VWDiesel.net The IDI, TDI, and mTDI source.

Engine Specific Info and Questions => IDI Engine => Topic started by: burn_your_money on April 05, 2009, 07:37:56 am

Title: Italian Tune-up (my poor baby)
Post by: burn_your_money on April 05, 2009, 07:37:56 am
Well today started off like a regular Sunday for me. I woke up early, loaded my Golf with my engine hoist and tools and headed out to Oakville to go pull a motor. I get there, meet the guy and go to position my car to unload the engine hoist. Ohoh. She's stuck in third. The clutch works, but it won't shift. I try and force it to shift and I can hear a grinding sound. Get out, check the linkage, all is good. Crap.

I limp it to Partsource and buy some gear oil hoping that it will some how miraculously fix it. I pull out the speedo cable and I can see lots of fluid in the gearbox. I stick my finger into the oil and have a look at it. It looks very, very shiny. Lots of brass bits. So that's what the grinding sound was...

So now I'm 45 minutes from home, with a car that only has third gear.

I figure I have 3 choices:

1) leave my car there and call a friend for a ride
2) try and figure out my way home on the back roads, encountering many stop signs and traffic lights
3) take my chances on the Gardener, DVP and 404. 3 of Torontos busiest highways.

I'll take box #3 please Johnny.

As I'm about to get on the on ramp I'm wondering what's going to go first, the tranny, the headgasket, the rings or my pump. Well after 45 minutes of 4500 RPM I'm happy to say that everything (except my ears) made it. I was able to maintain 90km/h the whole way.

Those Germans (actually Mexicans) knew what they were doing when they built my car. Hurray.

Surprisingly there was no smoke. Good thing Giles knows how to build a pump.

So now I'm at the shop putting a motor into a car, instead of taking one out. Hopefully I have enough parts around :lol:
Title: Italian Tune-up (my poor baby)
Post by: hamradio on April 05, 2009, 07:40:16 am
Sorry to hear of your troubles, but good to hear that the car made it without issue.


A friend had the same issue in an a1 cabriolet, and some of the shift forks were bent.
Title: Italian Tune-up (my poor baby)
Post by: Vincent Waldon on April 05, 2009, 11:18:16 am
I believe "Tyler running out of parts" is one of the Seven Signs of the Apocalypse. :wink:
Title: Italian Tune-up (my poor baby)
Post by: burn_your_money on April 05, 2009, 05:31:10 pm
Almost done... just need to hook the exhaust hooked up and bleed the fuel system then it's off to the races with my snazzy new 1.9NA :D
Title: Italian Tune-up (my poor baby)
Post by: znate on April 05, 2009, 06:50:43 pm
1.9NA eh? sounds like what you were building for mom, did you steal her engine?

You sure have your share of car trouble, you ought to buy a real car...yes...you know exactly what im talking about...a diesel chevette.:lol:

If you haven't worked the bugs out by next weekend and need a ride home i could pick you up if someone pays fuel.
Title: Italian Tune-up (my poor baby)
Post by: burn_your_money on April 05, 2009, 07:16:25 pm
It's up and running, pretty good too. Lots more pep in her step. Hopefully I make it home :lol:


Yeah I stole mom's engine.  :D
Title: Italian Tune-up (my poor baby)
Post by: 8v-of-fury on April 05, 2009, 07:29:46 pm
Quote from: "znate"
1.9NA eh? sounds like what you were building for mom, did you steal her engine?

You sure have your share of car trouble, you ought to buy a real car...yes...you know exactly what im talking about...a diesel chevette.:lol:

If you haven't worked the bugs out by next weekend and need a ride home i could pick you up if someone pays fuel.


You guys brothers? or just reallly close? lmao kidding

Diesel=YES Domestic=NO  :P

I had a diesel chevette.. for like 3 months.. it bombed around pretty good for having a blown engine. there was something wrong with the oil not getting enough to the top of the engine.. i dunno bought it for a case of beer, drove it hard for 2.5 months under the other guys name and stuff so i wouldnt have to certify it.. because it never would lol. it did good :P

(http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm307/J_holubek/Picture797.jpg)

Hey Ty, you got any pics of your swap??
Title: Italian Tune-up (my poor baby)
Post by: znate on April 05, 2009, 07:44:28 pm
haha nice, shes a real beauty. i think im in love.
you don't still have it eh? actually no, i cant buy more cars. :(
Title: Italian Tune-up (my poor baby)
Post by: 8v-of-fury on April 05, 2009, 07:47:17 pm
nope :( sold it for tripple what i paid for it! to a guy who was gonna swap the engine and everything to use it as a derby car in a compact class.. so i put out like 30 to get the car, put nothing but gas in it.. and then got 85 when i sold it.. :P decent deal if u ask me. the guy even came and hauled it away!

