1991 Multivan TDI build

[Multiman mv]

Another weekend and another trip off island. This time we were off to Sherborn, Ma to connect with old friends for their annual barn party. We didn’t end up sleeping in the van though our beloved black lab “Jem” did. I ran the Eberspacher for her the entire night as it got quite cold. She’s a bit on the pampered side. The van was a toasty 70 degrees even though once again, it got into the upper 30s. I’ve been really impressed with the efficiency of the Eberspacher and all of my efforts that went into thermal insulation have certainly paid off.

Rise and shine.

The Charles river in South Natick.

The van has been running beautifully. It’s been averaging around 28 mpg, exactly what Jon from FAS surmised it would get. It probably averages slightly less on the highway but in the 30 mph to 45 mph range it gets about 28 mpg’s.

The vcds has added a great peace of mind especially when embarking on longer trips, though I feel like we’ve shook out most if not all of the little things that can pop up post conversion. At this point I wouldn’t hesitate to drive this van anywhere.

[elizer]

Looks like another great trip!
What model eberspacher did you get? Does it have altitude adjustment? They are coming out with the s2 model that has built in altitude adjustment up to 3000m. Did fas do the heater install?

[Multiman mv]

It was a fun little trip for sure. Kind of a quick trip but still fun.

I had FAS install a D2 and it was my favorite extra that I had them do. They did a very neat install and routed the intake and exhaust very efficiently. I’m not sure about an altitude adjustment. It doesn’t look like it has anything on the unit itself but maybe one could make an adjustment via the control module?? Please chime in if anyone knows how to make an altitude adjustment on the D2.

I know it’s an expensive luxury but if you’re planning on any cold weather camping it’s well worth the expense. Definitely extends the camping season.

[elizer]

During my research you need a specific control module to allow for altitude adjustment on the s2. The new s2 its built in to the unit. I wanted fas to do the install but the s2 isnt out yet it was supposed to be available this month.

[Multiman mv]

Made it up to North Conway NH for the weekend. A little disappointed to find out that the Mount Washington toll road closed a few days early for the season due to snow at the peak. It was a beautiful drive to the mountain with the valley still showing some nice fall colors. On the way back to North Conway we stopped at Diana’s baths, a popular summer time swimming hole. We all had a fun time scrambling up the water worn rocks, checking out the series of waterfalls.

Here we are at the base with a bunch of other disappointed tourists.

[Multiman mv]

I took a very nice, solo, scenic drive this morning with the van. I was up before sunrise so I headed up over “bear notch” and on to the Kancamagus Highway. The scenery was amazing though the foliage was past peak. We missed peak foliage by a couple weeks but then again we knew that when we planned the trip.

The drive was beautiful with many scenic overlooks, hairpin turns and 9% grades. It was a drive that made me appreciate the tdi, especially the power and the reliability. This was a drive that would have been a gamble if I was driving the van, pre conversion. I used to hesitate a little when driving outside of cell range with the waterboxer. Though I never got stranded, I came close a couple of times with the old van and they weren’t pleasurable experiences with two kids and a wife in tow. One time, the bucking and surging of the waterboxer and eventual failure to start, almost left us stranded, miles from nowhere, without cell signal. After cleaning a couple of grounds the van started back up and we were on our way, though the incident made me abandon plans to head north on that trip when the bucking and surging happened again. We limped our way back to Martha’s Vineyard and dreams of a FAS tdi conversion were put into action with that first phone call when I spoke with Chris about getting on their schedule for the following spring. It was a year long wait but it was certainly worth it

Glenn Ellis falls New Hampshire

[Multiman mv]

Just received my set of pipes back from Jet Hot Corp where they were ceramic coated. I opted for the heavy duty, 2500 degree coating. Time will tell how they hold up especially in this coastal, New England environment. It’s amazing how much wear and tear, the first set of pipes have taken. They are made of heavy wall pipe and have some life left in them but I want to see how much longevity ceramic coating will add. Taking the van off the road entirely in the winter time will add the most longevity but I’m interested to see how the coating will hold up.

Original set of pipes.

