Slow but steady... '86 Vanagon FAS TDi install

[GreggK]

Hello All,
This is a thread I was going to wait on posting till I was done but its looking like it's taking me much longer than I had hoped for so I decided to post what I've done so far. I got my engine kit back in March. I went up to Maine and picked it up from the guys at FAS.

[GreggK]

Oops, I didn't realize that would have happened. I thought I could ad pics as I went. I'll try to do more at once with the rest of it.

[GreggK]

After a few days I got the engine out and started to figure out a way to get it in.

I used my hoist to free it from the pallet. Then cut the pallet up to fit the engine/trans and skinny enough to fit between the legs of the hoist.

After that it all starts with the engine carrier.

You have to open the holes for the bigger hardware. I'm not going to show all the steps to get the engine carrier in or FASs' engineering but I got the van up high enough to just roll tit all under. To keep the engine as LOW as possible I sat it on plywood and used broom stick handles as rollers.

[rmcd]

Oh yea. Is it wrong that I feel the need to touch that motor. Beautiful piece of gear.
_________________
VW LT40 build. Like a Vanagon but 30% larger in every direction and 40% slower even in metric.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=749359&highlight=

[Zeitgeist 13]

I never tire of seeing FAS projects
_________________
Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[GreggK]

This was just a first attempt install just to see what I was up against and it went well. I wish I would have taken more pictures of the steps involved because when I did the final install I forgot the order in which I did things and it took much longer and frustrating.
I originally had an '87 tin top for the new engine but my original plan was to take a road trip this past summer with the new engine and that van was far from engine ready. So I did some last minute shopping and found a nice van that I thought I'd just install the engine into and continue working on the other van getting it ready for the engine next spring. Here is the '86 I found out west.

Of course I opened up a can of worms and started lots of projects not pertinent to the engine install but made sense to do them before the engine went in.
I stripped down the inside a roller on Monstaliner from front to back.

[GreggK]

Then I went underneath and used some Chassis saver and sprayed Monstaliner as an under coating. I struggled with my choice for undercoating so this was a trial and error decision. A. few people I spoke with used it as well and had good results over a few years. I sure hope it dosen't fail because its hard to get off. I figure if it does then I'll use something different on my other van. On the firewall area I used a different insulator/sound deadening spray on product.

[GreggK]

I turned my shed into a spray both and coated some parts.

[GreggK]

I blasted the arms down and then used the Chassis saver as my primer then coated with Magnet paint products. Last set of arms I did I had powder coated so this time I wanted to try something different and I'm also trying to learn how to use spray equipment.

[GreggK]

I had few other things going on as well before I re-installed the engine. Routing all the wires, installing intercooler fan, running hoses took me some time.

I made a board to mount the computer and relays to. I installed a KEP higher pressure clutch as well. Then mated the engine and trans back up for install.

Once installed I connected the engine bay wiring, air intake plumbing and hydraulics. I've got the coolant system finished up to the radiator. I've decided to complete the A/C since I wont be up and running on my original time frame.So I'm still doing some research and fitting with the A/C. I'm installing a SC in-dash unit with a double DIN radio which I dont even want to think of the time I've put into that.
There is still some front end work I'd like to do too but for an initla start up all I really have left is the fuel delivery system and final electrical connections at the dash.

[GreggK]

Here are some pics of the Double DIN- A/C install. I mocked it up with card board. I made a plate and used some spacers to move the unit up and back also had to cut the van a little to do that. I'm using a Vaistan re-circ kit with some modification to seal the outside air from coming in with hopes of someday adding fresh air through it, way down the road.

I changed the metal quite a bit since the first attempt and actually installed the radio with the A/C unit back there so you can make it fit. Just no pics yet. Only challenges left are to route the defrost hoses and the passenger hoses without crushing them. I may still move the radio up and cut more into the dash pad to make more room for hoses and get the radio further away from the A/C unit but for now I just want to get the van started!