Yours looks pretty mint got any picturres? sorry to hijack tyler, but if hes got pics hes more interesting :P unless u got pics.. and yours being VW.. he doesnt stand a chance in the cool-ness contest :P
Title: Italian Tune-up (my poor baby)
Post by: znate on April 05, 2009, 08:00:51 pm
ooo first with pics wins the rights to this thread :lol:

I had one before this one, paid 175 and a case of beer. traded it for a moped and $500, used the money to go to alberta and get this one.
Its got a few rust spots but its solid, runs great too, the other needed an engine rebuild and there was no floor left.
I think i came out okay.

(http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l52/znate/car/Diesel/DieselVette.jpg)

and of course we need a pic of the ped

(http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l52/znate/Moby004.jpg)
Title: Italian Tune-up (my poor baby)
Post by: 8v-of-fury on April 05, 2009, 08:07:17 pm
sweet bike, I bet it rippps :P

Thats a good lookin car, surface rust is nothing.. :P BEAUTY!
Title: Italian Tune-up (my poor baby)
Post by: burn_your_money on April 06, 2009, 04:47:28 am
How'd this turn into a thread about crappy chevettes. What a thread jack  :P  :lol:

I'm just joking, I'd drive a diesel chevette no problem.

I'll try and get pics today but the weather is pretty crappy
Title: Italian Tune-up (my poor baby)
Post by: jtanguay on April 06, 2009, 06:15:18 am
the isuzu diesel engines are alright (one of the things GM did right... was not manufacture their own small diesel engine).  they could sure use a Giles pump though  :lol:  even being a 1.8L a 1.6NA Gilsified could walk all over it  :lol:
Title: Italian Tune-up (my poor baby)
Post by: foxracer1 on April 06, 2009, 07:49:35 am
Quote from: "8v-of-fury"
put nothing but gas in it..


No wonder it didn't run long.  :lol:
Title: Italian Tune-up (my poor baby)
Post by: 8v-of-fury on April 06, 2009, 07:51:41 am
LMAO.. Even I didnt catch that.. lol!

MY bad my bad.. FUEL lol sorry.. im new to diesel-land lol :P

Hey tyler, did you guys get like 4-5 inches last night down your way? weather IS EFFED
Title: Italian Tune-up (my poor baby)
Post by: burn_your_money on April 06, 2009, 09:22:27 am
With my low compression the vette and my car were actually pretty equal.

We didn't get snow, just freezing rain this morning for the drive in. I've been inside since so I don't know what is going on out there.

I'm pretty happy with the new engine, bottom end is fantastic. In third, it starts pulling at 1200 :shock: The top end is kind of lacking though....
Title: Italian Tune-up (my poor baby)
Post by: foxracer1 on April 06, 2009, 09:23:10 am
Its snowing here! not sticking but not fun weather for riding my dirt bike.  :x
Title: Italian Tune-up (my poor baby)
Post by: znate on April 06, 2009, 09:43:03 am
I seem to recall when we raced i had a canoe strapped on the roof and we were both loaded with camping gear and extra bodies. Didn't you have the super pump at that point though? I'm sure you did, the only advantage i had was i came off the ramp first and you didn't think we were racing till you saw the smoke :lol:

It's whiteout conditions here, only a few cm on the ground but its supposed to snow for a few days it looks like. :(
Title: Italian Tune-up (my poor baby)
Post by: foxracer1 on April 06, 2009, 09:57:57 am
I wanna find an old diesel s-10. Similar engine as the vette right? Got a buddy who has an old Isuzu Luv diesel. Its fun.
Title: Italian Tune-up (my poor baby)
Post by: Smokey Eddy on April 06, 2009, 02:42:59 pm
Quote from: "8v-of-fury"
LMAO.. Even I didnt catch that.. lol!

