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vw62kid
Samba Member
Joined: January 20, 2013
Posts: 116
Location: Topeka, KS
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 Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2025 8:01 pm Post subject: Re: ABA Vanagon Conversion |
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I have a good update to this thread. A buddy of mine helped me clean my block for 10 hours on a Saturday. We got the block looking immaculate. Started off by getting the cleaning materials ready and then started the cleaning process.
My dad came over and gave me his engine building expertise. We then started to assemble the short block. We put the IM shaft in, Crank, the JE high compression pistons in with rods, then the oil pump.
Then I started assembling the long block with a TT 266/270 cam.
I haven't finished assembling the long block yet. Next I need to check my valve to piston clearance. Once the long block is built, and ports are covered I'll be getting the vanagon in the garage to rip the old water boxer out.
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62 Ragtop Project (Anthracite Grey)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=597378&highlight=
59 Logo Single Cab Project (L345 Light Grey)
90 Vanagon tin-top ABA convserion...work in progress
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vw62kid
Samba Member
Joined: January 20, 2013
Posts: 116
Location: Topeka, KS
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| Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2025 6:53 pm Post subject: Re: ABA Vanagon Conversion |
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Just checked my valve to piston clearance. The playdo was about 1/16"-1/8" thick and there were no valve signatures on any of the playdo patties. I'd say I have a good amount of clearance.
I completely forgot till my dad reminded me, I have to calculate my compression ratio. Does anyone have a good method to do this while the pistons are in the block?
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62 Ragtop Project (Anthracite Grey)
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59 Logo Single Cab Project (L345 Light Grey)
90 Vanagon tin-top ABA convserion...work in progress
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vw62kid
Samba Member
Joined: January 20, 2013
Posts: 116
Location: Topeka, KS
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| Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2025 8:33 pm Post subject: Re: ABA Vanagon Conversion |
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Well I made a mistake. I installed 2 of the connecting rods incorrectly flipped. The bump on the connecting rod is supposed to be facing the front side of the engine, but there are 2 of them where they are facing the back. Asking around, there were mixed opinions on if this needed to be corrected or not. At first I didn't feel the need to correct it, but after some time I decided I need to correct this. When I bought my JE pistons, they came with rods that have ARP rod bolts installed in them with what I believe were intended for a Ford 289/302 V8 (APR 154-6002). This was a common alternative to the ABA ARP rod bolts that were twice the price at the time. I'm going to test these and replace the rod bolts if they test good. Bummer to have to step backwards, but better than having the possibility of something bad happening, and I end up with ARP rod bolts installed.
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62 Ragtop Project (Anthracite Grey)
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59 Logo Single Cab Project (L345 Light Grey)
90 Vanagon tin-top ABA convserion...work in progress
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rogertj
Samba Member
Joined: October 07, 2008
Posts: 522
Location: Tijuana, Baja California. Mexico
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| Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2025 10:19 am Post subject: Re: ABA Vanagon Conversion |
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| vw62kid wrote: |
| rogertj wrote: |
Wow looking awesome!
Im starting again with mine, blown piston and God knows how many damages in the interior of the engine... ill post photos in my thread once I start. Will start with the spare cylinder head that I got just did my Subaru heads on the Outback and it was ok. Seems that the 2.0 heads of my ABA don't seem to be difficult. Will send it out to machine surface.
Keep up the good work!
And I checked pincheallsgarage manuals but the ABA is incomplete... bummer... the cylinder head section for the 4 cylinder engine is missing...   If anyone has that section they will greatly appreciate it! (That who says never... it will happen lol) now im looking for a manual. Time to get back to the wagon, Subaru is not yet for me $$$$ but in the future will install all the bells and wistles |
Ahh man that's a bummer to hear. Have you made any progress on it since then? |
No not yet waiting on some pesos lol
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Roger
Had a Carbureted ABA after engoing the heck out of it now going for ABA 2.0 Jetta EFI ill put a garrett in to the tin can later or maybe go electric?
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0 |
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vw62kid
Samba Member
Joined: January 20, 2013
Posts: 116
Location: Topeka, KS
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vw62kid
Samba Member
Joined: January 20, 2013
Posts: 116
Location: Topeka, KS
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| Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2025 9:13 pm Post subject: Re: ABA Vanagon Conversion |
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Well I tested my ARP hardware that came with my pistons on some spare rods. They are ARP 154-6002. ARP states to tighten till the bolt stretches .006" to .0065" or tighten to 35ft lbs. So as a test I tightened to 35ft lbs, but my bolt stretch was .009" to .010". To get the bolt to stretch to .006" to .0065", it only takes 21-22ft lbs. That seems like it doesn't take much torque to get to that stretch. I may call ARP about this and see what their thoughts are.
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62 Ragtop Project (Anthracite Grey)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=597378&highlight=
59 Logo Single Cab Project (L345 Light Grey)
90 Vanagon tin-top ABA convserion...work in progress
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vw62kid
Samba Member
Joined: January 20, 2013
Posts: 116
Location: Topeka, KS
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| Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2025 10:31 am Post subject: Re: ABA Vanagon Conversion |
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Just got off the phone with ARP. They said that the bolts may have been yielded during installation into the rods by pulling them through instead of pressing them in. However, I've had multiple people tell me they pull their rod bolts through for installation, torque to spec, and run them so I think thats what I'm going to be doing as well.
