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Syncromikey
Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2012
Posts: 463
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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 Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2013 8:33 pm Post subject: |
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Honestly, I'm a bit sceptical on how the tank is going to hold up as well. I'll definitely be keeping a very close eye on it. I'll also be keeping my eye out for a better replacement. It would be fairly easy to make a better one out of aluminum but I'll wait for that until I get the beast running again.
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My build: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=528954 |
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Syncromikey
Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2012
Posts: 463
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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| Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2013 9:01 pm Post subject: |
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Ok, so a while back I was trying to remotely locate my oil filter and the stock oil cooler because that kit and kaboodle really drops down from the engine and I could see the oil filter getting knocked off by a gopher that didn't duck quick enough so I bought a couple of adapters to do the relocation. The first one, the one that goes on the engine, worked just great. I just needed to pull a threaded pipe off of a naturally aspired 2.5l to get the filter to screw onto it. Done and done, easy to find. Then i tackled the other end but it already had a pipe on it ... Much to short though to go through the oil cooler. So I figured I would just take it out and put the new longer one on there. When I was removing the threaded pipe that was in there I buggered the threads ... No problem cause I didnt need that one. Got it out and went to thread the new pipe in and the threads where different! Darn it! It was imperial not metric and at this point I could not return it. I figured ok, I would just retap it but I was in a hurry,did not do a good job and buggered it up. So, flash forward to now, when I have to deal with it. I figured what I would do is just bore the hole out to a much bigger size and press a new piece of solid aluminum in there, bore it out to the correct size and tap it again so it would work properly ... Anyway here are some pics to show the progress.
Bugger part ...
Square peg to go into round hole ...
Square peg turned round ...
New hole being bored into the part ...
New hole in part ...
Plug pressed (with a sledge hammer ... Wanted it to be a tight press fit ... It was definetly tight) into the part ...
Plug cut off in part ...
Milling it flat with the part ...
Boring the new hole into the plug ...
Tapping ...
Complete with newly tapped hole ...
Well kinda ... I made a bit of a mess with the upper surface when gentally encouraging the plug into the hole ...
So I sanded it down ...
And powdercoated it ...
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Love my Westy ...
My build: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=528954 |
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Syncromikey
Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2012
Posts: 463
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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| Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2013 9:22 pm Post subject: |
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Also this weekend I did some work on the exhaust. I had to expand the outlet of the header about a quarter of an inch and mount the flange so it could be welded onto the header in the proper orientation. Done but broke a pipe expander in the process. Fortunately, I didn't need it after that so I can deal with fixing the expander on a later date. Anyway, got the flange oriented and tacked for welding. I brought that over to Chris to get it all welded up. Chris really is an amazing welder! The header actually hugs a bit too close to the engine (from RMW) for my taste, and it touches the thermostat when it is mounted so I also got Chris to cut the bolt holes off of the other flanges and weld an extra set of 1/2inch flanges onto them, dropping the entire header a half of an inch which is just perfect. Chris also built a cat and a muffler and designed the outlet from the turbo flange so the wastegate exhaust would re-enter the main stream about 6 inches down stream from the flange. Picked up the stuff today and now have to measure everything out and do a couple cuts, orient everything, mark it and bring it back to Chris for the final welding. Here are some pics of the work done so far ...
Header ...
Header to turbo flange ...
Custom stainless muffler with 2.5 inch exhaust in and out ...
Custom cat with 2.5 inch in and out ....
Turbo to cat pipe with wastegate combiner ...
Turbo to cat pipe with wastegate combiner, looking at the inside ...
Well that's it for now!
Cheers,
Mike
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Love my Westy ...
My build: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=528954 |
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Syncromikey
Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2012
Posts: 463
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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| Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 9:40 pm Post subject: |
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So this week I've been running to and fro Chris' shop getting the rest of the exhaust built. Today we've got every cut and tacked together. I'll be installing the entire exhaust system tomorrow am, making sure it all fits nicely and getting some measurements for the drop pipe. Then I'll build some spacers for the header flange (I'll document that after I've made them) and heading back to Chris for the final welds. Hopefully, if there is time, it'll be all done and I'll be able to get it in this weekend. Check out the pics below ... Looks pretty cool if I do say so myself ... Ikea effect? ... Maybe ...
Header by RMW and the rest, including the custom muffler and cat by Chris at Unobtainium Welding (credit where credit is due!!)
These welds are the best I've ever seen! All by hand and they are all like this.
Still need one more o2 bung put in between the turbo and the cat. Wanted to line everything up first then cut the hole and put the bung in to match the other.
