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Phishman068
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1868
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
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 Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 6:40 am Post subject: |
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All the seams below my new body line have been picked out and ground to bare metal, etched, primed, and sealed.
Ground down the front horizontal seam and brushed on seam sealer.
It was in good shape.
Welded metal into the holes of the foot well, ground the welds smooth, sealed the welded area up with a few coats of primer, and painted with the Upol Raptor. It turned out spectacular!
The back side (bottom) received 2 coats of undercoat to make up for what was burnt off with the welding.
The sliding door was off, and while off I replaced these two rollers with new sealed skateboard bearings, repaired all rust in the guide channel, painted it, and installed some of that fancy ultra high density tape from amazon. It certainly is quiet and smooth!
While it was off, I figured I'd put a bit of sound deadener in there. I purchased some 50 mil thick Fatmat as this is a budget bus build, but hopefully it quiets things down a bit more as well. I may glue some Reflex insulation over this in the near future (Doing all the door panels with Fatmat and Reflex, as this bus gets winter use).
Lots of scuffing, degreasing, and intricate masking.
I sprayed the UPOL Raptor at 60psi using the included shultz gun and love the texture. The key here is to pull all the tape and masking off at very low angles about 20-30 minutes after spraying it. If you wait until it's fully cured, the bedliner can peal up with the tape but if you do it early while things are still a bit soft, it comes off easily. The end results were great!
A durable and quality topcoat that will seal off all the repaired body work and help with the visual appeal.
The only dents/imperfections remaining were in the sliding door at the bottom front edge where there was deep damage which I was unable to press out. With the textured bedliner though, you really have to look to see it at all!
I'll give it a week to cure, then start Fluid Filming the back sides of all seams.
_________________
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=559766&highlight=winter+rust
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482402&highlight=sunroof+syncro
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569774
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6864936#6864936
"Along with the ability to go fast, one looses the desire to hurry." |
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Phishman068
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1868
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
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| Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 7:54 pm Post subject: |
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Well the bus has been running pretty well lately. Not perfect, but pretty well.
My younger brother Grant wants to take it to Vanagons in the Valley next weekend since I can't go, and he can't drive the syncro (doesn't know how to drive a stick, and not about to learn on my syncro!), this bus is the answer.
We have chosen to put the remaining days into fixing it up and improving it, starting with a deep cleaning and some body work.
It's time to do the bedliner treatment in order to top coat and seal a bunch of body work including all rust being removed and seams being resealed. The way I've always done this though is extremely time consuming. It amazes me that people believe this job can be "properly" done in a day, or even a weekend. I can put 20-40 hours into this job with ease.
First step, pick out all the seams completely with a dental pick, grind them to bare metal with a dremel tool, mask off the seams, degrease the seams, apply 2 coats of UPOL Etch Primer, then use a good seam sealer to seal them up.
The seams are time consuming, but solving other issues can be more time consuming. Popping out dents, sanding everything up, degreasing EVERYTHING including the area under the car for the masking tape to hold to, and then do it all again. The horizontal seams such as the pinch weld at the bottom of the drivers side between the wheels is difficult to get right. I like to grind them to bare metal and smear seam sealer all over there, the same with the horizontal seam behind the front bumper.
With every rusted spot now converted to shiny metal, etched, or sealed, it's almost time to finally apply the Upol Raptor Urethane Bedliner.
This time, i'll be following the Gowesty lines, which include permanently removing the drivers and passenger side wheel well step pads and welding in new metal into their holes. This is astonishingly time consuming to do properly.
I am many evenings into this project and cannot wait to spray it with the good stuff and make it gorgeous! SOON!
Almost all my body related quarrels will be properly solved and sealed for a long time.
I took a million pictures. I just haven't uploaded them yet. Soon.
I just can't imagine how anyone just scuffs up the car, masks it in tan tape, and sprays the bedliner (or Rolls it!).
