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Urabus build
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dustibus
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 10, 2016 11:49 pm    Post subject: Urabus build Reply with quote

Hello everyone. First off id like to thank EVERYONE for creating and being a part of The Samba. Ive learned so much from this site and continue to do so. Wonderful people here that are full of knowledge and keep it appropriate most of the time as far as forums go(compared to some I see). Anyway, my name is Dustin. I am 25 years old and have been driving my van for about (WOW) 10 years. It was the first vehicle I legally drove on the road, back from Michigan about a 5-6 hour drive, loaded down with about 4 other people and all camping gear. It was late everyone was sleeping and there I was, driving. Driving for the first time in the weirdest car on the road(so i thought). I honestly didnt like the van at the time. It was weird looking, engine was in the back?, it was old, everyone looked at you so confused at what you were and why you were driving that. I wondered the same. I wondered the same up until I started to do some research on this old thing. I stumbled across the samba a couple times and came to recognize the site by the home page. I kept coming across this ''site''. I soon came to realize this was the PLACE to be for vanagon owners. They had everything, from classified adds, forums, pics....exc. So my journey began(and I should of ran!!! Laughing ).

There I was, starting to fix up my ''soon to be, van''. The one I didn't really like, the one my mom drove and beat up for years, my grampas old ride Cool , the one everyone looked at made fun of and wondered WHY are you driving that? I soon began to Really like it, and started to learn a LOT. Very quickly. It was maroon color, auto, GL weekender model that really was in good shape for what it was put through. I had big plans for it, paint, engine, maybe put a manual trans in it so I could go fast Shocked , lower it, wheels...exc. So I started replacing stuff, O2 sensors, adjusting the tps, afm, wheel bearings, breaks, ball joints, fuel lines.. the list goes on. To make a long story short I replaced everything I could think of. Then I wanted paint. Wanted paint so bad I could smell it. So the typical 18 year old I was, didnt have no money researched the oil based paint enough to where I went out and bough some, tore EVERYTHING off the van and sprayed it down in the back alley where I used to live. Honestly the van looked good(and still does). Wish I could take it back because its not as good as it could be but looked a LOT better than what i started with. Put it all back together with new window seals and thought I was done Laughing .

So I finished up high school got a job at a machine shop(hated that place) worked there for about 6 months and moved to Orlando to go to the Motorcycle Mechanic Institute. I always liked bikes and just started to get into cars(VW's). Packed up the van and I was off. Headed to Florida. My van was my only mode of transportation down there, and I cant complain. That thing didnt break down on me once with that original wasserboxer with my manual trans that I swapped in there. I thought I was the coolest dude in school(i was Wink ) when everyone would come outside and hang out in my van at lunch Very Happy . Going to the beach was always fun too, you could load up all the people and GO! It was a blast, and I learned so much at school. I took a BMW and Honda class. This honestly was the best decision I made in my life. It made me who I am today. It was the first place I had to be an adult, figure out life on my own, make my own choices based on MY decision, and that was a wake up call.

So I finished up school and moved back home because I didnt know what else to do with my life, and all my friends moved away so I was sitting there alone basically. Got a couple random jobs and started paying school loan when it came around. Eventually got a job at a lighting company where I still currently work. This is where the van ''craze'' REALLY took off. I really wanted to rebuild my old 2.1 and freshin it up a bit. Got my parts list together to build the best engine I could. It just seemed that everytime I went to order it all I kept stalling or making excuses. I dont know, it was weird. I wasnt scared to tear into the engine or anything, i just kept waiting and waiting...... Then it happened, an add came up on cragslist that a guy was selling a van with like half a subaru conversion that he pieced together and I thought about it. Man that would be nice, a modern engine, new fuel injection, more power. I wasnt a HUGE fan of conversions and wanted to stay VW(for whatever reason?)

