Little Blue Truck gets a new engine - FAS 2.0 engine conversion

[VicVan]

As a previous thread mentioned a few weeks ago, I’ve ordered a FAS GenV 2.0 L NA (Naturally Aspirated) for my auto 2WD westy. I want to document the engine swap. Hopefully it'll help someone in the future, and I'm also betting on your hawk eyes ("Hey, Vicvan, I see in the blurry background of that photo that the gas tank is mounted upside down") and your experience ("Hey Vicvan, maybe you should also put in a new fuel filter").
Here's what my engine bay should look like in a few weeks, as per FAS website:

Source: http://www.foreignautosupply.com/engine-and-drive-...n-program/


I’ll be removing the stock, original, 2.1 Wasserboxer with 275 000 km (172 000 mi) on it (It’s for sale, PM if you want more info; it comes with a 3-year-old GW stainless steel exhaust). Since the engine kit is a few weeks late (Covid, supply, logistics, bla bla), I’ll kill time by starting this thread. Let’s look at the diagnostics that I’ve completed so far.

The FAS manual (v 2.3) offers detailed instructions, although not as detailed as the uber-comprehensive Bostig installation notes. The manual instructs me to test (and fix) the following systems prior to the engine swap:
- Fuel system: check for proper flow and pressure. Inspect fuel tank, fuel pump and fuel lines.
- Cooling and heater system: Visual inspections. Pressure tests as per Bentley.
- Battery, battery cable, starter, grounds: test and inspect.
- Dash cooling system gauges and oil pressure dynamic system: test.
- Air intake: Inspect air intake in D pillar (Note that the FAS Gen V kit uses the stock air intake nd air box)

Let's start with the fuel pressure test!

What does the Bible say?
Book of Robert (Bentley) chapter 24, verse 55:
Run engine at idle, measure fuel pressure.
Vacuum hose on pressure regulator connected: approx. 29 psi
-------------------------------------- disconnected: approx. 36 psi
Residual pressure: shut off engine and wait 10 minutes: approx. 29 to 36 psi

I borrowed a fuel pressure tester kit at Canadian Tire. I connected it at the fuel return tee (do not loose that tiny screw and tinier washer!). Let's see what we have:

Connected hose: 32 psi, OK

Disconnected hose, 38 psi, OK

Residual pressure after 10 minutes: 36 psi, OK

Fuel pressure test: passed!
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'90 Little Blue Truck, 2WD auto, FAS GenV 2.0 NA (AVH)

[jimf909]

Neato. I'm looking forward to watching the swap.
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- Jim

[dobryan]

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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

[VicVan]

Cooling system pressure test, cooling system check:

RB (Robert Bentley) 19.17: buy an expensive VW tool and pressurize to 14.5 psi, pressure should remain constant

JB (Me): rig something with what you have on hand, and check that pressure.

The initial idea (taken from GW's website or here, can't remember):

Good, simple, but no gauge.

I'll just use that fuel pressure gauge I just used:

Inflate to 15 psi:

Inspect: Found one small drop of coolant on the main coolant hose to radiator hose. Tightened the clamp, cleaned. No other leaks found.

Check pressure after 15 minutes: 14 psi

I think I know where that 1 missing psi went. One, gauge accuracy and leaks in the measuring instrument; two, in one of the cylinder heads. Started the engine, and big puffs of white smoke (smelled good!).

Radiator was replaced last November with a Behr unit, many new coolant hoses since I bought the van, rear heater and auto tranny cooler have been eliminated. Fan cycles on and off, operating temperatures checked with an InfraRed thermometer gun. Temperature gauge on dash operates flawlessly. Coolant warning LED blinks at startup as per Bentley.

Cooling system: Passed!
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'90 Little Blue Truck, 2WD auto, FAS GenV 2.0 NA (AVH)

[VicVan]

I almost forgot: this very interesting feature is not covered in the Bentley:


Link

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'90 Little Blue Truck, 2WD auto, FAS GenV 2.0 NA (AVH)

[mikemtnbike]

Fun thread!

Have you already replaced your plastic "front to back" cooling pipes? There's no way I'd put in such a nice piece of kit as the FAS motor without doing so; mine did not leak when I replaced them but were just as bad as you can imagine, amazed they had not failed already.
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1991 Vanagon GL 2.1 AT Westfauxlia. "Frankie" Totaled https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=764510&highlight=carnage
1995 Eurovan Camper "Marzivan"
2020 GTI SE manual

[Vanagon Nut]

Congrats! I hope the shipping process goes well.

