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Author Topic: kaputtwagen 1982 rabbit AAZ swap/build  (Read 79563 times)

July 21, 2009, 06:23:06 pm

jack's lack

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kaputtwagen 1982 rabbit AAZ swap/build
« on: July 21, 2009, 06:23:06 pm »
I'm falling deeper into the rabbit hole with this thing; pardon the pun. Many of you have been very helpful even instrumental at this point so I figured I would start a longer build like thread to get into the specifics.

So here is the patient. The 1982 rabbit 4 door listed in my sig


And the AAZ as it arrived


And the other side


Here is the K14 off of the engine. It turns freely and there is almost no play in the shaft, so that is good news


I yanked the alternator and got it tested and sadly it is no good. What's worse is that I, like a fool, installed the TDI clutched pulley on it so now I have to buy a $20 tool to get it off not to mention a new alternator

I drilled a hole in the exhaust manifold where the stud for the downpipe bolt was. I'm having techtonics make me a new 2.5" exhaust so I won't need that mount. Getting the stud out was one of the worst bolts I have faced, only slightly easier than the rear stub axles. PB blast, torch, channelocks repeat ad nauseum. The drilling went super fast though. I went with the aircraft spruce thermocouple that is so highly recommended on this forum. It is 1/8" NPT so the hole I drilled was 21/64"


Then I tapped it with the 1/8" NPT tap. I had never tapped a hole before, and it was more fun than I anticipated. Here it is with the thermocouple installed. I torqued the fitting to 33ft/lbs as it felt good and snug, should I take it further or have I over-stressed it already?


The next thing I got on was installing the gauges. If you want to run it up to the red, you have to know where the red is right? The install plan was to locate the gauges below the heater controls above the ashtray where the pointless little cubby was. I bought a plastic single din 3 gauge pod but it did not fit, so I moved to plan B. I have always thought the wood grain dash was a hallmark of the westy rabbit, but personally I felt the plastic was a little ghetto. I had always had visions of making a proper wood dash for this thing but keeping it westmoreland style. So here is what I did

first I measured the existing dash and drew a CAD file of it (i'll email you the file if you want it) then I grabbed a piece of 1/4" MDF and hit the laser cutter


The finished pieces


After a notable amount of gluing and sanding I got a decent test fit


So I moved on to veneering it. I used two types of wood. The dark is called Zircote, it is a type of rosewood and the figuring is so dark it is nearly black. The light wood is quilted maple I really enjoy the effect.


Here it is 4 coats of polyurethane later and in the car


And a close up of the gauges. I went with Isspro, and I am very pleased with the quality they have the minimal cockpit feel but don't have the VDO cheapness I had hoped to avoid.
I went with boost, and pyrometer (EGT) of course, and I did oil temp for the third one. it is 90+ degrees here for a fair amount of the year and I would rather not BBQ my engine or my turbo. I snagged a air to oil cooler out of a Volvo at the pick'n'pull so I think I am going to run it in addition to the stock oil to water cooler. Is this redundant or a good idea?


I have ditched the EGR and I am going to get to work on the blank offs. Holy isht what a mess it made of the intake. I have cleaned it, but I think I might try to find a PD150 intake anyway
I have pulled the IP and I am going to get the injectors of tomorrow. I have PM'd Giles and hopefully they will be headed his way soon. I am going to pull the head soon and order the ARP studs. I want to have it rebuilt and P&P'd. I think I am going to pay to have this done, as I am not confident enough to do it myself. I have scored a crank and pulleys of of a 1Z TDI and I am going to swap it in to preclude the keyway catastrophe. and I am debating rebuilding the bottom end while I'm at it. At the least I will take some measurements and get some opinions from you guys first.

Im not there yet but I plan on running a FMIC, but I am weary about causing too much lag. what diameter piping do people use on these things? it seems like there is a ideal size that would not cause a restriction, but would not create an excessive volume to fill either. Is this sound logic? has anyone done the math on this?

there will be much more to come,

Thanks again to Jerry (sycronicity) for hooking me up with the lump
« Last Edit: July 22, 2017, 07:23:19 pm by jack's lack »


1982 Rabbit diesel L 4 door
AAZ, K14, Giles pump, PD150 intake, P&P'd head, ceramic coated pistons, 2.5" stainless down pipe & exhaust. FK coils

My Build Thread

Reply #1July 21, 2009, 07:15:14 pm

jack's lack

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Re: kaputtwagen 1982 rabbit AAZ swap/build
« Reply #1 on: July 21, 2009, 07:15:14 pm »
Sorry about the pics before. I had to change photo hosting websites. Seems to be working fine now though
« Last Edit: July 21, 2009, 07:45:15 pm by jack's lack »
1982 Rabbit diesel L 4 door
AAZ, K14, Giles pump, PD150 intake, P&P'd head, ceramic coated pistons, 2.5" stainless down pipe & exhaust. FK coils