After HOURS of research I landed on the rocky mountain westy kit. It seemed to me it was the best option for me and the most complete. I bought a 96 2.2 Impreza drove it for the winter as I gathered up all my parts and started to tear into it the next summer. Decided to do my whole wiring harness and everything. Its a Job for sure, but I had a wiring diagram and decided to tackle it myself. It for sure wasn't easy, especially the first time with NO experience doing that stuff...but you get through it. So got the wiring harness mostly complete and started tearing into the engine... New timing belt waterpump....might as well do headgaskets too. So i went to take the head bolts out..... and all came loose but 2. I tried and tried, no go. Im very good with taking bolts out and understand them well. I take broken studs/bolts out at work all the time. So basically im screwed... I try and take the other side off, might as well i have nothing to loose. All came out but 1...1!! Why? and why the same one bolt pattern wise?? I thought and thought FINALLY came to realize that on the head there are 6 bolts that hold it to the engine case. On the 2 upper/outer ones there is an M8 thread on the top thats going into the bore of the bolt, which is a perfect spot for water to sit, corrode the bolt/threads and bingo... your stuck like chuck. If you have one of these engines(phase 1 ej22), put some kroil,wd40,pb blaster in the threaded hole and put a set screw or something in it to stop anything from getting in there so the bolt doesnt rust up. Here you can see the head bolt and M8 bolt on the top of the head are all connected.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


It sucks, dont know why they do this(bolt for factory assembly?) and its sealed on either side of the bolt, threads on one side and head of the bolt on the other which is sealed with a washer. so once water gets in there its stuck. Sad . I recently built a franken motor with 2 engines, 1 good ej22 engine phase 1, heads good and a bad crank, 1 ej25 lower end.... took me a while to figure it out but i cut the block right before the headgasket surface through the bolts and you can get the head off, the bolt is still seized in the head but you can get a pin punch and knock it out
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

You can see here where to cut the block and salvage the heads if your blots are rusted up..

Ill continue tomorrow, 6am comes early!!


Last edited by dustibus on Sun Dec 11, 2016 9:49 pm; edited 3 times in total
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WLD*WSTY
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 11, 2016 12:11 am    Post subject: Re: Urabus build Reply with quote

Welcome to the asylum! You seem to have what it takes to be a proper Vanagon owner, and have come quite far on your own!

If you liked your van before, you'll LOVE it with the Soob engine! Be sure to check out the official home of Subaru Vanagon conversions at:

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/subaruvanagon/info

Larry H.
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 11, 2016 12:13 am    Post subject: Re: Urabus build Reply with quote

Welcome! Great life story ala Westy, I enjoyed the read. Thanks for sharing.

That said, pictures or it's all forgotten by morning Smile
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E1
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 11, 2016 5:52 am    Post subject: Re: Urabus build Reply with quote

Yes, Welcome and keep up the enthusiasm!

Great story, Thanks!
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Sodo
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 11, 2016 7:16 am    Post subject: Re: Urabus build Reply with quote

Fun stuff. Sounds like you're a lifer.

Funny to see the name "Urabus". My brother and I built two "Urabii" in 12 days on his porch in California back in 1999. I lived in Seattle and drove 900 miles to convert With brazen confidence that it would all work. Total shadetree.

In 1999 there was no other support but a website called "Roadcow". Mr Roadcow (Ron Bloomquist) did a loaf with a Toyota inline-4 then got a Vanagon and wanted an H-4 for the quiet. He told us he had decided to call his vanagon "Vanaru" but his previous life as a bus-man, "Urabus" was the first name he came up with. The only subaru conversion parts were the Kennedy adapter plate & exhaust header. Heres a link (on the Wayback machine) to the (long gone) website I built: wayback machine Urabus. Wayback.org needs money, you might be asked for a donation.

One little story I recall about how times have changed. My Kennedy header cracked. I called Kennedy and he said send it back, his contractor welded them wrong. And he sent me a replacement header. He asked if I didn't mind covering shipping because the batches were so small and he was replacing every header sent out, and was losing his shirt.