[GreggK]

The area below the radio will house the climate knobs. I'm just holding off incase I find a way to put in some illuminated ones??? This is just a rough attempt. I hope to find the right person to make it all pretty in the end if I can't, anyone?
I haven't worked on the van in about a month but as soon as I catch up with work I'll be back at it with more pics. Thanks for looking

[macjack]

Well jeepers, this looks promising.
Can’t wait to see it all together.
Love the pics heavy approach to this thread, but also want some cold hard facts. What engine? What turbo? What intercooler? What intake? What nozzles? What tune? Is this all part of the FAS package? How is the speedo and tach hooked up?
Digging your attention to detail and ground-up approach with the stripping out and roll on for the interior.
And that double DIN setup is bold. You’ve got some confidence putting the ac and double din in there. Bravo!
Where’s that popcorn eating emoji when you need it. . .
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87 TDI Syncro Westy
81 Westy (sold)
80 Rabbit Wolfsburg (rolled)
Bike as primary transportation

[GreggK]

Yes its all a turn-key FAS Gen.V kit. Engine is a BSW 1.9 SOHC Pumpe Duse. They include everything you need for the install and they also did the re-build on the transmission. Most of the details are on their site. Speedo and tach work through original VW connections. Some of the other specific questions you asked about the engine components are over my head. My knowledge of diesel is small. I'm learning as I go . Ths is my first OBDII system. My only conversion experience is with Subaru.
I did a few conversions/installs with the EJ22 motor and used parts from various vendors over years. This was the first time I have ever got all my parts from one source. Thanks for the encouragement. I'll keep posting as I make progress.

[GreggK]

I see your in Colorado. I lived up in Summit County for about 18 years. I'm back here in Pennsylvania temporarily, figured this project would be a good way to help the time go by since I haven't skied in 5 years I've been back here!

[macjack]

Cool. My van had its first life in Breckenridge until about 2003, then a few years at Mt. Shasta before I picked it up from EBay with 200k miles and a cracked head on the original engine. So perhaps you saw my van when you lived in Summit! It was a tintop sunroof back then.
But back to your van, looking good there in PA. Getting your spraying setup dialed in I see? I recently went through that as well, with the compressor and Hvlp setup and shooting Raptorliner with their gun. Completely botched my first attempt at priming and sealing my bumpers, sandblasted back to bare metal and started over. Hope you didn’t have to do that!
FAS seems to really have their kit well thought out, so it is nice to not have to go too far with the research. I found that after five years on the original VNT -15 turbo, that stepping up to a VNT-17 made a huge difference, mostly in EGTs (exhaust gas temps). I also went with a bigger all aluminum intercooler, but still air to air. This was good as well, but in summer IAT’s (intake air temps) are my rate limiter. 85k miles on the conversion, and transmission largely holding up well, so maybe I don’t need to go with a water air intercooler, but winter driving is great for the temps, compared to the heat of summer.
You will LOVE the TDI in the van. It’s just the right engine for pulling and the MPGs are great, so long as you keep it under 70, after which the lack of aerodynamics on our bricks really shoots the drag up log rhythmically.
And so far the skiing this season is probably better in the Poconos than most of Colorado!
_________________
87 TDI Syncro Westy
81 Westy (sold)
80 Rabbit Wolfsburg (rolled)
Bike as primary transportation

[MarkWard]

Nice attention to detail. I can see why you are behind schedule. Have you been keeping track of the time? Good thinking doing this on another van. Thanks for sharing.

[jackbombay]

[GreggK]

Hi Mark,
Hard to say how much time but I had been limited to weekends for most of it. Sometimes only a Saturday but the long hours of light help. I stayed away from any weekend work at the beginning of the summer but my line of work I cant turn away opportunities to make new customers. If I had to guess... maybe a solid month of time into it. The painting prep took the most time . Everything surrounding the engine install is pretty simple thanks to FAS. A well thought out kit I'd say.

[GreggK]

Yes Macjack I am still working on my painting skills, even took a body work class last winter but I still did those arms two times due to rushing it... I think. I blasted them down a second time after the top coat wouldn't cure after over a week of sitting. The second time I used a hardener.
I'm looking forward to learning the in's and out's of owning a diesel powered vehicle. I usualy do my own work on my vans to an extent. After 5 years of going Subaru powered I knew my whole system inside and out, aside from rebuilding the engine.
Here on the samba it seems there is always someone who has delt with it and has a solution. I think Mark was actualy the one who informed me about FAS when I started asking about diesel conversion options. Before that I never heard of them and they were just up the coast. Thanks Mark