My Build Thread

Reply #2July 22, 2009, 12:05:45 am

Syncroincity

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Re: kaputtwagen 1982 rabbit AAZ swap/build
« Reply #2 on: July 22, 2009, 12:05:45 am »
Nice project! Did you change the grille on it? We had a '81 when I learned to drive, I seem to remember the facelifted grille on it. You very rarely every see a Rabbit around here any more... and the ones that are left are invariably diesels.
I always wanted to do a 2-door with the Cabriolet body kit on it.
JC McCavitt
'86 Syncro GL Camper AAZ
'98 Jetta Wolfie
'04 Passat Variant GLS 4Mo 5MT

Reply #3July 22, 2009, 10:16:22 am

jtanguay

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Re: kaputtwagen 1982 rabbit AAZ swap/build
« Reply #3 on: July 22, 2009, 10:16:22 am »
don't think that getting the 1Z crank & pulley will completely solve the problem... my 1Z crank sprocket was a little bit loose, and it has to fit on tight, so it had to be welded up and filed down a bit.

i really like what you've done with the wood!!  this thing is really going to fly with that torquey 1.9 & K14  ;D


This is how we deal with porn spammers! You've been warned.

Reply #4July 22, 2009, 10:28:07 am

lord_verminaard

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Re: kaputtwagen 1982 rabbit AAZ swap/build
« Reply #4 on: July 22, 2009, 10:28:07 am »
Wow, this is looking good, I'll be watching!  I normally hate wood-grain dashes but that looks really good.

I'd toss the factory oil cooler and just run the Volvo unit.  The factory ones are sometimes called "oil warmers" since they exchange heat from oil to coolant or vice versa.  Not always a good thing.  The Volvo one is thermostatically controlled and will do a much better job.  I actually really need one but of course can't find one anywhere for less than $200.  :P

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 #5July 22, 2009, 11:09:21 am

GEE-BEE

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Re: kaputtwagen 1982 rabbit AAZ swap/build
« Reply #5 on: July 22, 2009, 11:09:21 am »
sO THE PD150 INTAKE IS THE WAY TO GO ?

GEE-BEE

[email protected]
1.9 AAZ, CHD 5spd with Peloquin
KO4/KO3 Hybrid turbo
Giles Pump OHC
Complete Techtonics 2'5 S/S DP and Exhaust
Coilovers, MKII Pedal Swap,G60 BRAKES
MK1 JETTA DASH
675MM 16V radiator (MKII) PASSAT DUAL FAN
42K original miles , South African Front End
15x6 Le Casletts 195-45-15

Reply #6July 22, 2009, 12:01:41 pm

jack's lack

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Re: kaputtwagen 1982 rabbit AAZ swap/build
« Reply #6 on: July 22, 2009, 12:01:41 pm »
sO THE PD150 INTAKE IS THE WAY TO GO ?

GEE-BEE

[email protected]

You know I'm not really sure, but it seems the best option I have found yet. Some guy is selling them on the vortex for a reasonable price, They are available with the neck pointed towards the driver side, which should make intercooler piping easier, and since it flows well enough to satisfy the PD150 I thought it would have to be a substantial improvement over the stock AAZ intake. Honestly I haven't even measured yet to see if it even fits :-[. I do know I don't want to spend $500 on some custom made dual plenum thing and have to bash my firewall into my glovebox to make it fit. More research is definitely in order.

Brendan, that's sound advice on the oil cooler, plus aesthetically I think it would clean up the coolant hoses a bit to loose the "oil warmer". I just have to find a way to mount the volvo cooler and an intercooler In front of/next to my radiator. I'm probably going to have to take a hot exacto to my grill. I guess I should be happy I don't have air conditioning to contend with.

I'm planning on just ditching the power steering. Mine leaks like a sieve anyway so I have never really had it, and I hear it can make the install harder/impossible as the extra pulleys will fight the frame rail on the MKI. can anyone attest to this?

