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Author Topic: Wife's Project: 86 Golf NA (maybe TD?)  (Read 33245 times)

November 04, 2008, 03:12:00 pm

lord_verminaard

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Wife's Project: 86 Golf NA (maybe TD?)
« on: November 04, 2008, 03:12:00 pm »
Figured I may as well go ahead and start a build thread.  Even though nothing is being "built" at the moment, and the car was mostly "unbuilt" when we got it.  :D  Here's the car:


'86 Golf N/A Diesel, bought off of a member on here in Columbus.  Car is actually in really good shape overall.  She gives off a good "vibe" so it should be a great little car.  The engine was already out of the car when we got it, apparently it needs rings as there was a lot of blowby, according to the P.O.  The tranny actually grenaded itself, which is why it was taken off of the road.  The injection pump has been recently rebuilt, and it has an aftermarket "Topline" cylinder head, that actually looks quite good.  Wiring is all stock and un-molested, interior is in great shape, there are some dings here and there but no evidence of an accident, and the only rust to worry about is around the windshield.  Car even has power steering and A/C, both very good creature comforts for the Wife. :)  I also have a decent head unit with aux. input that was in my Scirocco when I bought it, I was going to junk it but it looks like it will fit in this car nicely.

First things first, I found an ACN tranny (.75 5th, 3.67 final) from a nice fellow just down the road in good working order.  Next, time to tear down the engine.
Cylinder head:  Looks good!  No cracks.


Pile of junk that all eventually needs to find it's way back on the car:


And the bottom end:


Everything looks really good in there.  Rods and mains are all tight, I did find out why it had an aftermarket head though- there are valve indentations on all of the pistons.   :roll: No big deal.  I'll have the machine shop give them a quick skim.  If it's in the budget, they will also be Swaintech coated.  There was a lot of oil on the #4 glow plug so I'm going to assume that was the cylinder that was not sealing properly.

So....  I have a T3 that needs rebuilt and a 1.6TD manifold that was originally going to get used on my M-TDI build for the Scirocco, but I was thinking how nice it would be to use it on her car.  Not going for tons of HP, but she likes to drive- I have a plan for building a boost-enrichment device to use on the N/A pump, the aim is for around 100hp- would be a good little runner.  It all depends on the budget.  Hope to have the engine fully stripped down this week and off to the machine shop for a measure/hone/hot bath and I'll have the pistons skimmed and probably get the crank checked and polished too.

If we could get this car on the road by December we will be in business!

Stay tuned-

Brendan


81 Scirocco 'S -->Soon to be m-TDI
93 Corrado SLC VR6
'86 Golf N/A Diesel  -->Wife's car
1990 Audi CQ
05 New Beetle PD TDI


"I am a man, I can change... if I have to.... I guess....."

-Red Green

Reply #1November 04, 2008, 03:27:50 pm

riddleyo

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Wife's Project: 86 Golf NA (maybe TD?)
« Reply #1 on: November 04, 2008, 03:27:50 pm »
Hah! That car looks very familiar! Looks just like mine except with two extra doors. And you bought it in Columbus, the same city I bought mine in!

Looks like a nice project you have going there. Can't wait to see a turbo on it.
1985 VW Golf Diesel 1.6L N/A
My Build Thread: http://www.vwdiesel.net/forum/index.php?topic=14607.0

Reply #2November 04, 2008, 09:32:54 pm

burn_your_money

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Wife's Project: 86 Golf NA (maybe TD?)
« Reply #2 on: November 04, 2008, 09:32:54 pm »
I like it. Save the headaches and stay NA. AC and PS are more then enough trouble for that little car :lol:
Tyler

Reply #3November 10, 2008, 08:39:17 am

lord_verminaard

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Wife's Project: 86 Golf NA (maybe TD?)
« Reply #3 on: November 10, 2008, 08:39:17 am »
Update- Block, crank, and pistons are at the machine shop.  Also, got a chance to use the parts washer and bead blaster at the Porsche shop.  I'll have pictures later, but I cleaned up the brackets and pulleys, boy do they look nice!  Going to paint the iron brackets and pulleys but keeping the aluminum ones bare.  The next time I go out I'll bring another pile of stuff.  The plan right now is to clean up the head a bit.

Pics later.

