Project EJ25: Complete (Now with Video!)

[11BC2]

Thanks for the update!!

[theDrew]

Hard to believe I did this 5+ years ago -- thought I'd give you all an update.

Got about 20k on the conversion now.

Problems I have encountered with the conversion:

- Leaking throwout bearing -- turned out to be a defective TOB, slowly leaking fluid. Just a pain to change out

- Ate the steering/alt belt up in Canada cause I failed to tighten one of the adjustment bolts. I now carry a spare just cause jerry rigging the house battery to run the engine so we could drive to a town was less than fun.

- Dirty air filter x 2 (too many dusty forest roads I guess) -- It was throwing some system trim codes. I finally ditched the air filter that RMW sold and use a big K&N cone filter. More surface area to help mitigate things.

- Cracked oil pan -- somehow in our travels we hit something that put a hairline crack in the oil pan and I finally got tired of the drips and replaced it.

- Cracked coolant level sender -- the 200lb gorilla that put it on must have over tightened it and it finally gave way one trip so we had to drive around spilling coolant until we made it to a town that carried one.


So basically, nothing major, just stupid little stuff thats usually my fault. No regrets in the conversion. We've taken it everywhere, it just works great.
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Turbo 2276 MS3X build http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=673125
1985 Vanagon Campmobile w/ 2005 EJ25

[vanonimous]

Nice, going out for the first ride is like unclogging a kitchen sink. It's finally flowing. Your PS pump sounded very loud have you ever adjusted pressure in the pump relief valve?
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If happiness is being a mechanic, owning a Vanagon is nirvana.

Lighting upgrades: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=578291

[dkeirsbilck]

really nice job what coolant pipes did you use and did you go with the pipes for a 1985 vanagon?

[Fritz]

Drew- just got around to watching video 5. Referencing the fuel tank hose you uncapped-you should not vent your gas tank directly into your engine compartment. When the van is sitting fumes are going to come out that hose and collect in the engine compartment. Need to figure out where that hose is supposed to go.

Great job on the conversion.

[danfromsyr]

the engine is fine at 3800 rpms.. that was the 70mph rpm for your previous engine and it was fine (designed) at that too.

Kuods to a nice install.
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[theDrew]

No more issues other than what I covered in part 5 of the videos.

I've got 1000 miles in it now, and it runs like a champ!

I would love to re-gear the transmission cause to hit 70, the engine's whining at like 3800rpm -- but I have no rush on that yet. Eventually!
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Turbo 2276 MS3X build http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=673125
1985 Vanagon Campmobile w/ 2005 EJ25

[zippyslug31]

Have you found any new issues during your honeymoon phase? New costs or gotchas?

Can't recall... did you re-gear your trans? I've heard some say that you don't strictly need to, but if you don't then at freeway speeds you will be buzzing the motor a little higher RPM than needed.
Any feedback on this?
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previous:
'80 westy
current:
'90 syncro westy 2.5L subi, triple knob, 16" wheels.
'84 sunroof van, 2.1L motor.

[theDrew]

Thanks all for the kind words!

I still am in the honey-moon phase w/ the van. I want to tell everyone about it!

Just spent the weekend at the coast and had the joy of setting the cruise to 65 and just sit back and enjoy the ride all the way there and back. Love this thing!

Using passing lanes TO pass cars is pretty freaking sweet.
_________________
Turbo 2276 MS3X build http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=673125
1985 Vanagon Campmobile w/ 2005 EJ25

[Ibuprofen]

Drew,

I'm the guy who bought your 1.9 muffler, cat and coolant junction. Looks and sounds great! Nicely done!
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Filbert: 85 Westy, 1.9 AHU mTDI, LR 300 pump stock fueling, 520 nozzles.

[davesclassicvws]

Hey Drew,
I live in Camas and would like to come by some time and check out your ride. my eamil address is [email protected] drop me a line. Do you ever go to the vanagon events in Portland at Lucky Lab?
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1969 VW Beetle
1972 Karmann Ghia
1982 Vanagon Westfalia ('OlBlue)
2000 New Beetle

[jasonpap2002]

Those were really fun to watch and I really appreciate the time you put into documenting your work.

