85 Golf engine and turbo

This is a place for us to share progress on and upgrades to our vw diesels.

Moderator: Fatmobile

Post Reply
79 300sd
Diesel Freak
Posts: 109
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2009 2:45 pm
Location: Acworth, Ga

Re: 85 Golf engine and turbo

Post by 79 300sd »

Thanks Fatmobile. It makes sense to use the factory gauge for something. I had envisioned leaving it alone to have the red warning light and using aftermarket gauges with real numbers for fuel and coolant temperatures. Might still use it like that with a toggle switch to change which sensor I monitor.

I worked on the golf some this weekend, but didn't finish my list. My friend with the worldpac account didn't make it back in town soon enough, so the window regulator is still broken. I worked at home in the driveway, the welders and plasma cutter are at the shop......so no exhaust tip.

I did adjust the pump pressure. Started out with 25psi at idle, and 100psi revved up. It is now at 45psi idle and 125psi revved up. Decided the timing adjustment would wait because this really changed how the engine sounds.
Image

I also made a restrictor plate for the oil feed line.
Image
Image

Today I installed new rear springs and helpers. This is how the car sat before.
Image
And this is how it sits now.
Image
The new springs were a little longer than the originals. Could have been the reason it sat so low.
Image
Image

I also hooked up the oil catch can. It is zip tied in place until I decide if I want to keep it there. The plan is to put a couple of self tapping screws into the fan shroud.
Image

And the last project today was front and rear motor mounts. The front was still the old style, so I had to update the bracket too. Both were collapsed. The new mounts along with a very slight adjustment in idle speed made it not shake the dash any more at idle.
Image
Image
Fatmobile
Global Moderator
Posts: 7564
Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2002 10:28 pm
Location: north central Iowa

Re: 85 Golf engine and turbo

Post by Fatmobile »

What do you have going on there with the oil restrictor,.. and that line coming off it?
That last picture reminds me I canned some spaggetti sauce this summer :D
'91 Golf gasser converted to a 12mm pump, M-TDI.
'84 1.6TD Rabbit with a VNT-15 turbo, still setup to run on vegetable oil.
'84 GTI with 1.7TD pistons and intercooled.
2003 TDI wagon
2000 TDI Jetta.
79 300sd
Diesel Freak
Posts: 109
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2009 2:45 pm
Location: Acworth, Ga

Re: 85 Golf engine and turbo

Post by 79 300sd »

The oil line adapter that I was using had the threads pull off of it when I was reinstalling the turbo last weekend from adding the egt probe. So I cut the end off of a spare fitting I had for the mercedes leaving a couple of inches of hard pipe. I then welded an npt fitting to it and used 1/8" npt adapters and ran brake line between the oil filter mount and the turbo. The only problem was that mercedes must have restricted the oil flow at the other end of the pipe I cut. My solution was to make an aluminum plate to sandwich between the turbo and the fitting with a small hole drilled for the restriction, but I waited too long and it is smoking a lot now at low rpm/low boost. Going to have to swap the turbo if it doesn't clear up tomorrow.

The engine compartment is getting pretty full with all of the added hoses and wires that I meant to tidy up later. Later never came. LOL

Do you think the car sits too high in the back now? It does have half a tank of diesel, 18 gallon veggie tank is full, 12" sub in wooden enclosure, and at least 50 pounds of tools in the back. Looks and feels funny to me because I have never known it as anything but a saggy butt.
79 300sd
Diesel Freak
Posts: 109
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2009 2:45 pm
Location: Acworth, Ga

Re: 85 Golf engine and turbo

Post by 79 300sd »

The smoke got way worse today. When accelerating I am not able to see anything behind me. It is 60 miles round trip to work and it used a little over a quart of oil today!!!!

The oil catch can seems to be working well. There is very little oil residue in the hose and almost no oil at the intake to the turbo.

Now I need to figure out if it is rings, head gasket, or valve stem seals.......and how to get to work the rest of the week. The wife needs the van to get to her work and the rest of the cars are down.....not to mention there is no money left to pay for fuel!!!
coke

Re: 85 Golf engine and turbo

Post by coke »

Using that much oil I'm going to hazard a guess and say its what we talked about before: blown oil seals in turbo.
79 300sd
Diesel Freak
Posts: 109
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2009 2:45 pm
Location: Acworth, Ga

Re: 85 Golf engine and turbo

Post by 79 300sd »

That is what I expected, but it is pretty dry in the turbo now. And EGT readings were around 100 to 150 degrees cooler than normal the past couple of days.

I was ready to pull the turbo and put another one on tonight, but I'm kinda leaning towards rings. Sitting here being indecisive.....wondering what I should do.
79 300sd
Diesel Freak
Posts: 109
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2009 2:45 pm
Location: Acworth, Ga

Re: 85 Golf engine and turbo

Post by 79 300sd »

I think it is ok now. It was pretty bad.....even had oil running out the exhaust and making a puddle on the ground!!!

I took the silicone elbow off between the turbo and intake, then ran the car some and did't have any oil there. Next I removed the oil catch can that I had put on yesterday and ran the car some more. Oil smoke out the exhaust was immediately cut in half, so I went for a 20 mile test drive up the interstate. Took it a few miles to clear up, but it seems to be fixed now.

So I think the lesson is not to buy one of those small oil cans from ebay......seems that they don't flow enough and put a lot of back pressure in the engine. I'm guessing that my engines current weak spot is valve stem seals on the exhaust side.

A more positive thing that happened during this is that the turbo seems to be building boost quicker. It even has a slight whistle at idle now. Max boost is still 10psi and the wastegate is set at 13psi, but I haven't turned the fuel up.

