It lives!

jolotter · Post by **jolotter** » Sat May 17, 2008 5:01 pm

Today I finished my ABS and cone filter intake, wired up a push button for the glow plugs and fired up the van for it's second time ever. It started really easily this time and idles beautifully. As we pulled around the corner for it's maiden voyage as a TD I heard a terrible creaking/clanking sound. Turns out I had forgotten to tighten the wheel lugs on one wheel.

A few minutes later we were back on the road.
I went out on the highway to get a feel for the new motor. It feels like I don't have much pedal and I'm getting no smoke at all. Since I don't know the history of the pump other than where it came from, I don't know if it's been tuned at all.
I have an EGT gauge. Can I use that to monitor the running conditions and start increasing boost and fuel a bit?

johann

libbybapa · Post by **libbybapa** » Sat May 17, 2008 5:31 pm

Is your EGT probe pre-turbine? I hope so... If so, then it's the perfect tool for adjusting fueling. I'd shoot for max of 1400Â° or less (assuming proper wire was used and the probe is relatively responsive). Max EGT will not be seen until you are floored on an extended steep grade. I would not allow EGT's to pass 1500Â° for anything but a short burst. All of those figures are for pre-turbine install and much too high for post turbine installation. Also, did you install an intercooler? If so, then increasing boost will decrease EGTs. You can play with the max fuel screw along with the aneroid assemby (spring perch, spring rest screw, rotation of cone) in order to find a consistent fueling across your range of boost pressure.

Andrew

libbybapa · Post by **libbybapa** » Sat May 17, 2008 5:32 pm

And a BIG Congrats!

Andrew

jolotter · Post by **jolotter** » Sat May 17, 2008 10:20 pm

Thanks. It's still a bit of a tip in there. Tools and spare parts all over. I even got a warning from a city bylaw enforcement officer a few weeks ago that I wasn't allowed to store a non-running vehicle on the "boulevard." My parking place is technically on city property, which runs up to the stairs to my front porch. I brought out the valid license plate to show him that is was in reality a running, licensed vehicle, but he glanced inside at all the tools and parts and continued writing the notice. He said that one of my neighbours complained. Ha!

I clean up after myself and try not to make a greasy mess...

I got the westach EGT and probe with the optional 20 foot extension, (just looks like regular 16ga to me,) and mounted it in the exhaust manifold. I don't have an intercooler, yet. I had to get the van running for camping with the family. It will come though.

More fuel will increase EGT while more boost will lower it while both will increase power, correct?

Johann

libbybapa · Post by **libbybapa** » Sat May 17, 2008 11:01 pm

jolotter wrote:More fuel will increase EGT while more boost will lower it while both will increase power, correct?

Somewhat simplified, but yes, that is correct. Without an intercooler, then the increased heat from the compression of air will eventually overtake the benefit of an increased air to fuel ratio. That usually happens around 14 psi or so when you do not have an intercooler fitted. With an intercooler fitted, that doesn't really happen (there are other limiting factors that occur prior).

Andrew

jolotter · Post by **jolotter** » Sat May 17, 2008 11:25 pm

I've got the non-metal head gasket. I unfortunately only learned about the metal one after I had torqued down the head. While non-intercooled I'll keep the boost lower to save the head gasket. Is there some indication that I'm reaching maximum safe boost since I don't have the gauge? Maybe it's the point at which increasing boost doesn't give me an increase in performance.

Thanks to all forum members and especially libbybapa for the invaluable information advice and encouragement you've given enabling me to complete (well, nearly) this project.

Next step... WVO!

Johann

libbybapa · Post by **libbybapa** » Sun May 18, 2008 12:38 am

Well, increased performance will result from increased boost, until the air fuel ratio does not result in a significantly better burn. In other words, you can increase boost until performance does not increase and then you can increase fuel until EGTs get out of hand, then boost can go up, etc... As I mentioned before, if un-intercooled, about 14 psi, the increased boost will not decrease EGTs. Soo, in other words, with fuel and boost you can certainly increase performance until other stuff starts blowing up. That being said, I don't think you'll have any trouble with the stock gasket up to 20 psi or so provided the gasket surfaces were flat. Boost gauges are not particularly expensive and nice to have.

