Converting a 1971 VW Camper to a Turbo Diesel

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

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avocado
Turbo Charger
Posts: 206
Joined: Thu Jul 15, 2010 11:01 am
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Pictures...

Post by avocado »

Some pictures are here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/avocado_tom/tags/turbobus/

Honestly, I owe a lot of credit to D. Schwarze. The blog on installing a TD into his '73 really helped give me confidence (and ideas) on how to do this:

http://motorheads.net/vw/turbobus/
Currently working on shoehorning a 1.6 TD out of a 1984 Jetta into a 1971 VW Camper (Hardtop)

"Huppity Hup! Rev! Rev! GO GO GO GO!"
avocado
Turbo Charger
Posts: 206
Joined: Thu Jul 15, 2010 11:01 am
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Post by avocado »

Well, I've gotten the heater plumbed in and everything set up, so I started her up and ran her in for 20 minutes or so yesterday. Here's what I found:

1. The engine never got hot enough for the fan to come on. I think I got up to 190degF (depending on how you read the marks on the gauge) after idling the engine for 20 minutes.

2. I've got a nasty oil leak somewhere above the exhaust manifold. Maybe the turbo is leaking?

3. Quite a bit of white smoke on revving. Don't know how much of this is the above oil leak versus too much fuel.

4. Idle was quite rough at start-up, but settled down nicely before too long.

5. I'm getting used to hearing the turbo spin up...such an odd sound. Seems like it spins up pretty early on.
Currently working on shoehorning a 1.6 TD out of a 1984 Jetta into a 1971 VW Camper (Hardtop)

"Huppity Hup! Rev! Rev! GO GO GO GO!"
avocado
Turbo Charger
Posts: 206
Joined: Thu Jul 15, 2010 11:01 am
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA

First Trip!

Post by avocado »

I drove around the neighborhood for about 10 minutes on Saturday: What a Hoot!

I haven't driven this bus in ~6 years, so I still need to clean it up a bit (and finish body work), but it was a crazy fun experience. I was mostly just in a trance for the drive: listening, feeling, and trying to get a feeling for performance. First impressions are that it's torque'y as hell, but the turbo takes a bit to spin up.

Have to finish sanding, install the tail lights and bumper, then I'm off for more test drives to determine how the cooling system is doing.
Currently working on shoehorning a 1.6 TD out of a 1984 Jetta into a 1971 VW Camper (Hardtop)

"Huppity Hup! Rev! Rev! GO GO GO GO!"
avocado
Turbo Charger
Posts: 206
Joined: Thu Jul 15, 2010 11:01 am
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Post by avocado »

Cleaned the windows last night - amazing how much dirt can build up in 6 years! Between that and re-installing the driver's side mirror (after re-gluing the mirror itself back into the holder), the bus might be actually safe to drive!

Other than that, I mostly worked on cleaning up the wiring and finishing off the body work. The body work isn't pretty, but between the fiberglass, sanding, and the couple of coats of rattle-can I'm going to throw on it tonight, it'll be good enough to pass inspection and hopefully save me some money on the finishing work when I take it to a real body shop (soon-ish). I would love to do more of the work myself and learn the ins and outs of painting, but I really just don't have the time or patience that seems to be required.

Regarding the wiring:

1. Cleaned up the gauge wiring and a few loose wires under the dash

2. Ran the wiring harness from the heater blower and determined where I'm installing the fan switch.

3. Ran a couple of positive leads from the fuse box for heater, etc.

4. Attempted to clean up the wiring to the glow-plug and radiator relay in the engine compartment (had to move them for access to the rad-thermostat that I didn't appropriately measure for). Unfortunately, I think I'm going to have to move where they're mounted and re-run wires. No biggie, but a pain.

5. Found the generator light wire in the engine compartment, but I think it's the reverse of what's expected in the stock setup. i.e. I think the way the wiring works in the '71 is that the light is on by default, but goes off when there is 12V of power, while the jetta wiring from the alternator expects the reverse. This will take more fiddling.

