Thursday 1 December 2016

Running rougher & increase in noise......

Rough and noisy running.......

So after a month of running the s/s vintage speed exhaust I have noticed a sudden increase in noise and a rougher sounding engine.

No loss of power or speed BUT you just know your engine and know when it changes.

So took the van off the road and took the wife's car to work this week.


Initial checks


1. Check and tighten ALL exhaust bolts - Suspect a leak in the exhaust. No sign of anything. Some bolts a little loose BUT no leaks that I could see.

2. Run VCDS Log - Hooked up the laptop and took idle logs, results looked fine no DTCs or any obvious changes in readings from all sensors.

3. Cleaned oil / crankcase breather - My engine always suffers from oil / water mayo at the crankcase breather around the oil filler and via breather valve pipes. Cleaned them all out with some WD40 and refitted

4. Tappets - Re-set tappets. 2 valves where a little loose so reset them. None where tight (Tight valves are = bad valve seats or stretched valves)

5. Checked distributor cap and rotor arm - Some mild tarnish / matt colour as they have done quite a few miles. Just cleaned them up as there where no other obvious problems.

After the above still sounded quite loud and sounding rough.

So not cured with the above. Was worried that the engine could be on the way out SO decided to check the worst things so this week I did a compression test & check sparkplugs.


Sparkplugs


So removed all sparkplugs



So here are the four plugs barraged in the cylinder positions.

All plugs showed a good tan colour indicating a correct mixture (was expecting black rich carbon)

Some plugs had a cracked patterned gunk on them. Here is a close up


So this does not look like a running issue or maybe a rich BUT burnt on effect due to high temperatures.

So plan is to replace all plugs with my spare set and clean these up and keep them as a spare.


Compression Test

So once the plugs are removed managed to get my compression gauge installed (quite hard screwing a rubber hose into the sparkplug threaded holes)

Once installed the procedure is to remove Fuse 14 (20A fuel pump and injector fuse relay power) so no fuel.

Dis-connected coil to distributor main HT lead so no spark.

Turn over the engine on starter 5 revolutions with a WOT (Wide Open Throttle) and the gauge will show and hold the peak compression in psi.

So here are the results

1 = 135 psi
2 = 140 psi
3 = 140 psi
4 = 140 psi

So all are high and within 10 psi of each other. So no issues with valve / cylinders etc.

Great engine is in good condition!

So what further issues could it be:

1. Vacuum leak - Suspect there could be a vacuum leak as had a few instances of rough idle. Smoke or pressure test this next.
2. Sparkplug condition - Replacements should confirm this.
3. Exhaust leak - Cannot see one but will do a test to confirm
4. Exhaust internals - Could be just the exhaust baffle working loose or broken inside. my mate Ben had a vintage speed which went wrong and had to get a replacement. Maybe the same BUT hard to prove without anything to replace it with.

So maybe maybe its just me being paranoid. Glad compression tests results where good!

Update to follow.........




Sunday 23 October 2016

Brazil Kombi - Vintage Speed Exhaust

VW Brazilian Kombi Bay - Vintage Speed

After my exhaust finally gave up and the last exhaust box fell off it was time to fit my new exhaust.

After considering the options (see earlier post) I decided to go for the Vintage Speed system.


Here is the old back box. Clean break at the pipe inlet. Also to note the quite large hole in the top where the water drips on the box.


Here is the old system in place with the bumper & valence removed for easy access.

Carefully removed all nuts from the old system (especially the head nuts as I did not want to damage or pull out the head studs.... Plenty of WD40 first!)


Old system removed


Old header, CAT, & J-Tubes


Old Boxes (note the bandages holding the other box together)

New Vintage Speed Exhaust:


Here is the details of the Vintage Speed exhaust. Bought the standard exhaust as its good enough for the 1600cc. Purchased the 38mm s/s J tubes (could have gone for 35mm but decided bigger is best if I ever uprate the engine at a later stage)



New vintage speed exhaust system laid out.

Now the kit came with the adapters from the standard classic bays using the flared adapters for heat exchangers. As I am using 38mm Flanged J-tubes these are not required BUT new flanged adapters (approx 1-2" length are required)

These adapters where out of stock at VW heritage so order from Machine 7 BUT they where the wrong ones!



So found the correct ones and went straight to Vintage Speed UK (Thanks to Dan for quick dispatch) but they will not arrive until Tuesday.

Will update this post WHEN they arrive........ Stay tuned.

**UPDATE **

So final parts arrived and full exhaust fitted. 

First impressions - Nice sounding exhaust not under load but quite quiet during idle and constant acceleration.

Still have the feeling that the system is running rich and had a few issues with a lumpy idle. Suspect a vacuum leak and throws a Lambda and adaption DTC fault code after a few months of driving BUT the DTC clear and I cannot find any other issues.

