An Alaska NSYNCro build

[4Gears4Tires]

That ground clearance looks awesome. One of these days I'll replace my stock ej25 oil pan that hangs down like some giant solid axle differential.
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'87 Syncro Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition
'85 Westy Sciuridae Domus Edition

[TomInAlaska]

[4Gears4Tires]

Well, I wouldn't be able to pass that up.
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'87 Syncro Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition
'85 Westy Sciuridae Domus Edition

[jimf909]

It's fun seeing the impressive progress you're making. Thanks for bringing us along.

Apologies if this is redundant, but yes, those are e-code headlights. The inner headlights came stock as e-codes but the larger, outer headlights were DOT units in the US (and maybe Canada?).

[TomInAlaska]

The correct right side support arm arrived yesterday evening and got installed first thing this morning:

Eariler this week while waiting for it to get here, I slightly modified the Eurospec accessory bracket to give me a little bit more clearance between the power steering pulley and the new FAS engine cradle. I was able to cut off and reweld the mounting boss about half an inch closer to the waterpump/thermostat housing which gave me about a half an inch of space and by some miracle, still had enough adjustment at reuse the same belt!

This is just a temporary solution while I source the rest of the parts I need to install a factory ABA serpentine belt setup. I've got the bracket and all the pulleys on the way, but still need to get a Jetta alternator and power steering pump.

Anyway with the engine firmly mounted, I checked the overall alignment of the driveline with my latest toy, er, tool.

Am I correct in assuming that in an ideal world, everything from the crank pulley on the engine to the front of the front differential should be in a straight line? My driveline is close, but not quite there. I did try to loosen the tailshaft mounts on the transaxle and move it over a touch to get the output and front diff input flanges more in line. I'll drive it in the next day or so and see what it feels like.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with how the engine cradle went together. Seems like a really solid setup and gives way more room around the underside of the engine than the old diesel style bars. I did struggle a little bit with the right side support and ended up snaking it through the coolant hoses to try to minimize the stresses. I'll probably try to find something like really big split loom wrapping to help keep chafing and wear to a minimum.


Also, pro mechanic tip of the day: Don't yank too hard on the fuse box cover or it might shatter and you end up with six stitches in your finger (no pics of that, but rest assured, it wasn't very pretty)
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'73 Super Beetle (formerly resto-mod/rally look with a healthy 1776, currently in another round of resto with a 1641)

'84 GL adventure van project [sold] (1.9L, 4speed) https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=755844&highlight=

'86 Syncro tintop (2.0L Eurospec/ABA engine swap) https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=800194&highlight=

[MsTaboo]

[TomInAlaska]

Ha, I have that exact angle finder! And yes, I will definitely be putting it to use checking the vertical angles, too.
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'73 Super Beetle (formerly resto-mod/rally look with a healthy 1776, currently in another round of resto with a 1641)

'84 GL adventure van project [sold] (1.9L, 4speed) https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=755844&highlight=

'86 Syncro tintop (2.0L Eurospec/ABA engine swap) https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=800194&highlight=

[TomInAlaska]

The lacerated finger has healed enough to let me get back to work on the van. After a gentle reminder from Jon of FAS to actually read the build sheet/instructions that came with the engine cradle ( ) I moved the hydraulic mounts to the correct locations on top of the perches, but, sadly, this didn't fix an interference issue I ran into with the intake manifold hitting the sheet metal. Seems like the combination of parts that went into this particular Eurospec conversion is pretty oddball. Sounds like even the longitudinal engine supports were proprietary and not just the diesel arms like I had assumed! The result is that short of pulling the engine to swap in a different intake and/or clearancing the sheet metal with a BFH which I really really don't want to do unless a TDI or a EJ25 is going back in, i needed to slide the rear of the engine to the right about 1/2". The easiest way to do that was to elongate the holes in the support arms to allow for a little side-to-side adjustment. Using my trusty Craftsman 150 drill press (with an upgraded 3/4hp 3ph motor with VFD), I drilled a 29/64th hole in the plate on each arm as close as I could to the 'left' of the existing one and opened the intervening metal with a die grinder to make a slot. I apologize for the lack of pics, but I was anxious to get the job done. I've only driven it a few miles with the new cradle and exhaust so far, but it seems to be quieter and less buzzy inside the cabin. There's still some vibrations at idle, but I'm hoping a fresh tune up with help with that. Anyway, here are a couple pics:


