Iglaaq, the 2002 MV Weekender

[paddygarcia]

Unfortunately the oil leak was neither the filter adapter nor the valve cover. Head is off to the machine shop. On the plus side this makes R&R of the actual trans much easier...

[paddygarcia]

Moving along. Cylinder head needed an intake valve and all exhaust guides replaced.

Fuel injectors cleaned at RC, looks like money well spent to have all 6 firing.

And got the pedals and shifter installed. Engine comes out next week when I have the rest of the garage available, then I can do the timing chains, install the MT bits, and get it back into the van.

[paddygarcia]

Engine and trans will come out this weekend, once the VR6 engine stand adapter arrives. I'd though I could somehow install the lower timing chain and place the upper so that I could reinstall the engine + trans without the head, but that looks like a terrible idea. I'll assemble the long block on the stand and then install it and the MT.

Dean's transmission emulator arrived today. It's not hard to build from his generously shared schematics but assembled means one less hurdle to getting back on the road and supports someone who removed a major roadblock to a complete swap.

[paddygarcia]

Making progress, or at least past the point of Maximum Disassembly, so everything is uphill from here. Next up is refitting the head.

[soissisc]

Great job. It is nice to watch along.
_________________
Mark

68 Westy
92 Jetta (oh it is retired)
99 Eurovan
05 NBC
06 Audi A3
72 Westy (I am going to fix it up)

[paddygarcia]

Thanks! Posting the pics helps keep me on task.

Almost ready to mate to the trans.

[paddygarcia]

Time to connect all the things!

[paddygarcia]

Best I can tell, the entire drivetrain mounting is the same for AT and MT.

Aftermarket AT dogbone on top, factory MT on the bottom. VW specifies 4 different dogbones, one for AT and certain MT and 3 just for MT.

I dunno about the other MT, but am pretty sure that the AT dogbone will work with the 02G trans: same length and drop, but the AT unit has some material cut away on the trans end. Probably to clear part of the housing, but since my old trans found a new home I don't know for sure. Anyway, that missing material shouldn't affect function.

[bigfoot_ev]

Things are looking good! Thanks for the detailed ride along.

A question on the pendulum mount. I've been looking at replacing my engine/transmission mounts. I think it's all pretty straightforward, even without pulling the engine out. Except for the transmission bushing. That's the split end of your pendulum support that bolts up to transmission housing. I don't suppose you have replaced the bushing that fits into the housing? I'm not sure how to get that bushing out is what I'm wondering.

[paddygarcia]

You can definitely do all of the mounts without moving the engine/trans.

The bottom trans bushing looks to be a PITA to remove/install, with the trans in or out. I actually bought one when I redid the engine mounts a couple of years ago and never installed it. It's there for reaction so not under huge stress like the mounts and I suspect will last a good long time.

[paddygarcia]

Ahhh, the joys of while-you're-in-there thinking.

The power steering pressure hose was leaking - not much, but too much to ignore with everything out of the way. Hard to find a new replacement (and $350+), and used pieces go for $100+ with who knows how much life is left. The local hose place wasn't interested in fitting a new crimped hose to the original stubs. I probably could have found replacement ends, but the pump end of the hose is curved like that for a reason.

Enter youtube. This nice Ozzie gent has a nice step-by-step for building PS hoses using specialized hose and AN fittings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyHh2-UdCro

So I ordered up a few feet of Earl's PS hose, some straight -6 ends, and some weld-on -6 bungs. After carefully measuring the stubs and some drill bits I found a very close fit and opened up the bungs to accept the stubs. In the video they mention hard silver soldering, which I could do and is probably plenty strong, but I think I'll have these tig'd.

[paddygarcia]

Got the driver's side axle and suspension back together and found some thing about axles.

There has been some question here as to whether automatic axles will work with a manual. It turns out that the inner CVs are very different - 120mm for automatic, 108mm for manual. They use different size bolts to attach to the flanges, and the inner splined end of the automatic axle is larger than the manual, so won't fit the factory 108mm CV.

Maybe there's a 108mm diameter 31.5mm thick CV that fits the automatic axle, but until someone finds that I'd say it's clear that you need MT axles when converting a VR6 to manual.

[paddygarcia]

Found my silver solder gear and ended up doing the hose ends myself. Hopefully they won't leak.

[paddygarcia]

Reverse lights and the starter both go through the PNP (park-neutral position) relay underneath the heater controls.

The automatic trans lights the reverse lights via the trans control module. You'll need to add wiring for the reverse light switch on the manual trans. I got a section of VW wiring harness with the right connector and harness shield off ebay, ran it into and through the harness behind the battery, and underneath the dash to the PNP relay. This switch will connect the wires leading to pins 4 and 5 of the PNP relay, which I'll remove from the relay base so they're no longer connected to the relay.

There look to be a couple of ways to do the starter. The PNP relay uses signals from pin 6 (key in crank position aka '50') and some info from the TCM to connect pin 8 (which goes to the starter solenoid) to battery voltage (30) on pin 2. A simple way would be to grab the full crank wire that comes out of the key switch and run it straight to pin 8, which seems inelegant. Have to noodle on this more and maybe I can suss out how to fake the PNP relay into thinking that the TCM says everything's cool to start.

[EuroTec]

TCM grounds pin 9 when in P or N, ignition switch supplies 12 V+ to pin 6 & energizes relay, closes contacts, starter operates.

Try connecting pin 9 to pin 7 which is a ground. Starter should operate.
_________________
If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

[paddygarcia]

Righteous, thanks - Iit had to be 9, 1, or 3 and you've saved a bunch of time (again).

[Abscate]

Still subscribed. You had me when you duplicated my CuNiFer design
_________________
.ssS!

[paddygarcia]

I don't like vampire connectors but tying two close wires together is a pretty good reason.

[paddygarcia]

Two of my last 3 parts are on their way. The stub axle bracket is going to take a while, so this weekend was plan B time.

The automatic bracket is very close, but no cigar. Not so close that'll it can't be adapted, though. The manual stub axle wants to sit about 5mm further outboard than the auto piece, so a 3/16 plate spaced out with washers puts the adapter in the right spot. The stub axle has a little plat in the splines and it's not too hard to find the approximate center of the play to locate the holes for the stub axle bearing. The outside one had enough room for a nut, the inside one is very close to the axle bracket and so is tapped.

Once I find a factory stub axle bracket it'll be an easy swap out, but now I can finish putting everything back together.

[gesoffen]

Good progress PG! Where in VA are you? I'm in NoVA (Fairfax County).