Brendan
81 Scirocco 'S -->Soon to be m-TDI
93 Corrado SLC VR6
'86 Golf N/A Diesel  -->Wife's car
1990 Audi CQ
05 New Beetle PD TDI


"I am a man, I can change... if I have to.... I guess....."

-Red Green

Reply #4November 10, 2008, 08:52:38 am

dubbinchris

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Wife's Project: 86 Golf NA (maybe TD?)
« Reply #4 on: November 10, 2008, 08:52:38 am »
Wow it's awesome to see my old car get the love that I didn't have the time to give her. I'm so glad that it's been garage kept all the years too.  I had no idea about the reason for the aftemarket head. I hope it turns out to not need a rebuild and the pistons turn out okay.  I'll be keeping an eye on this thread.

-Chris
1983 Quantum TD
1988 Fox Wagon
1991 Wolfsburg Golf
1986 NA Diesel Golf (sold)
1990 S-10 Blazer

Reply #5December 09, 2008, 03:04:31 pm

dubbinchris

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Wife's Project: 86 Golf NA (maybe TD?)
« Reply #5 on: December 09, 2008, 03:04:31 pm »
Any updates man?   I'd love to see how you're coming.
1983 Quantum TD
1988 Fox Wagon
1991 Wolfsburg Golf
1986 NA Diesel Golf (sold)
1990 S-10 Blazer

Reply #6December 10, 2008, 11:18:59 am

lord_verminaard

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Wife's Project: 86 Golf NA (maybe TD?)
« Reply #6 on: December 10, 2008, 11:18:59 am »
Slowly.  :)  Saving money for parts, right now I'm in the middle of a forced bathroom renovation.  :P  After that, I need to work on getting heat to the garage, it's too freaking cold to work out there.  I did get the block and crank back from the machine shop, and they look NICE.  I want to paint the block and other parts but it's too cold, hence the heat in the garage.

On top of that, I might be selling the gasser engine out of my Scirocco, so I need to figure out how to get her car out, pull the Scirocco in, and pull the engine out of that.  I really need a bigger garage.  :(  I'll try and get some pics up soon.

Brendan
81 Scirocco 'S -->Soon to be m-TDI
93 Corrado SLC VR6
'86 Golf N/A Diesel  -->Wife's car
1990 Audi CQ
05 New Beetle PD TDI


"I am a man, I can change... if I have to.... I guess....."

-Red Green

Reply #7December 10, 2008, 11:51:20 am

arb

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Wife's Project: 86 Golf NA (maybe TD?)
« Reply #7 on: December 10, 2008, 11:51:20 am »
Quote from: "lord_verminaard"

On top of that, I might be selling the gasser engine out of my Scirocco, so I need to figure out how to get her car out, pull the Scirocco in, and pull the engine out of that.  I really need a bigger garage.  :(  I'll try and get some pics up soon.

Brendan


Reminds me of my favorite comic - The image is of a guy adding onto the front of his over-flowing garage - basically doubling the size. His wife looks at him like he's nuts - he says: "I did a feasibility study and its cheaper to add on than to clean it out."

Do you have a basement so you can paint the block before surface rust starts to form again ?

Reply #8December 10, 2008, 03:37:23 pm

lord_verminaard

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Wife's Project: 86 Golf NA (maybe TD?)
« Reply #8 on: December 10, 2008, 03:37:23 pm »
I do, but I know that wouldn't fly with the wife.   :lol:

Brendan
81 Scirocco 'S -->Soon to be m-TDI
93 Corrado SLC VR6
'86 Golf N/A Diesel  -->Wife's car
1990 Audi CQ
05 New Beetle PD TDI


"I am a man, I can change... if I have to.... I guess....."

-Red Green

Reply #9December 10, 2008, 04:13:47 pm

arb

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Wife's Project: 86 Golf NA (maybe TD?)
« Reply #9 on: December 10, 2008, 04:13:47 pm »
Quote from: "lord_verminaard"
I do, but I know that wouldn't fly with the wife.   :lol:

Brendan


Some times its better to beg forgiveness than to ask permission. But, my wife almost always says yes, so I always ask.

Maybe you can get the heat going sooner than later.

Reply #10January 08, 2009, 10:29:12 am

lord_verminaard

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Wife's Project: 86 Golf NA (maybe TD?)
« Reply #10 on: January 08, 2009, 10:29:12 am »
Update, almost a month later.   :roll:   Lots of stuff going on, plus the holidays and whatnot....