Before the support arm modification:

I'll also note that the mounts themselves had noticeable lateral stress in this configuration.

And after slotting the arms:

We've got clearance Clarence!

Here you can juust make out the edge of the new slotted hole on the right edge of the washer:

And here's a view of how I had to route the right side arm through the coolant hoses. Definitely need to source something to mitigate abrasion.

I definitely think the new exhaust is looking pretty sweet. Sounds pretty good, too.

_________________
'73 Super Beetle (formerly resto-mod/rally look with a healthy 1776, currently in another round of resto with a 1641)

'84 GL adventure van project [sold] (1.9L, 4speed) https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=755844&highlight=

'86 Syncro tintop (2.0L Eurospec/ABA engine swap) https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=800194&highlight=

[uberaudi]

Sounds like you got it all figured out.

When I was flipping my mounts on my FAS bars (my non syncro had them sitting below the cradle) and trying to get my swap where I wanted it to be, I was stacking thick washers on top of the hydro mount but under the FAS arms. With as much thread as there is above the hydro mounts, you could raise the engine another half inch easy.

Not sure if this could gain you any more clearance with that intake but figured I'd throw it out there.
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'84 Adventurewagen 1Z TDI, '08 Audi Avant Quattro 6spd BHW TDI

[dobryan]

Where the coolant hoses can abrade I like to take a piece of bike inner tube split lengthways and zip tie it to the hose so the inner tube is a buffer.
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Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2010 Subaru EJ25 (Vanaru) and Peloquin TBD

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson

MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646

Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794

[4Gears4Tires]

^ That works. I like to use the old coolant hoses, split them, and zip tie them to the new ones.

[TomInAlaska]

Got a burst of motivation yesterday and whipped up a receiver hitch:

I grabbed a length of 2x2" .250 wall tubing from the local metal store and after cutting to fit between the bumper mounts and trimming a bit for the recovery loops and the bumper mount nut, got it tacked in place

I then brought the assembly into the garage to cut out for the receiver tube and then burned it all in. Used my trusty Lincoln Pro-Mig with .035 wire set to the maximum amps (kept tripping the breaker in the garage if I ran more than about 2" of bead at a time). I did bevel the edges of the 2" tube to get decent penetration. At any rate, I don't think its going anywhere

After it cooled down, I hit it with a couple coats of rattlecan and bolted it back in place

I used a stepdrill bit to open up a hole in the bumper where the receiver tube should be (and was) and then finished it to just big enough to fit around the flared end with a die grinder. Which took a looooong time and ended up only slightly off center

And with the bike rack and the bike that I need to haul to the shop to get new bottom bracket bearings pressed in

I do still need to do something about the edge of the hole I cut in the bumper itself. I figure at minimum I should prime and paint the bare steel edge since I have to assume its chrome plated and not polished stainless or anything. And maybe I try to source a piece of flexible molding to cover up the gap. Anyway, I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.
_________________
'73 Super Beetle (formerly resto-mod/rally look with a healthy 1776, currently in another round of resto with a 1641)

'84 GL adventure van project [sold] (1.9L, 4speed) https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=755844&highlight=

'86 Syncro tintop (2.0L Eurospec/ABA engine swap) https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=800194&highlight=

[4Gears4Tires]

Great looking hitch. Clean build!
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'87 Syncro Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition
'85 Westy Sciuridae Domus Edition

[TomInAlaska]

A little more welding action today

Problem: there's not enough room to screw the new larger sending unit for the oil pressure gauge in place of the small sender for the idiot light.