Does anybody wash out their exhaust pipes?
Fatmobile
Global Moderator
Posts: 7564
Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2002 10:28 pm
Location: north central Iowa

Re: 85 Golf engine and turbo

Post by Fatmobile »

You inspired me to get an ebay catch can.
I knew the ports were too small/restrictive so I intended to customise it.
It's still at the welder's or I'd show you a pic.

High internal block pressure can push seals out.

I'm not sure you need a restrictor in the oil feed line.
That might be just for ball bearing turbos that don't have bearing with a tight enough clearance to limit oil flow.
'91 Golf gasser converted to a 12mm pump, M-TDI.
'84 1.6TD Rabbit with a VNT-15 turbo, still setup to run on vegetable oil.
'84 GTI with 1.7TD pistons and intercooled.
2003 TDI wagon
2000 TDI Jetta.
79 300sd
Diesel Freak
Posts: 109
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2009 2:45 pm
Location: Acworth, Ga

Re: 85 Golf engine and turbo

Post by 79 300sd »

I would love to see pics of your mod to the catch can when you get it back.

I'm watching for leaks. I have been noticing just a couple of damp spots and will be monitoring them.

I'm not sure how much restriction is needed for this turbo, but it does start whining sooner with this restrictor. The primary reason for adding it was 3psi oil pressure at hot idle after removing the other restrictor. It is now around 25psi. I'm expecting that there is a balance between oil pressure at hot idle and having enough flow to the turbo. I'm not sure where that is yet, but wanted to protect the motor first.
Fatmobile
Global Moderator
Posts: 7564
Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2002 10:28 pm
Location: north central Iowa

Re: 85 Golf engine and turbo

Post by Fatmobile »

Great point.
My Golf TD has low oil pressure at idle,.. maybe I should try a restrictor.
'91 Golf gasser converted to a 12mm pump, M-TDI.
'84 1.6TD Rabbit with a VNT-15 turbo, still setup to run on vegetable oil.
'84 GTI with 1.7TD pistons and intercooled.
2003 TDI wagon
2000 TDI Jetta.
Fatmobile
Global Moderator
Posts: 7564
Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2002 10:28 pm
Location: north central Iowa

Re: 85 Golf engine and turbo

Post by Fatmobile »

I got this catch can on ebay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... MEWNX%3AIT

It was obvious the ports were too small but it looked like the top could be removed and 3/4" ports could be installed.

This can was closest to what I was looking for as a base to build from.
The 6 bolts around the top are fake, they do nothing.
The 3 bolts on the side hold the top on.
The bottom was glued on, I couldn't get it welded until I removed it;
set it on the woodburner until the glue was soft.

Then the bottom had to get welded on too.
The aluminum tube came from a set of rams-horn bicycle handle bars,.. the old 10-speed style.

Image

I think it's set up for 3/4" tubing, should allow plenty of flow, relive some backpressure.
'91 Golf gasser converted to a 12mm pump, M-TDI.
'84 1.6TD Rabbit with a VNT-15 turbo, still setup to run on vegetable oil.
'84 GTI with 1.7TD pistons and intercooled.
2003 TDI wagon
2000 TDI Jetta.
79 300sd
Diesel Freak
Posts: 109
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2009 2:45 pm
Location: Acworth, Ga

Re: 85 Golf engine and turbo

Post by 79 300sd »

That is too cool!!!!

Are you planning on using any type of filter media inside or just rely on centrifugal force to separate?
Fatmobile
Global Moderator
Posts: 7564
Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2002 10:28 pm
Location: north central Iowa

Re: 85 Golf engine and turbo

Post by Fatmobile »

The plan is to have the oil-soaked gasses come in and hit the side,
spin around the outside and settle.

The lid has a ridge around the inside that should hold a screen cylinder.
I was thinking this screen seperating the outside from the inside would allow something for the remaining oil to collect on as it was slowly pulled through.
Then the air would get pulled slowly up through the empty center.
'91 Golf gasser converted to a 12mm pump, M-TDI.
'84 1.6TD Rabbit with a VNT-15 turbo, still setup to run on vegetable oil.
'84 GTI with 1.7TD pistons and intercooled.
2003 TDI wagon
2000 TDI Jetta.
79 300sd
Diesel Freak
Posts: 109
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2009 2:45 pm
Location: Acworth, Ga

Re: 85 Golf engine and turbo

Post by 79 300sd »

That sounds like it should work great!!!

I was replacing a hydraulic hose for the suspension on my 84 Mercedes 300TD yesterday and noted that the factory oil separator looks like it could be easily removed from the air filter housing. The hose connections look to be about the right size and it should flow well. I have a couple of spares and think I might use one for a while to see how well it works. The budget for a nice looking one like yours isn't available right now.......too many other things need done.

I did put the exhaust tip on the car the other day and it is a little quieter. Sounds a lot more mellow until you get into the throttle some. Need to install the window regulator today.
Fatmobile
Global Moderator
Posts: 7564
Joined: Wed Oct 30, 2002 10:28 pm
Location: north central Iowa

Re: 85 Golf engine and turbo

Post by Fatmobile »

I'll probably make my next one from a metal water bottle.
Found one at good will for $1 but it works too good as a water bottle,.. so I'm on the hunt for another cheap one, ha.
'91 Golf gasser converted to a 12mm pump, M-TDI.
'84 1.6TD Rabbit with a VNT-15 turbo, still setup to run on vegetable oil.
'84 GTI with 1.7TD pistons and intercooled.
2003 TDI wagon
2000 TDI Jetta.
Post Reply