Other stuff:

1. Looks like there's a slight leak at the radiator thermostat...more like it's weeping. I probably should have used a new gasket when I installed. I'll keep an eye on it.

2. Accelerator cable has the appropriate amount of travel - pedal hits the floor at roughly full stop on the engine.

3. Will need to re-route the accelerator cable as it's currently dragging on a couple of things. I installed some rubber around where it's rubbing to prevent any damage, but that's only a temporary solution.

4. I have the coolant overflow bottle mounted in the spare tire well. I need to make a cover for that and seal the hole I cut a little better.

5. Need to figure out an exhaust solution, but for now, what remains of the downpipe will get me far enough out of the engine compartment to be fine. May just try to clamp on the original jetta muffler if I can figure out how to mount it.

6. Still need to run wiring for coolant overflow bottle, glow-plug indicator (from relay), glow-plug power (from glow-plug), along with any other gauges.

7. Need to time the injection pump, but I'm going to drive it around a bit first and give the engine a bit of a workout to get things moving again (and get some diesel purge through those injectors).

8. I used a coolant flush again: First ran tap water through, then did a flush with prestone flush and DI water, then ran straight DI water through it 3 times. After the third time it was still slightly opaque but nowhere near where it was at first. Currently running 70/30 or 65/35 coolant:DI water.

9. Changed the oil before I drove it. I think this is the 3rd oil change since I revived the engine. I was hoping to just get the engine moving again and potentially pick up any dirt which had been introduced during my labors.

Next Up: Rattle can it, install the tail lights and a bumper, then take her for a spin on the open road.[/u]
Currently working on shoehorning a 1.6 TD out of a 1984 Jetta into a 1971 VW Camper (Hardtop)

"Huppity Hup! Rev! Rev! GO GO GO GO!"
Fatmobile
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Location: north central Iowa

Post by Fatmobile »

Great to hear it's up and running around the block.
One small ride around the block for your van,
one giant ride around the block for you. :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.
avocado
Turbo Charger
Posts: 206
Joined: Thu Jul 15, 2010 11:01 am
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Post by avocado »

Fatmobile wrote:Great to hear it's up and running around the block.
One small ride around the block for your van,
one giant ride around the block for you. :D
Exactly! Thanks for listening!
Currently working on shoehorning a 1.6 TD out of a 1984 Jetta into a 1971 VW Camper (Hardtop)

"Huppity Hup! Rev! Rev! GO GO GO GO!"
avocado
Turbo Charger
Posts: 206
Joined: Thu Jul 15, 2010 11:01 am
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Coolant Hoses

Post by avocado »

Well, I've reached the "blowing out coolant hoses" stage of the project. :wink:

Driving the bus around town, the TD was doing fine and running right about 190degF H2O w/o the fan coming on. About 5 miles into the trip, I had some road so I wound her up a bit to see how she did in 4th. About 30 seconds later I heard a BANG and steam filled the bus through the hole where the coolant lines come through the spare tire well to the overflow tank.

I immediately pulled over and found that a hose had popped loose - maybe due to a loose clamp - so I dutifully got out my spare clamps and the two gallons of DI water I'd brought along and filled up the system. I'd hadn't gotten too far into the process when both the police and the tow-trucks showed up - someone had called in that a VW bus was on fire - and I told them that no, I had just popped a coolant hose. Everybody was real nice about it though.

Drove the remaining way to my softball game (1.5 miles) without any problems, but the temperatures seemed to get a bit higher. That could have also been the huge hill I was pulling, though.

Everything seemed ok at this point, so I headed across town (heading to a point about 7 miles from home) and BANG! Coolant hose #2 failed. This time it was a hose rupture - the 3-way hose from the oil cooler to the water pump. Unfortunately, this time I was on a bridge (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittsburgh_bridges">we have a few</a>), so I couldn't just pull over immediately. I probably drove about 200-300 meters before pulling into a parking lot.

