Another 86 Syncro restoration

[bluefirefly]

I am in vacation and guess where I am going to to spend them?
In the garage of course and

Motor is almost done but yesterday I got a little problem with the crank play, I measured 0.68mm end play, minus 0.10mm, give me 0.58mm, got new shims during the week, 0.32mm, 0.30mm, 0.24mm so I guess 0.56 will do, but when everything is in place, crank rotate free but no play.
I guess I need to spend more time on it and go to the shop at noon to get another 0.24mm shim.
It seems they are hard to get according to them, at $7 I'll get more especially since mine were in really bad shape.

Otherwise, here is a picture of where we were on Wednesday:

We forgot to take pictures of everything else, sorry about that, we'll try to do better this coming week.

Rockers are in place (took a long time grinding, adjusting, understand how to put them in place correctly without much information from CB) and I am happy with the result, lot of lube, lash at 0, we'll see what will happen at first startup.

We'll try to order a new windshield this morning, I wanted to put the dash back in but it might be better to do the windshield first to get a better access to the rubber.

Need to get another main battery with top and side posts as the ex-main battery will become the accessories bat.

Time to go, a lot of work to do if I want the motor running this weekend.
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86 Syncro Tintop G60
work in progress ...as always!

[IdahoDoug]

Jerome,

To protect those lamps from gravel damage and abrasion, PM me. I am a 3M paint/light protection dealer and have sold a bunch at Samba deals and also to the LandCruiser club. That stainless mesh will catch crud and wreak havoc with the whole point of your lights - quality beams.

Love the project. Inspiring.

DougM

PS - the film will hold up to 100w bulbs fine. I used them with Hella 3000s and 160w bulbs for a year or so and clients do crazy stuff as well.
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1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader

[bluefirefly]

[bluefirefly]

I have a little problem.
I should be ready to put the motor in tomorrow and I bought an additive for motor breakin (not able to find oil or anything else) but there is a warning label not to use on 1994 and after vehicles to not damage the catalytic converter:

Does anyone got an idea, I am ready to put the full 10Cent SS exhaust on tomorrow, don't want any problem.

Thanks
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86 Syncro Tintop G60
work in progress ...as always!

[bluefirefly]

Here are some pictures of progress we made this week.

Here is a shot of the 2nd temperature sender we added, there will be a gauge from UK (aftermarket part for a Lotus Elise, nothing less, gonna get 20 HP out of it) with oil pressure and temp, water temp and battery voltage in 1 gauge, pic will come later when it will be in place.
I wasn't sure where to put that sender since I want to keep the original gauge on the cluster too. It was easier for the oil temp and pressure, original senders came out since we have a problem with those idiot lights not working.

I wanted it the other side of the motor since the new exhaust will be really close but a push rod tube is in the way of the coolant drain.

I know what you are thinking, we could have sandblasted that pulley and paint it, too late, my bad, same with the motor support (the big one), it will be for next year....

Look at this mess, I think I am better to print the manual for it otherwise the van will end with muffler on the roof.....

Easy as pie, the manual is really good, all details are in. I am still impressed with the quality of the system, it will be trouble free for a long, long time.

I'll finish that tomorrow and hopefully crank it before the end of the day.

Now Chris, if you could explain to my wife why we cannot put the push rod protector in place, the one she spent a lot of time to clean, sandblast, prime and paint, I'll be really happy...
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86 Syncro Tintop G60
work in progress ...as always!

[mariusstrom]

[bluefirefly]

[JeffRobenolt]

About getting zinc in your cat.

If enough oil additive with zinc is getting to the cat in can plug the cat.

If that is the case, you will be more worried about the condition of the motor and why you have so much blow by.

My 2 cents, don't worry about it.

I have been running Diesel oil that is high in zinc in all my gas cars for years without any problems, yet.

The diesel oil has the same warning on it.

Jeff
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[bluefirefly]

[bluefirefly]

Motor is back in the van, it was easy, I did it alone, no wife to supervise, seems it works better...
Just kidding, I cannot complain with everything she did on that resto, but it seems this is the last and only one.

