Author Topic: Vanagon progress  (Read 63637 times)

Reply #45May 31, 2008, 04:06:18 pm

Baxter

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« Reply #45 on: May 31, 2008, 04:06:18 pm »
This bus...



Click

 8)

Reply #46May 31, 2008, 08:00:09 pm

Luckypabst

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« Reply #46 on: May 31, 2008, 08:00:09 pm »
We're on the same page there, Brick-Yard - trying to improve on the flow-through with a rear facing shroud/rock guard. That's just low priority for now but should be an easy upgrade when the time comes.

Good to hear on the fan. There's plenty of room and small fans are easy enough to come by. I'd like to run some IAT tests to see what kind of improvements come from the intercooler and a fan assisted intercooler, mainly so I can justify buying the cool data logger program and make neat graphs to display my results.

Chris
'82 TD Westy
'81 NA Caddy

Reply #47May 31, 2008, 11:35:18 pm

Vincent Waldon

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« Reply #47 on: May 31, 2008, 11:35:18 pm »
Quote from: "Luckypabst"
mainly so I can justify buying the cool data logger program and make neat graphs to display my results.


(sound of ears pricking up)   got one in mind ??!!
Vince

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
2001 silver TDI Jetta Malone Stage 1.5 , 2001 blue TDI Jetta SBIII 216s Malone Stage 3, 1970 Bay Window bus

Gone but not forgotten: 1969/1971 Beetles, 1969/1974 Westies, 1979 Rabbit, 1986 TD Jetta, 1992 gas Jetta, 1994 TD Jetta

Reply #48June 01, 2008, 01:25:39 pm

Luckypabst

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« Reply #48 on: June 01, 2008, 01:25:39 pm »
VGauge-Remote http://www.chetcodigital.com/vGauge/vGauge_Remote.htm

That's the one I'm looking at - $400 and interfaces to a PC or PDA. Something like 16 functions, 3 tach, 2 EGT, various other temp and pressure monitors.

Chris
'82 TD Westy
'81 NA Caddy

Reply #49June 04, 2008, 11:35:07 pm

Luckypabst

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« Reply #49 on: June 04, 2008, 11:35:07 pm »
No update here - ok well I did remake the intercooler mount but have yet to do the final fitting.

Glow plugs - troubleshooting is done and at least 3 are bad. It seemed to recently start poorly, out of the blue. I can't imagine that all 4 would crap out at once, will these things start easy on only one or two functioning plugs? Maybe the 3rd plug died and that was over the line? Happily, it still starts with little drama, just cranks a touch longer and runs rough right off until I tap the pedal.

It has Bosch fast plugs with about 40k on them.

The temp sensor for the GP relay never functioned, likewise I never got around to correcting things. Would this cause a shortened GP life? I can't find any definitive information concerning the sensor in my searches. I'll be on the phone with Napa tomorrow - camping at 8k' in Mammoth for the weekend...

I finally checked voltage - all is good out back, 12.75 at the battery, 14.00 with the alternator on. I lose about 0.3 volts up front, headlights bring that down another full volt, brake lights suck another 0.3 volts. I think putting in the headlight relays will make a big difference in the EGT gauge flutter.

Chris
'82 TD Westy
'81 NA Caddy

Reply #50June 05, 2008, 12:47:32 pm

Luckypabst

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« Reply #50 on: June 05, 2008, 12:47:32 pm »
That's what I was thinking too. Would it not also trigger the dash light though? How else would I know, short of rigging a test light to one of the glow plugs?

Chris
'82 TD Westy
'81 NA Caddy

Reply #51June 05, 2008, 01:00:54 pm

Vincent Waldon

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« Reply #51 on: June 05, 2008, 01:00:54 pm »
The dash light is actually pretty much completely unrelated to actual power to the glow plugs, so a permanent test light on the glow plugs is a really really really good idea.  

All kinds of wonky glow plug system behavior will be immediately obvious that might leave you stranded some fine day. For example, put the light downstream of the fuse and a blown fuse will never catch you by surprise ever again.

My light did in fact alert me to a relay that was coming on (and staying on) all by itself and would have burned out plugs *and* drained my battery... during a cold winter day.

Anyone with a PDA-compatible data acq system gots to have a glow plug LED as well !!
Vince

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
2001 silver TDI Jetta Malone Stage 1.5 , 2001 blue TDI Jetta SBIII 216s Malone Stage 3, 1970 Bay Window bus

Gone but not forgotten: 1969/1971 Beetles, 1969/1974 Westies, 1979 Rabbit, 1986 TD Jetta, 1992 gas Jetta, 1994 TD Jetta

Reply #52June 05, 2008, 05:07:17 pm

Luckypabst

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« Reply #52 on: June 05, 2008, 05:07:17 pm »
Quote from: "Vincent Waldon"


Anyone with a PDA-compatible data acq system gots to have a glow plug LED as well !!


I dunno - another idiot light might cross the line of "too high-tech"!

Chris
'82 TD Westy
'81 NA Caddy

Reply #53June 05, 2008, 08:14:34 pm

Luckypabst

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« Reply #53 on: June 05, 2008, 08:14:34 pm »
For those that were keeping score - I had one remaining, functioning glow plug (yes, it was the most difficult one to get at). It happened to be the last one I removed and the only one that came out clean, not covered in soot. Resistance measured 0.6 ohms on this one, open circuit on the rest.

Even with one glow plug the van was not hard to start - it just took another fraction of a second longer on the starter and ran noticeably rougher until given a little throttle.