Bus safely parked, I headed off to meet up with my friend at the pub, carrying my two empty gallon jugs.

When I returned a few hours later, full jugs in hand, my friend kept her headlights on so I could see what I was doing. There was enough meat left on the hose to cut it down and just re-attach it, so I did that and filled up the system. Unfortunately, she had left before I determined that something was up with my headlights: i.e. they weren't working.

45 minutes or so later, I had hot wired a headlight (working from an online wiring diagram, a rigged up test light as my multimeter died a few weeks ago, and a cell phone as a flashlight). My guess is that the hi-beam relay is toast - which I knew - and causing the lights to not come on at all (and making hot-wiring them more difficult). The time is now approximately 2 am. The only downside to my hotwiring the headlight is that now the turn-signals and hazards aren't in proper working order, but I decide that those are less likely to get me pulled over than driving around with no headlights at 2 am.

I start the trek home and just after passing through west end circle and onto US-51 S (for those familiar with PGH), I hear the now almost expected BANG! and the cabin fills with steam again. The problem here is that there's absolutely no shoulder and I have no hazard lights. Hrm. So I drove about 0.4 miles this time (0.8 km?), turning off the engine and coasting where possible, and make it to a gas station.

This time I find that it's the upper radiator hose, and it's come free where I have two flex hoses connected via a radiator repair coupler, probably due to the heat of the coolant warming the plastic coupler which then warped and let the hose free. I had planned on swapping this out (as it seemed like a potential failure point), but hadn't gotten around to it yet. Well, I guess I was getting around to it now. I reconnect everything and refill the radiator, the refill my jugs once more from the gas station spigot, "just in case", grab my first tank of diesel fuel, and I'm off. At this point it is approaching 3 am and I am around 3 miles form home.

I make it to my turn-off from 51 and start heading up the big hill (Nobles Lane) when, you guessed it, BANG! about 0.2 miles from the crest of the hill. I drive the 0.1 mile to the parking lot of a CVS, where I find that another flex hose that has popped free of it's moorings. Oh, and the spring blew out of the flex hose: crazy. I re-attach everything, fill up with water and drive the remaining 6 blocks to my house. It is now 4 am.

I take the dog for a quick walk and sneak into bed as quietly as possible, completely exhausted. Hopefully no permanent damage was done while driving the very short distances w/o coolant. That would suck.

Two quick asides:

1. I think that while cleaning up the corroded wiring, I swapped the wires that go to the radiator thermostat (it's a three circuit plug, but only two connections on the t-stat) so the fan's not coming on. I had verified the t-stat worked when the engine was out, so that's not it. Either that or I screwed up in wiring the relay. In any event, the fan isn't coming on in the few times when the H2O temperature did get up to 210-215degF.

2. I may have my alternator idiot light wired to the upshift light terminal on the alternator: it's not on at idle, but comes on at 2500 rpm or higher. I'll have to track down the right sensor on the alternator...
Currently working on shoehorning a 1.6 TD out of a 1984 Jetta into a 1971 VW Camper (Hardtop)

"Huppity Hup! Rev! Rev! GO GO GO GO!"
DanHoug
Turbo Charger
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Location: Bemidji, MN
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Post by DanHoug »

great project... a couple comments..

i installed the Moab heater in my 91 Jetta as i had coolant lines running thru the passenger compartment anyway for the veg oil. it is a WONDERFUL heater-- quiet and strong. i have more heat in my diesel than in any other car i own! it just takes me 10 miles to get the engine up to temp.

i was bitten by plastic hose couplers during my veg conversion. unless the connector is specifically made for high temp, and there are some plastic coolant hose splicers and Ys, they will deform and leak. i ended up making my own reducers, couplers, and Ts with various diameters of copper water pipe soldered together.