[Multiman mv]

My set of “Carat” alloys came today with a set of mounted and balanced Nokian Entyre 2.0 all season tires from Van Cafe. I was looking for a different tire other than the Bfg Ats. My Bfg’s have over 40,000 miles on them. They actually have plenty of tread life left on them but I was looking for a tire that was quieter on road then the bfgs. The bfgs aren’t that loud but I want to see what the difference is and wanted to change the look of the Gowesty Alloys. I have always been a big fan of carat alloys so here’s my chance to have a set of all season tires and a set of bfgs as back ups in case I see myself doing more forest road camping in the future.

Hers a photo of them propped up in place. I’m going to mount them over the weekend along with the ceramic coated exhaust pipe.

[DuncanS]

Holy palooza--I assume that you put the Bfg's on at the same time you bought the GoWesty wheels--40K? Is that mileage all since the FAS work. You have done more camping in a couple of years than most do in a lifetime. You are going to cost me and a bunch of others big money, Nick, as I'm sure I'm not the only one to drool over a bunch of the mods you have made. Love the Carrot VC wheels and I'm convinced. In all the pages of tire posts I've looked at nobody seems to be talking about what I'm interested in, but maybe you are. I want a quiet, good riding all season tire, but....... Here's what I don't understand. My car came with 195/14's If 195 was good enough in 1991, why is everybody going to a wider tire? Doesn't that create more rolling resistance and lower mileage? I understand that a wider footprint will give better traction, but also will increase the likelihood of hydroplaning? I assume that there have been tremendous gains in tire materials and design since 1991 and so shouldn't the new tires with a width of 195 give good traction? I would also assume that the narrower tire will wear faster, but what's a fella to do? I don't go off road and although I do load 'er up with lots of tools and other stuff, since I've taken all the seats out except for the front two, I can't imagine my GVW is any more than your's with all the gear and mods you've glued on. Do you have any thoughts or specific threads that might illuminate some of these issues?

[Multiman mv]

Duncan, I put the Gowesty alloys and the bfgs on about a month after I bought the van in September of 2015. I’ve put about 40,000 miles in total since the Gowesty wheels. I’m somewhere around 17,000 miles since the Fas conversion. The Bfgs definitely still have life in them except for one that has a slight peeling of the tread surface. It really was just the very top of the tread and didn’t pose any risk of blowout but then again why take a chance with it?

My main reason for changing (besides really liking the look of the carat alloys) is to see if I can make the highway noise a little quieter and more fuel efficient. I went from a bfg 215/70-16 to a 215/65-16. It’s a pretty negligible change in size, about 7/16ths smaller in sidewall height or about 7/8ths of an inch less in diameter. The overall width of both tires are exactly the same. I probably should have kept the same size though the effect on rpms is neglible, about 100 rpms higher at 65. This change will lower my speed by 2 miles per hour when my speedometer is reading 65. I’ll make the adjustment on my scan gauge and check it against gps. I know that the fuel efficiency will only change by a negligible amount but basically, the bfgs aren’t needed as much as I thought I’d be using them right now. I’m sure I’ll be kicking myself when I go to camp in a buddy’s field and I’m spinning my tires on wet grass but with all the highway driving it seemed like a great trade off. I guess time will tell if it was the right switch for our needs.

You ask a good question about tire width. Maybe the increase in width has to do more with finding tires that have reinforced sidewalls. Maybe there are just more options and that is why so many vanagon owners are going with bigger, wider tires?

In terms of good reads on tires, I wish I could recommend a good thread. I should probably get into the practice of bookmarking ones that I’ve found helpful. As you know, the amount of threads on tires and wheels are dizzying but there is some great info to be gleaned from many of the posts. I concentrated on some of the threads that talked about Nokians and bfgs and gathered most of my info from there.

Basically, I found very few bad reviews of Nokians on this site and around the web. There were many positive reviews and the Nokian Entyre 2.0 seemed to have a lot of the attributes I was looking for. Quiet, little rolling resistance, great cornering characteristics, great traction in the rain, longevity and environmentally friendly. I’ll certainly post my own review after I’ve had a chance to drive around and especially after I’ve had a chance to take it on the highway.