I sold that van in 2005 to a guy in Northern California. It was a beige '85 Canada Westfalia with an OEM gasoline fired heater under the floor. And a white square-tube steel cargo rack across the whole Westfalia top. Wish I knew if it was still on the road. My brother still drives his same urabus!

Good luck with your project, I'll be reading!


Last edited by Sodo on Sun Dec 11, 2016 1:10 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Jake de Villiers
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 11, 2016 11:45 am    Post subject: Re: Urabus build Reply with quote

Sodo wrote:


Funny to see the name "Urabus". My brother and I built two "Urabii" in 12 days on his porch in California back in 1999. I lived in Seattle and drove 900 miles to convert With brazen confidence that it would all work. Total shadetree.

In 1999 there was no other support but a website called "Roadcow". Mr Roadcow (Ron Bloomquist) did a loaf with a Toyota inline-4 then got a Vanagon and wanted an H-4 for the quiet. He told us he had decided to call his vanagon "Vanaru" but his previous life as a bus-man, "Urabus" was the first name he came up with. The only subaru conversion parts were the Kennedy adapter plate & exhaust header. Heres a link (on the Wayback machine) to the (long gone) website I built: wayback machine Urabus. Wayback.org needs money, you might be asked for a donation.

One little story I recall about how times have changed. My Kennedy header cracked. I called Kennedy and he said send it back, it was welded wrong. And he sent me another. He asked if I didn't mind covering shipping because the batches were so small and he was replacing every header sent out, and was losing his shirt.



Hobart Kennedy was a really good guy! I had no idea that you were half of the Urabus swap team. You guys and Roadcow planted the Subaru idea in my head long before I finally went ahead with my swap.

Thanks, Tom! Very Happy
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 12, 2016 1:25 pm    Post subject: Re: Urabus build Reply with quote

Jake de Villiers wrote:
Sodo wrote:

Funny to see the name "Urabus". My brother and I built two "Urabii" in 12 days on his porch in California back in 1999. I lived in Seattle and drove 900 miles to convert With brazen confidence that it would all work. Total shadetree.


Hobart Kennedy was a really good guy! I had no idea that you were half of the Urabus swap team. You guys and Roadcow planted the Subaru idea in my head long before I finally went ahead with my swap.

Thanks, Tom! Very Happy


Yeah, quite a few of us were encouraged by Tom and Dick's gonzo conversions and subsequent satisfaction with the swap. Thanks guys!

Thanks also to Roadcow, and to the guy that made it all possible, Hobert Kennedy.
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campism
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 12, 2016 4:14 pm    Post subject: Re: Urabus build Reply with quote

Sodo wrote:
Funny to see the name "Urabus". My brother and I built two "Urabii" in 12 days on his porch in California back in 1999. I lived in Seattle and drove 900 miles to convert With brazen confidence that it would all work. Total shadetree.

In 1999 there was no other support but a website called "Roadcow". Mr Roadcow (Ron Bloomquist) did a loaf with a Toyota inline-4 then got a Vanagon and wanted an H-4 for the quiet. He told us he had decided to call his vanagon "Vanaru" but his previous life as a bus-man, "Urabus" was the first name he came up with. The only subaru conversion parts were the Kennedy adapter plate & exhaust header. Heres a link (on the Wayback machine) to the (long gone) website I built: wayback machine Urabus. Wayback.org needs money, you might be asked for a donation.

You were the guys who did the side-by-side Subaru swaps? I spent a lot of time looking at that website. I recall a post-swap photo of the instrument panel on someone's (probably your) drive home with the speedo needle in the upper ranges of the dial. Pretty impressive. That was a good read.
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Sodo
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 12, 2016 4:59 pm    Post subject: Re: Urabus build Reply with quote

Wow you guys must be OLD to remember all that! Laughing Laughing

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I don't think my wife ever read this page.
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 12, 2016 6:28 pm    Post subject: Re: Urabus build Reply with quote

It's good to see that bit of history!
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 12, 2016 7:44 pm    Post subject: Re: Urabus build Reply with quote

Sodo wrote:
Fun stuff. Sounds like you're a lifer.

