Lieutenant Van a VWLT build

[rmcd]

Located in Oregon.

Not mine. https://www.ebay.com/itm/1992-Volkswagen-Bus-Vanagon-/294127863795
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VW LT40 build. Like a Vanagon but 30% larger in every direction and 40% slower even in metric.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=749359&highlight=

[owokie]

So, are you running/driving this thing around yet or is it still at Delong's shop? What do you have planned for the interior?

[rmcd]

I put about 1000 miles on it. Chris’s shop did radiator and some other R&R stuff in preparation for driving it down to Mexico to get bodywork paint and mechanical stuff.

In what can only be described as a tribute to the D 24 engine it made it to Mexico without any problems 2000 miles even with a lot of motor issues.

We are working with a diesel mechanic formerly from Long Beach who know the motor well. Going to r&r the d24tic volvo motor, hot rod the IP in the US then suspension fixes, body and paint.
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VW LT40 build. Like a Vanagon but 30% larger in every direction and 40% slower even in metric.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=749359&highlight=

[owokie]

WTF is IP in this context? When will you be cruising again? Was through Long Beach not too long ago. Met some corporate people doing a cross country documentary along the way...

[Zeitgeist 13]

IP = Injection Pump
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Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[owokie]

[rmcd]

[owokie]

[rmcd]

IIRC I’m mostly topped out at the high end of the green area as designated in the tachometer at 4200rpms and on the flat, in a vacuum, I’m doing almost 110kpm.

The screaming is actually coming from the part of your brain that controls “common sense” and not the motor. The motor Seems under utilized at 4200 rpms.
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VW LT40 build. Like a Vanagon but 30% larger in every direction and 40% slower even in metric.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=749359&highlight=

[owokie]

There is no mod that makes that old diesel lump happy above 4200rpm. I'd suggest you're gonna want a different ratio or bigger tires. You can adjust your pump so you get less defuel at high rpm, but then you'll need to watch your EGTs etc. carefully. Oil temps don't like all that thrashing around either. The easiest route is to be happy with a ~60mph cruise speed.

[stuzbot]

Wow! --an LT Love-In on The Samba. Who'd'a thunk it!

But why settle for one LT when you can have two?...

My 1st LT, Herman in front. More rust than van. Bought for £500 and his replacement, my second LT, the imaginatively named Herman2 behind. Cost me £3000. Had belonged to an old people's home in Wales and had a genuine [every journey recorded in a diary] mileage of 17000. No. there isn't a missing zero. The old people's home had owned him from 200 miles on the clock and he'd only been used to ferry the old ones into the village a couple of times a week, or on the occasional outing to the seaside.

Pleasant memories: Herman basking in the sunset at St. John's Point, Co. Donegal, Ireland.

Not so pleasant memories: Went to have a nosey at an old abandoned cottage in Co. Sligo, Ireland. and returned to find that Herman2 was slowly sinking into a path which turned out to be just a layer of gravel on top of bogland. All weight on the front and sinking. All drive on the rear and rising!

I don't think I'd ever have an LT again, unless I could find a turbo engined one [both mine were normally aspirated and completely gutless --even the one with the barely run in engine]. But I did enjoy both of them. Loads of room inside and they just chug along [albeit slowly!] forever.

I always got the feeling with my old LTs that they were like a big clumsy kid who tries hard, but is a bit useless. Whereas my T3 I reckon has ideas above its station and thinks it's automotive royalty or something.
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Click to view image
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1992 VW LT35 2,4D [SOLD]
1993 VW LT35 2,4D [SOLD]
1992 VW T3 1,6TD Syncro [SOLD]
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[owokie]

[stuzbot]

[rmcd]

Thanks for sharing the pictures and the adventures.

I also got stuck in my backyard by accident. In a fury of lever pulling probably not seen since the Evergiven started drifting I managed to turn on all the lockers and put it in four-wheel-drive low. And I just chugged right through the wet grass and mud without hesitation.
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VW LT40 build. Like a Vanagon but 30% larger in every direction and 40% slower even in metric.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=749359&highlight=

[rmcd]

There are at least two for sale in the states. This just popped up on Facebook. Not mine.

https://www.facebook.com/ricoarg/posts/10157897589215334

Germany.

Nice interior. https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/volksw...NWWGtF1sVk



https://m.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/vw-lt-40...gjtx3PBCdk
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VW LT40 build. Like a Vanagon but 30% larger in every direction and 40% slower even in metric.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=749359&highlight=

[rmcd]

LT Van has been in Mexico for a couple months. Most of the time has been spent trying to figure out how to get parts to Mexico. It is NOT easy.

Shipping direct involves some kind of outrageous import taxes that are TBD. Allegedly it isn't super reliable either.
Carrying parts over the border is also subject to said import taxes that seem to be mood ring based and possible cavity search. So that leaves freight forwarders. Fortunately the fixer - Shane of LivetheVanLife.com has this figured out.

First up. Refreshen the motor. What happened to bodywork and paint. Bangkok got the van.

There are several options to upgrade the OEM 6 cylinder turbo diesel motor whether your LT still has the VW variant D24 ACL or the Volvo re-branded VW variant the D24TIC. Turns out - I have both. My factory installed ACL was replaced with a volvo D24TIC, a Volvo supplied Bosch VE IP and Volvo supplied injectors.