Logs taken show good Lambda sensor switching once per second and running from about rich @ 0.8v to lean @ 0.1v with the average being 0.45V (Lambda = 1) for the data shows its running fine and spot on 14.7:1 ratios

So will see at MOT time if the emissions are OK (worried a little about not having a CAT but if running Lambda of 1 should pass)


Wednesday 19 October 2016

Brazilian Kombi - Exhaust Options

Another issue! More new parts required.

OK driving home from work this evening I heard a scraping sound every wheel turn coming from the rear off-side (drivers side)

Just about to join a major roundabout the noise worsens. Oh great, my initial thoughts turned to the major works I did a few months ago (see earlier posts) so I had a mental image of a CV joint and drive shaft dragging on the road.

So went round the roundabout and back to a small side road. Pulled into a space and decided to reserve into a better space to inspect, fearing the worst.

When reversing there was a allmighty noise and loud bang.

So got out and found the exhaust final box sitting on the tarmac.

Oh.... at least its not the gearbox......

Put the rear box in the sliding door and got out the inspection lamp to inspect for any damage. NONE! Clean break at pipe. No damage.

Ohh... off I went.... sounding like a monster truck / tractor or boy racer.... took it slow on way home but made the 16 miles avoiding police cars and cruising mainly in 4th gear to keep the noise down....

So NEW Exhaust required - Been putting this off for a while (Exhaust filler and jubilee clips to hold the boxes together)

Right onto the main reason for this post - WHICH EXHAUST should I buy?

Here are the options:


Brazilian Bay

Stock System:


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20151220_104045.jpg

Stock Costings:

VW Heritage:

Stock Steel.

Silencer, Left, T2 EFI VW Brazil Aircooled 1600
Left hand side exhaust silencer for Air-cooled Brazil Kombi
Part ID 040253609
£131.95

Silencer, Right, T2 EFI VW Brazil Aircooled 1600
Right hand side exhaust silencer for Air-cooled Brazil Kombi
Part ID 040253610
£116.95

Gasket, 3rd joint, VWB Kombi
3 hole exhaust gasket joins left and right hand sides towards front of engine.
Part ID 040251509
£4.01

Total = £131.95 + 116.95 + (4.01*3) = £260.93

Cool Air:

Stock Steel.

Exhaust Silencer - Aircooled Brazilian Bay - Left, EFI
Brazilian Bay Danbury fuel injection exhaust for all Aircooled Brazilian Bay Buses.Left Hand Side.
Part ID 040253609
Price: £129.50

Exhaust Silencer - Aircooled Brazilian Bay - Right, EFI
Brazilian Bay Danbury fuel injection exhaust for all Aircooled Brazilian Bay Buses.Right Hand Side.
Part ID:040253610
Price: £114.50

3 Hole Exhaust Gasket - Brazilian Bay
Replacement 3 hole exhaust gasket which joints the left and right hand side 3rd joint of the exhaust on all aircooled and watercooled Brazilian Bay Buses.
Part ID: 040251509
Price: £3.50

Total = £129.50 +114.50 + (3.50*3) = £254.50


Longlife.

Brazilian Bay special price from Longlife Exhausts (Swansea)

Left & Right boxes + Pipes Stainless Steel
£359 Delivered.

Early system
26-096.GIF

This early system was fitted to Brazilian Kombis in the 1990s. Neat simple BUT impossible to buy in the UK and very hard to find even in Brazil! Hens teeth!

Custom Options


CSP make classic bay parts. Could use the muffler but on further investigation the flange is the wrong size and the tail pipe exits on the wrong side so the tail pipe will face upwards and clash with the valence. There are CSP parts so they could be bought in parts and a system "could be made to fit" High risk and expensive.






CSP Universal Parts:


Universal high quality CSP Python exhaust performance muffler 2,5"






Vintage Speed:



This is the heater version




This is the merged version with no heaters and also equal pipe lengths from both sides.

The vintage speed has been fitted on one other Brazilian Kombi owner and is said to pass an MOT even without the stock CAT fitted. It has the Lambda port (right hand side) so ECU and injection system will be happy.

Short and compact and trusted on many a classic bay.

Only risk is it fails the emissions test as there is NO Stock CAT.

Vintage speed prices:

Box £380-410
J Tubes £80


Options Table:


Name
Description
Price
Stock Steel
Steel 2 Boxes, rusts, stock emissions
£260
Stock Longlife
Stainless Steel 2 Boxes stock emissions
£359
Stock Header+J
Stock Header system - Steel Only available
£300
Stock Early
Single Box - Not available
N/A
Custom
Kit form s/s expensive parts, assembly costs No CAT
£300+
Vintage Speed
Simple s/s, Lambda port. No CAT, emissions unknown
£460

After considering the table my main options are Longlife (Using my older header and CAT) OR Vintage speed

Which one? I will sleep on it...............