Funny to see the name "Urabus". My brother and I built two "Urabii" in 12 days on his porch in California back in 1999. I lived in Seattle and drove 900 miles to convert With brazen confidence that it would all work. Total shadetree.

In 1999 there was no other support but a website called "Roadcow". Mr Roadcow (Ron Bloomquist) did a loaf with a Toyota inline-4 then got a Vanagon and wanted an H-4 for the quiet. He told us he had decided to call his vanagon "Vanaru" but his previous life as a bus-man, "Urabus" was the first name he came up with. The only subaru conversion parts were the Kennedy adapter plate & exhaust header. Heres a link (on the Wayback machine) to the (long gone) website I built: wayback machine Urabus. Wayback.org needs money, you might be asked for a donation.




No kidding.
I used your site back then to build my first, including the same muffler and cheesy bracket system shown on the site.

I'm happy to say it worked very well, thank you very much.
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 12, 2016 10:12 pm    Post subject: Re: Urabus build Reply with quote

Urabus WV I've totally taken over your thread, sorry for that. Looks like you have some good info here.

URABUS WV wrote:
.....So i went to take the head bolts out..... and all came loose but 2. I tried and tried, no go. Im very good with taking bolts out and understand them well. I take broken studs/bolts out at work all the time. So basically im screwed... I try and take the other side off, might as well i have nothing to loose. All came out but 1...1!! Why? and why the same one bolt pattern wise?? I thought and thought FINALLY came to realize that on the head there are 6 bolts that hold it to the engine case. On the 2 upper/outer ones there is an M8 thread on the top thats going into the bore of the bolt, which is a perfect spot for water to sit, corrode the bolt/threads and bingo... your stuck like chuck. If you have one of these engines(phase 1 ej22), put some kroil,wd40,pb blaster in the threaded hole and put a set screw or something in it to stop anything from getting in there so the bolt doesnt rust up. Here you can see the head bolt and M8 bolt on the top of the head are all connected.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.



Note that Kroil, WD-40, PB Blaster or other light oils will evaporate to nothing in a few days cold, or a few minutes when hot. Can put a bolt in with sealant, or just seal that threaded hole with silicone or Permatex Ultra Gray.

URABUS WV wrote:
It sucks, dont know why they do this(bolt for factory assembly?) and its sealed on either side of the bolt, threads on one side and head of the bolt on the other which is sealed with a washer. so once water gets in there its stuck. Sad . I recently built a franken motor with 2 engines, 1 good ej22 engine phase 1, heads good and a bad crank, 1 ej25 lower end.... took me a while to figure it out but i cut the block right before the headgasket surface through the bolts and you can get the head off, the bolt is still seized in the head but you can get a pin punch and knock it out
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

You can see here where to cut the block and salvage the heads if your blots are rusted up..

Ill continue tomorrow, 6am comes early!!


I wonder if you drilled a small (vertical) well into the bolt thread area, and kept it full of penetrating oil for a few days, would that bolt let loose? Then the hole can be epoxied.
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dustibus
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2016 11:08 pm    Post subject: Re: Urabus build Reply with quote

Hello again, its been a couple days. Ive decided another daily goal of mine is to write on this thread. There's so much to be said!!! Anyway, sodo your fine talking in my thread! If anything I say brings up something/triggers something, the more the better, were all here to talk and learn from each other! I suppose you could drill a small hole to access the head bolts in the cases and let them soak for a while.... But man, the ones ive came accross are STUCK. Im in ohio so id imagine if you live where it doesnt snow and salt are all over the roads, this might not be a problem. But ive had 2 engines in a row do this to me. The phase 2 engines are not like this.