_________________
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=559766&highlight=winter+rust
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482402&highlight=sunroof+syncro
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569774
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6864936#6864936
"Along with the ability to go fast, one looses the desire to hurry." |
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IdahoDoug
Samba Member
Joined: June 12, 2010
Posts: 10251
Location: N. Idaho
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| Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 9:35 pm Post subject: |
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Wow, wow! Great find and congrats on being a stubborn and talented wrench swinger. Great news indeed.
DougM
_________________
1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader |
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Phishman068
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1868
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
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| Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 7:35 pm Post subject: |
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SOLVED. (Kinda).
It was the least logical thing possible, the brand new injectors with less then 100 miles on them had failed! They were passing my spray pattern tests, which I performed multiple times, and the fuel flow test was performed via the fuel line T not the injectors, but apparently I got 4 injectors with too high a flow rate! After replacing literally everything, I chose to try the old injectors back out and sure enough..... it ran pretty well!
It's shocking as I know many people running these injectors with no problems, heck Gowesty is even pushing them these days. They are made in the USA and very affordable but apparently, I managed to get some bad ones!
The fine folks at Autozone were kind enough to switch them out for another 4, which are behaving much much better, though I do still have some very minor running issues which may or may not be injector related.
The moral of the story is don't underestimate the brand new parts that you put on the previous day being failed in unique and illogical ways!
I also added the Tencentlife VSM to replace the throttle position switches.........
WOW!
To anyone who doesn't own this yet, solve that problem! It's astonishingly good, it's sooooooo much better then the factory switch setup which is hard to adjust properly and never quite thrives even when fully adjusted. This simple device installs in about 2 minutes with no actual modifications and requires no adjustments. It is SOOOOOOO sensitive that the second you take the throttle even 1% off idle, the module calculates that, every time! Additionally, it enriches fuel based on engine load, not simply having the pedal completely at 100% throttle, so you actually gain usable power and torque or at least the feeling of it throughout the whole throttle range!
While speeding towards a hill at 55mph for instance, with the stock setup upon reaching the hill you would slow down or have to apply additional throttle, to a point where it wouldn't even matter how much more gas you apply it just wont get faster (Technically would if you reached 100% throttle and activated the switch, but that's quite hard to push the pedal and most never reach that point). With this system, you are cruising along at 55, then hit the hill and at the very most just have to give it a little more gas. It automatically calculates and adjusts as you would expect it to!
It is spectacular and the single greatest modification I have made to a WBXer engine to date.
Buy one.
_________________
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=559766&highlight=winter+rust
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482402&highlight=sunroof+syncro
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569774
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6864936#6864936
"Along with the ability to go fast, one looses the desire to hurry." |
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Phishman068
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1868
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
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Zeitgeist 13
Samba Member
Joined: March 05, 2009
Posts: 12115
Location: Port Manteau
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 9:43 pm Post subject: |
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Hall pickup/wiring?
_________________
Casey--
'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik? |
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1vw4x4
Banned
Joined: June 22, 2005
Posts: 472
Location: Pgh. PA
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 8:52 pm Post subject: |
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Craig,
Check all over for a large vacuum leak. Something like a rip in the
rubber boot, or a blown out manifold gasket, or (like bob had) a broken
stud on the manifold that ripped a hole in it. This sure is a strange one.
One more thought. Remove and plug the line going to the power brakes.
Also, pinch off or plug the big hose going to the PCV . These can be
large vaccum leaks.
| Phishman068 wrote: |
Still broken!
We have replaced and tested absolutely everything. Every wire and pin on the ECU has been tested and is within spec, temp 2 and oxygen senders tested for their range, 3 different ECUs, 2 different AFMs, 2 different fuel pressure regulators, 2 different fuel pumps, 2 different Idle Stabilizers.
The fuel pressure and delivery rate have been tested good, and it's been run off a seperate gas can to rule that out.
It has had 2 different distributors and is timed properly, the CAT was removed as well as the muffler to rule out restrictions (Yes, they were broken up).
