61

General Discussion / Re: Eurovan syncro USA rollcall!!

« on: July 20, 2015, 02:59:02 am »

Here's the closest thing to a bolt up stock syncro trans for the VR6 / T4 I think you'll find but this will still require some custom work to mount and possibly/probably the driveaxles:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/311188106670?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Justin

62

General Discussion / Re: T6 Multivan pics from Wolfsburg / Autostadt Germany

« on: July 19, 2015, 02:26:03 pm »

Pics cont.:

63

General Discussion / Re: T6 Multivan pics from Wolfsburg / Autostadt Germany

« on: July 19, 2015, 02:14:12 pm »

Pics cont.:

64

General Discussion / T6 Multivan pics from Wolfsburg / Autostadt Germany

« on: July 19, 2015, 02:05:59 pm »

I spent a day in Wolfsburg last week cavorting around die Autostadt and here was one of the highlights for me: VWs new T6 Multivan in the highest trim model the Highline. This has a 2.0l TDI and 7-spd DSG trans, all leather int. and all around just a beauty.  Retail price: 74,948€

I spent about 30-mins talking to the showroom rep (in the best German I could manage) about our plight in the U.S. regarding the T5 and now T6 models. I got some commiseration and then she called over her Chefin (boss) to query why but in the end the answer remains the same. (politics, soft market for a $80k "minivan", etc).

So the best we can do is drool.....

Justin

65

Interior! / Re: Unscrewed!

« on: July 19, 2015, 10:43:32 am »

It could be the one machine screw that holds the plastic shroud to the column bottom/middle maybe though it looks a bit long.

Justin


2000 EVW 5-spd TDI

66

Diesel Swap Tech and FAQ / Re: Diesel eng options

« on: July 19, 2015, 10:20:56 am »

A few times yes :-)

Justin


2000 EVW 5-spd TDI

67

Shiny things you no longer want / Re: *SOLD*: Upper ball joint puller for VW EuroVan/Transporter

« on: July 12, 2015, 10:10:12 am »

One thing to note: I had this same Sealey tool and used it for a few years in the shop on a variety of upper ball joint EV jobs. I'm very careful with my tools and treat them as any professional would but the intense pressure at play during the use of this tool led to wear on the U shaped inserts that made its usefulness wane over time. I  would estimate that it is good for about 5-10 vans (so 10-20 ball joints).

Just a point of reference for you Rob so you can better amortize the tool in a rental program. And keep in mind renting it out to the public also means it won't be in the hands of professional mechanics who do this stuff everyday, so figure in some accelerated wear/breakage.

To wit, there is a sign at our local machine shop that says: "Don't bother asking, we don't loan out our tools."

Justin


2000 EVW 5-spd TDI

68

Interior! / Re: Mfa cluster upgrade diy into eurovan? ??

« on: July 12, 2015, 05:42:38 am »

Post a pic of your stock cluster/dash so this can be verified, but I think either an A4 Jetta/Golf MFA cluster  (not sure if the TDI models there in NA came with an MFA option, so u might be limitedor a T4 MFA cluster from a 97+ euro 2.5l TDI. These clusters can be adj via VCDS (instrument adaptation) for 4 or 5 cyl eng tach signal. These are very expensive btw, 400€+.

Justin


2000 EVW 5-spd TDI

69

Interior! / Re: Mfa cluster upgrade diy into eurovan? ??

« on: July 12, 2015, 12:34:11 am »

The Passat B4 cluster is pretty much plugnplay with the early T4a models (93-96 in NA).  However the U.S. B4 clusters are all fully electronic, whereas the T4a models use a cable drive for the speedo/odo.  This makes the B4 cluster the Provence for engine conversions that require this electronic VSS like a TDI.  Although the fanatical (ie adventurous) could certainly install an electronic VSS on their trans, ditch the antiquated cable and utilize the electronic B4 speedo/odo and have a cool lil sleeper mod.

The later T4b models (97-03 in NA) have a redesigned dash and utilize the next generation cluster, very similar to an A4 Jetta but the T4 one has different mounting tabs so A4 fitment into a T4 would require some custom work.

Fitting a B4 cluster into a later T4b would not be easily possible due to the redesign of the dash and inherent space limitations.  Also cluster wiring would be a minor nightmare as the plugs are different and all 22-28 wires that go from the fuse block to the cluster are all the same color: white.

Justin


2000 EVW 5-spd TDI

70

Inline 5cyl Petrol engine tech / Re: Turbo!!

« on: July 11, 2015, 02:10:24 pm »

Ok that's a different thing entirely than what I (perhaps mistakenly) thought Kamprknut was talking about.  A dual fuel engine that runs on gasoline OR LPG vs what I was referring to "LPG fumigation" ie, "fogging" or "fumigating" LPG into the intake air of the eng as a way to boost power output. This is controlled via a simple LPG rates solenoid valve, regulator, and a simple orifice port that controls the total # of BTUs of LPG being fogged into the air intake. There are several redundant "fail safe" features that are built into the sys to avoid dangerous situations (ie, accident eng stalls and LPG is still flowing, etc) but I guess this Turbo thread has been hacked enough so I'll leave it at that.