Sunday 11 September 2016

Window Winder


Went to wind my drivers side window last week and it got 3/4 of the way up and the handle just went round and the window did not go up or down.

Lucky I was in the work car park and could leave the window open and thank god the rain held off.

Anyway ordered the late bay window winder from VW heritage on Friday and it arrived on the Monday.

Managed to remove the old one push the window up and hold it up with a piece of wood over the weekend.

So removed the old one by taking off door card.






Removed all screws and fixings


Still got the original moisture barrier plastic intact 



Once all removed started to look at removing the regulator mechanism. The Brazilian bays have two 10mm bolts around the winder handle and then pot rivets for the upper and lower mounting of the regulator.


Winder bolt holes


Drilled out lower rivets


Drilled out upper rivets

To remove the regulator I removed the window clamp from the regulator and taped the window in its up position (away from the drilling of the rivets) Drilled out the rivets.

Then I lowered the glass down. Removed the 10mm headed screw which holder the lower part of the quarter light and left window channel.


Now comes the fun part. You have to waggle the regulator around and somehow slide it between the above bolt and the channel. Its quite tight between them but after a log of pulling and tugging it comes free.


Once the new regulator arrived it was time to put it back in. I had to enlarge the top and bottom mounting holes to allow a 10mm bolt to go through as it had tapped threads instead of pot rivets. So  decided a bolt in classic bay style was better.

Now one the regulator is out you need to push the window back up and hold it up with some tape. Then waggle the new one in. After some pushing and pulling it went back it. Bolted all 6 bolts to fix it in place and replace the bolt which holds the channel in place.

Now push the window back up and attach it using the bolts through the large holes at the top.

No I have left the door card off for now to see how it all settles in. All good after a week.


Looking inside the bottom of the door there is not much evidence of the waxyol I put in a few years ago. I am going to paint loads more before putting the card back on.

Wednesday 13 July 2016

New Bumper

New Bumper

After driving into a low wall in a Tesco Express car park a year or so ago it bent and damaged by rear bumper on the right hand side.

Bumper Vs Wall - 1-0 to Bumper.


As you can see the wall came off worst!

Anyway the bumper needed replacement as it was starting to rust and look terrible.

Found a e-bay discounted one from Status VW who sell Just Kamper returns for £91 Bargain!

It arrived and sent it off to local Powder coaters for a 2 coats of white powder coat for £40.

Went to fit it - Oh dear! - Brackets are correct but in completely the wrong place!


So new bumpers brackets are about 100mm in the wrong place!

So cut through old spot welds. Fitted Brackets to the van and tacked welded the brackets to the bumper once alignment was checked.

The spot weld did blister the power coat but only visible as 3 spots on top on both sides.

Should have trial fitted BEFORE PAINTING! but I just thought it was advertised as a direct swap stock Brazilian bumper!

Here is the end result:



I am not going to buy any more parts other than stock!

Thanks to Matt for the use of his welding & grinding expertise.

Gearbox Replacement Procedure

Brazilian Bay - Gearbox Replacement


This is a summary guide of my Gearbox replacement.

The Brazilian Bay Kombi gearbox is made in Brazil and is known to have reliability / poor quality manufacture and is best replaced by a German Gearbox.

Here is the progress summary of my Gearbox replacement. Basically its a Late IRS Beetle Gearbox from a 1300-1600cc Late Beetle (1302/1303s Models with the 1600s being the best)

In this case I swapped the RP code Brazilian Bay Gearbox with a 1302s 1600 AH code gearbox

Firstly find and select a suitable gearbox here is my AH code gearbox (new CV joints or Beetle CV joints are required as beetle Gearboxes have a 94mm Diameter CV joint and Bus / Brazilian Bays use a 100mm so you will need to have Bus Outer & Drive shafts and Beetle Inner CV joints)


You need to clean the gearbox and remove old CV joints.


Remove rear bumper & Valance:


Remove Engine:


Remove Old Gearbox:


Swap Over Nose Cone & Hockey stick from Old to new:


Install Beetle CV Joints on van:


Install new gearbox & connect up:


Refit engine. Test gearbox while still on axle stands to ensure all gears work.

Once satisfied away you go with a German Quality Gearbox.

Full comprehensive write up of each phase of my install is on my T2bay bay blog.


I will include this in a full step by step guide in the next version of the service manual also found on my blog.














Monday 27 June 2016

Broken Gearbox - Phase 6 Engine Install

Broken Gearbox - Phase 6 Engine Install

Phase 6 - Last phase. Install the engine connect up and finish!

After completing the new gearbox install on Saturday morning it was time to install the engine!

Texted good Friend Matt (aka Mr Quickfit!) and asked for balancing hands and also his larger trolley jack to help install the engine.

