New motor for an 82 Westie

[Bravo2043]

This isn't exactly the right place for a post like this. The performance enhancement I'm looking for is reliability, so apologies up front.

I bought an 82 diesel Westy last summer, CS engine. Its a 1.6 na. Drove it home to Michigan from Pennsylvania. I probably put 1500 miles on it the first month I had it. Slow yes, but adequate, barely.... My daily driver is an 09 Odyssey. If I'm in a hurry that's what I take. Gyx (that's the bus) rarely see's freeway, and when I do the freeway the flashers are usually on. Top speed cruise is 62. I'm usually going 55, If that. Its a back road machine, and its a hoot.

I kept getting air in the coolant, it was also using oil. I guessed I had a blown head gasket. One day I backed it up on ramps in my garage and went to work. When I got the head off it was obvious the motor was shot. The head was cracked in 6 places and the block needed to be bored out. I could not believe it was running that well and was that bad. It had gotten cooked then parked. I could see where water had rusted the cylinders. Amazingly reliable engine all things considered, but dead. Not worth fixing.

So I'm changing engines. As much as I though the 1.6 was adequate, why not go for a little more. This all started last fall, I've been doing my homework all winter. My garage doesn't have heat and Gyx doesn't see snow anyway. So I'm about ready to pull the trigger on a new engine, and I'm trying to get my ducks in a row.

I'm thinking the 1Y (1.9 na)......I know, no turbo, wrong place to post, but I am going to do what I can to get all 68 HP out of that 1Y.

For me its all about reliability. Here's my plan. I'm hoping someone will chime in if I'm way off base.

The oil pan, oil pump pickup tube, motor mount dip stick flywheel and clutch and what ever else looks right come off the CS (origin engine, that I'm pretty sure is not really original).

Get a running 1Y. Start it before any of the CS parts move over , then do any service that would be easier with the engine on a stand. Move the parts over. Check things like compression and IP timing. Chang the timing belt, water pump and anything else that might go. Get the injectors serviced.

IP? Maybe get it calibrated? Maybe take the IP from the CS and get it done. I'm looking for input here. Some of the 1y's had electronics on their IP's...I'm an electrical engineer who doesn't want electronic poo here. If I have to, to get all the performance I can, I will, but I'd rather not.

I want to pull the intake and exhaust off the 1Y and clean up the runners with my Dremel. I plan on ceramic coating the exhaust manifold, and up sizing the exhaust pipe. I have some ideas on how to fab up a free flowing intake.

My plan is to check compression and watch how fast it bleeds down. If all cylinders look good, the head stays on the block, if it isn't. I'll build that engine... Maybe, again I'm looking for input here.

Now the AAZ is an interesting unit. If I went that way I'd be looking for a K03 turbo unit with the boost circuit on the IP. I'd still disassembled the turbo intake and exhaust. Probably rebuild turbo and wastegate. I'm NOT going to crank up the boost or go crazy, that's just not this vehicle. But its still a tempting option. An AHU/1Z would be cool. When I look at turbo engines TDI is really the way to go. Better mileage less load on the cooling system. Again that's not this vehicle. If I went turbo I'd ceramic coat the turbo housing and exhaust manifold.

Then there's the transmission. It's a DM with what I think is the 5.47 R&P. Gyx really could use a lower R&P. So maybe swap out the R&P, maybe find a DK from an AC gasser.  Seems like at the very least it gets a new throwout bearing and maybe a clutch disk. If anyone can recommend a good transmission guy, I'm all ears. With the rush I'm Not in, the gearing Could stay, not sure here.

In the end I'm looking to put the key in and go places

Taking my sweet time.

If you still reading this thanks for taking the time. I'm a wordy SOB. Sorry about that.

This forum is great! Lots of good info.

[RunninWild]

Where are you from? The 1z as far as I know was never offered in north America and the aaz was only sold in Canada and even then can be hard to source. Honestly the 1.6td with a slight bump in boost and playing with the fuel screw on the pump would probably give you plenty of power for what you want. It would also most likely be the cheapest and easiest option.

[Bravo2043]

Where I'm from? Remember the Highlander?

Lots of places.....

The CS that was in it on its best day made 54 HP, mine was probably closer to 45. The bus moves efficiently. The stock 1Y makes 68, that's a pretty good jump. No waste gate, no pyro, no boost gauge. It should be tractor reliable, maybe tractor slow.

I'm OK with that, my Odyssey will run triple digits all day long. Gyx is about back road cruising.

What other service items should I look at to make it bullet proof?

[mtrans]

Read the forum,because no one can tell averything.

[Bravo2043]

Ya I've had second thoughts about the size and direction of my original post.  Not sure it fits here.

Sorry guys, carry on. I'll figure it out.

 I'm ready for spring. Can't wait till it's warm enough to get out to the garage and get wrenching.

[libbydiesel]

CS maxed at 48hp.  You should not use the CS oil pump or pickup tube.  They are 30mm and inadequate for any of the later engines.  Get a new diesel vanagon pump as the new ones are all 36mm with control valve sized appropriately.

It seems like you're arguing both for and against more power. 

There are also other options.  I don't personally want any diesel engine that doesn't have a turbo on, but apparently you have different desires.  You might consider an AHU/1Z run without the turbo.  You'd get better fuel economy than the 1Y and better parts availability if you're in the US.  You could run it with a purpose built mechanical pump to eliminate the electronics.

[Bravo2043]

Thanks for the tip on the pickup tube.

My plan now is to get a complete running engine, and move parts from the CS to the new one. The new engine will have the right pump on it, but that pickup tube?

It seems like pickup tube would be a different shape on a vanagon where the engine lays down than all the others where they stand up.

Where do you come up with a pickup tube that's 36 mm and made for an engine that lays down?

[vanbcguy]

All the replacement pumps are 36mm. VW stopped making the original small ones some time in the late 80s.

Sent from my XT1097 using Tapatalk

[libbydiesel]

Get a new diesel vanagon pump as the new ones are all 36mm with control valve sized appropriately.

The new diesel vanagon oil pumps have the 36mm gears and the correct pickup tube and control valve.  Get one of those.