Chris' Syncro Project. A bit of progress, a lot more questions!

[Chris-a]

Thanks for all the suggestions and help. It's been a crazy couple of weeks for me and I wasn't able to touch the van till this morning.

I got the front diff refiled with fluid, and reinstalled my drivers side axle shaft assembly.

It is currently sitting on a jack stand with one wheel contacting the ground, I can turn the other wheel but it's not very easy... Feels like it's full of cold molasses. When they are both jacked up turning one easily turns the other in the opposite direction.

@MsTaboo thank you for that manual link. From what Ive gathered it's a factory equipped front locking diff that was sold in Europe.

Hopefully have some more time to look at getting the vacuum lines hooked up properly tomorrow and track down the brake fluid leak. I know I read it somewhere, and I will look again tonight, but the red vacuum line goes to which port on the actuator???
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I gotta have nice tools, just look at the cars I drive.

[Chris-a]

Only a small bit of time today to work on the van, but I think I determined the brake fluid leak is the grommets between the reservoir and master cylinder. Seems like a common problem:

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=714463

When I pulled the instrument cluster(which was held in place with a wide variety of drywall screws) I found it looked like someone had kicked it down the road a few too many times.

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I gotta have nice tools, just look at the cars I drive.

[Chris-a]

Just to keep everyone at home who is keeping score up to date. The front end has new cv joints at all four points, the master cylinder to reservoir grommets have been replaced, fresh Motul fluid has been pumped through the brake system, the washer fluid tank position was leaking when being filled, but that was simply some loose bolts not allowing the filler neck to align properly. What else... Sound deadening into the drivers door and lubed up the drivers window mechanism(no longer feel like Im going to break the handle while raising the window!!). The front skid plate had done some work/protection and was not really lining up where it was supposed to be, so some bending to get her happy again. The front locker locks and unlocks as it is supposed to once the vacuum lines were hooked up properly! New fluid in front differential.

Onto some motor work. I knew I had an exhaust leak, so today I hooked up the shop vac on exhaust setting and jammed it into the tail pipe. I headed under with soapy water in a spray bottle, my original assessment was confirmed a leaking exhaust manifold gasket. I was surprised to see one missing nut(broken stud) and one missing both the stud and nut! No wonder I had some exhaust leakage...

The remaining nuts and studs were slightly above finger tight...

I know Ive been seeing some higher boost numbers than the AHU was designed to handle. The van came with an aftermarket boost controller, while the N75 is plumbed into the intake circuit and the other two hoses are dangling un connected. That future is yet to be determined.

The VW intake into the turbo has seen better days. It was just pressed onto the turbo inlet, the two ears for bolting it to the turbo were broken off. Not sure how I will proceed with that. It is full of sludge from the previously clogged ccv system.

Waiting on my ccv filter, check valve for oil drain, exhaust manifold hardware and I need to lock down my revised intake system. The dash is still in pieces, trying to decide how I want to proceed. I see some speed hut gauges in my future, not sure I want to but another cluster to install them vs building something from scratch....
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I gotta have nice tools, just look at the cars I drive.

[Chris-a]

Someone asked for an overview photo of the tdi swap that was previously done.

Im trying to clean it up abit. Vacuum lines were left hanging un-connected, old and new wiring harnesses need tiding up, Id like to swap the fuel filter to a thread on style w/o the return line going back through it, Id like to find a home for starting battery back in the engine bay, new intercooler, rerouted intake system, I may have a slight fuel leak from one of the injectors.....I better get to work!
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I gotta have nice tools, just look at the cars I drive.

[Chris-a]

Welp almost everyday a bit of progress is being made. The van is driving well and Im more or less continuing with a front to back cleaning and revitalization as needed, but also jumping around as issues present themselves.

-New exhaust and intake manifold gaskets, and studs along with a good cleaning.
-Removed about 100' of random wire that probably fed a variety of previously installed stereos.
-Rewired most of my aux gauges, since the oem cluster doesn't work besides the (mechanical)speedo.
-Deleted the under rear seat heater core.