SO, I have my wiring harness almost done from me car I just tore apart, which is a 1996 Phase 1 2.2, and my engine is out and toast because of these dang head blots breaking... Im stuck, and trying to get this done before a music festival(electric forest) which is in a month. Im stuck. Not a ton of cash. I decided on going to the junk yard to pull an engine (unknown condition Rolling Eyes ) find the best one and run it... Well when i get to the yard, there are NO phase 1 2.2's. Only newer 2.5's.... I came across a outback with a 2.2 phase 2 (1999?). I think to myself, well. The engine Harness/ECU is a 2.2 and the RMW kit i bought is a 2.2, so ill just get this one. Pull the engine, get it home, new headgaskets, timing, waterpump, seals...exc. Put it all together and start hooking up my wires. Well stuffs not fitting right. My harness isnt to that engine originally. My old engine is out of the question, new one is already in with new parts on it. I made a mess. I didnt know what i was doing?? Im in my early 20's and dont have a ton of subaru experience. Actually i dont have much experience doing anything Laughing . SOOOO moving on. I decided this harness/ECU is NOT going to work with this phase 2 engine. The car I got this engine from is gone from the yard, so that harness is not an option. I research and research, finally come to conclusion that the phase 2 2.2's (which is what I have) and 2.5's are essentially the same engine besides the bore. Theres like 5 foresters there(always is) so go down there to pull a wiring harness, ecu, intake manifold with the 2,5 injectors so itll run right(even tho its a 2.2 engine with 2.5 tune). I took this harness out differently. I tore the dash out and under the dash you can see the wires from the ecu coming out and from the main harness it branches to the left side of the car, the other side is going through the firewall. I cut everything going to the left side and kept the engine wires intact. I HIGHLY recommend doing it this way, your cutting 10-15? wires which you can trace from the wiring diagram and leave everything else as is.. Its SOOO much easier and less stressful, here is something I whipped up quickly to give you a visual.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Im sorry for the bad pics, this was early on in my converting stages and didnt take much pics. It will get MUCH better I promise. I just built my subaru gears trans and converted all breaks to a much bigger better setup.I will get to this later in the post!

Anyway! I got my harness all wired up and put it together with the 2.5 intake manifold/ECU on my 2.2 engine. Long story short I got my engine running good. Its a PAIN dealing with all the tank sensors, neutral sensors, and getting them hooked up correctly. I did buy the small car code eliminator and it did help. But now that I know what its about I could easily hook up my own setup myself and would work fine. Not saying anything bad about that smallcar setup, but I just didnt know what I was doing and knowledge costs $$ sometimes. I did end up having to add to the code eliminator and wire in a 3.3V voltage regulator to mimic one of the tank sensors to get my check engine light to go out,(that took a while to figure out). The voltage is what your looking for when eliminating the codes. You find out the sensor your ''faking'' and what it runs off of. Just feed it what it wants and the sensors basically there. I bought a 7 wire bundled cord off McMaster Carr, ran that from my ecu to my dash and used 1 wire for my neutral switch, hooked that up to my clutch switch. The ECU wants to see a random signal and figured if I pushed in my clutch I was switching gears hitting neutral, again mimicking sensors that wasnt there. I also used the bundle of wires for my obd2 port under the dash, and also(highly recommend) an oil pressure gauge and coolant temp gauge. The speed sensor was included in the kit and worked flawlessly. I ended up finding out how to get my tach signal working ( ill find the link and post it, its midnight and the info is out in the garage). There's also a lot of information on http://www.busaru.com/subaruvanagon/prepurchase as well as other sites. The information is out there you just have to search and search, youll find something. That goes for anything, not just vw stuff..

Here are some current pics of the van! I just got my locking racks and cargo box up there and love them!! Its a Yakima skybox 21 with Thule medium rise locking gutter clamps. Absolutely LOVE them!!

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


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Rorke
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 15, 2016 7:30 am    Post subject: Re: Urabus build Reply with quote

Great Samba thread to stumble into.