Matt & his van Frank arrived. It so much easier to lift engine and install with another pair of hands.

Despite the 20 degree slope on my drive we managed to lift the engine and roll it towards the awaiting gearbox.

First attempt was slightly tilted at the top (looking back the slope on the drive will mean that as it goes in it needs to be lowered to compensate) but after lower and a little bit of wiggling in slid the engine.

Quickly in with the engine mounting bolts & nuts. Engine was in!

Installed & connected up fuel lines, filter and all associated auxiliaries.

Struggled for an hour trying to get braided accelerator cable into locking bolt on throttle body. Every time we cut the braided cable the cutters crushed the braid meaning it would not go in. In the end enlarged the hole with a drill to give the braids in.

Decided to install battery and start engine without rear tin and valance to confirm we had 4 forward gears, neutral and reverse.

Engine started first time once the fuel had pumped through. No leaks. Sound mean with only the CAT in the exhaust!

Checked clutch and all 4 gears and wheels rotated correctly and reverse was good. It was great to see the wheels move again!

ALL GOOD! No leaks no issues!

Installed exhaust - The rubber mounts are tricky to clip over the hangers BUT Matt just clipped them in straight away and has now been given the nickname "Mr Quickfit!" as I think he might have been an exhaust fitter at Quickfit in a former life!

First Drive Impressions:

Rear valance installed dropped off axle stands and chocks away.

Getting off the drive was very nerve racking but away we went for first drive round the block!

First impressions - Same acceleration in 1st and 2nd. 3rd is much longer allowing me to get over 50 mph before changing. Did not really get much 4th gear yet.

No more crunching going in to 2nd! I always thought this was my gear level adjustment but it was actually the old Brazilian Gearbox (RIP!)

Clutch is a little softer but might need some adjustment to tighten it up. Good gear selection but a little stiff but I am sure once the gearbox oil as got everywhere and starts to wear in. The hockey stick was a little tight on the gear selection forks so this is to be expected.

I am SO PLEASED! All that hard work and late evenings, grease and oil have paid off and the replacement gearbox is so far so good.

Next few days of shakedown testing and a re-check of all bolts and a CV clip to replace.

The Big Thank you!

I could not have done all this without the support of my Family and Friends and I would especially like to thank the following people.

My beautiful, supportive and loving wife Charlotte

You have supported me throughout this giving up your car, driveway, evenings, husband and allowing me to erect the "party tent" while still bring me cups of tea and kind words of encouragement and support through all of this. I could not have done this without you. I love you x.

My Boys

Thanks must go to my two great boys who lost their dad for a week. Thanks for taking an interest and asking about the progress and the thumbs up through the sitting room window. A dad could not ask for better two sons and I am really proud of you both!

Mr "Quickfit" Matt.

Your supportive words and helping hands throughout this have been great. Your ability to clip exhaust mounts on in a flash amaze me. You and your family having to go to bus stop over without us. Your a true Friend.

DazDub.

Online Member of the Brazilian Bay forum who did a Beetle / Brazilian bay gearbox swap a few years ago and wrote it up on the forum. Never met you but thanks for your write up and advice.

Anyway that's all folks!

More updates with progress and any debugging will follow.....

Broken Gearbox - Phase 5 New gearbox Install

Broken Gearbox - Phase 5 New gearbox Install

Next Phase 5 was to install the gearbox on Friday afternoon. Despite the rain showers the install went OK.

Major problem was the EMPI aftermarket front mount! There are just 4 holes. Two go on the gearbox and two mount to studs on the chassis from gearbox mount. Bolted to the gearbox was done in phase 4.Once the gearbox was mounted and the rear 27mm bolts installed but not torqued down. The two outer holes only one would line up enough to get the nut on!

Spent the next 3 hours attempting to adjust to get the 2nd nut on. G-Clamps, crowbars and lots a swearing did not make it want to fit.

Removed the mount and found it was curved so always one hole would never line it.

Another failed attempt led me to revert back to the stock Brazilian mount! Which of course fitted in 2 minutes!

The lesson is 

"Aftermarket parts never fit without modification, Stock parts quickly fit first time every time!"

I assume in a car factory assembly line time is critical and stock parts must be able to fit quickly first time.

So once the mount was secured in CV joints where fitted up but not torqued down. Most other items where installed such as Bowman Tube and Clutch cable etc.

Here is the finished install:


Rear EMPI Mounts & 27mm Bolts:


Left & Right Beetle Inner CV Joints:




Stock front mount (with additional new earth wire)
:

Front Linkage:

So finally stopped at 9pm on Friday night with everything installed.

Saturday morning started at around 11am. Torqued down 27mm rear bolts and front mounts. CV joints torqued down and boot clips installed.

Starter motor refitted & reverse light switch connected.

Saturday Lunch all finished ready for Phase 6 - Engine Install!