need 084 manual gearbox advice - UPDATE started tear-down

[mr. lang]

Thank you again Butcher. The leakage was quickly found and no band aid was necessary.
_________________
1966 Bus | 1969 Bug | 1976 Passat LX two-door | 1984 Golf 2 C (daily driver)
There are three kinds of people: those who can count and those who can't
Und läuft ...

[mr. lang]

The soapy water did a very well job.
I pumped up the coolant system and dabbed all the hose connections with soapy water using a brush.
I started with my first suspect, the only hose I did not change nor clean, the venting hose going from the radiator to the reservoir. No leak.
Then I started to dab the other connections with the first one being a hit.
Lower reservoir connection showing huge bubble
I removed the hose, did give it a inside clean (again) with a toothbrush and soap, did rinse, installed back again. Leak fixed.

Then pressurized the system again and found a second leak at the nozzle which is holding the thermostat in place. There is a tiny stop collar at the BACK of the nozzle and I did accidentally push the hose over that stop creating a tiny air leak. Placed hose at the correct position. leak fixed.
My camera did stupidly crap out during saving the image about that, so no picture to show.

Then I did a few other things like
* filled coolant system with coolant
* removed tension from engine supports
* checked all the accessible screws if they are torqued
* connected fuel hoses like they were routed before

After that and after I was mentally ready, I did rev the engine by the starter without plugs and no air cleaner installed to
* check dwell
* to prime oil pump
* to prime fuel pump

All went fine, so I installed the plugs and fired up the engine for the first time after 6 1/2 month ! YES !
It did immediately start and after all control lamps turned off (well, there are only the oil and generator lamp) I revved the engine up to 2000rpm to get the cylinder walls covered with oil.
After a minute or so, I did shut off the engine to install air cleaner and preheat hose and did top off the coolant.

Then I went for the first ride !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Must have looked stupid, but I did accelerate, engine break, accelerate, engine break for almost half an hour around the block and then around town.
In between I did check for leaks and coolant level.
First I thought the coolant system does fool with me with the level always sagging when I did check. I always topped off the coolant which is now at a steady level, no coolant got lost.

After that first ride, ca. 40km (25miles), i went back to the shop to change oil and filter and to check for (fuel, coolant, oil) leaks again.
No problems so far.

CO and idle was pretty quick set to CO 2.9 and 800rpm, very steady and not that laborious than before.

engine compartment as of right now.
The hose from the radiator to the reservoir is normally fixed by a zip tie, but I was not able to find a good picture of a unmolested engine to see how and where.
Ignition wires are also not yet routed like stock, there is also a zip tie here and there missing.
The exhaust manifold cover turned out too bright and should be slightly darker.

Feeling that comfortable about the engine condition, but still skeptical, I stuffed all the tools into the trunk and started the 30km (19miles) ride from the shop to bring her home.

Today In the morning, I did drive to work and while having 2°C (35°F) outside temperature, the engine started better than ever before right with the twist of the key.
All in all the engine has now 100km (~60miles) since refurbish without any problems (so far).

A big thank you goes out to my brother who did borrow me his car for the past 6 1/2 month and to anybody who did contribute, help and follow my thread here on the samba (especially modok and Butcher).
_________________
1966 Bus | 1969 Bug | 1976 Passat LX two-door | 1984 Golf 2 C (daily driver)
There are three kinds of people: those who can count and those who can't
Und läuft ...

[Butcher]

Congratulations on completing you huge task. I know the feeling you get when you go on the first road test. You think about all the stuff you have done and what you forgot to do, you hyper listen for noises that are really not there, and your heart races when you 'think' you hear something. The longer/further you go, the bigger the smile you get on your face knowing that there is nothing major wrong.

BTW, I hate spring type hose clamps because of what you encountered with seeps.

[mr. lang]

Thanks for the kind words !

The worst moment was when I realized that the coolant did constantly drop. My first thought was head gasket and a followed I don't give a damn so I kept on driving. Turned out that I way underestimated on how much coolant does actually fit into the system.

The second worst moment was a line of oil drips on the road which I saw, when I returned to the shop after the first round around the block. Turned out to be irregularities from varying pavement surfaces.
_________________
1966 Bus | 1969 Bug | 1976 Passat LX two-door | 1984 Golf 2 C (daily driver)
There are three kinds of people: those who can count and those who can't
Und läuft ...

[mr. lang]

The past few days I've made ~480 trouble free miles.

Time to set valves again. Not much changes were necessary. I did set them conservatively with a Muckenschiß (direct translated mosquito fecal, but means a tad) more clearance before which was now corrected to 0.15mm for intake and 0.25mm exhaust.

I've also set idle, fast idle and Co again, because I realized, that my CO tester was sucking false air before (forgot to fill water separator with water to make it work).
Engine was running too rich which is now corrected.
fuel consumption for the first tank filling was 8.05 Liter (29.22mpg). My aim is to be in the 7.0 Liter range.

And I've checked the timing belt for correct tension. All within tolerances.


During those past 480 miles I've also had the chance to see if the car still has the vibrations I described in my first post and guess what? honestly: Yes.
Please keep the flames as a tiny flamelet and keep in mind, that the engine was running on its last legs and with the gearbox already out of the car, both had to be addressed anyway.
I'm currently fixing the stock CV joints to see, if this will help.
_________________
1966 Bus | 1969 Bug | 1976 Passat LX two-door | 1984 Golf 2 C (daily driver)
There are three kinds of people: those who can count and those who can't
Und läuft ...

[mr. lang]

Finally found the time to refurbish the stock driveshafts to replace the aftermarket junk.
One of the outer cv joints (of the stock driveshafts) hat a small area where it started pitting, so I swapped left and right joints to change rotating direction and wear pattern.
I decided to use the original joints again, because NOS joints are incredible expensive. Maybe I will eventually find one for a reasonable price in the future.

All I can say is ... Awesome.
I enjoyed driving the car before, but with the release of the additional 2500 rpm above the magic 4000 rpm barrier, where the vibration did start, the car is now even more fun to drive. This is where the power is located.

This was absolutely correct: