VW T3 1.6TD JX - tuning up and maintaining - All Other VW Diesels - VWDiesel.net The IDI, TDI, and mTDI source.

• VW T3 1.6TD JX - tuning up and maintaining by epowell on 02 Feb, 2016 11:30
• I posted here a few months ago requesting advice on how to adjust the injection pump timing on a Vanagon 1.6 TD JX engine...    ...since then, between a couple of long trips away from my van, I managed to get a start on this work with a lot of help from the guys at The Samba, in particular Andrew Libby. The problem however, at The Samba is that few people over there have Diesels, so I have decided to document my work over here.
  
  I am a complete newby to this kind of work, so if anyone can offer any comments or advice (even seemingly obvious stuff) I would very much appreciate it.
  
  The initial GOALS:
  - change timing belt (TB) / tensioner
  - adjust valve lash
  - change cam seal
  - change waterpump
  - adjust injection pump (IP) timing
  - adjust TB tracking
  - adjust aux. belts tracking
  - flush, refill, bleed coolant system
  
  The WORK:
  
  this is my van "GEorge"
  
  
  
  this is my engine
  
  
  
  this is the wierd place for the air filter
  
  
  
  these are the anti-vibe clips I made (super-glued and marred the threads)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• #1 by epowell on 02 Feb, 2016 12:02
• this is the TB before removal - notice how the belt is tracking to the outside.
  
  
  
  aux. belts before removal...  they are also not tracking well - I would like to get the pulleys aligned much better.
  
  
  
  removing crank pulley
  
  
  
  crank pulley off
  
  
  
  special helper making sure everything's ok
  
  
  
  alternator is out, now removing brackets
  
  
  
  waterpump exposed
  
  
  
  waterpump is out
  
  
  
  waterpump
  
  
  
  
• #2 by vanbcguy on 02 Feb, 2016 14:24
• Looking good! Appears someone used a bunch of RTV on the pump for some reason.... Eewwwww.....
  
  Sent from my XT1097 using Tapatalk
  
  
• #3 by epowell on 04 Feb, 2016 04:50
• Quote from: vanbcguy on 02 Feb, 2016 14:24

  Looking good! Appears someone used a bunch of RTV on the pump for some reason.... Eewwwww.....
  
  Sent from my XT1097 using Tapatalk
  

  
  I now have the waterpump apart - and am still undecided if I will:
  1) simply put this pump back together and back in the van
  2) purchase a new pump and keep the old housing which seems fine
  3) purchase a new pump with new housing
  
  the reason I consider simply putting the old pump back in is because when I removed the bolts to separate the pump from housing, those notoriously seized bolts just came off like butter. And the pump inside looks very good and new...   ...and knowing how easy it is to change a waterpump, it might make sense for now just to keep this one in there.
  
  But if I do that I need a new gasket - O-ring - and to figure out the right kind of sealant to use.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• #4 by the caveman on 07 Feb, 2016 11:19
• Not sure whether you know or not, but the worse thing about the T3s is how to bleed the cooling system. Do lots of research before driving it after replacing the water pump etc. Libby has a good trick using some plumbing to make a filler pipe stack, works great.
• #5 by epowell on 08 Feb, 2016 04:50
• Quote from: the caveman on 07 Feb, 2016 11:19

  Not sure whether you know or not, but the worse thing about the T3s is how to bleed the cooling system. Do lots of research before driving it after replacing the water pump etc. Libby has a good trick using some plumbing to make a filler pipe stack, works great.
  

  
  Yes, most certainly I will use the "LIBBY BONG" method to bleed the coolant system!
• #6 by Toby on 16 Feb, 2016 02:48
• You have bigger fish to fry. The corrosion on the water pump and visible in the other pics indicates that you have acidified coolant. That is caused by acid formed from combustion products in the cooling system. Nothing else will do that. Fix it now before you have more problems down the road.
  
  If you still have the old coolant check is "coolant voltage" with a DVM and a piece of brass. Set the DVM on the lowest DC volt scale and hook one lead to something brass. Put both leads (including the one with the piece of brass) into the coolant. You get a "brass/acid" acid battery that way. The voltage read indicates how much acid is in the coolant.
  
  .050 volts DC an you are golden.
  .300 volts and you have trouble.
  .450-.700 volts and you are toast.
• #7 by epowell on 28 Mar, 2016 14:38
• Quote from: Toby on 16 Feb, 2016 02:48

  You have bigger fish to fry. The corrosion on the water pump and visible in the other pics indicates that you have acidified coolant. That is caused by acid formed from combustion products in the cooling system. Nothing else will do that. Fix it now before you have more problems down the road.
  
  If you still have the old coolant check is "coolant voltage" with a DVM and a piece of brass. Set the DVM on the lowest DC volt scale and hook one lead to something brass. Put both leads (including the one with the piece of brass) into the coolant. You get a "brass/acid" acid battery that way. The voltage read indicates how much acid is in the coolant.
  
  .050 volts DC an you are golden.
  .300 volts and you have trouble.
  .450-.700 volts and you are toast.
  

  
  Thanks Toby...   I have had the coolant out for a long time already so not possible to check it. Yes you are right...  the PO did not have ANY anti-freeze in the coolant at all!  So it was corroding the engine (what an idiot!).
  
  Anyhow I have not updated this thread for ages...  since my last post I have done a huge amount of work - mostly with the help of Andrew Libby and some other great guys over on the Samba.
  
  Here are the highlights:
  
  cam out, checking valve lash
  
  
  pulling IP sprocket
  
  
  removing IP
  
  
  removing glow plugs
  
  
  IM shaft sprocket off
  
  
  problems found
  
  
  oily rear seal
  
  
  crank sprocket off
  
  
  ugly mess
  
  
  working conditions
  
  
  troubles removing oil pan
  
  
  injectors out
  
  
  hacked tranny mount
  
  
  damaged muffler
  
  
  turbo welded to exhaust
  
  
  messy turbo
  
  
  bent oil return line out
  
  
  IM shaft out
  
  
  fried bearing
  
  
  crank plate off
  
  
  a look at my turbo inside
  
  
  oil inside turbo to intake hose
  
  
  dip stick stuck into turbo from above shows that oil is not pooling inside turbo.
  
  
  checking oil pump
  
  
  oil pan off
  
  
  making IM shaft front bearing pulling tool
  
  
  new oil rtn pipe comes...  too small ID
  
  
  ...so I drilled it more wide
  
  
  pulling IM shaft bearing
  
  
  new bearing installed
  
  
  
  
  im shaft plate ready to install
  
  
  crank plate ready to install
  
  
  new FEBI (in spec), ready to install
  
  
  crank plate installed
  
  
  im shaft, seal, and plate installed
  
  
  oil pump installed
  
  
  oil pan installed
  
  
  
  
  
  
  oil return line installed
  
  
  crank bolt installed (ouch!)
  
  
  crank and im sprocket
  
  
  installing new shims
  
  
  cam ready
  
  
  cap #1 ready
  
  
  cam in
  
  
  second hand turbo found, considering rebuilding and installing
  
• #8 by billclark on 03 Jun, 2016 12:16
• Thanks for great documentation... gives newbys i can do it too attitude.
• #9 by epowell on 26 Jul, 2016 15:54
• Quote from: billclark on 03 Jun, 2016 12:16

  Thanks for great documentation... gives newbys i can do it too attitude.
  

  
  Thanks... glad you enjoyed it - I should update!!! 
• #10 by byronEsset on 12 May, 2019 14:46
• I have a white engine serial number vg 3439271 d2300 x222 and a deutz serial number f3l912 can i swap them in a truck do they make a trane that will bolt up any help would be helpful