This bus was running and driving until all at once it wasn't.
Attached is a video of what it's doing.
ANY THOUGHTS?
Link
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Last edited by 1vw4x4 on Thu Apr 17, 2014 6:24 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Phishman068
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1868
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
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| Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 6:19 pm Post subject: |
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Still broken!
We have replaced and tested absolutely everything. Every wire and pin on the ECU has been tested and is within spec, temp 2 and oxygen senders tested for their range, 3 different ECUs, 2 different AFMs, 2 different fuel pressure regulators, 2 different fuel pumps, 2 different Idle Stabilizers.
The fuel pressure and delivery rate have been tested good, and it's been run off a seperate gas can to rule that out.
It has had 2 different distributors and is timed properly, the CAT was removed as well as the muffler to rule out restrictions (Yes, they were broken up).
This bus was running and driving until all at once it wasn't.
Attached is a video of what it's doing.
ANY THOUGHTS?
Link
_________________
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=559766&highlight=winter+rust
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482402&highlight=sunroof+syncro
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569774
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6864936#6864936
"Along with the ability to go fast, one looses the desire to hurry." |
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Phishman068
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1868
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
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| Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 7:01 pm Post subject: |
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This is QUITE the head scratcher.
After many hours of additional testing, it still will start up right away, but doesn't want to run. Sometimes you can get it to rev high and sometimes even stay there, other times it will just konk out in a few seconds. Either way, it's running well when it's running, then shuts off.
Here's the rap of what is known so far:
FUEL SYSTEM:
- Fuel Filter is New
- Checked Fuel Pressure (40psi with engine off/pump on, above the minimum of 36psi), (Fluctuates between 30-40psi when engine running and reving, pressure changes relative to reving).
-With engine off engine maintains 30psi for 20 minutes or more (stopped watching at 20 minutes) (within spec). Meaning injectors aren't leaking, fuel pump check valve operates properly.
-Pulled Fuel Pump relay and jumpered it to rule out an intermittently running fuel pump, engine still shuts off indiscriminately.
-Measured fuel pump flow. Should be "at least 500mL in 30 seconds", I obtained 900mL in 30 seconds so fuel flow is unrestricted and the pump is healthy.
-Checked the injectors- they are spraying well (and less then a week old!)
Wiring:
-The ECU ground functions properly, 0 ohms between pin 13 and ground.
-Throttle body switch is out of adjustment (though I had it off today to adjust, but apparently suck at that), measuring 2.8ohms through the ECU connector with throttle at "idle" position.
-Temp 2 circuit (as measured from the ECU connector) comes out to 1970 ohms on a slightly warm cooling system, seems within spec.
-Temp 1 sender (air intake temp) is right in spec at 2900ohms at 55*F
-Oxygen Sensor: Connector connected, 6.5M ohms between pins 2 and 13, so that appears to be within the spec of "Infinity Ohms" on the ground path?
However, with the connector disconnected and grounded, it should read 0 ohms and reads 0.6ohms (and buzzes for continuity), indicating less then ideal grounding, right?
-Hall Sender: Between the two outer plugs should read 5volts, it reads 4.97volts, well within spec. Placing a probe in the center pin and the other to +12 volts the voltage should fluctuate as the engine cranks, it does, so the hall sender and wiring appears within spec. Just for the heck of it, I installed a known good distributor and timed it accordingly, still no success.
-ECU has been replaced with 2 different "known good" units.
-All grounds behind dash have been cleaned up.
-All grounds in engine bay have been cleaned up and inspected.
Ignition
-Good spark as tested on a spark plug grounded to the engine. The spark plugs in the engine have less then 3000 miles on them but may be damaged from cleaning them up with abrasives throughout this process. This does not explain, in my mind, why it is randomly cutting out though.
-Coil has been replaced with a known good unit.
-Cap and rotor have been cleaned up to remove carbon deposits.
-Spark plug wires have 3000 miles on them.