Why care? Parts are somewhat different between the motor variants, injector pumps and injectors. Try ordering rings and you will see what I mean. Several LT folks have said they THOUGHT the Volvo injectors had a better spray pattern and they felt the Volvo motor was stronger. No way to prove any of this internet lore.

Below are pictures and part numbers for the VW/Volvo D24TIC turbo intercooled motor that is currently in my van. Or is sitting on the ground in pieces in Bankok. Also found in a 91-96 Volvo 940 and 960. And shares some VW Caddy parts of the same time frame. Post 93 I've heard stated that the D24TIC motor plumbing and internals are different. Heads between D24t and D24TIC are not compatible without work. I can't verify that. I do have a D24TIC motor data sheet 700-900DataSheet91_94-Sec2c.pdf that I'll upload here.

Volvo block. ** NR 072 103 021S

Volvo head. 075 103 373R

Volvo IP. Bosch p/n L 116-7 and 072 130 108M and Volvo injectors 068 130 201B

Here is the VW D24 ACL turbo intercooled spare motor that came in parts with my van.

OEM head.

OEM block.

OEM IP. 075 130 107L Injectors 068 130 202E

Motor options.
Rebuild your OEM motor. Hotrod the IP to add whatever. Match the injectors to flow. Otherwise follow Chris's advice here. http://www.brick-yard.co.uk/forum/how-to-make-your-2-4-lt1-faster_topic83910.html
and here Tune your LT turbo diesel. https://vwlt.co.uk/2021/01/02/tuning-the-turbo-charged-lt-a-not-so-short-guide/

Replace your motor with the Volvo variant and build from there.

Small block Chevy. There is at least one of these running installs somewhere in America.

Dodge 5.7L Cummins diesel replacement. One internet site talks about someone starting this but doesn't have a finish. Hmmmm.

R2.8 Cummins RePower diesel crate motor. I was all excited about this. Internet lore says it won't fit without significant modifications. https://www.cummins.com/engines/repower

Chris DeLong (LT master mind) https://www.finetuningperformance.com/ is working on a kit to put in a 2.5 5 cylinder TDI.

And Greg at Boxeer has a BMW M57 kit. https://www.boxeer.com/collections/all/products/volkswagen-lt-to-bmw-3-0-conversion-kit

Fortune has driven my choice.
Shane (livethevanlife.com fixer) had been using a diesel mechanic to do work on his diesel truck. Lt Van was kind of falling apart after his 2000 mile drive to Baja. How much he was limping along is a testament to bad mechanical work and VW engineering. You'll see.
Shane's diesel shop mechanic is familiar with the D24 as he was formerly a shop owner in Long Beach CA. We took Lt Van to Marcos to look at the leaking injector, leaking everything else and seized cold start circuit in the IP. I thought a little R&R would keep the D24TIC going until I could manage the full swap.

This is still fresh so I will simply list where we are at.
Turbo shaft wobbles like a Weable. Waste gate frozen. Turbo rebuilt.
Head shows signs of over heating which is a known issue. Cracks between valves. Head welded and being rebuilt.
Coolant oil cooler blocked.
IP need of full rebuild. We knew that. Injector Pump and Volvo Injectors have been rebuilt.
Every seal shot. Broken piston ring but no damage to the cylinder. And all the bearings looked good. So we are refreshing the bottom end as well.

I'm in the process of smuggling the rebuilt IP and obscure motor bits sourced by Chris DeLong. Thanks again Chris!

Beauty shots thus far.

Before.

After. Still waiting on parts.

My fav. I wanted to touch this inappropriately when it came back from Pacific Fuel Injection diesel service. https://seideldieselgroup.com/contact/locations/portland-or/

It looks and smells new.

And some more VWLT goodness.

Vintage.

The tail swing on this would make a school bus driver blush.

_________________
VW LT40 build. Like a Vanagon but 30% larger in every direction and 40% slower even in metric.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=749359&highlight=

[Zeitgeist 13]

I think Chris DeLong's approach makes the most sense.
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Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[Buss Marius]

I dont know if this is of anny interest to you.
http://www.brick-yard.co.uk/forum/lt-2-4-petrol-engine-to-2-5-tdi-conversion_topic60315_page1.html

And some picktures: http://vw-lt-karmann.de/html/umbau_auf_2-5_tdi.html

I have used some ideas from the guy in Turkey and some, like the Volvo TDI manifold is an ide from the guy in Germany.
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87 75hp VW LT 28 Karmann LT L, 90 T3 Syncro 75hp AAZ Reimo Camper. 00 T4 102hp TDI Caravelle bus.

[westyventures]

I prefer to keep things that work and modify for more efficiency and power. Fully mechanical systems rule when doing extended travel in faraway places. My Karmann LT31, 2.4 TD, stock 92 hp: adding more boost and fuel (via 'GTD' injector nozzles) made a significant increase. After a 51-day roadtrip fully loaded through AZ and Baja, it became apparent 'more' would really be nice. So plans were made, parts bought, many hours of labor spent - and a few days ago drove the beast - huge increase in power from where it was. 'Seat-of-the-pants' dyno puts it in the 150 hp range. EGT is completely within safe limits, it can run 20+ psi safely, and the engine itself is still completely stock, making parts a cinch. The little six has a sweet sound too.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/gf2pZASjQQjaMm9H6

[owokie]