TDI into '78 Bus Build Thread

[TDCTDI]

I had a buddy that ran them in a heavily modified G-60 engine in a VW GTI, I got to replace the head gasket in that car every 15k. After replacing with the factory head bolts, he never needed a head gasket again.
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Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.

[vwwestyman]

[TDCTDI]

About 20 years ago .
You've got the bolts, you've got the signs of a blown head gasket, you've got the time, why not try it? (Although I'd try the Subaru cooling system conditioner first (just because I've seen which works)).
_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.


GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!


An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.


Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it.

[vwwestyman]

Aha! So they were the old style.

From what I've read, in the beginning, folks were using studs spec'ed for a Ford Cosworth as they were the same dimensions. However, the shank of the studs was different, as was the composition and there were problems.

Since then, ARP has designed VW TDI-specific head studs that take over double the torque (seems I saw the Cosworth studs were spec'ed at 60 ft/lbs while the new TDI studs take 125.

As you said, I do have them and I do have some time... Might as well try.

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?4848961-...-Stud-Kits
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Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing

[vwwestyman]

Well...

I decided, "What's it going to hurt to try?" With respect to installing the studs.

I installed them last night. It went pretty well, and fairly easily. I had to be a little creative with how I attacked the bolts under the deck lid, but otherwise no big deal.

Last night I was a little nervous because I saw bubbles in that clear line upon startup. But I decided to go ahead and give it a try with my hour drive this morning anyway. Just put extra coolant in water in the bus just in case.

After about 20 minutes, the low level light came on, but there was no other drama--no coolant bubbling out or anything like that and just a little pressure in the tank when I opened the cap. So I topped off and kept on going.

No topping needed when I left to head home.

And no stopping needed on the way home.

I did have a spot along the highway as I neared home I was able to pull off quickly and look for residual bubbles in the line. (same place I stopped last week after putting the clear line in.) No bubbles!

At home, I had my boy sit there and rev the motor while I watched for bubbles. No bubbles!

So, while I am hesitant to just say swapping in to the studs was a success, it does look promising! We'll see what the level looks like in the morning.
_________________
Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing

[richparker]

Ready for the SW Colorado off road adventure!!!
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’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’63 Deluxe Build

[vwwestyman]

[skills@eurocarsplus]

[vwwestyman]

[vwwestyman]

"Increasing Optimism"

Today I didn't have much going on that was pressing. So I decided to do a bit of a test run. The drives I have upcoming this week are all about an hour away, but the engine will have time to cool off while I'm there for a couple-a few hours.

So I drove over to Topeka on the interstate, pushing it the whole way. On the way there, I was driving into the wind and kept it between 70-75 and up to 80 on occasion. I had to let it slow down a touch on a few hills because the EGTs were inching up over 1250.

I stopped in a store for maybe 10 minutes before heading back. On the way home, with the wind at my back, I kept it more like 75-85. I might have gotten close to 1250 EGT on the way back once.

As I got close to Manhattan, I pulled into a rest area and saw zero evidence of coolant having been pushed out (e.g. no residue on the tank). The level in the tank was right where I believe I left it, at the "low" mark, and there were zero bubbles in that return line. Not even little tiny ones.

Awesome!


_________________
Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing

[tristessa]

[vwwestyman]

I'm working on installing artificial rain gutters to the pop top.

My goal is to be able to throw my canoe up there, and to be able to pop the top with it up there if I want.

The rear set of ARGs were installed to share a bolt with pop top struts that I installed (the only way I'd be able to pop the top with a canoe up there, I'm sure!

I plan on installing two other pairs of ARGs, though for later variety/possibilities in racks.

Most times I'll be using the front and back gutters and racks, with the canoe up there. But by installing middle gutters, I'd also have the option of using a cargo box, or other rack accessories.

So I'm looking at spacing things out. What do you think?

The masking-tape stand ins on the passenger side are spaced such that the front one is roughly the same distance in from the edge of the pop top, as the back visually-21 inches, with the middle one spaced evenly in the middle. This puts them about 28 inches apart on center.

On the driver side, they are 33 inches on center. I can't say exactly how I landed on this, other than I thought it seemed pretty good based on what others had done. Not very scientific, ha ha! Though visually they seem a little more evenly spread out when taking the front roof rack into consideration.

I believe that either set of spacing would fit most or all Thule accessories I might choose to get in the future.

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Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing

[vwwestyman]

Inspired by comments in the Idiots With Phones thread, and a pic I saw over in the Vanagon forum, I decided to play with some reflective tape.

The idea is that if you're ever stopped at night to change a tire or something (add antifreeze? ha ha), it would be good to be seen from behind!

So strips were applied to the rear edges of both doors (also helpful when getting out when parked on a street, something unfortunately sometimes I have to do), the rear edge of the slider, and the underside of both the rear hatch and engine hatch. That way, if any of them are open, light will be reflected back.

Since I had some extra, I decided to try some narrow strips on the back glass. I don't know that I love it, but it does provide some extra reflectivity to the back. Will be easy to remove if I decide.

_________________
Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing

[vwwestyman]

Incidentally, I've put probably 1600 miles on it this month since swapping in the head studs and have had zero issues with losing coolant!


_________________
Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing

[richparker]

[vwwestyman]

[richparker]

28" seems narrow to use a storage box. When I head to work I'll measure mine again but I do not think my storage box has that much adjustability.
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’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’63 Deluxe Build

[vwwestyman]

[richparker]

It is possible that the newer boxes are not adjustable. Mine does have a sliding track so it will mount on different spreads but it doesn't allow for a foot of adjustability though.

I think if you are going to use 3 ARGs they should all be evenly spaced for a nice look.
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__________
’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’63 Deluxe Build

[vwwestyman]