[Steve Arndt]

Your van is on FAS facebook page I believe.
_________________
Steve
Steve's 87 Syncro project

[Multiman mv]

[Multiman mv]

So I have had some time with the Nokian Entyre 2.0s and I’ve got to say that they are not what I expected. I think they are a great tire but maybe not for a lifted van (1.5” Gowesty springs and fox shocks.) The sidewalls seem soft and the maximum suggested air pressure is 35 psi. This tire definitely makes for a soft comfortable, quiet ride except that my van felt very top heavy when compared to the bfg’s. I should have figured all of that out just by looking at the tire and reading about the Entyres. I think they would be a great tire for a lowered van or a van with 0” springs or even a tin top. The Entyres have a very rounded profile as viewed from the front compared to a flat and wider profile of the Bfg At’s. The bfg’s gave the van a very sturdy stance. The trade off is road noise. The Nokians are definitely quieter but I just couldn’t put up with the van feeling more top heavy. Also, I live in an area that has a lot of long, rutted out dirt roads and the bfg’s really help in certain situations. So, I think I am going with a new set of bfg’s in 215/70-16 (same as before.) I contemplated going to a 225/70-16 but got cold feet because of how close the Burley upper control arm got to the 215s. I’m pretty sure they would clear and I guess I could have went with a small spacer but for now I’m sticking with the 215s.

I have been hearing a clunk recently from the front passenger side and discovered that my upper ball joint was toasted. I jacked up the front passenger side and had a significant wobble in the wheel. While checking that, my remand’ power steering rack blew a seal and started leaking fluid from the passenger side boot. Sweet! I’m thinking that the wobble lead to some stress on the steering rack and caused it’s early demise. Just a theory but seems plausible. So I’m going in for a power steering rack replacement, power steering fluid flush, replacing tie rods and ends and upper a lower ball joints. After this work is complete I can then say that I’ve replaced and or upgraded almost every part of the front and rear suspension and steering. Losing a lower ball joint while going down the highway at 75 is something I never want to experience so might as well freshen up those 27 year old parts.

Thank you to Van Cafe/Rocky Mountain Westy for the parts and for the prompt shipping as always (and the cookie. My kids say, “thank you.” I think they have been secretly sabotaging my van just so they can get a cookie.)

[Stuartzickefoose]

Look up alika’s Silicon lifetime steering rack boots. They never wear out and you might as well...

Check the gallery for rack boots and you should find them.
Edit: here they are!

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1837448

As for tires, look into the cooper discoverer at3. You’ll find a sweet mix of a better rated AT tire, but less road noise.
_________________
Stuart Zickefoose

2011 Jetta Sportwagen TDi 6 speed manual

206-841-7324
[email protected]

[Steve Arndt]

I was going to advise getting a new power steering fluid filter but I just spotted one in your parts box.
_________________
Steve
Steve's 87 Syncro project

[crazyvwvanman]

On my 87 Westy I am running Entyre 2.0 in 215/65-16 102 XL.
The tires say max 51 psi on the sidewall.
I run close to that in the rears when loaded and about 6 psi less up front.
Unloaded I run 46 rear 40 front.

These are not off-road tires. I haven't taken them off pavement yet but I'm sure it will happen.

Mark

[danfromsyr]

yeah a Max inflation of #35 is no bueno,
my 205/70/15XL eNTYREs are a max inflation of #50psi.

sounds like you bought true passenger car size. what is the numeric load rating?
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[elizer]

I see some stuff you could be switching to powerflex under there

I wonder how much life my power steering rack has left. And 2nd alika silicone boots.

Ahh when you said 35 psi I thought you meant suggested psi not that it was the max. Ouchhhh. I think you would be having a totally different feel with the 50 psi entries.

[Stuartzickefoose]

No matter what you get it needs to have a C rating at minimum. If there’s a P in front of the size it will be too soft. D rated is much better!
_________________
Stuart Zickefoose

2011 Jetta Sportwagen TDi 6 speed manual

206-841-7324
[email protected]

[danfromsyr]

ok checking on the tire size you mentioned 215/65/16
https://simpletire.com/nokian-215-65r16-t429351-tires (specs tab).
the eNTYRE is an XL rated at #51PSI..

air that puppy up..
I run at 40# but you likely need to be 45~48 for your load.