She's goin water cooled...'72 Westfalia

[Norman72]

Thanks Air.

Bad case of garage time envy here. We had two days of 15 plus cms of snow this week again. It will be at least another month before I get my bus out of storage.

Craig

[air skooled]

Well crap. So I got alot of work done to the radiator setup today. About ready to install it and I decided I needed a few parts before doing so. Was heading to the parts store about 6:30 pm tonight and some moron decided it was OK to drive right into us. So were OK, my right leg is giving me some pain though. Car might be totaled since it is older, guess we'll find out monday or tuesday.
I'll post tomorrow if I can still walk.

[westfakia]

Well crap. So I got alot of work done to the radiator setup today. About ready to install it and I decided I needed a few parts before doing so. Was heading to the parts store about 6:30 pm tonight and some moron decided it was OK to drive right into us. So were OK, my right leg is giving me some pain though. Car might be totaled since it is older, guess we'll find out monday or tuesday.
I'll post tomorrow if I can still walk.

Ouch! Glad you are still with us; I lost a cousin to a T-bone collision on Friday afternoon. She was only 40 and leaves 5 kids behind. Hope you make out OK with the insurance and that your leg pain is temporary.

[air skooled]

Thanks. Leg feels better today. Sorry for your loss.

[air skooled]

There are 2 factory holes that I picked up in the front of the bus that I used to mount the radiator to. Drilled them a little larger and installed nutserts.




Made a fan shroud out of 16 ga galvanized steel. Mounted 2 taurus fans.




Used 1 1/2" angle iron.











Installed.

[w00ht]

Nice work! I like the radiator mount setup. Much better than drawing air into a cutout spare tire carrier IMHO.

Are you going to run some kind of fence around the top of your mount? I'd hate to see something sharp skipping along the interstate punch a hole in the rad.

Edit:
I didn't realize the shroud wraps all the way around. I'd still be worried about those plastic end tanks though. Of course I'm usually that one in a million....

[SauerKraut]

Damn, I like that.

The end caps weren't supposed to be plastic, the radiator ****s sent some different ****.

Lemons; lemonade, etc.

[zzzdanz]

Looks great man.

[Norman72]

Man you do great work! Did you mention what kind of rad you used? The dimensions of it would be great.

I have seen set ups with the fans on the bottom and on the top.

Can I ask why you put them on the top?

With the fans on top I assume it pushes air through the rad?

Craig

[air skooled]

Man you do great work! Did you mention what kind of rad you used? The dimensions of it would be great.

I have seen set ups with the fans on the bottom and on the top.

Can I ask why you put them on the top?

With the fans on top I assume it pushes air through the rad?

Craig

Purchased the radiator from here. http://www.1aauto.com/1A/Radiators/C...25/444567/1986

I put the fans on top because it is a cleaner setup. No other reason. The air is pulled from the bottom up through the shroud. Fans that push air through the radiator aren't as efficient.

[Norman72]

Thanks for posting the link to the rad.

Have you sorted out the throttle linkage and airbox yet?

Craig

[buggyman]

Are you going to run some kind of fence around the top of your mount? I'd hate to see something sharp skipping along the interstate punch a hole in the rad.

Edit:
I didn't realize the shroud wraps all the way around. I'd still be worried about those plastic end tanks though. Of course I'm usually that one in a million....

I'm with wOOht on that one,an expanded metal cage across the front & at least a little past the rad's front cap if not the whole length on both sides all the way up to the floor.
A tabbed U shaped frame with a fence on it mounted to like 1/2 of the side mounting shroud bolts so you could just drop it for access without disassembling everything .

[air skooled]

I'm with wOOht

You are more than welcome to come up here and build it for me.

Anyway, after days of fighting "fiddley bits", I finally got the air bled out of the system and the radiator fans came on and cooled everything down like it should. They really move some air. I used a 944 coolant fan sensor for the fans. Fans kicked on at 205F. I used an aftermarket
sending unit housing for the sensors. Drilled out one side for the 944 sensor. Takes an 22x1.5mm
tap. The other side is predrilled and tapped. Mounted it right next to the radiators upper outlet.
The MAF and air filter is mounted and came out quite well. Tomorrow I will tear it all apart and do some more powder coating and then I will post some pics. My last hurdle now is the throttle and a test drive.

[zzzdanz]

I love this project man!..Here's to a trouble free test drive

[air skooled]

I love this project man!..Here's to a trouble free test drive

Thanks

Here's where I mounted the ECU.



Took an old MKII relay panel and cut it down. Just so happens that the 2 relays are side by side.