-Ignition switch has been replaced.
Nothing stands out as a reason why it would cut ignition randomly, but otherwise run well.
At this point i'm out of ideas!
ANY input would be appreciated.
_________________
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=559766&highlight=winter+rust
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482402&highlight=sunroof+syncro
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569774
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6864936#6864936
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Phishman068
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1868
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
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| Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 3:32 pm Post subject: |
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apparently I spoke too soon....
Big problems.
Last week I started noticing a slight hesitation from time to time and assumed it might be injectors. I pulled the injectors and tested them and sure enough, terrible spray patterns. I went out and purchased 4 brand new aftermarket injectors (the ones that come highly reccommended by several people) and I was amazed at how much better it ran!
It was great.
So I got a few days and a couple miles out of them before noticing a bit of a hesitation returning on my way to work on friday, but I made it to work just fine. When I went to leave, the bus fired right up but ran with a strong miss and finally started to quit. It was fouling plugs and they became so bad that it would no longer run. Luckily I was broken down at a full shop, with a full time mechanic on duty (and idle at the time) who's an aircooled bug guy and a heck of a fabricator. We figured out there was quite a bit of carbon build up on my cap and rotor, and we cleaned them up, then pulled all 4 spark plugs (NGK BP6ET) and cleaned them up on the wire wheel. Now it would run, no miss, heck it would even rev, but it would not stay running. It was getting progressively worse with every try!
It wouldn't idle, it won't make power, and it will shut off whenever it wishes (usually about 5-10 seconds in, but sometimes it will run for a minute or more at a time). It will fire up on the first crank, and will usually rev and hold a constant RPM (Say 3000rpms) then suddenly dies. Sometimes it won't rev, sometimes it will even try to idle okay.
VERY WEIRD.
Well thanks to some great local vanagon folks and a father willing to bring a bunch of known good spare parts off the shelf at home, we were able to replace and test EVERYTHING that we could think of that would cause this, no success.
We have unplugged the oxygen sensor, tested the temp 2 sensor to be in range (resistance) at ambient temperature while in place(confirming the wiring as well), plugged in a known good temp 2 sensor (just holding it, not in the coolant loop), replaced the AFM with a known good one, replaced the coil with a known good one, tried 2 different known good ECUs, examined the engine bay grounds (Cleaned/replaced when the engine was installed a few months ago), and changed the fuel filter. The injectors were tested (spraying well!), and yet despite it all, this baby runs whenever it wants, and generally really well whenever that is.
Any thoughts?
heck i'm not even sure what to test next! We've really had quite a few well skilled vanagon people scratch their collective heads and try things and still no success.
_________________
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=559766&highlight=winter+rust
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482402&highlight=sunroof+syncro
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569774
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6864936#6864936
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Phishman068
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1868
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
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| Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 7:07 am Post subject: |
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Well guys, things have been good!
2500 miles so far on the bus. Astonishingly few problems!
I just started having some serious hesitations and rough running conditions, so I tested my injectors to find that they looked terrible. They squirted like a super soaker rather than a nice atomized spray.
I replaced the injectors with the GP sorenson ones available from Autozone. $130 for 4 new injectors. They are SPECTACULAR!
It added many horse powers, rock solid idle, and hopefully will boost my fuel mileage a bit.
The last things to do are replace the Throttle Position Sensor (which is out of adjustment and can't be adjusted due to a seized bolt) with one of those great Vaccuum based systems made by Tencentlife and get the Oxygen sensor/AFM tweaked.
The O2 sensor puts out 0.6volts at idle and works its way up to about 0.7volts at higher RPMS, so that doesn't seem quite in spec. Hmmm....
But overall, the bus is running great! It made it through the winter well as my daily driver.