Jerry, I did change the front end a bit, that is the 79-80 style squares. They are my favorite headlight set up on the rabbit. Blasphemy is often cried when I say this apparently the correct answer is single rounds, which I admit look good it is just when the crowd is all running one direction, I feel compelled to head the other way. This is of course the reason for the primer fenders. They are the cheap Italian version and they don't fit very well at all. I hope to find a Cabriolet in a junkyard and grab some OEM fenders. when I first started looking for a rabbit I wanted to find a 2 door and do the cabby clipper kit, it is a good look. My Uncle is a pretty decent diesel wrench and he had a 4 door 82 rabbit when I was a kid, so I blame this whole obsession on him.
1982 Rabbit diesel L 4 door
AAZ, K14, Giles pump, PD150 intake, P&P'd head, ceramic coated pistons, 2.5" stainless down pipe & exhaust. FK coils

My Build Thread

Reply #7August 18, 2009, 11:16:59 pm

jack's lack

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kaputtwagen 1982 rabbit AAZ swap/build
« Reply #7 on: August 18, 2009, 11:16:59 pm »
So it has been awhile, a lot has been done, but yet I still feel so far from finished

here is my guest room at the moment. Good thing I'm not married huh  ;D


I have finished my port and polish job on my intake. it's from a PD150 I'm told. I have a 2.5" EGR delete pipe on it that was pretty easy to match up. I got the pipe from tdiparts and it was a disappointment for the near $100 price. the welds were a bit of a mess and in two places had burned through and were actually creating obstructions in the intake path, but I got it cleaned up and mirror polished in about 2 hours. If I had to do it again, I would get the slightly more spendy diesel geek one that comes with a block off plate for the exhaust manifold as well as a fitting for boost gauge tubing.

For the boost gauge tubing I used a 1/8NPT fitting located in the top post on the back of the manifold. I had to trim one of the lower posts to clear the compressor housing on the turbo. The other will likely need to be trimmed as well, but I am going to need the downpipe first to see. I ordered a complete 2.5" stainless steel exhaust from techtronics tuning with a borla muffler. This was three weeks ago and I haven't heard anything so I need to call them and light a fire under someone asap.

I am going to need to add another fitting to the intake for the LDA correct? The only tap I currently own is the 1/8NPT is it feasible to use that size fitting for the LDA connection?
I ask because it turns out I had an eco pump and had an empty LDA. The good news is Giles is sorting that out for me, and has confirmed via email that it is on the bench as I type. It's going to set me back a few hundred $, but in the end I'll get my second Giles pump, and this one WILL have the LDA

I made a block off plate for the EGR on the exhaust manifold out of some 16 gauge steel I had. Is that thick enough? seems a little thin


The head is on my desk and is ready to get ported and polished. I just have to figure out how to compress the valves and I'm on my way. I have read that I will likely need to have new valve guides pressed in, and put new oil seals on them. Anything else I should replace in the head? I found out about the lighter MKIV cam followers that are supposed to fit. has anyone done this? is there a worthwhile advantage to using these?

I received my 1Z crank and pulleys this week. I am going to break down the bottom end and get measurements this weekend. I am hopeful that I can just do with a honing and a re-ring. I am going to have the block hot tanked and I am going to paint it with aerosol engine enamel. I plan to get the pistons ceramic coated if they check out. I am debating having the exhaust manifold and the turbo housing done while I am at it. I hear the stock rods are nearly bulletproof. Is there anything I can do at moderate cost or effort to improve them? I have heard mention of polishing them or having them coated. What are the advantages to these?

I now have a set of ARP head studs $13 a piece WOW that is a spendy piece of hardware. should I look at getting the main studs and connecting rod bolts as well, or is this overkill?

I grabbed a new manual steering rack tie rods and boots and spent a day getting my power steering out only to learn that the u-joint shaft that connects the rack to the steering column is longer for the manual car. So I spent another day connecting a hose to from the supply to the return on my PS rack and threw it back in. I now have the proper U-joint and a new boot to boot. So when I feel like spending another day on perhaps the most frustrating job ever I will finish the job.

that's what is new for now. I am pushing to get this done before mid September. I need a deadline or I am going to drag this on forever. I would like to get on to paint and body work this winter
« Last Edit: July 23, 2017, 12:06:49 pm by jack's lack »
1982 Rabbit diesel L 4 door
AAZ, K14, Giles pump, PD150 intake, P&P'd head, ceramic coated pistons, 2.5" stainless down pipe & exhaust. FK coils

My Build Thread

Reply #8August 19, 2009, 10:00:51 am

jack's lack

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Giles Pump
« Reply #8 on: August 19, 2009, 10:00:51 am »
Just got off the phone with Giles. The pump and the Injectors are going in the mail today. He set it for 20PSI, but says It can go further if I get the bug. I'm so excited this thing is going to rip
1982 Rabbit diesel L 4 door
AAZ, K14, Giles pump, PD150 intake, P&P'd head, ceramic coated pistons, 2.5" stainless down pipe & exhaust. FK coils

My Build Thread

Reply #9August 19, 2009, 01:35:56 pm

GEE-BEE

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Re: kaputtwagen 1982 rabbit AAZ swap/build
« Reply #9 on: August 19, 2009, 01:35:56 pm »
The racegeek.com EGR delete pipe includes a egr block-off  of plate also

120.00

I will let you know.....

