Turbo Diesel Cabriolet Project (with head porting pics)

[gldgti]

Finally found someone local to machine my flywheel, so I (again!!!) changed the flywheel yesterday for the original, now properly machined and lightened a bit to be just under 5kg (stock weight is around 5.8kg).

Working towards running it in the Nationals Supersprint, so a bit of work to do to make it nice and tidy in aid of a day of reliable running

[gldgti]

Well, its 4 times I've had the gearbox out now since the engine swap - needless to say I'm getting pretty damned good at it and also pretty damned sick of it.

Anyway, finally its running smoothly and once the flywheel and pressure plate are bedded in the clutch should hold too.

While I had the gearbox out, I took the oportuninty to do a few other things in aid of the upcoming supersprint. First, I swapped out the standard master cylinder for a later model 22mm one and associated booster. Also, I replaced the steering rack mounts with new red poly mounts (wow what a difference that makes!) and put a new (adjutstable) tie rod on the passenger side.

Tomorrow morning I have a 5 speed shift linkage kit to go in to make it "good as new". Basically, I'm just concentrating on replacing and refreshing things to make it reliable as opposed to fast for the supersprint - if I can go out and run it all day I'll be more than happy

[abreut]

Great, looks like you are on track for Wakefield. Those poly steering bushes do make a difference, makes you wish they never moved away from the solid rack mounting in the early golfs!

The best thing to do with our old/modified cars before a supersprint is just get them out and drive them a bit and hopefully flush out any bugs. Thats the one advantage us guys with still-registered cars have.

[gldgti]

Indeed - took the car for a bit of a drive just now and man those bushings are so much better. So much, infact, the gear linkaage assembly moved (rotated) up quite a ways, putting the adjustment way out and causing the selector arm to foul on the turbo intake pipe, where before it cleared!

Anyway I modified the selector arm to give it enough clearance for the turbo intake pipe and made a new bushing for the main shift rod and its beautiful now.

We'll be driving the car all week commuting to work as I now have to try and run in the clutch assembly.

Your not wrong though mate - nothing like a lot of driving to bring all the little bugs to the surface!

[gldgti]

I promise a video tomorrow, but for now, let me just say....

WORKING TACHOMETER!

[gldgti]

April 23, 2012 8:20 AM - YouTube

[Preen59]

Nice work, dude!

[Greg Roles]

Yeah, good to see someone from the old crew keeping the diesel tinkering alive!!

I've gotten so darn busy, but in a good way!

[hiho]

Nice work Aydan!

DId you use the "W" terminal technique? How did you go about calibrating it?

[gldgti]

I bought a laser tachometer from Jaycar to measure the engine rpm. I have a mk2 90amp alternator which already has the w terminal, so that part was easy.

I simply connected the tach up to the alt, +12V and gnd (while it was still out of the dash) and then adjusted the varistor to calibrate - easy! checked it at a few different rpms and found it to be as accurate as I could discern from the needle, so no probs there!

[gldgti]

Been doing some more work prepping the car for the supersprint - heres a list of what I've done since I decided to run:

> poly steering rack bushings
> passenger tie rod
> fixed small oil leak (due to missing bolt in the front end oil seal housing - whoops!)
> fixed alternator mounting to eliminate a vibration problem
> re-routed intake and hotside boost piping
> re-routed crank breather hose
> got tachometer working
> new block water hose
> new master cylinder
> SEAT booster
> new pads/rotors/shoes
> new clutch
> machined flywheel
> got tacho working
> rear beam poly pivot bushings
> renewed and adjusted gear linkages
> fixed dash panel a bit
> tidied engine bay wiring
> installed fire extinguisher passenger footwell (added reingforcing plate to underside of floor panel in the process)
> battery triangle and tow markers
> secondary bonnet restraint (or is it tertiary!)
> swapped cheap crap tyres off for firestone firehawk wide ovals, 185/60/14 on the 6.5" BBS
> removed audio equipment from boot
> remounted boost controller
> changed coolant
> painted a few bits and pieces


still to do...
> new injector tips
> new injector lines
> alignment

I took the car for a run last night and the clutch seems to be bedding in well, I didnt encounter any slip even with some full power 3rd gear pulls, so its looking good.

for now, heres some pics...

[Preen59]

Looks really good man. How do you think it'll go in the SS?

[jasn78]

Just read through the thread, and I really love the idea of a diesel cabbie Looks awesome man good work.

[abreut]

That's an impressive to-do list you ticked off there! 4 weeks to go you should be well prepared.

[gldgti]

Looks really good man. How do you think it'll go in the SS?

Thanks man. Well, I'm sure that trophies are well out of the question given the class I'll have to run in... (and that I'm a complete amateur) - BUT - I really hope I'll be able to run it all day without any hiccups and just get some laps under my belt, so to speak.

BTW - if anyone wants to come along on the day to hang out/help out/socialise, that's be awesome. Preeny?