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So a few years ago I picked up a 1977 Baywindow bus from some crazy hippy lady in Ottawa. We flew out to Ottawa and then drove it home with no heat in the last weekend in November.   When we went looking the idea was to find one that had a good body and assume the engine was a write off because it is impossible to tell how well it was treated. The body is in good shape but the front doors needed a refresh so I did that last summer with all new seals so driving in the rain is no longer a moist experience. So we have had it for a few years and have done a few camping trips with it and are finding that the engine is pretty tired. One of the previous owners removed the cooling flaps in the engine tins so the oil cooler isn't really doing much and the fuel injection has been replaced with a crappy single carb setup. I had thought about overhauling the engine but have started to realize that the expense and effort still leaves you with a 40 year old 70 hp air cooled engine. I have no way of getting the original fuel injection back so I have started on the alternative which is a subaru swap. Picked up my donor car last week and have started to remove the relevant bits. It is a 2001 Imprezza with an EJ22 with a shitload of km's on it. It starts and runs fine but the rest of the car is hosed. Timing belt and pulleys were replaced in the fall and the rad was replaced a year before. My swap is going to be based on this thread. I like the rear mounted rads but I think I will flip the intake manifold rather than build a reverser. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=505597 I don't have any pictures but I started on this job yesterday by removing the dash of the suby to remove its delicious brains. It is so nice taking things apart when you know they don't have to go back together.
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Apr 26, 2014 15:48
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Spent the day removing the dash and support bar. Hell of a job to get at the heater core.   My prize for a days work is that engine computer at the lower right.  Next is removing the HVAC system and then labeling the poo poo out of the loom before I remove it.
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Apr 26, 2014 23:28
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Label the loom with things. Take pictures and ask and we can probably figure out whats what. If you don't need the HVAC system just smash the gently caress out of it with a hammer to get the wiring out from behind it. Since subaru puts literally everything in the harness, you can delete a ton of poo poo out of the harness to just run the motor. Make sure you have a Ujoint before you even bother to take the AC compressor off the motor. Also you can flip the AC compressor and the power steering stuff to the side and yank the motor, then retrieve them or ignore them based upon how you are doing your build. I am looking forward to reading more because :subaru:
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Apr 27, 2014 02:30
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I'm looking forward to this build as well. I've got a '74 412 which popped a main artery and pumped the crank case dry over the course of a mile, not sure if I'm going to replace all the internals yet or just do what you're doing. Since our vehicles share an engine in common, I'd imagine much of what you're doing I'll have to repeat.. I wish I could be of some actual help, though. Are you keeping the bus's transmission, or are you using the Subaru's? There's a place in  that cuts reverse ring & pinion gears, $1,500 a pop, not linking to shill for the place but it takes a second to look up.
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Apr 27, 2014 04:03
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Slow is Fast posted:Label the loom with things. Take pictures and ask and we can probably figure out whats what. Next step is labeling before I pull the harness. What do you mean by Ujoint? The AC compressor is still there but the condensor and piping were removed by the previous owner when he replaced the rad. Have you ever seen one with a flipped intake manifold? I am thinking of doing that but am not sure how much of a pain it is. I am going to use the bus transmission because they seem to do the job pretty good and using the subaru transmission gets pretty pricey and adds a whole other level of complexity to the job. Plan is to do it cheaply but I am going to spend some money on things like a prefabbed engine mount to save time.
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Apr 27, 2014 14:18
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helno posted:What do you mean by Ujoint? The AC compressor is still there but the condensor and piping were removed by the previous owner when he replaced the rad. http://www.harborfreight.com/3-piece-universal-joint-set-67869.html I also refer to them as "broken dinks" The AC compressor is a bitch to remove without one. The rear mount bolt is under the manifold. I know the turbo guys sometimes flip manifolds, I am not sure of NA off the top of my head but it probably can be done pretty simply.
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Apr 27, 2014 14:36
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I have no involvement with either make involved here but it's fascinating, please explain everything in idiot-level of detail.
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Apr 27, 2014 14:56
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Slow is Fast posted:http://www.harborfreight.com/3-piece-universal-joint-set-67869.html Now I understand. Picked up some wobble extensions for getting at some of the bolts on the dash support bar. The previous owner included the factory service manuals for the engine so trimming the wiring harness should be much easier.
