Bought but no start, help?

[OrangeZA]

Hi joebus, you have found yourself a rare VW! One of only 89 factory production “Big Window” syncro T3s made in the Uitenhage factory in South Africa. All of them built in 1992 and fitted with the 112 PS, 2.1 litre “DJ” engine. There were also a few VWSA prototypes built with various engine layouts -> http://www.syncrosa.co.za/forum/showthread.php?tid=94 & http://syncrosa.co.za/forum/showthread.php?tid=2562

For somewhat more local help you may find the SyncroSA forum useful for finding contacts in your part of the world http://syncrosa.co.za/forum/index.php but please don’t abandon The Samba! Most folks on here won’t have seen a South African T3 or know about all the little things that differentiate them from their European made cousins and I'm sure they would be interested to learn. I’ve also got a South African syncro, but a much more common small window 1989 model, currently I’m working my way through the front suspension and haven’t touched the engine as yet. Here is a photo of my engine compartment that I took while it was still in SA and covered in African dust! I hope it is somewhat useful...

It’s a long stroke 2.3 litre built by Andreno Motors in Villiersdorp, South Africa, based on a 2.1 “DJ” engine.

Sounds like you are now making good progress with yours, best of luck with it!

[joebus]

Wow orange! What a coincidence! Thank you for the response! Very interesting indeed! When are you coming to tour here? I would like to restore mine as much as possible! Had to order a new starter from Bloemfontein today, part for mine cannot be found!
Trusting to start it this weekend!
Cheers

[mellowslow]

Orange,
thank you for the education.

Joebus,

I’ve only been a Samba member for 9 years.

Have to admit that I passed on this thread without clicking on it over a few visits to this forum.

So glad I did now!!!🔥🔥🔥

Wow, I do not think that I have seen a better T3 find and purchase in my time on the Samba.

Best and most unassuming thread title!!!

Many compliments and much encouragement going out to you in your pursuit of the research and following restoration for this rare T3.
_________________
'87 WBWE FAS Gen V

[joebus]

Hi All,
Mellow, you are confusing me, why do you regard it as such a good find and purchase?? Forgive my ignorance, I am quite irritated by neglect the vehicle has suffered and my inability to rectify the status quo!!
I am although encouraged that you regard it as a good find!!
Awaiting your response!!

[OrangeZA]

Hi joebus, I think mellowslow belives your T3 is a good find, as do I, because it is one of only 89 “Big Window” production syncros. You have a very desirable machine, I’m sorry to hear it has suffered much neglect, but I’m sure you will get it up and running soon and I’m very glad to hear you plan to restore it as much as possible.

I know of 2 more “Big Window” syncros in Scotland, one was shipped here with mine nearly 2 years ago and there is another which is the subject of a really good thread on the club8090 forum which you may find inspiring http://forum.club8090.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=147501&sid=54884195567c30b152f45701addc75f9

I’d dearly love to return to southern Africa and do a tour with my syncro. I had a mere 11 days to enjoy a wee holiday around the Western Cape with my good friend Kasia in my syncro after I’d bought it, as you might imagine, that was no where near long enough, it was an awesome trip!

Here’s a photo of mine in Simon’s Town suffering the indignity of being a makeshift washing line whilst it sits in the South African sunshine. (As I write this in the Scottish Highlands the sky is completely covered in a heavy blanket of dark grey clouds…)

Please show us some more photos of your exotic rarity joebus!

[mellowslow]

Yes Joebus,
I consider your bus an excellent find even not running. Sorry for the confusion.
Wow what a genuine article.
1 of only 89 special syncros.

I would love to have one myself.

I have an extra 1989 model year fuel injection harness removed from a running T3 that’s all yours for the shipping cost from Maine, USA.
I think I might be able to fit it in a USPS medium flat rate box.

Have faith. You will start that engine and that bus is well worthwhile of any efforts in restoring.

Stay too blessed to be stressed.
_________________
'87 WBWE FAS Gen V

[mellowslow]

Medium flat rate box is about $75 to Namibia from Maine.
_________________
'87 WBWE FAS Gen V

[dobryan]

[crazyvwvanman]

Look closely, that photo also shows a Syncro fuel filler in the back. His engine photos show a Syncro fuel tank and Syncro WBX cooling system pipes. None of which fully proves it is a Syncro, need photos of under the van for that.

Mark

[OrangeZA]

Mellowslow, is your 1989 fuel injection harness a Digifant one or a Digijet like joebus needs?

Joebus, I’ve just noticed that your T3 also has a fuel filler on the front wheel arch. That’s not sooo unusual in SA where it seems to be quite popular to fit auxiliary fuel tanks between the chassis rails to extend the range of the vehicle, but it could also indicate that the vehicle was originally a 2WD T3 which has undergone a conversion. From what I have read Dirk Ellis a VW dealer near Port Elizabeth bought up VWSA’s excess stock of syncro parts and got a licence to import parts from Steyr Daimler Puch in Austria and converted a number of big window T3s after VW stopped producing syncros in 1992s. The conversions could be identified by a late VIN and I believe electric switches to activate the diff-locks rather than the vacuum system on the factory models, they would also lack the body strengthening the VWSA factory models came with so in that respect would be more like standard Austrian built models. Some Austrian models did come with extra strengthening (schlechtwegepaket, M469 option), but not quite to the same extent as factory SA models.