Here are some pics of the motor before:

It is good to have all that stuff back on the motor, it is easier to work on a motor support that the van but I had to lift the van really high to be able to roll the motor under it.

Got some help from my second assistant, was a little tricky at some point but I was careful with the paint and nothing bad happened.
Took me less than 2 min to remember that I didn't clean those trans holes, pushed the motor back and I cleaned them with a drill bit (by hand of course) and in another 2 min the motor was in, no trouble at all, I must be lucky.

Motor support was easy too but I had to take apart those new exhaust brackets from the aluminium carrier to be able to put bolts on the support.
New grade 8 screws all over (not metric unfortunately, too hard to find here).

Kinda stop because it was late and cold (temp was 5 Celcius at 8pm and not enough light anyway) and I need to get another coolant hose (same one that blew in spring) seems to be not available anymore.
I had to move some stuff around, I was pretty sure I put it back as the Bentley said.....

It was time to clean the garage, today we should get the windshield in, so I wanted the van to be a little lower, good time to put our new wheels (Audi with summer tire, 205-55/16, too small I know) but before I needed to secure the SS brake line in front and put back shocks at the rear.

Another view of the motor in place:

So, please don't laught about those next pics, but we did since we are used to see the van with big tires, it was looking really funny to us...

Bad news, the point of those wheels were to get smaller winter tires (instead of 215-85/16) to be able to get the van in and out the garage but even with those small tires, the van do not clear the door.....

I hope with everything back inside and out (sliding door, front and rear doors and windshield the van will be lower so it is not going to be a pain to have it outside the garage, I don't want to redo the roof again....
I guess the winter tire in 215-70-16 won't be better to do the job, we need to think about it. May be with a camper interior could help, we are out of concrete block....

More to come today, I need to finish the electrical (everywhere) to be able to plug a battery and build up oil pressure.
Not sure if I'll be able to start the motor today, too much to do before that and I would like to have the cluster and the aftermarket gauge in place before startup to be able to monitor.
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86 Syncro Tintop G60
work in progress ...as always!

[bluefirefly]

No much done today, some light in front, a little around the motor but all small coolant hose and clamp are replaced, almost all electrical for the motor is done too, might be able to fire up today or tomorrow, but I would like to work on the body at the same time, no point to fire the motor if we cannot go for a drive.

We worked on the back bumper, ready to put in place, the electrical part for the backup light is done too, it will be a plug and play.

Hopefully today we'll get our windshield and put back the lateral door.
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86 Syncro Tintop G60
work in progress ...as always!

[bluefirefly]

Another day gone with not much done, I start to be lazy or I waste my time, this is not good.

Back bumper is in place, wasn't easy since I had to repaired it, I guess I didn't do a perfect job at that time.
But it will do his job and those to backup light seems awesome in the garage, should be the same on the road.
I didn't add a switch on the dash for it, may be in the future....

We didn't want to reuse (I didn't mainly...) the muffler shield so I had to make a support for the pressurized cooling tank, found an old piece of aluminum, 1/4 inch thick, will do the job:

After that, both batteries are plugged and in service, all lights are working, front and back (might have 1 or 2 bulbs out...) and I remember now that the wiper system need to be fixed, wipers stop anywhere when I turn them off, I need to switch on "intermittent" to have them back at their original position. I am better to look at it now.
Flashers are not working but emergency flashers are, a little strange, I'll see that later.

The new oil pressure gauge is plugged but I have a water temp problem, it indicates 65 Celcius, not good. Those are 2 wires senders, I thought there was not need for ground and the water temp is the only one I put thread sealant on, I'll see that this morning.

Cranked the motor, everything seems fine but not water for now and not sure what should be the oil pressure when I crank it, my gauge doesn't move. Shouldn't be a problem, I got oil inside for the past 3 days (already a leak at the oil fill up seal, was new, I'll see that after I drain the oil later today...).

Windshield is in, we'll pick up today and try to do more on the van.
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86 Syncro Tintop G60
work in progress ...as always!

[insyncro]

You are doing a great job.