Iam going to Cearmic coat my exhust manifold and powder coat my intake after all the drilling is done..

The intake will be sent to extrude hone where they you a plasma sand/polish and it will make the intake like a mirror

They did my intake on my cast inlets on my Twin turbo / Intercooled aircraft engine....

Gee-Bee
« Last Edit: August 19, 2009, 01:40:10 pm by GEE-BEE »
1.9 AAZ, CHD 5spd with Peloquin
KO4/KO3 Hybrid turbo
Giles Pump OHC
Complete Techtonics 2'5 S/S DP and Exhaust
Coilovers, MKII Pedal Swap,G60 BRAKES
MK1 JETTA DASH
675MM 16V radiator (MKII) PASSAT DUAL FAN
42K original miles , South African Front End
15x6 Le Casletts 195-45-15

Reply #10August 19, 2009, 05:50:14 pm

jack's lack

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kaputtwagen 1982 rabbit AAZ swap/build
« Reply #10 on: August 19, 2009, 05:50:14 pm »
So I came up with a rig to get the valves out. Gear puller with a strut bolt socket (22m with a cutout for access). It's not pretty, but it worked like a charm.


What I came to discover was that I seem to be lacking the inner spring and the lower valve spring seat for all 8 valves!
I'm going to post this in the IDI section as it gets more traffic and hopefully get some answers. It always makes me nervous when I take things apart and they look radically different than the Bentley.

Here is every thing I took out.


Here is what is left, just a valve guide and an oil seal. Incidentally the valves had almost no play side to side, they would barely wiggle seems like my guides may still be good.
« Last Edit: July 22, 2017, 01:09:44 pm by jack's lack »
1982 Rabbit diesel L 4 door
AAZ, K14, Giles pump, PD150 intake, P&P'd head, ceramic coated pistons, 2.5" stainless down pipe & exhaust. FK coils

My Build Thread

Reply #11August 19, 2009, 06:45:52 pm

spencebm

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Re: kaputtwagen 1982 rabbit AAZ swap/build
« Reply #11 on: August 19, 2009, 06:45:52 pm »
 :)
Ben Spencer

Reply #12August 19, 2009, 10:57:50 pm

Syncroincity

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Re: kaputtwagen 1982 rabbit AAZ swap/build
« Reply #12 on: August 19, 2009, 10:57:50 pm »
Where'd ya get that intake??? I've been eyeing those, the only one who has them is Ryan in the UK... $$$, much of it lost in the converison. Nice polish job. Will that intake still allow the top-mounted turbo our engines have, or are you using a different exhaust manifold?
JC McCavitt
'86 Syncro GL Camper AAZ
'98 Jetta Wolfie
'04 Passat Variant GLS 4Mo 5MT

Reply #13August 20, 2009, 10:59:04 am

jack's lack

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Re: kaputtwagen 1982 rabbit AAZ swap/build
« Reply #13 on: August 20, 2009, 10:59:04 am »
I got the intake from a guy on the tex. it came from Czechoslovakia and it was in fact still $$$. I think I paid extra for all the EGR gunk that came inside of it ::) It fits if you trim the long posts that I believe were used to mount the heat shield on the PD motors. it is hard to explain so I will post pics with it all bolted up when I am done with the head. It was a really simple modification though seriously less than 5 min with a hacksaw, and considering the time it takes to sand the casting marks out of the deep recesses of an intake manifold it is no work at all.

Gee Bee, I would be weary about mirror polishing the inside of your intake. I have read from good authority that a little grit on the surface actually promotes airflow. This comes from guys like Dave Cross (935 racer on here iirc) who have access to flow benches and dynamometers who can verify this sort of thing. If you are coating it inside then maybe it will flow better. I'd love to see some flow bench #'s either way just to verify if you do go that route
1982 Rabbit diesel L 4 door
AAZ, K14, Giles pump, PD150 intake, P&P'd head, ceramic coated pistons, 2.5" stainless down pipe & exhaust. FK coils

My Build Thread

Reply #14August 20, 2009, 09:24:18 pm

burn_your_money

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Re: kaputtwagen 1982 rabbit AAZ swap/build
« Reply #14 on: August 20, 2009, 09:24:18 pm »
I was always under the impression that it was only gassers who wanted to keep the intake a bit rough to help promote air/fuel mixing  ???
Tyler

 

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