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Apr 27, 2014 15:09
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I wish I had a Vw camper with such little bodywork issues. Having said that the main reason I will never replace the stock aircooled motor is the sound. That glorious sound you get for 5 mins between breakdowns! Love the thread and hope the swap is nice and simple, I know it never it but hey!
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Apr 28, 2014 10:55
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You just have to remember Rule 1 of driving aircooled VW busses. Have a spare rebuilt engine in the garage ready to go. I know from experience in high school you can swap 'em in under an hour with 2-3 guys to lift. 
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Apr 28, 2014 16:20
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There is another local guy with nearly the same bus he wants a spare engine. Might sell him mine but it is pretty tired. Started it up this morning to move it and test out the new steering gearbox. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6fSV--zKdI
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May 3, 2014 16:50
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Got some major parts in the mail today. Haven't gotten much else done as I have been working on my ultralight and doing some fence repairs. Kennedy engine adapter  Rockey mountain westy Bay window engine mount. This was expensive but saved me a lot of fabrication.  MSD inline fuel pump. Got this for about have off retail from a buddy who got it as part of a kit but had an in tank pump. 
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May 8, 2014 20:38
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Pulled the main harness today. Still need to remove parts of the body harness to make it work in the bus.  I feel like I should be wearing jorts in this picture.
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May 25, 2014 03:09
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The supportive and mod community for both Subaru and VW is amazing, and I'm not surprised the fanbases overlap in this way 
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May 25, 2014 03:13
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They really are a great resource. Sometimes the VW purists don't get it but you just have to ignore them. Here is my wiring harness after deleting the body harness.  I have wired up a small fuse block and a few test bits so I can run the car one last time before pulling it from the Imprezza. Plan is to do that this weekend. One thing that has gotten in the way is that my wifes car is on its last legs and the Bus is our backup vehicle so I don't want to take it out of service until the new car is on its way.
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Jun 26, 2014 03:18
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helno posted:Sometimes the VW purists don't get it... ...these are the people I see sat on the side of the road with their heads in the engine bay whilst their wives/girlfriends sit in the front, head in their hands wishing they were in a vehicle that didn't poo poo itself every few weeks. I really don't understand why people keep the stock motors in these things, they can barely manage motorway/freeway work without killing themselves and over here people travel down to Cornwall which is pretty hilly to get to in one of these things with a stock motor. Last trip down there I saw at least a dozen broken down. At least with a Scooby engine you pretty much never have to worry about being underpowered or something exploding at random.
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Jun 26, 2014 14:34
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My only reason for staying stock is the noise. The glorious rattle of an aircooled VW camper/Beatle is the BEST.
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Jun 26, 2014 16:43
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I'm in the process of finding a VW mechanic to do the annoying poo poo I don't want to do again (alignment, suspension bushings, etc). I thought I find a good one, but when I mentioned how I added a canister oil filter, he rolled his eyes and started telling me how I didn't need one blah blah. Bitch there's no reason NOT to have one.
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Jun 26, 2014 16:44
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thegasman2000 posted:My only reason for staying stock is the noise. The glorious rattle of an aircooled VW camper/Beatle is the BEST. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6fSV--zKdI The aircooled mechanic tells me that awful tick is a bad exhaust gasket but the oil boiling in the heads after being on the highway makes me think rod knock. This should take me from being dangerously underpowered to being reasonably gutless.
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Jun 26, 2014 21:39
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helno posted:This should take me from being dangerously underpowered to being reasonably gutless. Still not as bad as the wasserboxer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejA1tBuCxJg 0-60 in 37.2  This is what you call rather leisurely vehicle motivation. If what he's saying is true it took that van 8 seconds to go from 55-60. The Vanagon I had was 'powered' by the 1.9l wasserboxer. It really was that slow. Vanagoon fucked around with this message at 07:59 on Jun 27, 2014 |
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Jun 27, 2014 07:54
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thegasman2000 posted:My only reason for staying stock is the noise. The glorious rattle of an aircooled VW camper/Beatle is the BEST. I have a dumb question. Back in the day when (rea) beetles and buses were common on the streets, they always seemed to have a characteristic "tweet" or "chirp" sound commensurate with the exhaust pulses. Today whenever I see an ACVW they never have that sound anymore, it doesn't matter if they have modified or stock type exhaust. Why is that? I miss that sound.
