82 WestyRabbit Restoration

[Vanagon Nut]

[danfromsyr]

in my early days, I've run a 1.6 rabbit CIS system on my 2.3l Isuzu trooper
ran better than the oem vacuum carb system.
I've ran that same CIS on a T-4 bus 2.0l engine in my baja bug.

but I've since moved on from the CIS based systems..
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[82westyrabbit]

Yes my GX engine is stock 8.5 to 1 compression. I love Bosch cis it was the vw mainstay when I was a mechanic through the 80's. I have lots of spare cis parts kicking around. I know Bosch cis Systems vary well. But all of this stuff is very old. Danfromsyr what fuel system have you moved up to. I will not be happy if I have to start a thread about putting cis fuel injection on a Tiico engine but stranger things have happened. I suspect I will get all this Tiico running great and not look back. The Tiico engine should have more power than my GX a lot less intake noise and hopefully a lot less exsust rattling with the fas exsust hangers. With a lot more sound deading material I hope I won't notice the noise any way. Thanks

[82westyrabbit]

Lots of glass beading and painting and a shipment of parts from FAS

I am starting the engine reassemble new rear main seal and gaskets. lot of parts ready to go back together new muffler supports from FAS I didn't think I could build anything any cheaper.

[82westyrabbit]

I finished up putting the cylinder head back together yesterday. I hand lapped the valves, and replaced the valve seals. Additionally, I re-installed the head onto the engine block.

Sorry about the lousy pictures. It was the best I could do after a full day of work. I have now replaced all of the gaskets and all of the seals. I ran out of hardware to put the oil pan and the intake manifold back on, and it was Christmas eve, so it will have to wait a couple of days. I am just about out of parts - Time to place the next parts order. Next up will be re-installing the gas bell housing onto the air-cooled transmission instead of the diesel bell housing I was running. Once that is done, I will be able to test fit the engine and the transmission to make sure that everything fits as expected.

At the moment I do not have a working starter for either system. Therefore, I think I am going to order a starter adapter so that I can run a TDI starter. That way I can buy a starter with a lifetime warranty.

You just can't believe how much time you can put into just getting things cleaned, painted, and ready to go back together.
Thanks.

[82westyrabbit]

Hi
Forward progress happens slowly. The engine is almost ready to be re-installed in the van. I test fit the engine to the transmission to confirm that my diesel input shaft was compatible with the Tiico engine flywheel and adaptor plate. It is compatible. I installed the new pilot bearing into the transmission after completing two steps: First the test fitting; and then I used the "correct size bolt and grease trick" to remove the old pilot bearing. The gas bell housing and adaptor plates are both now permanently installed on the engine and transmission. Now I am just waiting for new flywheel bolts and new bushings for the throwout bearing cross shaft. Then the engine will be ready to be installed into the van.

I will start working on the fuel system while I wait for parts. Fabrication of fuel pump and fuel filter mounts is next. Since this van started life as a diesel, I will have to fabricate all of my fuel pump wiring and figure out how to integrate the Tiico wiring harness into the van's original wiring harness. The Tiico manual makes it pretty clear how to do all of this, I just have to sit down and do it. This should not be a difficult job. I have just had other fish to fry lately. Thanks for listening.

[82westyrabbit]

Hi, small steps the fly wheel and clutch are installed, new cross shaft bushings are installed for the throw out bearing, the transmission is installed in the engine, and it is ready to be installed in the van.

I installed a starter adapter so I can run a late model diesel starter in the van.
Then I got involved in a small painting project in the engine bay so it will probably be Tuesday before I can lower the van on to the engine. Thanks

[82westyrabbit]

The engine is now in the chassis. I am making small forward steps. You can push in on the clutch now, and it works! Finished systems are always good.

I am working on the cooling system. I installed new stainless steel diesel cooling pipes awhile ago. Unfortunately, the diesel pipes won't work easily with the Tiico engine hoses. Therefore I need to rebend the back end of one of the coolant pipes to make it work with the Tiico system. I am slowly getting components bolted up one at a time.

My Tiico wiring harness has some broken wires in it from when it was removed from the previous van. So before I can install the wiring harness, I am going to have to check all of my wires to make sure that there are no broken wires I have not yet spotted.

I know there are several people here working on I-4 exhaust systems. This is the I-4 exhaust from my old engine, just sort of set into place for now. This system has worked for many, many miles. My muffler is now hung from the body instead of the engine. I hung it with a FAS exhaust hangar kit. I am still making plans about what configuration my new exhaust will take.