Back to turbos: So who wants to be the bold pioneer and do the legwork to research, purchase, fit and finish, drive and report on this?  Specifically a 2.5l 5cyl gas eng.


2000 EVW 5-spd TDI

71

Inline 5cyl Petrol engine tech / Re: oil pressure

« on: July 11, 2015, 01:58:06 pm »

The rule of thumb from the mechanic's school of wisdom is any time u have an oil warning light showing fault you must Dx the prob ASAP and the first Dx tool in this case is a good mechanical oil pressure gauge.

All VWs after some point in the late 80s have a "dynamic oil pressure monitoring sys". Basically this involves 2 oil pressure switches, one low (0.3-0.15 bar) and one "high" (1.15-1:08 bar) along with some circuitry monitoring RPMs. The principle is two fold and simple:
1) alert user when the eng has oil press below the press. of the low sensor; warning light is illuminated solid.

2) alert the user when the oil pressure at a pre set RPM (1800rpm for instance) dips below a pre determined level. Oil light flashes, and in some models an audible alarm is sounded.

This is a rough generalization from memory up through the A3 model yrs (99), and later models use a similar but more advanced system of alerting the driver.

So, that's how the system works. First step is to always check the oil pressure with a mechanical gauge
1) at idle and full operating temp FOT (87* C);
2) at FOT at idle, 1000rpm, 1500rpm, 2000rpm, etc.

Compare the results with the min OP found in the Bentley manuals.

Cold start oil pressures mean almost nothing so don't get lured into false good news by only checking that!

Ok VW mech school is jetzt geschlossen :-)

Justin


2000 EVW 5-spd TDI

72

Inline 5cyl Petrol engine tech / Re: Turbo!!

« on: July 11, 2015, 09:18:19 am »

Just to be clear "turbo" and "LPG" are independent things. I'm not sure exactly what you mean by a "turbo LPG kit" but I'm assuming you meant you want to add a turbo to your eng as well as an LPG sys?

Years back I built a LPG fumigation system on my old TDI Vanagon Westy. The results were overall good but not earth shattering. More like a minor after-booster switch you can switch on when you need a lil more juice.

Power was noticeably better with no noticeable effect on EGTs when the LPG was switched on; fuel burn was a little cleaner, less smoke and less downshifting when climbing in the mnts (4-spd with tall 3/4). Overall MPGs bumped up 1-2 mpg but this was somewhat offset by the addtl. cost of LPG in terms of overall cost savings. As my old friend Keeder would say "the only free cheese is in the mousetrap!"

Keep in mind all of this was with a 1.9TDI engine and I'm not sure if my results would be the same with a gas engine.  I could see building another LPG sys for my EVW when/if I mount a permanent LPG tank on it.

Viel Späß,
Justin


2000 EVW 5-spd TDI

73

Diesel Swap Tech and FAQ / Re: Diesel eng options

« on: July 10, 2015, 11:24:16 pm »

Rant cont.

As far as anemic diesel engines go the 4-cyl IDI 1.9l NA 1X engine was another offering in the rest of the world in the T4, along with the slightly more powerful IDI 4-cyl 1.9l TD ABL eng. These two engines were important engines in that they set the proving ground for the viability of a 4-cyl eng in the  later T5 chassis.  These can also be viewed as "gateway" engines in a similar way that marijuana is a gateway drug to crack, heroin and crystal meth according to Reagan era drug policy :-)

These 4-cyl T4 engine options provide the factory eng mounting parts and concept for installing "more power-wise apropos" 1.9TDI engines.  These engines were based on the 1.9TD engines and were a natural progression in diesel engine technology.  The block castings are nearly identical between the early 1.9 TDI engines (1Z, AHU, AFN, etc) and the indirect injection (IDI) 1.9 engines (ABL, AAZ, 1X, 1Y, etc). In fact, the only significant block differences between the two are on the TDIs there is a port machined into the front of the block for the crank position sensor--that's it.  There are other differences: pistons, rods, cyl head, injectors, etc, but the take home message is the early TDI blocks mentioned above have the same block architecture as the earlier 1.9l diesel engines that came stock in T4s in the rest of the world, and this is the starting point for understanding the oft asked: "why use the AHU/1Z eng and not an ALH or BEW, BRM, BHW, etc?"

TBC....

Justin


2000 EVW 5-spd TDI

74

Diesel Swap Tech and FAQ / Diesel eng options

« on: July 10, 2015, 09:48:09 am »

There are a lot of very efficient, powerful and clean diesel engines in the VAG (VW Audi Group) world
wide, but unfortunately none came stock in our N. American T4s. And yes I'm purposefully not including the anemic and filthy 2.4l NA 5-cyl diesel beast that did trickle into Canada models.

Justin


2000 EVW 5-spd TDI

75

Want to buy something? / Re: Cup Holder/Center Console from Later Model Eurovan

« on: May 29, 2015, 02:46:48 am »

Here's my favorite cup holder available any where. I've installed these on a number of VWs: Vanagons, EVs, EVCs, Passat B4s, etc. on my 2000 EVWK I have 2 up front in the cockpit and two more in the back replacing the sad OE ones:

http://www.ultimatecupholders.com/fischercupholder.html


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