MY bad my bad.. FUEL lol sorry.. im new to diesel-land lol :P

Hey tyler, did you guys get like 4-5 inches last night down your way? weather IS EFFED



It's 24 degrees at my house RIGHT NOW.  :D
Title: Italian Tune-up (my poor baby)
Post by: jtanguay on April 06, 2009, 05:13:42 pm
Quote from: "burn_your_money"
With my low compression the vette and my car were actually pretty equal.

We didn't get snow, just freezing rain this morning for the drive in. I've been inside since so I don't know what is going on out there.

I'm pretty happy with the new engine, bottom end is fantastic. In third, it starts pulling at 1200 :shock: The top end is kind of lacking though....


we'll attribute the lack of performance to the lack of compression  :wink:  :lol:

you'll have to get yourself a nice tall CTN  for that 1.9  8) its really amazing at how much torque it delivers in comparison to the 1.6.  i almost want to build a 2.2 but same bore, longer stroke  :twisted:  it wouldn't be a revvy engine, but i would assume fuel economy to go up by 10-15% as the rpm power band would be even lower.  a CTN transmission and even taller (if possible) would be required though... man that block would be tall!!!  :lol:
Title: Italian Tune-up (my poor baby)
Post by: truckinwagen on April 06, 2009, 07:10:32 pm
Quote from: "jtanguay"
i almost want to build a 2.2 but same bore, longer stroke  :twisted:  it wouldn't be a revvy engine, but i would assume fuel economy to go up by 10-15% as the rpm power band would be even lower.  a CTN transmission and even taller (if possible) would be required though... man that block would be tall!!!  :lol:


funny thats the other direction from what I want to do, 1.9 pistons with a 1.5 crank to build a 1.6L that will rev up high.

might be interesting to build both and see how they stack up to each other!
Title: Italian Tune-up (my poor baby)
Post by: burn_your_money on April 06, 2009, 07:37:59 pm
It's very weird driving the 1.9. I feel like I'm short shifting it all the time, but it loves it.

I'm still used to reving my 1.6 out to 6 grand so the 1.9 is kind of boring. I hope I get used to it. I do plan on hooking it up to a CTN one day.
Title: Italian Tune-up (my poor baby)
Post by: jtanguay on April 06, 2009, 07:46:23 pm
Quote from: "truckinwagen"
Quote from: "jtanguay"
i almost want to build a 2.2 but same bore, longer stroke  :twisted:  it wouldn't be a revvy engine, but i would assume fuel economy to go up by 10-15% as the rpm power band would be even lower.  a CTN transmission and even taller (if possible) would be required though... man that block would be tall!!!  :lol:


funny thats the other direction from what I want to do, 1.9 pistons with a 1.5 crank to build a 1.6L that will rev up high.

might be interesting to build both and see how they stack up to each other!


that would be cool!  i'd need to build a custom tranny for that though $$$.  and the block would need to be custom...  i wonder if it would be possible to get longer studs and a metal plate to jack up the deck a bit.  then hone it or use sleeves... man that is a lot of custom work!  the thing could probably idle at 500 rpm and not chug though.  :lol:
Title: Italian Tune-up (my poor baby)
Post by: truckinwagen on April 06, 2009, 07:53:04 pm
yeah, I am looking at putting a spacer on the top of the block and using sleeves so I can use the 1.9 rods, which being longer will help with revving comfortably.

I will have to see how feasible it is though when I have my block stripped and some pistons/rods to play around with.
Title: Italian Tune-up (my poor baby)
Post by: foxracer1 on April 07, 2009, 06:36:57 am
Why not use a 1.9 block and deck the block the difference between the 1.9 crank and 1.5 crank.

This sounds like the 383 vs 377 of the small block chevy world.
Title: Italian Tune-up (my poor baby)
Post by: truckinwagen on April 07, 2009, 08:15:39 am
I would if I could get my hands on a 1.9 block, unfortunately just getting any block is hard as hell up here.
Title: Italian Tune-up (my poor baby)
Post by: arb on April 07, 2009, 08:39:20 am
Quote from: "8v-of-fury"
LMAO.. Even I didnt catch that.. lol!

MY bad my bad.. FUEL lol sorry.. im new to diesel-land lol :P

Hey tyler, did you guys get like 4-5 inches last night down your way? weather IS EFFED


You might be surprised how often my brother's dealership gets a tow-in for an F-250 / F-350 diesel because someone put gasoline (benzene for you eastern European folks) in the diesel fuel tank... expensive mistake.