Due to arrive soon

[BruceK]

Cool.  It's all coming together.  Can't wait to hear how it drives with the changes.

[94touring]

Hopefully good!  I got those carbs all buttoned up and then realized I need to tap the one for the brake booster vacuum line.  I went through considerable effort to get all the tins correct.  One little intricate block off plate to fill a gap on the oil cooler to doghouse and two curved pieces that sit on the top of the heads between the plugs that direct air towards those exhaust area passageways more effectively...at least I'm assuming that's what they do.  Since the heater boxes are gone I found a guy who makes the tins that block the exhaust J pipes from the heads that's supposed to help with exhaust heat.  Once everything was screwed down and secured I took HVAC high temp tape and went around seams and gaps to make it all air tight as possible. 

[94touring]

Manifold metal was thick enough to be able to tap a port for the brake booster rather than having to get the proper aluminum gas for my spool gun.  Had a hell of a time finding a fitting that was acceptable for inside and outside diameter.  Ended up using a fitting I had laying around for an air tool.  Not exactly what I had in mind but it will match up to the brake booster hose as required and the threads matched the tap.  Good enough.  Next up was finding a vacuum source for ignition timing.  Up until now I knew nothing about webers so was fiddling around with them learning what all the bits and pieces are.  There are very tiny screws that once removed give access to manifold vacuum but good luck finding anything with a port that small that will screw in.  Was about to just tap and die on the manifold again but then discovered each carb has another miniature screw off a port looking tube that once unscrewed gives ported vacuum.  I'd prefer manifold vacuum for idle advance but really it doesn't matter since I can just program the mapable ignition and fool it.  Aside from that project I pin pointed where the jets are located and what's involved to swap them out.  Should be a painless process when it's in the car assuming I'll need to change jets.  I ordered a jet kit that gives me a pretty big range to be within. 

[MiniDave]

Did the engine builder run it in some, to check for oil pressure, leaks etc?

Seems like he would know what jets you should run, since he's somewhat local?

[94touring]

He's in California so not exactly local.  It's been run in and he gave a sheet of instructions to follow the first 2500 miles and checks thereafter. When I put in the order for the engine he was going to set the jets for sea level/Tulsa.  He had called me before shipping it out and said he was installing velocity stacks since the 40s don't come with them like the 44s do.  When I opened them up they were installed as he said they'd be, so I'm assuming the jets are setup as well.  Doesn't look like these carbs were the one's used on the test stand as the packaging was all new.  He did install those stacks so he did something to them.  The 115 mains in there seem lean to me and the 175 air corrections rich, but they overlap so maybe that's about right.  Online seems like a lot of 130/220 combos but with various cams and larger venturis for high rpm applications.  I have small vents for low rpm driving so the 115 might be right.  I'd call him but his communication skills are so bad I am just done dealing with him.  I did text when it arrived to say it was packaged nicely and asked a question about the mechanical fuel pump removal since his instruction sheet had a warning about turning the motor over without the pump installed. His text had gramatical errors to the point I don't know what he was trying to say, so enough of him.  It was clear a 2-4psi pump will work so the block off plate went on and the mechanical pump rod that sits on the drive gear came out.  The jet kit has mains one leaner than what's in and several richer up to 130, with all the air corrections leaner.  I figured if 115 is close then I can run a 110 when I'm in the mountains.  Or if 115 is crazy lean I'll have a window to play with.  The idle jet which effects idle to 2500-3000 rpms is a 55 which from reading is about what everyone runs.  I got a 52 and 57 to have some wiggle room there too. 

[MiniDave]

So, I'm confused....it's the transmission guy that's local?

[94touring]

Transaxle guy is in Tennessee.