_________________
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=559766&highlight=winter+rust
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482402&highlight=sunroof+syncro
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569774
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6864936#6864936
"Along with the ability to go fast, one looses the desire to hurry." |
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Phishman068
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1868
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
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campism
Samba Member
Joined: September 07, 2007
Posts: 4492
Location: Richmond VA
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| Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 11:12 am Post subject: |
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| Phishman068 wrote: |
| I did notice the passenger side boot on the power steering rack is torn. Looks like i'll have to replace that now. I've never done these before..... : / |
I'll be right back with a couple of pictures. Mine failed inspection due to this, so I had to fix it for reinspection. Took about two hours total.
*edit*
The torn right side boot I attacked Saturday. Use jackstands to give yourself some working room and security.
New multitool I used to remove the 19mm castle nut in the background. then turn that castle nut over and thread it back on the bolt, and then tap to knock the joint loose. It'll be easier if you remove the wheel.
Once off, you can slide the old boot off (or cut it). Then slide the new one one. It went over the right angle pretty easily.
The bicycle tire lever was essential in getting the boot ends on the rack and the rubber grommet. Other threads recommend loosening the steering rack mounting bolts to give access to the back side but the lever worked for me. Good luck!
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'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic |
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Phishman068
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1868
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
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| Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2013 7:13 pm Post subject: |
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Today was dedicated to preparing the bus for winter. The weather has been strangely nice, 60* out today!
I took the time to deal with the one rusted spot that was rusting under the factory undercoat behind the drivers side rear wheel. I always seem to get rust at this particular spot.
I ground the metal down, dissolved the rust with Naval Jelly, Etched the metal/converted the reminaing pits with SEM Rust Converter, and primed it with a few coats of Oxide Primer to fully encapsulate the rust. Then I filled the one hole and sealed the exposed seam with proper seam sealer, and went ahead and coated it with QUALITY undercoat. Most undercoat, especially the stuff sold at most stores, is junk and will promote rust. However there are a few professional grade products like this that work for years.
The fresh coat of primer:
Seam Sealer:
Undercoat:
First of several coats. Warming the cans up in hot water before spraying and allowing at least an hour between coats.
The seam has also been sealed from the top, as that's where the water comes from!
Time to spray some Fluid Film!
I love spraying the bottom of the busses with Fluid film, it really does a heck of a job of keeping corrosion at bay! An annual application just before the salt hits the road should do the trick.
I spray fluid film by warming a gallon can of it in hot water until it really flows. Then I pour it into an empty UPOL Raptor container and spray it with the UPOL Raptor Shultz gun. Set the Pressure to 70psi and spray it all before it gets cold.
Then I climb under the bus and just spray the stuff EVERYWHERE. Try to get up over the gas tank, get all the suspension components, coat the wheel wells, squirt into every hole in the frame rails, and be sure to specifically hit anywhere where two pieces of metal come together. These seams are where the fluid film excels as it will wick into there and prevent rust.
I use about 1/2 gallon per vanagon application. I don't spray the engine.
It comes out to about $20 per application! That's nothing considering how much rust prevention it can provide.
I did notice the passenger side boot on the power steering rack is torn. Looks like i'll have to replace that now. I've never done these before..... : /
_________________
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=559766&highlight=winter+rust
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482402&highlight=sunroof+syncro
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569774
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6864936#6864936
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Phishman068
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1868
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
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| Posted: Sat Nov 30, 2013 3:33 pm Post subject: |
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Well with the oil pressure sorted, it was time to add some miles!
I spent a few days test driving it in ever increasing circles form my home and things were looking pretty good. I did notice that there was a gasoline smell and Didn't like that....so Time to pull the tank.
The tank came out last weekend with the help of some Pittsburgh Vanagon owners. Upon removing it we found that several of the gromets were torn and degraded, as well as a broken crossover tube (common), so we've found the source of the smell!
New seals for everyone!
With the new seals in place and the gas tank inspected (It's glorious. Truly a nice looking tank with no rust!), it was time to get it back in.
Disaster! The fuel tank sending unit broke off one of its electrical contacts. Bummer.