Solution: Fabricate a standoff/spacer!

Having a TIG comes in really handy sometimes!
_________________
'73 Super Beetle (formerly resto-mod/rally look with a healthy 1776, currently in another round of resto with a 1641)

'84 GL adventure van project [sold] (1.9L, 4speed) https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=755844&highlight=

'86 Syncro tintop (2.0L Eurospec/ABA engine swap) https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=800194&highlight=

[TomInAlaska]

I tried to get my ashtray-b-gone kit installed this morning but quickly discovered that I had accidentally ordered the one for the rear instead of the front/dash.

Serendipitously, though, it turns out that the base for the Ram mount arm I picked up to hold my cell phone has the exact spacing as the screw holes in the block off plate so I decided to just use the kit I had and fab a quick filler plate and longer hold down bars. Not too bad for half an hr of work. Plus I got to use the power-tapping ability of my drill press.

_________________
'73 Super Beetle (formerly resto-mod/rally look with a healthy 1776, currently in another round of resto with a 1641)

'84 GL adventure van project [sold] (1.9L, 4speed) https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=755844&highlight=

'86 Syncro tintop (2.0L Eurospec/ABA engine swap) https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=800194&highlight=

[TomInAlaska]

Time to stop making puddles of power steering fluid in the driveway:

Out with the old

Comparing it to the new rack from Burley

Got the fittings swapped over using fresh copper washers

Much better!

A fresh filter in the reservoir after a thorough flushing of the pump and lines (which may or may not have made a giant mess )

i filled and topped off the Dex/Merc after cycling the wheel back and forth a few times and, so far, no leaks! The new rack also seems to be much more powerful than the old one, just turning the wheel when pulling back and forth in the driveway to re-index the steering wheel took much less effort than before. Bad news is I did discovery that one of the boots is badly torn so I got a new set on the way (along with a few other goodies) and will refrain from driving it until then just to be safe.
_________________
'73 Super Beetle (formerly resto-mod/rally look with a healthy 1776, currently in another round of resto with a 1641)

'84 GL adventure van project [sold] (1.9L, 4speed) https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=755844&highlight=

'86 Syncro tintop (2.0L Eurospec/ABA engine swap) https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=800194&highlight=

[TomInAlaska]

The NSYNCro came to me with a cheap amazon touch screen style radio that sorta worked that I quickly replaced it with a nicer Pioneer touch screen radio. It worked like it was supposed to by doing Car-Play things and displaying the reverse camera. But I never really liked the way it looked in the Vanagon dash. Granted, I had a similar one in the '84 and was reasonably satisfied with it but for some reason, I just couldn't live with this one in the new van. Plus it didn't have a volume knob. So I decided to do something about it:

Before

And after

I only just finished installing it, but so far I really like it. Connected right up to my iPhone, the sound quality is fantastic (better than the old stereo for sure), and looks like it could've come from the factory. Best of all, it doesn't obscure my view of the locker panel!
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'73 Super Beetle (formerly resto-mod/rally look with a healthy 1776, currently in another round of resto with a 1641)

'84 GL adventure van project [sold] (1.9L, 4speed) https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=755844&highlight=

'86 Syncro tintop (2.0L Eurospec/ABA engine swap) https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=800194&highlight=

[TomInAlaska]

Also, the better half and I drove it down to Girdwood for dinner yesterday. By far its longest trip to date under my stewardship, about 70 miles total at 55-65mph, and it ran flawlessly.
_________________
'73 Super Beetle (formerly resto-mod/rally look with a healthy 1776, currently in another round of resto with a 1641)

'84 GL adventure van project [sold] (1.9L, 4speed) https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=755844&highlight=

'86 Syncro tintop (2.0L Eurospec/ABA engine swap) https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=800194&highlight=

[Abscate]

[uberaudi]