NICE JOB!!!

~Jason

[theDrew]

[Fritz]

Drew- Great job on the conversion and videos.

Did you get the noisy power steering pump issue resolved?

[theDrew]

Thanks!

Going through it all after the fact, its amazing how fast it adds up. I told my wife it'd be 6-7k, I thought it was more like 8, but in reality land as you saw, it was almost 10.5k.

Course you could cut alot of corners and save some bucks. If you did the harness yourself, thats almost $1000 right there. Although I didn't wanna mess with an OBDII harness -- especially when electrical gremlins are so hard to resolve.

I didn't NEED a stainless exhuast. I didn't NEED silicone hoses, I didn't NEED the performance intake. That all adds up really fast.

Also I went the route of buying each piece from a wrecker -- if you were able to find a "front clip" as they call it (the whole front section of a donor car) you might save money there...maybe. Or you could go the JDM route for the engine. But then you run into JDM vs USA parts and unknowns.

I went the safer (more expensive) route, and I think after going through it, I'd still do the same.

The hardest part was tracking down the correct FULL and COMPLETE wiring harness for that specific engine. Harnesses change throughout the production year, so it wasn't just finding a specific year and model, it was finding one that had the correct harness part #'s on it. I spent alot of time on the phone with the subaru parts guys running VIN's on wrecked cars to see if the harnesses were correct. At one point I was pretty nervous that I'd be able to find one at all. But I got lucky and one presented itself in Corvallis.

You wont look back though, the van is a whole new vehicle and the piece of mind that its not gonna grenade at any moment is worth alot to me.
_________________
Turbo 2276 MS3X build http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=673125
1985 Vanagon Campmobile w/ 2005 EJ25

[zippyslug31]

Just got done running through your videos; really awesome job on your entire project!!!

As I mentioned in a previous post in your thread I'm having a mechanic do mine (hopefully getting underway soon).
He's given me the rough figure of what your project ran.... seeing how much yours cost and all the stuff you had to buy, I'm wonder with great trepidation how far north my final bill is going to run.

Money aside, I can't wait....
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previous:
'80 westy
current:
'90 syncro westy 2.5L subi, triple knob, 16" wheels.
'84 sunroof van, 2.1L motor.

[tangojeff]

I have said this before: Vanagon owners contemplating an upgrade to a 2.2 or 2.5 Subaru engine can expect the difference to be like when Pinocchio the Puppet lost his strings and became a "Real Boy!" Last week I made a 1000 mile trip to So. Calif and back at 70 to 75 mph during most of the relaxed drive. I did avoid L.A.'s 80mph carpool lanes, though. Mileage dropped to 18mpg, but it was nice to not need to use the bumpy truck lanes.

[theDrew]

Ha, yeah. My favorite part of the whole thing is my wife backing away from the van the moment the engine first fires up -- like its gonna reach out and bite her!

Heres the conclusion -- Thanks for playing along theSamba!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SD8YZFn9mew


Link

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Turbo 2276 MS3X build http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=673125
1985 Vanagon Campmobile w/ 2005 EJ25

[Jake de Villiers]

"Honey, HONEY!" LOL Thanks for that, and congrats on the re-powering of your van.

Have you fixed that power steering pump noise yet?
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'84 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX
'86 Westy Weekender Poptop/2.5 Subaru/5 Speed Posi/Audi Front Brakes/16 x 7.5 Mercedes Wheels - answers to 'Dixie'
@jakedevilliersmusic1
http://sites.google.com/site/subyjake/mydixiedarlin%27
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
www.thebassspa.com

[msewalson]

I got the same reaction from my old lady when I "really" got on it for the first time.

I love the reaction from the first start up as well.

Good job and congrats.

Matt
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87 Syncro w/EJ22