Intro
Summary of intentions
History lesson (HUGE thanks to you pioneers)
Comprehensive Progress reports
Photos
Follow Up

Thanks
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dustibus
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 15, 2016 10:35 am    Post subject: Re: Urabus build Reply with quote

Thanks Rorke! I try really hard to explain and cover everything important, its hard because I know how everything was done and I was there. You have to put a blind eye to everything, as if you had no idea how this thing was made, assembled, where it came from...exc. Sometimes I think the way I write is confusing.. It is what it is I guess... Thanks for the good words!👍 Theres so much more to come!! Ok I have to get back to work and make it look like I'm doing something..... Talk to you guys later!
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 15, 2016 9:01 pm    Post subject: Re: Urabus build Reply with quote

Ok so I got a pic of my ECU setup. This takes soo long to figure out and get all codes eliminated, but anyway.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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This is my setup. Its the small car code eliminator without the heat shrink on(had to take it off to see whats in there Laughing ). I added a 3.3V regulator with a little heat-sink behind it. I am powering that regulator with 5 or 6 volts? coming from I think the atmospheric pressure sensor??? I have it mounted behind the black box and from what I remember it runs off 5 volts, therefore the regulator only has to shunt 1.7V to ground...Compared to running off 12V, which it very well could, but the 5V is a lot closer and doesn't put strain on it. I just bought this off ebay, same as the heat-sink. I have my relays mounted, and one of the posts all the wires are going to is ignition switched power and the other is a constant. Its mounted in phenolic so it doesn't conduct anywhere and short out!! The ''studs'' the wires are on are M6 flat head screws that were countersunk in the back of the phenloic about 3mm too deep so they didnt touch anything. The holes are tapped and bolts were tightened so they wouldnt move, and the flathead screws lock so good because of all the surface area of the countersink, they wont move!!! The ECU is just mounted to the box with the 2 M6 screws on top and on bottom I bent the OG Subaru mount around the bottom/back of the black box to kind of secure the bottom in, but cant come off unless the top is un-bolted, I have a piece of rubber behind to dampen any vibrations. The diagnistic connector is mounted in some phenolic as well. I also have one going to the front of the van, 2 total, which helps a lot actually. The test mode connectors are just dangling there at the bottom Laughing . I have a lot of time in this. The factory subaru wiring harness has a big grommet that goes through the subaru firewall... Leave that on there and you can use it for the same purpose!! Its a tight fit but works as intended. I ran a couple ''spare'' wires through the harness to the black box in the engine compartment, just to have if I needed them and actually I think I only have 1 left.. I highly recommend doing this.

So there was this one code P0170.. I hate this code.. Its a fuel trim bank 1 code. That I have been fighting since this conversion. It means at some point the ecu cannot adjust the mixture to get the engine running efficiently, within the acceptable range based on the tune....I replaced so many things to try and figure this out and this is what I came up with. So my first step to really getting anywhere was getting the injectors cleaned, I knew they were dirty by taking the bolts out of the intake mani, turning the key to cycle the fuel pump to build pressure, and putting pieces of paper under the intake covering the ports. Let this sit with fuel pressure and check back later.. I come back later and see a bunch of gas ALL OVER the paper where it was covering the ports... Great my injectors are leaking, get them cleaned. Ive always had a slight starting problem too when sitting for over 4-5 hours. Injectors cleaned, starts GREAT, runs great, throttle response is sweet!! Run it for a week, and BOOM! same thing starts happening. Check engine light is back on, throttle response is gone...exc. SOOOOO I just replaced the factory subaru fuel filter that i installed in the firewall, and the VW one is probably 5 years old... Naaa, its ok Laughing . So lets try new injectors, $270 later, the van is back! Throttle is back, starting flawlessly, no engine light. Ok so another week goes by, check engine light.. P0170! NOOOO!!!! Shocked . Shortly following this is bad starting and everything else.. OK so something is in my tank getting through everything and clogging up my injectors. So replace EVERYTHING is my only option Rolling Eyes ... This sucks, whyyy!! OK FINE, Buy a tank and im not putting on them cheep grommets and plastic connectors so they can break. So get out the tig and make something work here.