Neil.
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1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA

1988 West DIY 50º ABA

VE7TBN

[VicVan]

[GreggK]

Hey Vic,
Good choice to go with FAS. I installed one of their diesel kits a few years ago. Not sure what kind of resources you have or if you're thinking how you're going to do get the motor up in there but if you want, take a look through my thread just to see an install option. I didn't get any pictures of the cherry picker I used to get it up in place though. Once I started to lift it, every pump I was all over the place checking everything was clearing and sort of forgot the camera. Probably should have found a helper.
I believe FAS lowers the van down on top of the engine which is ideal. Once I started lifting the motor and gravity took over, it got challenging to keep the motor at the 50 degrees. If you had any questions feel free to send a PM.
Did you invest in one of their transmission mounts? Pretty BOMBER!
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'86 2wd Poptop transplant
FAS TDi engine swap. Peloquin LSD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=692188&highlight=slow+but+steady

[photogdave]

OT but is your avatar Miss Agnes?
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89 Syncro GL Westfalia 2.1 WBX/WBXaustSS

My Westy Movies:
photogdave On Vimeo
photogdave On YouTube

Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[VicVan]

[VicVan]

[Crankey]

What would happen if you drilled a hole for the valve stem in the coolant bottle ?

[photogdave]

[GreggK]

Hey Vic,
I was able to wiggle the pallet out of the trailer far enough that I could ease it down to the ground and then I think I just kept wiggling it and the other end just slid out gently. I got lucky with that but it, was not too heavy. Then I wiggled it into my garage. Eventually I cut the pallet down so it would fit between the legs on my engine hoist. I would lift it up a little then be able to wheel it round so I could move it. I think there was a picture showing that.
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'86 2wd Poptop transplant
FAS TDi engine swap. Peloquin LSD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=692188&highlight=slow+but+steady

[VicVan]

Still waiting for the engine to ship. FAS's last update put the shipping this week. Fingers crossed. In the meantime, let's continue with the pre-swap diagnostics.

An easy and fun one: Fuel delivery test. Bentley 20.29: fuel volume delivered at the engine should be at least 500 mL for 30 seconds.
Remove the fuel supply line (or return line? I forgot which is which... anyway, the one at the metal T).
Note that in the background I removed the fuse to the fuel pump, and used a jumper wire to run the pump for 30 seconds.

Make sure you use a high-tech, graduated, expensive measuring device, and after 30 seconds, voila:

Approx. 770 mL. We're good!
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'90 Little Blue Truck, 2WD auto, FAS GenV 2.0 NA (AVH)

[VicVan]

Another problem I had to solve was fixing the stock oil pressure warning light in the cluster, that stopped working a year ago... I didn't bother too much because I have an oil pressure gauge, but I have to make it right this time.
Symptom: it did not blink when key on ignition. It lit for half a second, so I knew the LED worked. After checking the oil pressure sensor in the engine as pder Bently, I went for the Oil Pressure Warning System Printed Circuit Board (also known as the OPWSPCB ). Who doesn't like to take the cluster apart anyway?

Remove tachometer, and find the circuit board

Looks like I found the culprit, from the looks of it:

Found a used one out of a Golf on EBay Sweden (!), 2 weeks later it was in my mailbox

Plugged it in and... it worked! LED blinked a few times on ignition. Awesome! Started the engine.
I tried again, just to make sure. Aaaaand.. didn't work. LED wouldn't blink


So I checked all the wires (again) in the engine compartment, and they did look old. I started checking continuity on all wires between the sensors and the cluster. I found that the wire between the low pressure sensor and the plastic connector (left side of the engine) had no continuity. I made another one, and this time, it worked for good.

Oil Pressure warning system: check.
I'll have to install the oil pressure gauge sender on the new engine. Anybody knows if there's a stock sender or port one I can reuse?
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'90 Little Blue Truck, 2WD auto, FAS GenV 2.0 NA (AVH)

[VicVan]

Last thing on the FAS manual is checking the air intake. The FAS kit uses the stock air box.
So I took the snorkel apart, inspected and cleaned it. I straightened the tube back into shape. Looked good. I just replaced some tape and it was good to go.

Air intake: check

Next episode: the "while I'm in there" list...
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'90 Little Blue Truck, 2WD auto, FAS GenV 2.0 NA (AVH)

[Corwyn]

You're gonna LOVE that engine!
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'90 White Westy ("The Longship")
FAS Gen V 2.0
The Annual Baja Rally
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=604813&highlight=baja

"If anything's" gonna happen, it's gonna happen out there"
~ Captain Ron ~

[VicVan]

Here’s a list of “while I’m in there” things I plan to do. Let me know if I missed anything:

Body:
- Replace firewall insulation
- Address surface rust in engine bay and on firewall (wirewheel, rust primer, paint)

Hoses and fluids:
- Inspect and tighten all hoses and connections (coolant, fuel)
- Change fuel filters
- Clean fuel pump inlet

Automatic transmission:
- Inspect governor seal and cap
- Change torque converter seals (I’ve had a small leak there for a while)
- Check condition of grease in inner CV joints (I cleaned and repacked them 19 000 km ago)

Electrical
- Add starter ground cable (I have a TDI starter installed already),
- Add hard start relay.

What else?

(still waiting on the engine. Maybe next week is the day it ships? )
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'90 Little Blue Truck, 2WD auto, FAS GenV 2.0 NA (AVH)