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59 Logo Single Cab Project (L345 Light Grey)
90 Vanagon tin-top ABA convserion...work in progress
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vw62kid
Samba Member
Joined: January 20, 2013
Posts: 116
Location: Topeka, KS
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| Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2025 8:11 pm Post subject: Re: ABA Vanagon Conversion |
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Update! Took the rods out, switched out the rod bolts for the ARP stuff, and put them back in correctly orientated. Put the head on and torqued it down for the final time, and we even calculated the compression ratio. We came up with 9.5-10:1. Now I can finish assembling the long block!
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62 Ragtop Project (Anthracite Grey)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=597378&highlight=
59 Logo Single Cab Project (L345 Light Grey)
90 Vanagon tin-top ABA convserion...work in progress
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...1a11892111 |
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vw62kid
Samba Member
Joined: January 20, 2013
Posts: 116
Location: Topeka, KS
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| Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2025 5:47 pm Post subject: Re: ABA Vanagon Conversion |
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Another HUGE milestone today. The long block is successfully built and sealed off for the most part! I have to make a small flange to seal up on a port on the oil pan but that'll be real easy. This conversion is finally about to move to the next step. It's time to bring the vanagon in the garage.
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62 Ragtop Project (Anthracite Grey)
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59 Logo Single Cab Project (L345 Light Grey)
90 Vanagon tin-top ABA convserion...work in progress
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...1a11892111 |
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Kdj
Samba Member
Joined: January 28, 2017
Posts: 255
Location: Naptown
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| Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2025 4:22 am Post subject: Re: ABA Vanagon Conversion |
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Congrats,  following your build. Looking forward to forward to next step. |
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uberaudi
Samba Member
Joined: June 24, 2013
Posts: 625
Location: Hi-top Country
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| Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2025 1:49 pm Post subject: Re: ABA Vanagon Conversion |
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Right on! Nice work man!
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vw62kid
Samba Member
Joined: January 20, 2013
Posts: 116
Location: Topeka, KS
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vw62kid
Samba Member
Joined: January 20, 2013
Posts: 116
Location: Topeka, KS
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vw62kid
Samba Member
Joined: January 20, 2013
Posts: 116
Location: Topeka, KS
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| Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2025 6:41 pm Post subject: Re: ABA Vanagon Conversion |
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First engine pull I've ever done. Got everything disconnected and pull the tired water boxer out of there! Now I'm going to get the engine side ready with the adapter, flex plate and torque converter installed. Then I'll clean the engine bay up, make sure everything is ready to install, and bolt it in.
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62 Ragtop Project (Anthracite Grey)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=597378&highlight=
59 Logo Single Cab Project (L345 Light Grey)
90 Vanagon tin-top ABA convserion...work in progress
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...1a11892111 |
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khughes
Samba Member
Joined: July 13, 2013
Posts: 871
Location: Phoenix AZ
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| Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2025 6:45 pm Post subject: Re: ABA Vanagon Conversion |
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Great engines, have fun!
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vw62kid
Samba Member
Joined: January 20, 2013
Posts: 116
Location: Topeka, KS
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| Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2025 7:31 pm Post subject: Re: ABA Vanagon Conversion |
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Did some test fitting on the kennedy adapter plate and noticed that the plate completely blocks the oil pan bolts on the engine.
With hardly any room to fit a tool in there incase I ever need to, I decided to modify the adapter plate to allow clearance of a long torx bit.
Small progress today, but hopefully something that'll save me down the road incase I end up in that situation. Next is to drill out the top left bolt on the bell housing so I can mount the adapter plate properly. More pictures coming soon!
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62 Ragtop Project (Anthracite Grey)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=597378&highlight=
59 Logo Single Cab Project (L345 Light Grey)
90 Vanagon tin-top ABA convserion...work in progress
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...1a11892111 |
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vw62kid
Samba Member
Joined: January 20, 2013
Posts: 116
Location: Topeka, KS
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Abscate 
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 23782
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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| Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2025 2:49 am Post subject: Re: ABA Vanagon Conversion |
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| Quote: |
| Asking around, there were mixed opinions on if this needed to be corrected or not. |
Well, someone has never heard of piston slap, have they ?
Fix it/
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MarkWard
Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2005
Posts: 18696
Location: Retired South Florida
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| Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2025 6:09 am Post subject: Re: ABA Vanagon Conversion |
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Nice progress. I see the torque converter bolted up. I realize you are replacing the seal, but the torque converter needs to be installed fully into the transmission. There are 3 distinct steps that allow the torque converter to seat completely. Once the transmission is bolted up, then you attach the flex plate.
I donโt believe you could get it correct with the torque converter mounted to the engine. Apologies if I misunderstand your method. |
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vw62kid
Samba Member
Joined: January 20, 2013
Posts: 116
Location: Topeka, KS
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| Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2025 6:38 am Post subject: Re: ABA Vanagon Conversion |
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| MarkWard wrote: |
Nice progress. I see the torque converter bolted up. I realize you are replacing the seal, but the torque converter needs to be installed fully into the transmission. There are 3 distinct steps that allow the torque converter to seat completely. Once the transmission is bolted up, then you attach the flex plate.
I donโt believe you could get it correct with the torque converter mounted to the engine. Apologies if I misunderstand your method. |
Thanks for the advice! Ive never installed a torque converter before, let alone one on a vanagon. Now that I think about it, I've read this on another thread before here on thesamba. I'll definitely follow the advice!
TC to transmission > engine to transmission > TC to flex plate.
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https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=597378&highlight=
59 Logo Single Cab Project (L345 Light Grey)
90 Vanagon tin-top ABA convserion...work in progress
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...1a11892111 |
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