[MiniDave]

Yeah, see? Local!   ;D

[94touring]

Usually don't work on Sundays out there but got bored and went out to put that carb back on.  Fiddled for a good while getting the linkages all synced up.  The left side wasn't opening the throttle bodies all the way.  Should be good now unless the idle adjustment is off, then I've got to tweak things again.  Seems easy enough to do and luckily I have my synchronizer once it's running.  Figured I'd go ahead and setup the distributor per the black box instructions by starting at TDC, twist dizzy pointing to plug 1, mark, turn to 70 past TDC, twist dizzy to match the mark.  Pulled the plugs to see how well the cylinder head temp sender would fit.  Well, to the head easy as could be because the head doesn't have the countersunk plugs that require dremeling to fit the sender.  However the plugs the head takes are a much smaller diameter and the sending unit fitting is too big to fit around the plug to form a seal.   I'll have to figure out a way to get the sender to touch the head around the plug area.  The plugs were sooty black when I pulled them so he had it running on the rich side. 

[94touring]

The end result for getting the CHT sender to work under #3 spark plug was removing the crush washer on the plug, drilling out a washer to fit snuggly around the plug, then welding the sender to the washer.  Went ahead and found a place to mount my oil filter since I had that option added to the engine with the full flow oil upgrade.  It's going behind the wheel well and behind a metal mud flap so it's safe from debris but easy to get to. The oil lines go between the exhaust so I've got some exhaust wrap to protect the lines from melting accidentally.  Will probably rig up something that holds them in place too, perhaps some kind of hanger from the exhaust studs.  The stock oil system holds 2.5 quarts unfiltered.  I added a 1.5 quart deep sump and the oil filter, which I went ahead and added oil and holds about a half quart.  So I should be right at 4.5 quarts now, maybe pushing 5 quarts once the oil lines pressurize.   The deep sump was fairly straightforward to install however being a noob to these engines and no instructions being provided I got to do it twice.  Old sump plate came right off, along with the pickup tube screen filter.  Old studs came out easy, except for 1 that was a real bitch.  New longer studs went in easily, pickup tube extension on without much of an issue, and things bolted up as you'd expect.  Added oil and sat there wondering why the kit had this one extra lock nut.  Came home and decided to look up what I might be missing.  Turns out the oil pickup tube has a tab inside the case that this lock nut goes on the new studs I just installed.  The one stud that was difficult had a locknut and washer on it. I was unaware of this and surprised it even came out.  Without the tab secured down the pickup tube could vibrate loose from the case to the oil pump and grenade the motor.  Well shit.  Drain oil into a clean container, using a fine strainer which I'm glad I used because I flushed out all sorts of fine metallic debri.  Took everything back off, fished out old nut and washer with a magnet, ruined the new gaskets of course so got to make a new set by hand, and got the new little washer and lock nut on the stud to secure the tab.  Everyone on the vw forum made it sound impossible without a special tool to reach this nut but I must be better than them or something because I did it without any problems in about 2 minutes flat.  A pic to illustrate...

Also on this sump it has fins which I'm thinking I'll utilize to keep oil temps in check.  I can easily add an extra oil cooler which many to most camper bus guys with bigger motors do.  Bugs are light enough heat isn't as of a concern than the weight and aerodynamics of the bus.  Since the sump sits somewhat out of airflow I think I'll mimic what one guy did which was create an air deflector to it. He said it really made a difference.  We'll see.  General consensus was busses benefit going up hills with the extra oil capacity either way.  I have a sensor and warning light setup to go off at 235°F.  Pic to illustrate...

Going back to fan cfm.  The uprated fan which is wider puts out 300 more cfm than the early narrow fan.  Redoing the math with the upgrades I have should kick me into the 2500cfm range at top cruise speed.   Just about double what I would get with the early stock setup.  Now if the gearbox would get here so I can put it all to test.

[MiniDave]

So, that pic of the deflector isn't your car?

Are you sure about those oil quantities? I thought sure a VW motor held 3 quarts, drop sump added a quart?

I would def invest in a thermostatically controlled oil cooler.....especially pulling the Mini in summer temps. You can always block it off in the winter - if you use the bus then....like to go skiing.

[94touring]

That's not my bus in the pic.

Yep 2.5 quarts.  The sump is a 1.5 but they have some that go up to 3.5 quarts.  If I add an oil cooler it will only open up past 180 degrees so no need to block off or remove it in that case.  I'm going to see how it does before I add more things to it.  The new doghouse cooler on it might be just fine with all this extra airflow.