Like always, I don't get to take pictures until after dark, so their quality is not the best. Thanks

[Vanagon Nut]

thanks for the images of exhaust. I like the idea of a (more easily?) replaceable flex bushing. Interesting to see the combo of what I'd call ABA and Mk2 accessory brackets.

Neil.
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1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA

1988 West DIY 50º ABA

VE7TBN

[Sloride]

Looks good.
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1972 Westfalia - 1.8 VW in-line h2o conversion
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Link to the engine swap:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=565304&highlight=

1964 Ruby Red Beetle

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=705757&highlight=ruby+red

[82westyrabbit]

Yesterday I pined out and labeled the tiico wiring harness

There are only a few bad wires I have to fix from when it got removed from the van the engine was in before

I have not had time to decide what the best way to fix this yet.
I finished the modifications to my sift linkage I will get pictures up in a few days.
My diesel cooling pipes do not work with the tiico hoses so in the next day or two I have to take them to a friends with a pipe bender to make them work. Thanks

[82westyrabbit]

I installed the late model front shift rod, and I shortened the rear shift rod and mounted it to the universal joint

I would not have gone to this trouble, but I thought I was going to install a European 5 speed. When I looked inside both of my transmissions, I liked the look of the inside of the air-cooled four speed transmission that I've been running all along much better than that of the European 5 speed.

I finished repairing the bad wires in the Tiico wiring harness. I bought several new connectors which I cut apart for the new pigtails. Then I soldered and heat shrunk the wires. Of course that will get all taped up and prettied up before it is installed into the vehicle. Now I have to start integrating the Tiico wiring harness and the diesel wiring harness. I have not yet decided whether I'm going to install the 7 pin plug into the van's wiring harness or just connect the necessary wires. In the 7 pin plug there are 4 wires I will not need. The 82 van does not have a coolant level sensor or the provisions for oil pressure warning system of the later vans.

Next, I will be installing the fuel system and deciding what I want to do to finish up my exhaust. Thanks

[Vanagon Nut]

[82westyrabbit]

Hello! This is the first time I have been in the same state as my van in six weeks. I cleaned, inspected, and repacked the cv joints with new Rockford cv boots and Redline cv grease. One more round of painting parts is complete.

Once the paint dries, I will be able to re-install the gas tank and all of my fuel lines. I am waiting for a few parts so I can finish up the exhaust. Then I need to finish up the alternator. That will get me very close to ready to run. Thanks.

[82westyrabbit]

I just thought I'd show everybody my rendition of what to do about the seals on the top of the gas tank.

I welded these fittings up out of some steel tubing I had laying around. I was working with a new fuel tank at the time, and so I didn't have to worry about welding on the gas tank. I installed the fuel tank back into the van today. It has been out for the past year or so while I was doing all of the other work on the bottom. I've started replacing all of the fuel lines. I've also restarted work on fabricating my exhaust. I will post pictures when there is something worth looking at.

[82westyrabbit]

Installed the ECU under the rear seat.

I made brackets to hold it in place several days ago, but I was waiting for paint to dry. That pretty near finishes all of the wiring that needs to be done to make it run.

[82westyrabbit]

I mocked up my exhaust today. It is pretty close but I still have adjustments to make and to weld in a fitting for the oxygen sensor.

I finished installing all new fuel lines. I'm getting pretty close to making this thing run.

[Vanagon Nut]

Thanks again for the exhaust images. I'm still debating how I'll do the exhaust. I'm still leaning towards the "toilet bowl" design so good to see departure angle, length of pipe from manifold.

My wiring (and engine) is close to test time but deleting the big round 28a connector between harnesses added more work and thought time than anticipated. At least I'm now more familiar with what a "200" ground is.

Neil.
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1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA

1988 West DIY 50º ABA

VE7TBN

[82westyrabbit]

I think I might try to tuck the front pipe up a little more. I have some prebent pipes from a speed shop. I have to work the next few days. I will get back to the exsust on Tuesday. I would just like to clean it up a little more.

[Vanagon Nut]

I see what you mean. As you have, I'll have a flat cross bar between engine carrier bars. In terms of ground clearance, it seems to me that having the exhaust scrape as the "warning" VS the flat bar [edit or worse, the oil pan. End edit], might be better. But then I tend to drive on logging roads et al.

Neil.
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1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA

1988 West DIY 50º ABA

VE7TBN