TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sat May 03, 2014 11:01 am

Funny, I thought about that very idea of using the Auto shafts the other day. Based on the conversion I did way back when I always wondered if you raised the driver side mount slightly to rotate the engine a few degrees would allow clearance and still allow the shifter to work. With an adapter plate instead to the diesel bellhousing I'm convinced this would work. Mount the engine about 5 degrees more upright and the intake should fit nicely. alternator would bang the lid at that point, but I've seen smaller diameter alternators that could likely be adapted to make that go away.

Sun May 04, 2014 7:33 pm

Danfromsyr- I was installing a 1982 5 cyl from a 5000 non turbo sedan. The intake manifold it high and the throttle body is near the westfalia cabinets. I am installing it in a 1980 air cooled westfalia that I am converting to watercooling and to the 5 cyl using the south african bell housing and engine mount. I am using donor parts from a 1984 watercooled vanagon and upgrading as i go. The engine is CIS. I also have a 1986(?) engine from a Turbo quatro, but without the fuel distributor and accessories. I was trying to do the swap on a very low budget, as my wife is a nursing student and tuition and books took a big chunk out of my monthly budget. I also live in Southern Indiana, where there are no old Audis and less Vanagons. I couldn't get answers to some of my questions (like, who can make longer CIS lines and is there any sealant that should go on the fuel injector isolators). Since I had to wait on any expenditure, the project semi-stalled. I also have a 93 audi 90 with the 2.8 v6, and electronic fuel injection, and I am really considering removing the 5 cyl and installing the v6. I also have a 1986 GL tintop with a Eurospec 2.0 liter i-4 engine that I installed, and a 1985 westfalia GL that is bone stock.

Mon May 05, 2014 6:38 am

Worked all day Sunday on getting the conversion up and running. It starts and idles. That is a small result. It does not rev worth a hoot though. I need to come up with an accel cable so I can drive it. FAS does not have any in stock currently. I believe I can cobble one together for the time being.

Considering I never heard it run and have no idea how it ran before it was removed, I am not exactly sure where to start. I am fairly confident the wiring is good. I am not really sure how to verify the engine timing. The ECU does the timing and idle. I checked it with coolant sensor connected and disconnected. It is a 45 pin ECU. No external idle stabilizer controller, it is built into the ECU. I think once I can drive it, I might be better able to tell what the actual symptoms are.

The goal was to make it movable for a small investment. Once the accelerator is attached, I believe I have met the original goal. Just kicking myself for not doing a little more home work on the engine before I purchased it. I have attached a picture of the ECU for those inquiring minds. It does have an ODB II connector coming off the harness. I'll hook up my VCDS and see if I can get into the ECU.

Mon May 05, 2014 7:01 am

The 1.8L I'm working on has a home built adapter to connect the stock WBX and Golf accelerator cables. If you're interested, I can take some pics.

Mon May 05, 2014 8:02 am

Zeitgeist 13 wrote: The 1.8L I'm working on has a home built adapter to connect the stock WBX and Golf accelerator cables. If you're interested, I can take some pics.

Yes, a picture is worth a thousand words. I was thinking about some sort of bell crank to connect the two cables, but started thinking I could do something with a splice. Thank you.

Mon May 05, 2014 9:19 am

thanks for the ECU PN Mark. I'll be curious to look that up.

My throttle cable transition looks like ass but has worked fine for many miles. I used barrel clamps to clamp a short piece of cable between end of Vanagon cable and cut off end of stock Mk3 Jetta cable. The bracket I made to hold Jetta cable end is overkill size wise. I don't recall if the Jetta cable was for an auto or manual transmission.

Neil.

Mon May 05, 2014 11:38 am

rsxsr wrote: Zeitgeist 13 wrote: The 1.8L I'm working on has a home built adapter to connect the stock WBX and Golf accelerator cables. If you're interested, I can take some pics.

Yes, a picture is worth a thousand words. I was thinking about some sort of bell crank to connect the two cables, but started thinking I could do something with a splice. Thank you.

I really need to stress that I didn't make the original throttle cable adapter, but I did weld some stuff to it and affixed it to the engine.

It essentially consists of a "H" pattern which is about 8" long and has to large holes drilled in the uprights for each of the throttle collar ends to fit into. In the middle there's a little aluminum piece drilled along its length for the WBX cable to fit into, and then a perpendicular hole drilled for the Golf end. Elegant in its simplicity, but it was just sitting free and required two sharp 90 degree bends when I first got the van. I welded up a child's training wheel support onto the fuel pump cover and then added a bracket under the "H" so that it fit into the support and is tightened with a wingnut. I still haven't painted it, so don't mind the rust and whatnot.