FYI, without the muffler tin and side tins...an amazing amount of dirt, debris and water are able to get into the engine compartment.
Just something to think about for the long haul.

dylan

[jimeg]

Fascinating thread to watch. Beats cable TV. Nice work.
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1986 Root Beer Syncro Tin Top....so many plans.

Here: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=578490

[mariusstrom]

[bluefirefly]

[bluefirefly]

[bluefirefly]

[bluefirefly]

Good progress today even if we didn't work as much as I would like.

Here a little mod I stole from 10cent during one of his rebuilt:

Anything making my life easier is always good to me.....

Of course, the past mod cannot go without this one:

Thanks a lot for his designer, bleeding was really easy and I am pretty sure it is perfect by now since the rad fan did run 4 times during the camshaft/rockers breakin, but I'll need to replace the water with coolant later, not a problem.
A little surprise, we put more than 20l of water inside the system and I need to put more tomorrow, the level went down during cooldown so I'll say a total of 22l when the Bentley is talking about 17l I think.

Here is what we did for the breakin:
Oil was 5w20, a little on the low side but it start to be cold here so not that bad. I did add some zinc additive and I was not 100% sure for the catalytic converter even after Jeff post so, I didn't run the converter...., only put the muffler on the J pipe. I am not planning to drive like that since th emuffler is hold only on 1 side but for the garage, not a problem.

The new gauge is working well, got about 4bar (60psi) at 2200 rpm for startup and went lower at the end at 3bar (45psi) at 2000rpm but oil was at 100C so for that kind of grade, I think it is good.
Oil is out, filter replaced and new oil (10W30) for the next breakin, rings and cylinders. After that, I'll certainly get some 5W40 following advice of someone that knows those motors well.
Don't worry about that waste of oil, it isn't since I will be reusing both in my daily driver, a Firefly with a 3cyl and 170,000 miles, it doesn't really matter what I put in......

After that 25min,headers took some colors, nice to see:

After that 25min, no leak at all, not water in oil or the other way around, same with gas.
My only surprise was that the motor didn't want to start at all, I had to move the distributor (about 20degrees) from my mark. I don't know where I did screw up but something happened.
I didn't check the timing, I'll see that later when it iwll be time to drive.



We got he windshield after all, was suppose to be Monday for lunch.... and I got my slave to work on it (no Honey, I didn't say that.... )

We did screw up at first, we already did 3 small windows, it will be a piece of cake.... wrong, we had to stop, take it off and redo it!
Second time went well, less than 20 min for the both of us, I am really happy.

Now, we need to do more, so another one is waiting:

Should be up tomorrow and I would like to put as much as I can on the van since someone want to go shopping this Friday!, I cannot believe that.... well, after all she did, I might not complain after all..... otherwise :2gunfire: or

More post tomorrow, stay tune.
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86 Syncro Tintop G60
work in progress ...as always!

[bluefirefly]

Here are some shots of van, not done yet but close.
If only I could get that exhaust donut today, we could go for a drive....

I need to order a handle for the sliding door since the lock is damaged. I am surprised that nobody is selling locks only (or does but I didn't find...).
Of course, I'll need to paint those handles but we'll wait next year, it is too cold already.
Put back the lateral door was not that bad, we tried with the motor hoist and it was a mess, so we did it by hand.
The window might be another story, my wife wasn't able to put the rubber on the glass so everyhting is back inside where it is a little warmer and she'll try this morning.

Front doors will take a little longer, we forgot to clean all parts going with it, everything were in marked boxes in the basement....

Back door is on too, what a pain with those powerful shocks on it when nothing is on the door, I am pretty sure my wife cannot close it....
We had to strap it to have it half open.
I put the seal on the glass (pretty hard when temp is between 5 to 8 Celcius) but same as the windshield, we got it at the second time, we tried something different, we put in the top of the window first and it worked.

I like those big bumper on the van, those are wonderful and comfortable steps when you need to do anything high on the van:

Almost all glasses are on the van and it doesn't seem to be lower at all. Hope seats and other stuff will help otherwise we'll need to lower tires pressure al ot to take the van out....
Damn, I'll ask my wife to do it, that my push to get another house with a shop and a big door.....
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86 Syncro Tintop G60
work in progress ...as always!