Well, 2 days later a fresh one arrives on my doorstep thanks to the ever shockingly punctual Ken Willford at Vanagain! The best service in the industry! (At least for the east coast).
New sending unit in, gas tank installed. SWEET!
It is a sincere pain in the butt to get the cross over tube seated in the gromets, particularly the drivers side and particularly if you have AC as the hoses run right there. I like to seat the gromets in the tank, smother everything in Vaseline, then push the crossover tube into it using a small hammer as a lever. It is tough though!
Well thats over. Tank is in. New hoses all around. SWEET~!
I treated the very very very minor spots of rust behind the tank with some Fluid film and will be blasting the entire car soon as well. Now, I can fill the tank full and have no smells or overflow! SUCCESS!~
It's time to add some miles, right?
Well, the odometer keeps clicking away the miles and things are going real nicely. I was running some Passenger Rated 14'' tires that came brand new with my new syncro, and they're pretty good but I hate the look and they do sway a bit on the highway. Fear not though, as the answer to my looming tire/wheel search has been found!
215/60/16'' Snow tires were purchased with 400 miles on them (Yep, pretty much brand new!) and mounted on my Ronal wheels.
GORGEOUSSSSSSSSSS!
I am not a fan of the stance and feel it needs to go down a bit. I have a set of Carat Springs and may put them on soon. I loved the Weitec springs I had on my last bus but simply cant afford another set at this time. : /
They really handled nicely!
These tires BARELY clear the slider, so the 225 series tires someone said would work (and I almost bought) wouldn't have worked so well.
Due to the low offset of these wheels the tires are right out at the fenders, much like they were on my last bus. I do like the look of it and the wider track is noticeable! However, I recall that they threw up a ton of crap on the sides of the bus, especially in the winter, so this bus will be getting a set of SA mudflaps I have sitting around.
Look at that last picture above, notice the wiper arms?
Yep, that happened. I hate it when that happens!
Luckily this time It appears the nuts were just loose a bit and the splines full of stuff. I removed the arms and used a razor to clean out the splines.
Then, a drop of blue thread lock, a snug fit, and all is well.
Time to deal with the fact that I still have pure water in the cooling system, and it's winter! Not worth the risk.
I like to run tap water for a bit after getting a new bus up and running. If any leaks arise it's easy to drain and refill, it washes out and flushes the system, and it's free! Anyway, I drained the system and filled it up with the good green stuff. This must be the tightest cooling system i've ever dealt with on a vanagon. Even after sitting for an hour or so, I cracked the radiator bleeder and heard a hiss as air ran in and coolant ran out the line I had removed in the engine bay. That doesn't normally happen, they tend to loose at least SOME pressure in my experience.
Time to blead it! My favorite method is to fill it from the radiator, much like the way every other car in the world is filled.
I remove the radiator bleed bolt completely and insert a small piece of rubber hose with an outside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the hole. This allows air to escape around the hose as it fills. Various adaptors take that small hose up to a funnel, and I just pour my coolant in from this highest point in the system. Fill until coolant pours out the top of the bleed hole, then remove the assembly, install the bolt, and run the engine up to temperature. Park it, let it sit, rinse and repeat. Doing this once or twice gets a perfectly bled system in my experience. Simple.
It's full!
I spent a bit of time tidying up some exposed rust just to hold it over until spring. I scuffed up the rust spots removing any loose paint and applied Naval Jelly for about 15minutes, dissolving much of the rust. Then a quick run through the carwash (it needed it anyway) and a bit of time to dry and you have a nice enough surface. Scuff it up, degrease, and paint on some Oxide Primer with a cheap artists brush (10 for $2!!!). I like to use primer that I already have in a spray can and spray it into the domed bottom of a soda can. Then, paint on!
The spray can paint is already thinned, cures quickly, and the paint brush allows for quick easy touch ups without having to do a bunch of masking and prep. A few coats of that are in place, and i'm going to let them fully cure over night. Next will be a coat or two of cheap black enamel paint (again from a spray can but with a paint brush) and eventually a top coat of color matched paint, a coat of wax, and a coat of fluid film.