I've got a used vf39 turbo on there right now but decided to go with the vf43 turbo because of the waste gate change. Using the vf39 for fitting and for the final instal I'll use the new vf43. I'm going to powdercoat the cool side of the turbo to keep it looking sharp. Will likely do the vf39 as well and then sell it to recupe some of the costs.
That's it for now ...
Cheers,
Mike
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Love my Westy ...
My build: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=528954 |
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syncroserge
Samba Member
Joined: November 26, 2005
Posts: 553
Location: Okotos, Alberta, Canada
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| Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 10:43 pm Post subject: |
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After an exhausting day driving to Lethbridge and all over Calgary gathering parts and tools for a friend's 1.9td build
and the V2.0 TDI for my syncro...
Then a frustrating evening of trying to make my laptop talk to my telescope, freezing while waiting for clouds to pass...
A warm cup of tea and a fix of Syncromikey's build...all better 
Those welds   |
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Zeitgeist 13
Samba Member
Joined: March 05, 2009
Posts: 12115
Location: Port Manteau
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| Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 10:52 pm Post subject: |
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The welds are pure art
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Casey--
'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik? |
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Vango Conversions
Samba Member
Joined: October 04, 2010
Posts: 1054
Location: Seattle, WA
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| Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 11:01 pm Post subject: |
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Wow! That's looking good! Wish I had all those tools, time, $$, and skill  |
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Jake de Villiers
Samba Member
Joined: October 24, 2007
Posts: 5911
Location: Tsawwassen, BC
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Syncromikey
Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2012
Posts: 463
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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| Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2013 4:29 pm Post subject: |
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Well, I'm finally back from holidays in South Africa. Still haven't done much work on the van ... Well nothing on the van at the moment but I did a bit of machining for a Subaru guy ... I'm on a STi site as well. Turns out he knows quite a bit about transmissions and I picked his brain for about an hour. He used to race Subarus and because of that he learnt how to strenthen the gearboxes so they could endure the crazy stresses involved when shifting quickly and dumping the clutch with very high horsepower engines. That, combined with a flurry of emails to Todd (I think I've been driving him crazy ... If you're reading this Todd ... Thanks for you're patience! I just need to understand something fully before I'll jump into it) at Subaru gears has me all geared up (mind the pun) to build and instal a 5spd AWD transaxle into the van ... Thinking about the 6spd too and changing up the gearing but that would require a much greater investment, which at this point I don't think is needed. There are a couple points of weakness in those trannys that can be fixed. Once I've got that sorted I'll be able to run the this engine at its full potential without too much worry. No more getting passed by loaded semis going up the passes in BC. I'll get into that a bit more once I start the tranny build. I've got two 5spd AWD transaxles lined up at the moment so I may build both to the same specs and sell one to offset some of the costs or keep it for an AWD baja bug build once the van is completely done.
Anyway ... While we were away in SA I went to the wreckers (yup, in CapeTown) and picked up a few parts. My wife was surprised to see those when she got back to the hotel that evening. The syncro currently has the cast lower control arms and I decided to change them to the older version but did not have the ball joint carriers or the radius control arms and there weren't any around where I live so why not pick em up there?
Will start the front end build next weekend. Since I've got it apart I decided that I'm going to do the front hubs again. I've been watching Hodakaguys build and am kicking myself for not powdercoating the front hubs when I had them apart the first time. It's been buggin me since so I'm just going to redo them while I'm at it. It'll be much cleaner and durable then the chassis saver I originally coated them with.
Cheers,
Mike
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Love my Westy ...
My build: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=528954 |
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Hodakaguy
Samba Member
Joined: April 25, 2012
Posts: 661
Location: Eastern WA
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Subarugears
Samba Member
Joined: January 03, 2012
Posts: 294
Location: Sydney, Australia
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| Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 3:02 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for the compliment Syncromikey.
Always happy to answer a million questions on Subaru transmissions and the Subarugears conversion. It's all great fun.
I've nearly got my 4WD Meyers Manx chassis finished - we will soon be lining up the trans and front differential into it and making sweet sweet music.
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Syncromikey
Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2012
Posts: 463
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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| Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2013 8:48 pm Post subject: |
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Ok so I've finally got back into the garage and started working. On the van again. Those radius control arms and the ball joint carriers got sand blasted and a brand new coat of powder today. They look much better then they did when I first got them. Ended up using a nice coat of a low texture black ... Very durable stuff ...
I also did a dry fit with the exhaust this evening to make sure everything fits nice in there and there are no issues. Looks really good. It's a bit tight in the back but I've still got room to fabricate a heat shield between the exhaust and the engine. The turbo is going to get a nice heat blanket to keep the heat where it should belong.
I think that'll be it for this evening ... Going to pull a couple more parts out of the oven to cool and finish them up in the morning. It's going to be a long weekend cause I've got a tonne of stuff to get caught up on.