A genuine 1992 big window syncro would have a VIN like this: AAVzzz25zNUxxxxxx

AAV - Represents the code for VW of South Africa
zzz - Is just a filler
25 - Is the VW model type code
z - Another filler
N - This is important, N is the code for the model year, 1992 in this case, which actually runs from 1st of August 1991 until 31st of July 1992. The VIN on mine has a K representing 1989
U - Represents Uitenhage, the factory where your T3 was built
xxxxxx - This will actually be a number and represents your vehicles order in the production line, so say for example your number is 005679 then yours would be the 5679th T3 on the production line in the 1992 model year.

Make sense?

On a big window T3 you can find the VIN on a plate in the driver’s side door aperture, top of the wheel arch, I’m sure you must have spotted it already.

Even if your syncro doesn’t turn out to be a factory built model, I’m still keen to seem more photos of a big window bus and South African style trim and build. My own syncro is actually missing quite a few of its original features. Any kind of VW bus, rare model or not, has the potential to help bring a lot of fun and good memories into your life. Hope you will be making some of those soon.

[OrangeZA]

[mellowslow]

[dobryan]

Thanks for the syncro explanation comments. I learned something today.
_________________
Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson

MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646

Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794

[mellowslow]

Joebus,

My VW enthusiasts compass points in your direction.

Jamie Orr (US based VW car geek)recently flew to SA with a Wookiee motor and bought a Citigolf to build and bring to VW campfest.

With some cooperation from the factory

My new personal VW Bus fantasy is to fly there with an FAS full kit and buy a bus just like yours to tour out the continent!!!

Looks like folks know their way around building VWs there.https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GCkYwYAItfs
_________________
'87 WBWE FAS Gen V

[joebus]

Hi There, sorry was offline this weekend, went to source some parts, heard of a accident bus with potential parts, so rushed off to Walvisbay on Saturday. All the comments and gestures brought a lump, in my throat! Thank you ALL!!
Orange and Mellow, let we start back to future! I am planning as soon as the bus is worthy to head to the west coast and Cape Town to George for a test drive. The western Cape remains also one of my favourite holiday destinations!
You gents, make the plan and come, don't delay, you start in Namibia with me, and do the tours, either ZA or continent!!
Thank you for the harness, t I suspect yours would be Digifant and not Digijet!! I would have jumped at it for 75 US$. Thank you so much for the offer!! I love the spirit in the communication of the Forum!!
It has dual fuel tanks, therefore two fuel caps!! It has subframe.
Vin: AAVZZZ25ZNU005875.
Mellow, what are you waiting for on that continent tour? Just do it man!!!
I am waiting on you!! Is it now a Cape to Cairo?
Thank again for the comments, as I said I ordered to starter, got it on Friday afternoon, was the wrong one, had to return to ZA, expecting another today and will install!
I would love to have the rotating front seats for the bus, it seems it never made it to here. Can one still get them for the front seats?
Cheers for now!!

[joebus]

Hi again, got the starter today, fitted it, connected everything,started, it, ran for about 10 seconds and died! Never to start again! Now I want to check the individual parts. I do not understand the pic below for checking the air flow meter, the book pic says the colom b for meter has points 6&9 while the plug and meter only has 4 points in the plug!

Hope you understand my question?

I used the test wiring bridging into the relays and onto the coil with same results! I believe that design is crazyvans concept, if the van still does not start, what does that mean?

I now suspect the ECU and AFM!!!😜
ANY suggestions?

[OrangeZA]

Hey joebus,

The idea of meeting up with some VW nuts in Namibia and going for a tour sounds awesome Must keep working on my T3 and get it back on the road soon!

Mellowslow, get to SA sooner rather than later, I was disappointed to see that so many T3s had disappeared on the roads compared to when I visited in 1997. They really were everywhere in ’97! The previous owner of my syncro explained to me that the South African government ran a scrappage scheme to reduce the number of older poorly maintained mini-bus taxis in the country https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxi_wars_in_South_Africa and sadly lots of T3s got caught up in it. I was told that vehicles had to be crushed and couldn’t even be broken for spares! The guy that runs the syncrosa forum runs a vehicle dismantling business too and I’d heard that they they had tried to lobby the case for at least breaking the T3s for parts, but the government wasn’t interested. Just think of the big SA 80 litre fuel tanks, big brake systems, 5-cylinder engine conversion parts, gosh even rust free metal work that has been wasted! Such a shame.

Joebus, your T3 is definitely the right model year to be one of the 89 big window syncros, could we have a look at your front suspension? That should confirm for sure whether it is a conversion or a VWSA built model.

Below is a photo of the front suspension of my own SA syncro, I’ve tried to highlight the extra strengthening fitted by the VW factory in Uitenhage to all of their syncros.

An Austrian built syncro (minus option M469) and a conversion by VWSA dealer Dirk Ellis would look similar to this

Sorry for being so pedantic about this, I got all excited when I first saw the big windows and the syncro bits! I really want to make sure it is one of the 89!

As for your AFM, I can’t get into my engine bay to see how it is wired at the moment, but I checked the Bentley manual to see what it says about the Digijet models. The photo below is for a 1985 US Digijet spec model, but hopefully the terminal numbers equate with a 2.1 DJ motor.

[joebus]

Hi Orange, no sweat!

I trust you can see here?

[joebus]

[quote="joebus"]I used the test wiring bridging into the relays and onto the coil with same results! I believe that design is crazyvwvanman's concept , if the van still does not start, what does that mean?

I now suspect the ECU and AFM!!!😜
ANY suggestions?

Any takers on this?

[E1]