Currently:
-Relocating starter battery from under rear seat to under front drivers seat, longer/heavier cable arriving today.
-Transmission fluid change, last fluid I haven't change since buying the van. The front output seal is leaking, new one here this weekend.
- A new aux fuel level gauge coming today, so hopefully no more guessing on fuel level. Ive read several posts about the ohm requirements, and someone said they had good luck with this model.
-Few bits and bobs from uniWorks enroute.
-Chasing more electric gremlins in dash.
-None of my interior lights work, not a huge deal in summer.
-Previous owner installed solar isn't charging.
-Pretty sure my tiny fuel leak is the fuel return line that goes between the injectors, need to order some of that hose.

Question:
Now that the van is running well enough for some longer drives Im trying to work on some comfort features. It's VERY LOUD (road noise). Ive got a selection of exterior vents that Im trying to resolve.

Upper 'vent' exterior

Upper 'vent' interior, looks like someone had an electrical outlet installed there? I assume for shore power?

-Thoughts on sealing that up? Im thinking a simple electric outlet blank plate with some rtv around the edge.

Lower vent exterior

Lower vent interior.
This one is where the fridge was previoulsy installed, was this an oem fridge vent? Ive seen the round vents that are up higher, but not familiar with this version.

This photo is of a vent looking up from the ground in the cabinet right behind drivers seat. That is where the propane tank was moved to. Im very familiar with propane in boats and not letting the propane settle in the bilge but this seems excessive.

Is that lower side vent and the vent on the bottom oem?
.I'll probably just take some sheet metal pieces and cut/paint them to fit and rivet them into place using the existing holes. Im not looking for a body work project at the moment, more something that can get me through for a while before I have a bunch of bodywork done and a refresh paint sprayed in a year or so.

As always, thanks for any suggestions/guidance.
-Chris
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I gotta have nice tools, just look at the cars I drive.

[4Gears4Tires]

I would use thin gauge sheet steel from Home Depot. Drill the same holes, paint it off the van, and then use your material of choice to seal the gaps. RTV or Seam Sealer or whatever, then add the screws back in.
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'87 Syncro Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition
'85 Westy Sciuridae Domus Edition

[Chris-a]

Continuing on with my 'what the heck' discovery process I pulled the three outlets that were on the outside of the van since I was already working on some patches. The water fill wasn't hooked up, the power outlet was for a 250v, and the vent seemed useless.

Factory cutout?? Friday afternoon??

Since Im using a aftermarket battery system, and the water tank is going to be replaced I don't have a need for the various digital gauges displaying battery and water quantity.

Suggestions for replacements in those areas?

Also need to find a home for the diesel heater vent to come out. I know uniWerks makes a plate that fits in place of the intereior refrigerator vent. Im not sure I love the idea of that being where the heat pours out of, I was thinking feet level. Anyone have their heater kicking out in that spot?

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I gotta have nice tools, just look at the cars I drive.

[MsTaboo]

(edit) I missed your earlier question about the diff lock vac lines.
Front diff
- Engage is gray (inside line on actuator, closest to diff) closest to knob on selector.
- Disengage is Red (outside line on actuator) furthest from knob on selector
-Middle line on both selectors is vacuum source.
Rear diff
- Engage is White (inside on act.)
- Disengage is Blue (outside on act.)
Pages 34 & 35 in Service Manual

You just got to love PO hack jobs! This looks like it was a stock tintop (or Weekender) that had the Westy cabinets added. (the trim is not stock Westy camper) I don't recognize any of those bits as coming from the bigger camper conversion companies so POs may have cobbled together what they could.

Of course welding in replacement tin would be the best solution to all those holes, but you could use a panel adhesive to glue on some patches from the inside and cover over the height difference on the outside with some Bondo and touch up the paint. Most important is stopping any water ingress and rot.

[Chris-a]