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That should do it I would hope. So lets replace the fuel pump, all filters, all hoses, all hard hoses, different fuel rail, clean the expansion tanks... Its clean, EVERYTHING is NEW!! It has to be clean Cool . I still havent got my injectors cleaned, Its like 20 an injector + shipping so probably 100 bucks all together.. Well on Ebay you can get 4 injectors already cleaned and flow matched for like $110... But mine are brand new!! But then I can buy the ones off ebay, get them in the mail, put them in and be done.. (should of bought ones off ebay instead of brand new ones). So i dont konw what im trying to do yet, and I know now my injectors are leaking a little causing it hard to start. Fuel is probably getting into my cylinders leaking past my rings, getting into my oil causing the oil to be thinned out by the fuel, getting circulated and prematurely wearing my bearings out in my engine Very Happy . I need to get my life together geeze. Rolling Eyes . One thing ill add is I used factory subaru hose clamps for ALL my lines. When you go to the junk yard get all of them..from every car, youll be glad you did, there stainless and dont pinch the lines like the worm clamps do(or whatever you call them). I also used baracade line that ws rated for like 225psi, 15 bar. I think the stock pressure reg opens at like 2 or 4 bar?? The hose is ok for bio diesel and a bunch of fuels, methanol, ethanol.. I figured it would be fine!! Also bought the hard line for fuel 8mm black stuff off McMaster Carr for pretty cheep. Here is my engine and subaru fuel filter mounted on my firewall.( a lot of time has been spent back here Laughing )

I also have the stock subaru airbox mounted up. I didnt like the airbox that was with RMW's kit so made something this tune was designed for. Which is stock airbox with some restriction thats quiet. Im really wanting a new Quieter exhaust, The magnaflow sounds GREAT, but this is a van I plan on traveling in and want to hear myself think, not rally and race in. Im debating on the SS quiet pack walker exhaust, or like the bosal. The walker is 409SS, well 400 series stainless has iron in it which is why a magnet sticks to it, iron rusts(iron oxide). The bosal is steel along with ernst or whatever they are.. I want the quietest one I can buy, im sick of noise. All my friends and buddys are all like, ''Man that thing sounds great!! Sound like a wrx!'' I thought it was cool at first, but now im like, ''NO dude, this thing is loud, I want silent, shhhhh you hear that?? Me either.... Very Happy . If you have used these exhausts please chime in and tell me which one is good and shhhhh, quiet Cool .


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Ill get back with you guys tomorrow, if this thread triggers anything or something doesnt make sense PLEASE say something, I wish I would of had all this information when I was doing this work. You always come across something that just doesnt quite work out. Im glad I currently work in a machine shop, ill just make fit Very Happy .
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dobryan
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Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 16473
Location: Brookeville, MD
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 16, 2016 6:36 am    Post subject: Re: Urabus build Reply with quote

I enjoy following your build. Very Happy
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Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 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
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All4You
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Joined: March 01, 2015
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Location: NY
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 16, 2016 11:00 pm    Post subject: Re: Urabus build Reply with quote

Hi there,

Fast moving thread! Wasn't able to read everything but am assuming you got the magnaflow that comes with RMW kit. I had that, and yes it growls on the local streets, but I couldn't stand the headache-provoking droning when on the highway. I just upgraded to the STEALTH MUFFLER KIT from RMW. It wasn't what I expected: in the low range it still sounds fierce but on the highway its fairly quiet. Definitely a huge improvement and a must have wit this set-up. It should be part of the stock kit.

All the best in your project. Looking forward to seeing more of it

All4Him
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86' Syncro, EJ25
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Build Thread
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=647477&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
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dustibus
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Joined: March 10, 2010
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Location: cincinnati
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 20, 2016 10:03 pm    Post subject: Re: Urabus build Reply with quote

Hello again. Its been a couple days since ive been on here so lets get with it!! Thanks for the exhaust comment ALL4YOU. Ill keep that in mind,I need to figure something out!!