[94touring]

Oh and another thing on the dual twin weber 40s.   I've been through them on the bench, read everything I could find on them, and scoured the vw forum seeing what people do with them.  Firstly I think the jets the engine builder put in will work.  Turns out CB Performance who sells kits and has weber jet recommendations have them ridiculously rich.  The reasoning being it's safe, runs good enough, and apparently no one gives a shit.  Another interesting thing is it seems set in stone on the forums to leave the air bypass screws fully closed.  But why?  No one knows and they get pissy if anyone ask.  What do they even do?  Well they synch the carbs to each other!  I guess vw people enjoy having 4 barrels out of synch.  It's been interesting reading thesamba forums gathering information.  100+ page threads on oil or jetting where the one "guru" with 45k post bashes and insults anyone who dares ask the same question twice.  I think it took me 12 hours of reading just to get through the one thread.  Want to ask about oil?  Better read the 175 page thread you imbeciles! 

[skmini]

When I had my bus I found the signal to noise ratio on thesamba too low.  I ended up finding a smaller online community of bus owners (type2.com) that matched my disposition.  Sort of like restorationmini.   ;D It looks like type2.com isn't as active as it once was.

[94touring]

Thesamba is generally crap and I won't be posting or asking questions. I do lots of research and reading however.  The one guy owns a vw business and is a total jerk half the time, but people kiss his butt for some odd reason. I don't get it.  Let me be extra rude to you guys and see how many paint jobs I get. 

[94touring]

Was supposed to go back to work today but my flight canceled so trying again tomorrow.  But I did get my Uni foam filter wraps in the mail along with the velocity ring.  Looking forward to the peace of mind the filters will filter all dust and dirt yet still flow well.  The K&N style on there now you can literally see through to the velocity stacks.  The fan velocity ring is a nicely made little unit.  Smaller in person than I visualized but then again the fan opening isn't exactly big either. 

[94touring]

Well nothing new.  Still waiting on the transmission. I did get the uni filter wraps on, finished header wrap by the oil lines, and added an angled oil filler since the orignal slanted one sucked.

[94touring]

Here's my solution to over priced oil breather boxes for VW's.  Rather than have some big can or box that cost in excess of $230 I simply used a $5 aluminum salt shaker.  I can tuck it up high and out of the way behind the one post. 

[MiniDave]

That's pretty funny!

Did you put a Chore Boy in it to catch the oil mist and vapors and drain them back?

[94touring]

Not yet but when I go to the hardware store this afternoon it's on the list.

[94touring]

Good news, the damn transaxle is finally done!  Turns out there was a lot to repair/replace on it.  Even the holes where the bolts go that mount it to the engine needed machine work.  I'm sure the bill will be extraordinary.

[cstudep]

If they found something as simple as the mounting holes needing machine work, that's generally not a good sign for the state of the rest of it for sure.

[94touring]

At some point in it's life those bolts were loose and it wallowed around opening the holes.

[94touring]

Transaxle arrived.  Well let me explain.  I landed somewhere in the middle east and got text from the guy who built it and some guy named Ken who lives in the next town over.  UPS took it upon themselves to deliver it to some random guy 30 minutes away.  My name and address clearly on the shipping label and not remotely the same as his.  Anyways the guy was extremely nice and hung onto it till I got home.  Spent some time talking once I got to his place about fly fishing and my travels.  Got to the shop today and started to get things installed.  Well UPS also dropped the transaxle, creating a crack where it mounts to the engine.  Transaxle guy filed a claim so maybe it will end up not costing me anything.  He said it should hold up fine and to drill out the crack, which I had already done and said F it I'll just install the damn thing and roll the dice.  It's magnesium so my alloy welding I attempted didn't hold up.  Otherwise I got it all in, the engine was a PITA with the twin carbs in the way.  Tomorrow I'm hoping to button it up and get it running.  We'll see.

[Willie_B]

Looks good, well all except the crack.