Project: 1978 VW Rabbit
Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2010 1:39 am
Project:
1978 VW Rabbit 4 door Diesel
History
Just purchased off local Craigslist as a non running car. PO overheated and blew the headgasket. Owner took car apart, saw the 'cracks' in the head and decided to get rid of it. Odometer lists 05xxx.0 miles (so it could be 105,000 or 205,000 or more!) Seller was mid 20's male.
Looked at it w/ a friend who knows a little about VW diesels (he owns a Rabbit pickup). Said the head cracks are 'normal', unless they go to the coolant, then it's and issue. Originally I passed on it, but I called back later and offered $175, he countered with $200 (was listed $300 firm). (Some how, this Rabbit gave me a vibe it wanted to come home with me.) Cylinders looked okay, didn't see any ridge.
Info
Engine sticker on car lists it as a 90CID engine (1.5L). Shifter has a 4 speed pattern, but owner says its a 5 speed (and that 5th gear is there). Stated that it books down the highway at a good rate of speed- had it to 80MPH+ once trying to pass a vehicle that wouldn't give.
Body is tan, with some surface rust, one (and possible more) rust through, but is amazingly straight! Unless there is bondo hiding there.... Has stickers on windshield that state it was in Texas in the last 3 years and the hatch has stickers that infer biodiesel. Or it those stickers could have been there on a different hatch glass (look like it's red under that tan hatch paint).
I've searched the site and have an idea how to ID this engine now (guess it's a matter of getting the right search word). Prior to purchasing this, I had no experience with VW diesels- just helping a friend with his VW cars (gas). I have experience with diesels, as I own a few other diesel vehicles, heavy trucks and tractors. I have NO idea if this is the original 1.5L or maybe a 1.6L. If it's a 1.6L, it sounds like finding a head is simpler then finding one for a 1.5L. I bought it with just an idea of a fuel economical beater/runner. I looked at the info on head gasket removal/replacement, and the important head gasket identification. As well as the info on timing belts. Oh, and the "Bentley" service manual...read about that too.
I guess tomorrow I will go see what engine it has (bringing along a bright light and a stiff wire brush.) Don't think I'll be able to crawl under it, so I'm fortunate the head is off.
About me-
This is my first VW and it's "old". At least I'm older, but not by much. As stated above, I have experience with diesels. I own two 7.3L IDI Ford vans (got one for $700), and a 7.3L PowerStroke Ford van as well as three Cummins powered semi trucks (NTC 290, NTC 350 and a Formula 290 engines) & a 3208 Cat powered straight truck. I'm not afraid to learn- you are NEVER too old to learn! Aside from those, I also have a few John Deere diesel tractors. I can do 'basic' wrenching on engines- starters, alternators, turbos, water pumps, remove/replace whole engines. But I have never had an engine apart (ie heads off/rebuilding whole thing). Unless you count fixing a warped head on a Kohler single cylinder engine - learned how to 'back yard' repair that flat head with a flat file and fine grit wet/dry- and a thick/flat block of steel.
(If get lucky, it ends up being a 1.6L- so all I do is get a complete ready to drop on head-unless I get a different head and move the valves/cam. So I, then I just count the marks to get the correct thickness head-gasket, get me some new head bolts-or studs.)
I hope to get this Rabbit hopping again (yes, PUN was INTENDED ) If it ends up being more wrong, looks like I just wasted two Ben Franklin's and some time and fuel. Wish me luck.....
1978 VW Rabbit 4 door Diesel
History
Just purchased off local Craigslist as a non running car. PO overheated and blew the headgasket. Owner took car apart, saw the 'cracks' in the head and decided to get rid of it. Odometer lists 05xxx.0 miles (so it could be 105,000 or 205,000 or more!) Seller was mid 20's male.
Looked at it w/ a friend who knows a little about VW diesels (he owns a Rabbit pickup). Said the head cracks are 'normal', unless they go to the coolant, then it's and issue. Originally I passed on it, but I called back later and offered $175, he countered with $200 (was listed $300 firm). (Some how, this Rabbit gave me a vibe it wanted to come home with me.) Cylinders looked okay, didn't see any ridge.
Info
Engine sticker on car lists it as a 90CID engine (1.5L). Shifter has a 4 speed pattern, but owner says its a 5 speed (and that 5th gear is there). Stated that it books down the highway at a good rate of speed- had it to 80MPH+ once trying to pass a vehicle that wouldn't give.
Body is tan, with some surface rust, one (and possible more) rust through, but is amazingly straight! Unless there is bondo hiding there.... Has stickers on windshield that state it was in Texas in the last 3 years and the hatch has stickers that infer biodiesel. Or it those stickers could have been there on a different hatch glass (look like it's red under that tan hatch paint).
I've searched the site and have an idea how to ID this engine now (guess it's a matter of getting the right search word). Prior to purchasing this, I had no experience with VW diesels- just helping a friend with his VW cars (gas). I have experience with diesels, as I own a few other diesel vehicles, heavy trucks and tractors. I have NO idea if this is the original 1.5L or maybe a 1.6L. If it's a 1.6L, it sounds like finding a head is simpler then finding one for a 1.5L. I bought it with just an idea of a fuel economical beater/runner. I looked at the info on head gasket removal/replacement, and the important head gasket identification. As well as the info on timing belts. Oh, and the "Bentley" service manual...read about that too.
I guess tomorrow I will go see what engine it has (bringing along a bright light and a stiff wire brush.) Don't think I'll be able to crawl under it, so I'm fortunate the head is off.
About me-
This is my first VW and it's "old". At least I'm older, but not by much. As stated above, I have experience with diesels. I own two 7.3L IDI Ford vans (got one for $700), and a 7.3L PowerStroke Ford van as well as three Cummins powered semi trucks (NTC 290, NTC 350 and a Formula 290 engines) & a 3208 Cat powered straight truck. I'm not afraid to learn- you are NEVER too old to learn! Aside from those, I also have a few John Deere diesel tractors. I can do 'basic' wrenching on engines- starters, alternators, turbos, water pumps, remove/replace whole engines. But I have never had an engine apart (ie heads off/rebuilding whole thing). Unless you count fixing a warped head on a Kohler single cylinder engine - learned how to 'back yard' repair that flat head with a flat file and fine grit wet/dry- and a thick/flat block of steel.
(If get lucky, it ends up being a 1.6L- so all I do is get a complete ready to drop on head-unless I get a different head and move the valves/cam. So I, then I just count the marks to get the correct thickness head-gasket, get me some new head bolts-or studs.)
I hope to get this Rabbit hopping again (yes, PUN was INTENDED ) If it ends up being more wrong, looks like I just wasted two Ben Franklin's and some time and fuel. Wish me luck.....