So, wheels. Im in my early 20's and stock wheels are not cool. Vanagons with aftermarket wheels are sweet, and look more modern/cool to me Cool . And every kid that's into cars are putting different rims on different cars, buying aftermarket different offsets...exc. I got some ''huffs'' from my friend for cheep and they had the 5x112 bolt pattern. I ended up buying 20mm spacers and took a round file to the centrebores and hogged them out to fit because they were too small... Not the best way to do things but it worked for me and i was on my way to getting my wheels on my van!!! Rolling Eyes . Ordered up some tires and mounted them on there and was happier than ever!! I thought I was it!


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I also has cheep cip1 springs on there that dropped it about 2''.. The ride was bad, and the tires I got 225/50-18 were too tall so I had to leave bumpstop material in there to not hit the fenders Brick wall . After fighting with that and debating on what I was going to do. I wanted different rims. Of course.... SO the search was on. I looked for HOURS of ppl posting different rims and setups. I knew I wanted at least 17's.. but 18's were standing out to me for some reason. Which is what was currently on there... FINALLY decided on mk5 R32 wheels. They were 18'' in size, looked good and was not flashy or too distracting for me, silver in colour. they were just right.. There was ONE picture of one I saw here on the samba of a vanagon with the R32 wheels on, 'Omanyts' is what they call them. There were only 5000 R32's sold in the us, they were only made in 2008.... Of course thats what I wanted, some rare expensive cars rims for my vanagon Laughing . Also knowing the centrecaps were not going to fit... ''ill just make something work, I have to have them!'' Rolling Eyes . So found 3 on VWvortex with tires and had them shipped in from Georgia or South Carolina cant remember?? Now all i need is 1!!! A week went by and bought the other one off ebay from California. Probably $600 in rims and the 3 had pretty good tires on it, I had 1 the right size at home for the ebay rim with no tire.. So I was golden. The tire size was 225/40-18.. The current ones were 225/50-18. So these were shorter in height, which means I could take a layer off the bumpstop and HOPEFULLY not hit the fenders!! And have some suspension travel that acceptable.

The front grease cap is too big Rolling Eyes . So I think about it... I dont want to ''file'' out the bores of these rims because I want the centrecaps to fit, and want them to actually be balenced right. (have a concentric centre to balance from on the rim). there were 4 ''lips'' in the center of the rims.. 2 outside that the center cap ''snapped'' into and 2 inside of the rim located onto the newer vw hubs. Well out vanagons dont use the locator on the hubs so its not doing anything. Well I figured out, I needed to bore the inside lip out of the rim, so the grease cap can even think about clearing it so it can even bolt on the hub. The outside would still be there for the center cap to fit into, inside does not matter on this application. Here is a very bad drawing of the setup, but you can see whats going on


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And here you can see the grease cap installed(sorry this is the only pic I could find.pay no attention to the breaks that coming up next!)

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And my van, just before the racks Smile


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ok its midnight, ill edit this tomorrow. thanks everyone
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dustibus
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 31, 2016 12:35 pm    Post subject: Re: Urabus build Reply with quote

Hey guys, sorry haven't been on here in a couple days. Anyway!!

I was talking about grease caps, I recently made another with a little more length on the part that ''press'' fits onto the hub. Also added a low profile grease fitting to the cap so I have access to the outer wheel bearing to pump some grease in maybe once every year or two. Figured if the grease fitting didn't work i could just tig it up and forget about it. Here is a pic of it!!(little flash rust on it already Shocked)

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I have the hole on there so i can pull the speedo cable through it and tig it on, I just slide the cable through the housing when I need to take it off or put it back on, and this way its completely waterproof. Im literally so happy im able to think of this stuff and actually make it. My job I currently have has COMPLETELY set me up for my future, I plan to travel with my van and can now trust it. I have been able to pay school off and build the van of my dreams because of all the stuff I can make. More on that later.... Anyway that mostly covers my rim setup im running!!!
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