Cheers,
Mike
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Love my Westy ...
My build: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=528954 |
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Tristar Eric
Samba Member
Joined: July 25, 2004
Posts: 1242
Location: Portland, Or
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| Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2013 9:14 pm Post subject: |
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Looks really good so far. Hope the trans holds up for you. There's a reason I went to a G-50 with the STI.
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Vanagon/Transporter flares here: www.terrawagen.com
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Syncromikey
Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2012
Posts: 463
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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| Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2013 8:34 am Post subject: |
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Hi Eric,
... That is the one thing in the whole build that has me fretting ... I looked around for the G50 before I had the oem tranny rebuilt but couldn't find one. I'm going to run it for a bit and tune down the engine so I'm not too hard on it but for the long term I'm going to go with a Subaru 5spd AWD. Just waiting on Todd to get the end piece made and up for sale. Looks like I've got two AWD transaxles coming to me in the next couple weeks. One has a blow third gear out of a 04 wrx and the other is in great shape out of a 2008 legacy. I'll likely end up doing both eventually but expect a new Subaru transaxle conversion thread to come along at some point this spring or summer for the first one. I'll likely get it started this summer and finish it off when I get the final parts from Subaru gears. Really excited about that! It'll be nice to have the option to run full boost and not have to worry about thinks breaking.
Cheers,
Mike
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Love my Westy ...
My build: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=528954 |
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Syncromikey
Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2012
Posts: 463
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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| Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2013 6:58 pm Post subject: |
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Well ... Today I've been pretty much just spinning my wheels although I did get all the new front end parts all powdercoated so I'm just waiting for the bushings to show up and I'll finish up the front.
Enya, pictured below got me a wonderful birthday present from Burley. She was even thoughtful enough to have them come my way without any paint. It'll compliment those newly powder coated radius control arms and the ball joint carriers. Finished up powder coating those this morning and am quite pleased with the look. I first chromed the badges Burley put on then coated them a nice flat texture black.
Lower control arms in their raw state ...
Lower control arms after painting ...
Cheers,
Mike
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Love my Westy ...
My build: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=528954 |
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Syncromikey
Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2012
Posts: 463
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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burleymotorsports
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Joined: July 17, 2005
Posts: 332
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Syncromikey
Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2012
Posts: 463
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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| Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 7:52 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah your name in chrome looks really good Burley! And the lower control arms are really nicely done! Amazing quality and as always they are burley so I'm sure they are going to take a tonne of abuse and will out last me! I am VERY happy with them and can't wait to get them installed this weekend coming. More pics to come with them installed.
Cheers,
Mike
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Love my Westy ...
My build: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=528954 |
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Syncromikey
Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2012
Posts: 463
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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| Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 5:27 am Post subject: |
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Ok so most of the day ... Well, the entire day I was working on the RMW oil pan apparently the location of the dipstick won't work with the header RMW built for me so I decided to just go back to the origional location Subaru had in the vans. I ended up heading down to the wrecker to pull an oil pan off another car but as it turns out you pretty much have to remove the engine to get at it so I ended up grabbing a used power steering reservoir and belt cover instead ... See if that'll install at a later date. After that I went around looking for a tube that do the trick but no luck so I ended up getting some rod and whittling it down to the right size, cut a new hole in the origional location and weld the new tube back in. Fortunately I still had a brand new oil pan to use as dimensions to properly locate the new tube. So after I pull the pan off of the van I sprayed some gasket remover on and it pealed not only the gasket off but did a real number on the paint so I need up having to refinish the entire pan with a new coat of paint. Since the pan is hidden under the skid plate I thought I would try this new colour I picked up ... Candy blue ... Turns out its pretty tricky to do but it looks pretty good anyway.
Old dip stick location in relation to the pan ... Too close to the header to work ... It's the furthest white nub covered in tape. The tape is actually touching the header.
Machining the new dipstick tube ..
Paint coming off with the gasket ...
New hole cut in close to origional location ...
Cap welded onto old dipstick hole ...
Dipsticks lines up pretty good ... There is a bit of variation because I couldn't put it low enough with the shortened pan but in the end the line on the dipstick will sit at the same depth, give or take a mm or two.
First coat of powder in Chrome ...
Second coat with the candy blue ... Around the edge of the pan it could have used a bit thicker of a coat as well as under the lip ... It's a hard colour to paint turns out and all the angles involved make it even harder due to the nature of the charges put onto the powder and the paint thicknesses involved. It's pretty cool, you can see the reflection of the burners from the top of the stove in the paint. Just got this finished before it was time to hit the sack so I'll be doing the install this evening.
Cheers,
Mike
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Hodakaguy
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Joined: April 25, 2012
Posts: 661
Location: Eastern WA
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