are your thoughts on a replacement power plant?

Sat Sep 15, 2012 6:23 pm

Wildcat, I can understand your frustration with your current engine. I guess what I (and others) have tried to say is that the AHU properly set up is more than up to the task. Assuming your current engine is in decent shape (good compression, good oil pressure and doesn't burn oil) then the only thing you'll gain from an ALH swap rather than getting your current engine set up right is a bigger hole in your pocket where money used to be. I asked this before, but did the people who built your pump know that it was for an mTDI engine? That is a very custom application and from your report on the governor setting and general fueling I would say not. You have never had an intercooler fitted.

My mTDI AHU high top van will thoroughly spank a 2.2 Subaru both up hills and past the fuel stations. I have only had to downshift once during highway driving and that was just briefly on an extreme grade in Colorado while towing a trailer loaded with three high tops, all the windows and vents for them (plus one extra set), a complete AAZ engine and a 5-speed transmission.

Then again, there's nothing wrong with doing whatever you want with your van. Regardless of what you do, I wish you the best with it.

Wed Feb 13, 2013 10:15 am

Well, after a lot of thought and consideration, I've decided to move forward with an ALH engine that I was able to get a good price. My mechanic was able to get the entire car so we could remove everything we needed and have a better idea of the history of the vehicle.

In the mean time, I had heavily considered going with the Audi 2.5 TDI engine, as this is the engine my mechanic has in his Syncro and it is quite the specimen. I got a 2.5 TDI engine and we started the rebuild process, but mid-way through a good deal on a ALH came around, so I decided to go that route instead. I went this way, because it will be easier to maintain and find parts on the road. I decided it was okay to give up a little power for easier future maintenance.

I've also decided to go to a 4.86 R&P, because I spend a lot more time on pavement than I do off-road. So, new tranny is rebuilt and ready to go, ALH is almost fully rebuilt and ready to go, fuel pump is fully rebuilt...just waiting on the ECU to get back from Germany where it was being reprogramed.

Hopefully all of this means that, within the next month or two, Wildcat will ready to roll, even stronger than before. And I hope to make it to the shop at least once a week or so to get plenty of photos of the process, to share here.

In the mean time, I am selling my current 5.43 R&P transmission (fully rebuilt in June 2010), the 2.5 TDI engine I won't be using and my current 1Z mTDI setup (which is already on hold for someone). If you have any interest in these parts, please look at my classified ads.

Mon Dec 28, 2015 8:12 pm

bumped with the forsale ad.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1876615
Quote: 1987 Vanagon TDI- Expedition Syncro Price: 60000
Beautiful Expedition Syncro, build for purpose in Germany and refined in the U.S.A.Safety locking system for the doors, Recaro seat (heated) in the front matched to the bench seat.

Dual A/C ( Front is master w. infinity dials and rear is slave)

TDI ALH engine (complete rebuild incl. new turbo / rebuilt injection pump).
Transmission/FDU rebuilt by HA Projekt, regeared 3 and 4th to match engine and vehicle weight. Custom drive shaft (two part with CV joints),so no drive shaft vibration. 3 Knobs with Visco still as part of 4WD system.Lifted with Fox suspension and Burley suspension .Big Brakes upgrade front and rear.
16" BFG All Terrain Dual tank system(could run VO with small additions)
Stainless steel Tire carrier correctly mounted to the right .

Reimo interior build for purpose with a taller kitchen cabinet then the Westy so if you use the Kitchen there is less bending over.
Engel Dual Compartment Fridge/Freezer.
Auxiliary Batterie with Solar charge set up
Propex heater Awning.

There is way more to mention then there is place here, I know it is not easy but I strongly recommend to have the Expedition Syncro checked out to see and understand what kind of Vanagon Syncro this truly is.

Little to No seam rust, no rust around windows, underbody is in excellent condition.

We have the vehicle for sale local and reserve the right to cancel the listening if the vehicle sells before the listening ends.
Advertiser information Ad information
Advertiser: Detlev
Member since:
October 04, 2006
Location: Livermore, California, USA
VIN#:
Condition: 2 - Very Good
Ad placed: Today 12:18 am
Ad last edited: Today 12:26 am
Views: 646

Wed Sep 14, 2016 9:43 pm

It's been a while since I've been on the boards. Bought a house, had a kid, got a puppy....so spare time is definitely a thing of the past.

Wildcat has a new home. We released him back into the wild last month so we could put a yard in at our new house...and we didn't have room to store 5 cars! :shock:

The new owner can feel free to say hello (if they would like) and keep us posted on all the new adventures...the first of which, was a trip to Burning Man!

Aloha, Sambanistas. Thanks for the advice and memories throughout the years.