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Jun 27, 2014 16:17
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All of the blowby drowning it out  Either that or people finally learned, after 40 years, how to tension the generator belt.
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Jun 27, 2014 17:39
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Tested out the harness. Everything works. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mexaCMW6kko The only codes were related to the disconnected fan relays and the fuel tank solenoid.
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Jun 27, 2014 23:15
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helno posted:Tested out the harness. Everything works. Sounds good. Should be awesome.
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Jun 27, 2014 23:19
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Sounds really good and you are way ahead of me in stand alone subaru ECU harness building.
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Jun 28, 2014 03:10
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trouser chili posted:I have a dumb question. Back in the day when (rea) beetles and buses were common on the streets, they always seemed to have a characteristic "tweet" or "chirp" sound commensurate with the exhaust pulses. Today whenever I see an ACVW they never have that sound anymore, it doesn't matter if they have modified or stock type exhaust. Why is that? I miss that sound. Cheaper exhaust tips. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/dic/pix/peashooters.jpg Not many people replace these.
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Jun 28, 2014 05:49
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Slow is Fast posted:Sounds really good and you are way ahead of me in stand alone subaru ECU harness building. The car came with the factory service manuals. That made things far easier. I am an I&C tech by trade so if I have a good diagram I can figure things out.
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Jun 29, 2014 02:57
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A VR6 swap would be pretty sweet, IMO. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HaVBHyREd4 R-Type fucked around with this message at 05:33 on Jun 29, 2014 |
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Jun 29, 2014 05:31
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Engine is out.  Pulled the valve cover to take a peek at things.  Just kidding (That was Sockingtons EJ25 a few years back)  Not bad for 420000 km (263k miles)
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Jun 29, 2014 19:21
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Not bad? I refuse to believe that's anything but a replacement head, there's no loving way it's that clean at that age, even with regular maintenance. As for Sock's engine, was that this one? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ale09ZVeCjY
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Jun 29, 2014 21:53
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Yeah it was that one. This could have new heads but they would still be 200000km old at least. The PO has a list attached to the engine showing what was done going back at least that far. Hopefully a yard will be open so I can get the rest of the car out of here and have more space to work in.
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Jun 29, 2014 22:15
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My Fozzy had the exact same mileage on it when I pulled it earlier this year, and it looked almost as spotless. I couldn't believe it, especially since I knew it had overheated at least 3 times.
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Jun 29, 2014 22:18
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It's a 2.2, it'll be fine. Those heads look great and the heads rarely have issue. My DD has a 180k mile shortblock with 165k mile heads on it and I flog it like a rented mule daily and it's a sissy weak 2.5
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Jun 30, 2014 14:33
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Yup, that's an EJ22 alright. The only thing that ever goes bad on them is exhaust valves. That engine will laugh as you are lowered into the earth at your funeral.
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Jun 30, 2014 14:36
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Well the rest of the car is off to be recycled.  One wrecking yard spent a very long time explaining why he was practically giving money away by coming and getting this car with no motor and he couldn't possibly give me anything for it and how he might be able to get it later in the week. This guy asked if it still had a radiator and offered me $100 and showed up only a few hours later.
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Jun 30, 2014 23:12
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Managed to fit the bus into my garage. Ii have very little clearance with it jacked up. Pulled the starter. There is a shop in town that does nothing but rebuild alternators and starters. 
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Jul 3, 2014 02:10
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Got the engine out of the VW. It was much harder to get out because of all the tinwork that is part of the body. It is quite a bit bigger with all the engine tin and exhaust. The clutch looked pretty good but I already ordered a new kit.
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Jul 5, 2014 01:47
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Got some work done tonight. I have been fixing lawn tractors for the last while so not much time spent on the bus. Next big step is to mount the rads. Here is the old VW lump.  Here is the adapter installed with the new clutch. 
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Jul 16, 2014 03:13
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Maybe I just can't see it from the angle but where does the starter bolt up?
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Jul 16, 2014 17:49
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In that picture you are looking at the back of the engine. The starter attaches to the bellhousing which is still attached to the transmission of the bus. The two bolt holes on the left hand side of that picture are where the bolts for the starter go through.
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Jul 17, 2014 00:25
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