Anyway, the Wife's car got moved around back (by pushing it through the neighbor's yard) and now it's wrapped up tight in a tarp.  Meanwhile, the Scirocco got it's engine and trans pulled and they are off to go in to two different race cars.


With the help of a propane-fired heater, I got the job done without freezing to death, although space was pretty tight.  :P  So the other day, I decided to push the Scirocco out and paint up the block and brackets/pulleys that have been bead blasted.  I think it turned out pretty good!

Aluminum brackets that are blasted but staying bare:


Pulleys, iron/steel brackets:


Crank, freshened up and still in plastic:


Das block:






(It was dry in these pictures, so it's a little brighter than I thought it would be, but I think it will look ok once all of the accessories are on it.)

So the project is on hold for a little while, I just received an $840 order from GAP for a ton of Corrado parts, so that little project will be next but after that we will go on with the Golf.  In the meantime I might send the pistons out to get coated once we get a feel for what our budget is looking like.

Stay tuned!

Brendan
81 Scirocco 'S -->Soon to be m-TDI
93 Corrado SLC VR6
'86 Golf N/A Diesel  -->Wife's car
1990 Audi CQ
05 New Beetle PD TDI


"I am a man, I can change... if I have to.... I guess....."

-Red Green

Reply #11January 08, 2009, 10:36:03 am

zukgod1

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Wife's Project: 86 Golf NA (maybe TD?)
« Reply #11 on: January 08, 2009, 10:36:03 am »
Good work!
dan

99 Golf TDI (now CNG powered) , 82 TD Caddy

Reply #12January 13, 2009, 05:26:32 am

dubbinchris

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Wife's Project: 86 Golf NA (maybe TD?)
« Reply #12 on: January 13, 2009, 05:26:32 am »
Great to see things moving along a little.

What sort of stuff are you doing to the Corrado?

Thread on that?
1983 Quantum TD
1988 Fox Wagon
1991 Wolfsburg Golf
1986 NA Diesel Golf (sold)
1990 S-10 Blazer

Reply #13January 13, 2009, 05:32:56 am

Turbinepowered

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Wife's Project: 86 Golf NA (maybe TD?)
« Reply #13 on: January 13, 2009, 05:32:56 am »
Looking slick!

My father looked at me like I was crazy when all my cast aluminum Fox parts were cleaned up and painted cast iron grey. I like your reverse look, cast aluminum block and bare brackets.

Stock diesel bracketry, or is that a serpentine setup? I'm not familiar enough with transverse wizardry to tell...

Reply #14January 13, 2009, 10:41:18 am

lord_verminaard

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Wife's Project: 86 Golf NA (maybe TD?)
« Reply #14 on: January 13, 2009, 10:41:18 am »
Quote from: "dubbinchris"
Great to see things moving along a little.

What sort of stuff are you doing to the Corrado?

Thread on that?


No thread... at least not yet.  The water pump is failing (aka leaking about a gallon of coolant every two weeks) and it also leaks on the serp belt, so it slips and I snap a belt about twice a month.  :P  Thermostat is shot so the car never warms up, the chains are starting to make a little noise too, plus I'm pretty sure the clutch is shot.... so you see where I'm going with this.  :)  I have another VR6 head that I am going to port and do a valve job on, plus Ti retainers and high-rate valve springs, then a Mk4 headgasket to raise compression, chains, clutch with lightened flywheel, crackpipe and thermostat and waterpump, and I am in a group buy for DRC 268 Cams that will get thrown in as well.  Should make for a nice result.  ;)  I won't be starting that work for another couple of weeks since right now it's the only mode of transportation me and my Wife have.

Quote from: "Turbinepowered"

Stock diesel bracketry, or is that a serpentine setup? I'm not familiar enough with transverse wizardry to tell...


Yup, stock stuff.  This car was loaded with power steering and A/C.  ;)  So that means a million pulleys and belts.  I'd love a serp conversion but it's not necessary right now.

Brendan
81 Scirocco 'S -->Soon to be m-TDI
93 Corrado SLC VR6
'86 Golf N/A Diesel  -->Wife's car
1990 Audi CQ
05 New Beetle PD TDI


"I am a man, I can change... if I have to.... I guess....."

-Red Green