Welded a bracket to the alt bracket. I'll get better pics when I take it back off to powder coat it.



Mounted the sealing ring. Still need to build the lid fastening system.

[SauerKraut]

Damn that's beautiful

[BetterOffDead]

almost orgasmic.

[Norman72]

Great job. What are the relays for? Where are you putting the overflow bottle?

[air skooled]

Thanks. This is the wiring how to for the digifant. Not my write up, found it on the web. Saved me alot of time. Relays are for the ecu and the fuel pump. I will be adding one more relay for the fans.
Overflow tank will be posted soon.

Digifant Injection from a Mk2 into another 4 cylinder
this is a good fuel management system for any 4 cylinder car prior to OBD1 and OBD2. I got all this information from my Bentley but I figured I post it here;

A2 Bentley manual, section 15, current flow diagrams page 205, main electrical of 91-92 Jetta, German production.
The only wires I cut to install the Digifant system are from plug T6c. This is the plug/wire bundle near the ECU that goes through the fire wall. For some reason my T6c plug only has 5 wires, I don't have connection T6c/6-W/R - emissions I believe?

T6c/1-R/W - comes from fused side of J17 fuel pump relay connection 87. to 02 sensor
T6c/2-R/Y -> to J17 fuel pump relay connection 85
T6c/3-R/G -> to the connection 50, starter solenoid
T6c/4-BK/Y -> to J176 ECU relay connection 87
T6c/5-R/BK -> to J17 fuel pump relay connection 87, same as 02 sensor and fuel pump but connects before the fuse
T6c/6-W/R -> I don't have this wire, emissions maybe

Here are the computer and fuel pump relays that you need to wire up
J17 Fuel Pump Relay
(30) ->positive side of battery(+)
(85) ->T6c/2-R/Y ECU
(86) ->Ignition Switch/Coil (15)
(87) ->20amp fuse->T6c/1-R/W (Oxygen sensor) & R/Y (Fuel Pump)
(87)->no fuse ->T6c/5-R/B (Injector Harness)

J176 ECU Relay
(30) ->positive side of battery(+)
(85) ->31 internal ground (I put it right to the chassis)
(86) ->Ignition Switch/Coil (15)
(87) ->T6c/4-B/Y (delivers power to the ECU when ignition (15) is on)

If you do this conversion you need to use all the hardware from a digifant injection system; MAF, injectors and other digifant parts.

[Norman72]

Hey Air,

Any more progress pictures? You guys gone for the first ride yet? Thanks for the information on the relays. I am getting a little nervous about doing the conversion given my lack of knowledge with digi and fuel injection. I'm a little ol' school and am running dual weber 40 idf's on my bus and have learned to pull that aircooled motor in 30 minutes over the last 10 years of owning my bus.


Good news here in Ottawa, Canada today. Snow is almost gone. Still minus 10c though.
Craig

[Norman72]

Air,

What did you use for the cold air intake? Is that a cone filter kit that I can get somewhere?

[SauerKraut]

almost orgasmic.

You are so right about that.

[air skooled]

You can get them from ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/88-92...Q5fAccessories
Mine is from a 944. Same thing as golf,jetta.

It is finally back on the ground. With antifreeze now in the cooling system instead of water(never put antifreeze in for your first start up unless you like throwing money and antifreeze away. You are always bound to have leaks/issues on the first try) the fans now come on at 195 and go out at 145 in less than 30 seconds. The combination of the dual fans and the fan shroud make this system very efficient. It will be going for a test drive tomorrow.

I made this adapter to join the jetta throttle cable to the bus cable with no mods. The large grommet is from the jetta/golf gas pedal.




Exhaust system is powder coated and installed for good. Stainless steel tip.




Alternator/MAF bracket.





Overflow tank.

[Norman72]

Air,

Where did you install the throttle cable adapter? Is it under the bus somewhere or in the engine compartment? Again, do you have any pictures?

And are you able to use the original hole /access point for the bus throttle cable or did you need to run it elsewhere?

Thanks

[air skooled]

So I took it for a test drive last night. Yes I said night, and raining too. Everthing went well until the reverse lights wire decided to short out and left me stranded about 2 miles from home. Luckily I had my son following me in my dually to tow it home just in case. That short ended up frying the ignition switch so a new one will have to be put in now. On the plus side everything worked as it should. I did get on it once as was impressed with the pickup. I was a skeptic before but now I am a believer. More test driving in the daylight soon.

[zzzdanz]

Sounds like a minor problem for the amount of work ya put into it man.