Andrew

jolotter · Post by **jolotter** » Mon May 19, 2008 6:53 pm

I'm going tomorrow to have an exhaust made up. Currently when I let off the throttle for gear changes, the turbo whines like a pack of wolves howling. It really scared me the first time. I thought something was about to blow up! I'm hoping that the exhaust will muffle that sound. I am getting a lot more stares than this vanagon usually does.

Johann

libbybapa · Post by **libbybapa** » Mon May 19, 2008 9:01 pm

Which turbo are you running? I had a K24 that would do that when there wasn't an exhaust. When the exhaust went on it cured it completely. The k14s I've run did not do that even without an exhaust.

Andrew

jolotter · Post by **jolotter** » Mon May 19, 2008 10:01 pm

I currently have a k24 on there. Although all advice was to use the k03 that i also have, I had already rebuilt the k24 and the k03 is quite stiff to turn by hand. When I have time to rebuild the k03 and can find a flange or aaz downpipe to splice the exhaust to I'll swap it over.

I'm glad to hear the howling went away with the exhaust attached.

Johann

jolotter · Post by **jolotter** » Fri May 30, 2008 10:01 pm

I'm in the process of trying to raise the front of the transmission to level out the oil pan. Michael, you mentioned in another post raising it 3-4in. While there is clearance to raise the transmission that high, the frame cross member that the transmission mount bolts to interferes with the shift linkage after raising it only about 1 1/2in.

My options seem to be cut a hole in the frame for the shift rod, clearance it with a big hammer, or leave the transmission front lower and drain my oil on a hill.

Ideas?

Johann

libbybapa · Post by **libbybapa** » Sat May 31, 2008 12:19 am

I would opt for changing the oil on a hill. The later European TD vanagons had the transmission/engine orientation that you're looking at. They also had a second drain plug at the front of the pan.

Andrew

jolotter · Post by **jolotter** » Wed Jun 11, 2008 10:46 pm

In an effort to find a good welder I had the guy at the muffler shop weld a 3 in extension onto my transmission mount. He did a great job and for free too since I had already gotten an estimate from him for the exhaust. When I tried to jack the transmission higher, I found that the shift rod interferes with the frame member that the mount bolts too.

I was all ready to punch a hole for the shift rod in the frame when I tried to shift gears with the trans jacked up. It was so stiff the gear lever would hardly move. It turns out that the guide bushing just below the shift lever on the trans gets set at the wrong angle and wont allow the shift rod to move. So one day when I tackle that mod, I'll have to shim the mount of that guide bushing to re-establish the correct angle for smooth operation.

So now I have a new exhaust. It's a little noisy, but maybe I can adjust the engine mounts to remove some vibration. EGT is now connected and in city I have only reached 1000 degs pre-turbine. We'll see what I get on the highway.

The fuel gauge has gone dead. I'm not sure if the wiring got unplugged when I was fishing the new wires for gauges and glowplugs over the tank or if I messed it up at the back of the instrument cluster. I have to get to it soon as my speedo/odo has quit due to a rounded cable end at the wheel. But since the fuel tank ran dry before when it read quarter full, I'll pull it and bend the wire a little.

It's slowly coming together.

Johann

jolotter · Post by **jolotter** » Thu Jun 19, 2008 11:59 pm

This morning I backed out of the driveway and as I pulled up the road in first gear the van kind of popped and stalled. When I turned the starter the engine spun abnormally fast like the valves weren't opening at all. I waited a few minutes and then started it normally. Lots of blue smoke. No problems after that.

This happened about a week ago also. That time I went around, opened the back and looked at the engine for a bit then started it up fine just like today. The engine only has about 200 miles on it since new rings, bearings, lapped valves, seals and new lifters.

My gasser rabbit sounded like that when the timing belt broke.

What's going on?

Johann

jolotter · Post by **jolotter** » Sun Jun 22, 2008 10:26 pm

Bump.

I just took it out of town to a bluegrass festival. No problems. Rides really nice, good power. EGT 600-700 cruising at 60mph, 1400+ if I really give 'er on a hill, but only for a couple of seconds.

What's with that "no compression" I experienced a couple of times in the previous post?

Johann