Vee Dub Nut's 74 Bay Transporter (& Subaru EJ25 Swap)

[Vee Dub Nut]

[skills@eurocarsplus]

By that exhaust I mean just that....

You'll heat the already cooled water returning to the w/p
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[Vee Dub Nut]

[skills@eurocarsplus]

so....that exhaust will throw a LOT of heat back into the engine bay. daveark also has a late bay. I design my exhaust systems to look like a side winder and this takes almost all of the heat away from the engine bay.

also, that heat shield for the exhaust causes more problems than its worth. the way it attaches to the timing belt cover is a joke...and has sent broken pieces of t belt over into the belt and well, you know....bent valves/broken belts...several Vanagon guys have found this out the hard way, and so did Dillon (thebusandus)

not trying to rain on your parade, but trying to avoid the 300 private messages asking how to get your bus to cool post swap.....it's gotten to a point that I just can't answer all of the questions anymore
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[Vee Dub Nut]

Again, my system isn't the full system that Van-café/RMW sells. I'm just using the header only. The rest of my setup is parts I already have (or will) put together myself to fit my desired form/function requirements.

The muffler placement I've shown is pretty well set, as I was looking for a round bodied muffler to sit in the factory location like the T4 muffler. This was for my own personal aesthetic reasons.

The muffler is further back away from the engine than the full Van-café/RMW setup. I've got a general idea/plan for a heat shield between it and the rest of the engine/engine bay, but it will actually be body mounted heat shield. I too never liked how the Van-café/RMW exhaust mounted the heat shield to the cam cover bolts (which in turn also supported the muffler weight too). Too much heat and weight right up next to the engine to me.

Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate the feedback. It will be interesting to see how the entire combo works together. Hopefully I'll address some of the issues you saw with the similar system you had worked with. If it turns out to be a complete flop, I'll change it from there.
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Fightin' Texas Aggie Class of 2006

67 Beetle (TBD)

74 Transporter (EJ25 Swapped) - Build Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

See all my VW pics on Instagram @ vee_dub_nut

[Vee Dub Nut]

Just another quick update on the swap. Not a whole lot has been happening, as this past month an a half has seen me traveling to Japan and back, ripping out our old carpet and linoleum and installing ~1000sqft of flooring in the new house, out of town visitors for a week, kids birthdays, sis-in-laws college graduation, etc, etc...

I had a whole long post written out detailing all of the recent progress and thought processes on layout, but then deleted it and decided to just hit the high points.

Muffler hanger is completed. Pretty simple light weight angle running between the bumper brackets so it can bolt in/out, and provide a mounting point for the exhaust hangers (which support the left and right side of the muffler can)

Lots and lots of work on the coolant system, although most of it has been the mental/planning side of things. I decided to use the ubiquitous VW coolant ball as the reservoir. This gives me an easy place to fill under the hatch, visual level at a glance (plus the ability to tie into the integral level sensor for an idiot light), and a high point for the system to de-gas to. Mounted the bracket to the firewall over the right side of the engine (note: I have a new plastic ball on the way. this one is just mock up)

From there its been figuring out the coolant lines. Ideally I eventually want 100% hard lines (apart from couplers of course). For now though, with the rad placement still in its "beta" phase, I'll be using a mix of hardline and Gates WIGS hose. Got the suction side hardline fabricated up. Used a 45* and 90* aluminum bend to get off the engine and clear the exhaust. From there it runs along the frame rail to just forward of the CV shaft. I'll use the frame to body gusset as a support for this line. My aluminum TIG welding is getting better with more practice. I won't be starting a welding page on IG or anything real soon, but getting more comfortable, and they are functional and looking decent enough.

I'm still waiting on the final pieces needed to fabricate the discharge line, but that should take a u-turn off of the engine, and then follow a similar path down along the frame rail like the suction side. These lines (suction and discharge) will be what is tied into the coolant ball for supply and de-gas. Should work well I think.

Apart from these big things things, its been a lot of parts ordering trying to get all the final bits and bobs here. New o-rings for the injectors and FPR, new knock sensor, various hoses and fittings, rad fans, wiring components, etc.