[air skooled]

Put the new ign. switch in it today and went for a 45 minute drive. In the rain. I don't think it is ever going to stop. So the drive went flawlessly. Temp never went over 200*. Ran about 180*-185* going down the road. It is about 50* here now so when summer hits the system will really be put to the test. I think it will do just fine. Was able to hit 60+ mph going up the on ramp to the freeway. Its not a power house but it definitely moves the bus with no problems. I put a light in the dash to let me know when the fans are running and it rarely came on. Now all you need to do is put a heater in it Mike. Here are some pics of the throttle set up. Kept it simple.

Used the original throttle bracket off of the manifold and attached it to a strap that bolts to the 2 valve cover bolts. There are 2 springs under the throttle body. I undid the lower one because the pedal is way too stiff with both of them hooked up. Added a return spring to bring the pedal back and yes, even with both of the lower springs hooked up the throttle still would not return fully.



Took an L-bracket and attached it to the right motor mount. Grooved out a piece of thick steel a little smaller than the cable itself and attached it with 3 screws. By loosening the 3 screws you can adjust the slack in the cable by sliding it back and forth in the bracket.




The original bus cable and tube are moved over to the right side. I found a spacer that was a slip fit over the end of the bus cable tube and welded it to the bracket. The tube fits right into it and there is no need for anything else to hold it there. Just slip it in. The wires are not as close as it looks.

[air skooled]

One more thing. You need to make a heat shield to cover the exhaust. It doesn't need to be a huge elaborate thing. It will help keep the engine compartment temps down. This was originally bent to clear the exhaust test tube, but I decided to just remove it later, so It could have just came straight down.



Well I am very happy with the way it turned out. Took a little longer than I wanted it to but life threw me a few cure balls just to "F" things up. So I've got this '80 Vanagon and all the OG parts necessary to convert it over to water cooled and a 210 hp Vortec V6 sitting on an engine stand. I think I'll get an KEP adapter coming and make it happen. No, I'm not going to put a subaru motor in it. I have a subaru motor and it is going in my baja bug.

[SauerKraut]

[zzzdanz]

Congrats on a project well done bro!..Looking forward to seeing the next 1

[Norman72]

Great job on this. Like I said earlier I plan to do the same to my 72. I am pulling the motor today out of the donor car. Your link has been bookmarked and your responses appreciated.

Please keep us updated once the weather warms up and you get more seat time.

Craig

[air skooled]

Thanks guys and your welcome. Mike picked up the bus yesterday and I went for a short drive with him. The guy couldn't wipe that smile off his face if he tried.
Maybe he will reply and tell you how his drive home went.

[tristessa]

Any chance you'd be willing/interested in making more of those fuel pump mounting plates? I've got a JH 1.8 in my Bus with CIS injection, and it'd be nice to get the auxillary battery tray (where I've currently got my pump mounted) back so I can put a battery there.

[SauerKraut]

Thanks guys and your welcome. Mike picked up the bus yesterday and I went for a short drive with him. The guy couldn't wipe that smile off his face if he tried.
Maybe he will reply and tell you how his drive home went.

A couple days late, but here it is.

The drive home was plain awesome. The difference between air and water is like night and day.
The swap itself is one of, if not the cleanest I've seen into an aircooled bus, and I spent a lot of time researching the feasibility before even buying the first parts for the swap.

These guys did an amazing job on a tricky swap that threw one issue after another at them, and the hat is off to them for a great job. It turned out awesome.

The powerband of the 8v actually lets you drive it like a stock aircooled, or drive it like a bus with actual power. I can be driven easy and lope around town, or you can get up to 3500 and beyond and feel it lift the nose and really take off. On the flats, its speed is only really limited by air resistance and ****ty high speed handling; I hit 75 without even trying on a straight section of country highway before coming up on cars in front of me. There's probably more in it, but the goal from the onset was 65 anywhere, anytime, without the usual aircooled fickleness.

And it gets up to speed in a hurry when you stomp on it.

Im really happy with the power of the motor, it was a bit of gamble going with a smallish 8v, but it paid off in terms of power, and not having to modify the trans mounts to get it under the decklid, etc. There was enough work in it as is.
A VR was tempting, but would have made it a deathtrap without serious suspension and brake improvement.

This fan setup is one of the most efficient I've ever seen, it cools temps by 50 degrees in a matter of seconds. When cruising, temps are consistent, and the fans rarely cycle when you're moving.


Only things on the horizon now are some T bolt clamps for cheap peace of mind, not because they're absolutely necessary, coolant heater for under the dash, and some sound insulation for the whole thing, which I'd planned for a while anyway.

That's about it.

[Padfan1]

ttt