1.8t Engine Swap.... I Think?

[UtahGOgear]

Okay- got the motor mount made out of metal by taking some 1/2” plate and welding on thick tubing as spacers to put bolts through that go into the block. It’s all steel now.

Got a 1.5” GoWesty coil spring lift kit on it with the longer ball joints. Those ball joints did not want to come out, it took an air chisel to get them to lift up out of place. I also put two half inch spacers on either side in the rear just for a bit more clearance of the motor and I’ve heard the rear springs from Gw can sag with time. I like how it looks, handling a little different but I’ll get used to it.

Put in a new power steering fluid reservoir and line to the pump. The old one cracked when that passenger side motor mount failed on me and the motor dropped down.

New hot start relay as the old one busted as the ground wire was on the bulkhead/firewall and busted.

New canvas installed, started doing it with the top in place then removed the top because it was a lot easier that way.

New utility boxes on the side- I’m confused on why GoWesty has these weird water line connectors going on. I tried to convert their new box to work with the lockable tank fill cap but it has a weird fitting with an o-ring and a check valve ball maybe I missed the update in no longer using a garden hose to run tank fill and city water connections??

Got the scan gauge 3 hooked up. Can’t figure out how to add boost gauge (I’m on the most recent update?) and the xgauge says Audi/vw has no gauges. Not sure exactly how to set it up to take advantage of its invocations over the scan gauge 2 but I’ve got coolant temps, o2 sensor reading, rpm, and a few others that are more than I really needed but fun to see. I found the MAF was completely not working and would kill the motor when it read out (incorrectly) sporadically. I had it unplugged and it was fine. New MAF is in and reading according to scan gauge. It idles a lot lower and smoother now with that input over its default map with MAF unplugged. Maybe this is why the previous owner who we sold it to years ago said it was running rich?

Took it a little off-road and it was so much fun! I really don’t think there’s anything else for me to do on it except take it out for some adventures! I’m sure some more adjusting and re-working things will be in order as time passes but for now I’m very happy with how it sits and I’m ready to put it to the test.

Kind of sketchy mounting power steering reservoir on intercooler piping clamps but it does seem like it will work and is the best place to have it.

I forgot, the fuel gauge wasn’t working so I dropped the tank and re-sealed it with the Gw kit and changed the sender while I was in there and it now works! Yay! No more spilling gas all over when filling up nor running out of gas not knowing it’s out!

Shots of the motor:

Off-road adventure was a success.

I got these plates before buying a rolled Syncro from auction and I kind of feel bad. It is a joke though, like if it’s rolled over then it’ll read roll over right side up. It was funny at the time but kind of unsettling now.
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RIP:
'82 Westy a/c
'82 Westy 1.6D
'78 Transporter Moon Roof Camper Conversion
'78 Westy Restoration
'85 Westy 1.8T AEB 50* w/adapter plate
'87 Syncro 2.1 WBX
'91 1.8T ATW 50* w/diesel components
Currently enjoying:
'97 Eurovan Winnebago