-dan
'91 Jetta NA on WVO for 120k miles
'91 Jetta ECO
avocado
Turbo Charger
Posts: 206
Joined: Thu Jul 15, 2010 11:01 am
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Post by avocado »

Thanks Dan. Replacing all of those couplers is next up! I've used some copper plumbing materials so far and bought some SS barbed T-fittings from McMaster Carr as well. Next up is replacing the radiator hose (as opposed to heater hose) connectors, which is just a little more difficult in terms of making sure all the angles work out...

Hopefully my Moab will push as much heat as yours does. The bus is a big animal with lots of area to lose heat on, but I'm hopeful!
Currently working on shoehorning a 1.6 TD out of a 1984 Jetta into a 1971 VW Camper (Hardtop)

"Huppity Hup! Rev! Rev! GO GO GO GO!"
avocado
Turbo Charger
Posts: 206
Joined: Thu Jul 15, 2010 11:01 am
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Parts here, To-Do List

Post by avocado »

I just got a shipment of parts - including replacement rad hoses - so I thought I'd post a to-do list, more for my own edification than anything else:

1. Replace rad hoses and re-plumb cooling system to remove flex-hoses.

2. Put housing around accelerator cable to prevent it rubbing against other parts.

3. Run wires for coolant level sensor, rad fan light, etc.

4. Change/fix valve cover gasket leak.

5. Poor Man's Head Gasket Check: (Check for immediate pressure build-up in overflow tank).

6. Troubleshoot rad fan: (a) short circuit thermostat wires, (b) check relay.

7. Fix/install side marker light.

8. Figure out solution for exhaust (currently just running a straight downpipe).

9. Test IP pressure per hagar.

10. Add PS cetane boost to tank.
Currently working on shoehorning a 1.6 TD out of a 1984 Jetta into a 1971 VW Camper (Hardtop)

"Huppity Hup! Rev! Rev! GO GO GO GO!"
avocado
Turbo Charger
Posts: 206
Joined: Thu Jul 15, 2010 11:01 am
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Parts to Order

Post by avocado »

Just realized there are some other parts I need to order:

1. m10x.1.0 to 1/8 NPT adapter.

2. Brass couplers to fix air-hoses plumbing hack.

3. Small gauge wire for gauge/sensors.

4. More DI water for coolant.
Currently working on shoehorning a 1.6 TD out of a 1984 Jetta into a 1971 VW Camper (Hardtop)

"Huppity Hup! Rev! Rev! GO GO GO GO!"
Fatmobile
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Location: north central Iowa

Post by Fatmobile »

What's the adapter for.
,.. and what's DI water?
'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.
coke

Post by coke »

I'm willing to bet DI means distilled.
avocado
Turbo Charger
Posts: 206
Joined: Thu Jul 15, 2010 11:01 am
Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Post by avocado »

Fatmobile wrote:What's the adapter for.
,.. and what's DI water?
The adapter is for my VDO oil pressure sender, which has a tapered thread (theoretically M10, although the NPT will be close enough if it's not) as opposed to the straight M10x1.0 of the stock sender.

I purchased a 6" extension to offset the sender from the oil filter flange as there's not enough clearance for the sender to screw in on its own, and found that while the stock sender screwed right into the extender without any problems, the sender bound up before it hit bottom (despite going in fine on the first few threads), so I'm fairly certain it's tapered. An M10x1.0 non-tapered male, tapered female adapter would work, but seems hard to find.

And coke nailed it, DI is short for distilled water for the radiator.
Currently working on shoehorning a 1.6 TD out of a 1984 Jetta into a 1971 VW Camper (Hardtop)

"Huppity Hup! Rev! Rev! GO GO GO GO!"
bscutt
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Location: Springfield, VA

Post by bscutt »

hopefully not "de-ionized"...
that's usually what it means
Bob

'06 Jetta TDI
'82 Rabbit 1.6NA
Honda, 99 GMC Suburban, '41 Chevy Coupe
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