Mon May 05, 2014 12:09 pm

Neil and Casey, you have both given me some ideas how to solve it. I am surprised it needs to be so heavily supported. I'll post what I come up with. mark

Mon May 05, 2014 12:30 pm

As I mentioned, when the van arrived at my shop, the "H" was free-floating, and unattached to anything. I didn't like the idea of it potentially getting caught on something, so I opted to firmly affix it to the engine.

I should mention that this is a Syncro, so there's no room underneath the firewall for the "H" to fit horizontally

Mon May 05, 2014 12:52 pm

and the bracket I made is WAY over built. But. It's also part of the fuel hose bracket.

Mon May 05, 2014 1:57 pm

I'll post what I come up with. You both have helped. Thank you.

Fri May 09, 2014 5:37 am

OK, I am almost 100% decided to 1.8 Digifant instead of dropping this Tiico I bought for conversions parts into my van.

Many have pushed their frame rails to fit the digifant 1.8L throttle body and every post I've seen mentions that "I'll get to strengthening the frame rail later" but I haven't seen what people have don't to A) cut it out and B) re gusset everything :) Can you share your experiences please ?

Sometimes I just think I should stick with my wonderful 2.1l :)

Coming from a 68HP 79 A/C Westy, 95 HP is da bomb lol ....

Fri May 09, 2014 5:50 am

Poor Kendalwolf his thread started out innocent enough regarding his 1986 with an inline swap build thread and it's run amuck (I'm largely at fault I guess) as an anthem to inline conversion problems, questions and pics.

anyways. to answer your question. here's a pic of my frame rail cut and gusset.
note that mine is an air cooled chassis and my trans mounts the engine 1.5" more forward. also note that I had originally mounted the motor mounts to fit a 1.6TD w/boost aneroid under the lid so I likely had the DS mount lower to accommodate that.. then went to 1.8l Digifant where the intake is the point of interference. so mine may be cut more than you would require.

Fri May 09, 2014 5:58 am

lol, the thread became my "go to" thread for reading up on what he did to plan mine, totally inspired me to follow in his footsteps.

I read many threads but this one spoke the most to me as to what I wanted to do. I don't need a rocket ship, something $$ or $$ injection etc.

I just want something simple, non interference and reliable as all hell.

OK, I see what you've had to do, I'll compare with others to see best route for my application .... Cheers !

Fri May 09, 2014 6:04 am

here's a recent post by a guy installed 1 .8l digifant into his 82 diesel van
shows his notch well.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=7188185#7188185

Fri May 09, 2014 6:12 am

nice post ! Thanks for that ...

Thx everyone for sharing their toils along the way.

Sat May 10, 2014 6:28 am

danfromsyr wrote: Poor Kendalwoolf his thread started out innocent enough regarding his 1986 with an inline swap build thread and it's run amuck (I'm largely at fault I guess) as an anthem to inline conversion problems, questions and pics.

Don't feel bad for me. I am glad there is so much good information on the inline conversion in one place. I think that is what a forum is for. It is a lot easier for me to find and remind me what others did.

Thanks for the pictures of the frame rail modification. That was one thing I did not get a picture of when I did my build. I will cut and reinforce mine once the 2.0 goes in (I used a large hammer to modify mine) and these pictures will be my reference.

As an update to the serpentine belt install, I went the easy way out and did not drop the mounts but modified the deck lid. Very small bump that I can live with now until I have more time to try to lower the mounts.

I have been driving it for a week or so and all seems to be good. Charged the AC and I hope I am ready for summer.
Nice things about the Serpentine setup is the alternator light goes out on start up, no revving up to shut the light off and I was able to use the stock power steering line so the power steering is nice and quiet.

Keep the discussion and questions going.

Sat May 10, 2014 7:20 am

I have the same thing coming up. I wonder if I wouldn't give it a little more room around the alternator so it doesn't get too hot.

Sat May 10, 2014 7:58 am

Ya sorry about the hijack kendalwoolf. Thanks for the leeway.

I agree. More room for alternator cooling was my first thought. Helpful to see how small the bump is. Thanks for the pics.

Maybe remove 1" - 2" more of insulation all around the alternator?

kendalwoolf: are you keeping the Digifant head with the planned new 2.0? Or are you going to run Motronic?

Sat May 10, 2014 8:01 am

The altenator does have a little more room than the last picture shows, that was taken before the final version were I cut some more insulation out. You do want some air flow around the alternator that is for sure.