Replacement wires have been made up to eliminate the buss bar.

I'm also thinking about re-routing the circuit for the dash light straight to the glow plugs so it's on whenever the plugs have juice.

Chris
'82 TD Westy
'81 NA Caddy

Reply #54June 08, 2008, 08:01:20 pm

Luckypabst

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« Reply #54 on: June 08, 2008, 08:01:20 pm »
Temp sensor did the trick - before, I had a 15 second pre-glow regardless of engine or ambient temperature. Now it's less than 5 seconds with the engine cold in warm air, no glow with a warm engine and maybe 12 - 15 seconds on a cold morning.  This is the first time since owning the van that the pre-glow system has worked even remotely correct.

We just got back from about 300 miles of highway, backroads and dirt roads. The Westy is much more enjoyable all around, though hills still kicked my butt and the hellacious side/headwind on Friday made for serious teethclenching. Sherwin Grade out of Bishop had me in 2nd at 25, nearing the 7000' summit which is how it was last time I climbed that hill before these upgrades, but this time there was a good 30mph headwind coming down the hill as well. Anyhow, it seems like it wants to keep pulling but I end up limited by EGTs (still not comfortable crossing the 1200 degree point). Now that I'm feeling confident in the current configuration, I can focus on the intercooler and finishing the exhaust brace.

MPG was a lame 25.66 - I think the grade and headwinds had a lot to do with it. After the return trip, I'm at 140 miles on a quarter tank so things are looking up in those regards. This thing would make 30 mpg religiously in the first year that I owned it, before installing a new IP.

I also had some odd boost issues - before the trip I had a solid, consistent 15psi. Almost immediately, I noticed boost limited to 14psi with some strange needle dance and drop at 14 (BOV is tight with a much heavier spring). A little tinkering with the boost controller had me back to 15, then some time later peaking at about 17 psi. I'm wondering if the boost controller was acting up - spring settling or junk in the ball seat or something...

OH! It was a wonderful trip - we got to see a few new sights, ramble around some ATV roads and soak in a couple of - new to us - hot springs.

Chris
'82 TD Westy
'81 NA Caddy

Reply #55June 09, 2008, 03:15:54 pm

Baxter

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« Reply #55 on: June 09, 2008, 03:15:54 pm »
Do you think your boost pressure foibles were down to altitude?

If I kick the absolute sh!t out of my T3 Westy Atlantic, unladen, running locally I get 27mpg, thats a bog standard 1.6TD "JX" engine with a oil cooler.
I dunno, but I think US gallons are different to US gallons.
UK Gallon = 4.54 litres.

Reply #56June 14, 2008, 09:22:10 pm

Luckypabst

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« Reply #56 on: June 14, 2008, 09:22:10 pm »
Quote from: "Mr Brick-Yard"
Do you think your boost pressure foibles were down to altitude?



Nah - I noticed it first down here at 4000' and it was acting up clear to 8000'. All seems OK now, still a little higher that I'm comfortable with but not a nuisance by any means.

I'm pulling my hair out with the EGT electrical issues. Today I got the headlights taken off the main power supply, now it's routed through 8ga wire to the camper battery, then to 10ga wire through dual 30 amp circuit breakers to 70 amp relays into the OG 14ga wires. And now the needle flutter seems worse, even affected by the turn signals after all this work. I eliminated the camper battery briefly (it's known to be weak but works for interior lights and the radio) but that didn't help. The only other thing to note is the large OG wire that powers the fuse panel (and a couple other wires, too) overheated at some point before I owned the thing and the plastic insulators that are over the spade connectors have melted, mostly off, somewhat to the connectors. I cleaned up the main power wire and things looked OK otherwise. I wonder if the overheating situation has permanently damaged the power wire somehow but only shows up now in the very sensitive EGT gauge?

VW must have been having a wire shortage back in '81 - that fuse panel does not drop out very easily. If I actually had a wiring diagram I could remove the fuse panel and give it a proper once over.

All the recent talk of upgrading the early-style to late-style radiator musta put some bad juju on mine. Now the little drip that I decided to ignore some time ago has become nearly half a gallon of lost coolant on the last 300-ish mile trip. Looks like there might be a bad solder connection near the lower hose nipple - nothing a radiator shop can't handle and I'll have it properly cleaned at the same time. It certainly does run a bit hotter now with the added power so this will be good measure at the right time.

Chris
'82 TD Westy
'81 NA Caddy

Reply #57June 15, 2008, 12:02:32 am

vanagonturbo

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« Reply #57 on: June 15, 2008, 12:02:32 am »
My pyrometer is rather erratic too. I talked to Autometer about this and they said that due to the length of wire from the probe to the gauge that interference is very possible.

If it makes you feel any better, the ground wire for the pyrometer on my van is held in by the tension of the lower steering column cover complemented with a bare wire :p no problem until I turn on the HIDs.

Reply #58June 15, 2008, 12:10:49 am

captainpartytime

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« Reply #58 on: June 15, 2008, 12:10:49 am »
If you're ever thinking of upgrading the radiator to the newer aluminum style let me know. I just finished replacing my 1982 diesel's radiator, cooling pipes, coolant tank, and resevior tank.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=3046986#3046986
-Kerry

1982 Diesel Westfalia Vanagon
1989 Wolfsburg 7-Passenger Vanagon

Reply #59June 15, 2008, 12:23:41 am

vanagonturbo

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« Reply #59 on: June 15, 2008, 12:23:41 am »
I know this is OT but that is an AWESOME username!

 

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