I'm really hoping to get this thing back on the road within the next month or so. I'd like to be able to have it ready to use again for the families Christmas light cruise night. Its doable, but I've really got to get after it and stay on it. Wish me luck!
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Fightin' Texas Aggie Class of 2006

67 Beetle (TBD)

74 Transporter (EJ25 Swapped) - Build Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

See all my VW pics on Instagram @ vee_dub_nut

[Spike0180]

awesome! Looking good. What is that clear tubing you have on the cooling though? Is that just slipped over the piping? It doesn't look like it even has a bevel on the rube to keep it on there. I hope it isn't permanent/runner worthy and just for mockup, or that I just don't know something
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Brutis Patches Izabich: 1970 VW Transporter - 1776cc DP
Current State: Projects never truly end...
Location: Grosse Pointe, Michigan
Other cars: 2003 F150, 2003 Jetta GLI vr6-6sp

Sambastic: adj; the quality of being nit picky, elitist, expecting everyone to do things the way they believe is best with no regard to situation, "sambastic"

[Vee Dub Nut]

[Vee Dub Nut]

I appear to have some momentum going, so I'm trying to keep it up

I got the left side discharge coolant pipe fabricated this weekend. I started with a 180* mandrel bend as the base. After slicing it up and combining it with some drop material from the suction side pipe fab, I came up with this for routing (see the top side view below). This pipe also has an 1/8npt bung added, as this is the high spot in the coolant system that will de-gas to the coolant ball/expansion tank. I kept this pipe up high leaving the engine so it would be the high spot of the system, but also so it would be clear of the valve cover for its first scheduled valve adjustment (in 100k miles )

Here is another shot from the bottom side. Like the suction side, it jogs down along the frame after leaving the engine bay, and is rigid up past the axle by about 2-3"

Lastly, here is a shot of the overall engine bay as it sits. This is basically what the final product will look like. I'm extremely happy with how its coming out. Looks like basically a factory type installation, which is what I was after. The only other thing that I need to mount still is the fuel filter, but all the rest of the big items are in. I also mounted my LED engine bay light which (will be) connected a manual toggle switch in the engine bay. It lights everything up real well, and makes it even easier to work on than using the drop light.

Beyond that, I made a bunch of progress on other little things that don't really photo all that well. Got the pressure switching solenoid and MAP sensor mounted, started extending the TPS wires (but ran out of heat shrink), modified the throttle body and installed the gaskets on it and the reverser, etc, etc. I also ordered a ton of the little fittings, clamps, and other things needed to wrap up the coolant system. I will hopefully keep plugging away at all these items over the next week or so. Trying to get it able to test fire the engine soon, so then I can finalize my vehicle side harness to the Bus.

All for now!
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Fightin' Texas Aggie Class of 2006

67 Beetle (TBD)

74 Transporter (EJ25 Swapped) - Build Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

See all my VW pics on Instagram @ vee_dub_nut

[Vee Dub Nut]

Had a pretty productive weekend...

-radiator was pulled, fans were installed, air bleeds installed, and then radiator final installed back underneath
-gates green strip hoses cut and fitted between the radiator and hard lines
-fuel pump mount built and fuel pump installed (walbro 255)
-fan and fuel pump harnesses built
-intake manifold final installed
-fuel filter housing installed
-exhaust hanger painted and exhaust final installed
-downstream o2 sensor standoff fabricated and installed
-air intake pipe modified to rotate MAF 90* to accommodate stock engine harness
-heater hose loop installed
-coolant ball supply and air bleed lines installed
-etc, etc

There is probably more that I'm forgetting, but these were the highlights. I've been keeping a list on the dry erase board in the shop, and just steadily working to scratch things out. With the project now being all down to the small stuff, a list has been super helpful in keeping progress moving forward and keeping me organized and on track.

Anyways, as a result of all the work this weekend, Sunday I had a chance to roll the Bus out and test fill the coolant system. This is the first time its been out of the shop since moving here. Happy to report that there are not leaks, and my air bleeds worked perfectly to get the system filled and purged. This weekend I'll dump the water and install actual coolant mix.

Here are a couple of shots I grabbed while it was out. The irony of these pictures were not lost on me

Next step is to get back to the body harness and get it finished up. It remains in the same condition as it was when I tested in the donor car before pulling the engine. I also have a TDI starter and adapter plate on the way that needs to be installed. I hope to be able to do a test fire on the engine next weekend.
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Fightin' Texas Aggie Class of 2006

67 Beetle (TBD)

74 Transporter (EJ25 Swapped) - Build Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

See all my VW pics on Instagram @ vee_dub_nut

[richparker]

Looking good!

What’s the engine bay LED set up look like?
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’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’63 Deluxe Build

[Vee Dub Nut]

[richparker]

Sweet, thanks for the link!
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’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’63 Deluxe Build

[Vee Dub Nut]

Just a quick post to check in.. making progress!


Link

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Fightin' Texas Aggie Class of 2006

67 Beetle (TBD)

74 Transporter (EJ25 Swapped) - Build Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

See all my VW pics on Instagram @ vee_dub_nut

[Amskeptic]

[skills@eurocarsplus]

[Amskeptic]

[AirKooledGarage]

Amazing build, love seeing the progress!
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1973 Bus
1974 Long Body Buggy (sold)
1965 Manxish buggy (kids car)
1961 Patina Bug

[Vee Dub Nut]

[Vee Dub Nut]