Here in western PA, this is an annual routine.
Drove the bus for 200 test miles today! All went well. We were able to cruise nicely at 70mph, and obtained 16.4mpg on the first measured tank of fuel. Not bad! I'm ready to make this my daily driver!
_________________
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=559766&highlight=winter+rust
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482402&highlight=sunroof+syncro
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569774
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6864936#6864936
"Along with the ability to go fast, one looses the desire to hurry." |
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Phishman068
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1868
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
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| Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2013 12:12 pm Post subject: |
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I now have 100 test miles on this bus!
Things are going very well.
I got it hot today running it all around for 40 or so miles and the oil pressure held solid at 40psi at 3000rpm (and went up to about 46psi at 4000rpm). Hot Idle oil pressure stayed between 18 and 20psi.
I cannot believe that the proper oil and filter makes THAT much of a difference!
WOW.
RUN THE PROPER OIL (20w50) AND MANN FILTER!!!!!!
So I thought i'd detail the oil pressure gauge install somewhat because the photos and details are a bit lacking (but acceptable) throughout the various posts.
Following Tencent's suggestion I Installed a 3'' MPT Nipple into the oil pressure switch hole between the pushrods. I then joined that to a 90* Fitting facing forward and a compression fitting with a 1/4'' fitting. Then, I installed 1/4'' copper pipe into the compression fitting, without the little insert. I was able to purchase a 24'' section of this pipe off the shelf at the hardware store and only needed about 16'' to do it the way I did.
I then carefully bent that pipe up to come up just to the right of the thermostat housing on my 2.1 WBXer.
Once there, it meets another right angle fitting that has a 1/4'' compression fitting on one end and 1/8'' threads on the other. This is then joined to Two "T" pieces with female ends. Then I put two brand new oil pressure switches in two of the spots, leaving the end hole for the pressure gauge sender.
Leave the Gray oil pressure switch thats horribly accessed behind the water pump in place, just disconnect it as it is now relocated to your oil pressure manifold.
Cut and shorten the stock wires (or replace if they're all ruined) and crimp on some new ends.
Run a 20foot section of 14gauge wire through the gasket behind the drivers side headlight (bringing the wire into the dash) and the other end along the frame rails under the vehicle back to the engine bay. Zip tie it into place in a bunch of places. A 20foot section is JUST long enough, but that's the length of the spool I ended up with. 25 feet would be more ideal.
Here's the yellow wire I ran coming through the gasket behind the dash.
This wire is your sender wire and secure one end to gauge and the other end to the sender. Now you need power and ground to the gauge as well. Stick a wire on terminal G1 on the back of the fuse block to power the gauge when the ignition is on and run a ground wire to an open ground lug behind the fuse box as well. I have not yet wired in the lights on the gauge but will eventually.
In the case of my sender, its supposed to ground through the engine but I had bad luck with this initially and it was reading falsely. So, I installed a ring terminal TIGHTLY on the sender and the other end grounding to the engine block. I Built a mount out of a piece of aluminum angle that goes off an unused M8x1.25 hole on the drivers side head just by the thermostat housing. With the help of an M8x1.25x12mm bolt, it's all secured and the copper line won't work harden from vibration.
Much of my problematic oil light/buzzer could have been from The crack in this wire to the oil switch.
Or the sad state of this switch:
I thought I had a pic of it installed, but can't seem to find it....
I guess i'll have to snag another later. It all went together pretty nicely and i'm happy with the install.
_________________
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=559766&highlight=winter+rust
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482402&highlight=sunroof+syncro
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569774
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6864936#6864936
"Along with the ability to go fast, one looses the desire to hurry." |
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Phishman068
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Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1868
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
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djkeev
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Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32625
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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Phishman068
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1868
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
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Phishman068
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2007
Posts: 1868
Location: Pittsburgh PA (ish)
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