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buzzboy
buzzboy UltraDork
6/2/24 9:58 a.m.

The mounts are adjustable so I can dial in a bit more clearance. Not a bad idea.

buzzboy
buzzboy UltraDork
6/6/24 12:15 p.m.

Engine and trans sitting on their mounts at the correct angles. Finally! And I dialed in a few turns off clearance for the oil pan. I'm so much happier with the new trans mount. Much simpler and I think stronger than the first go. I used another engine mount which made it super easy to dial in the height and angle. 

Shavarsh
Shavarsh Dork
6/6/24 3:08 p.m.

I will be very interested in your impression of the nvh from those mounts when you're up and running. They look like they could make life much easier for setting driveline angeles.

buzzboy
buzzboy UltraDork
6/6/24 5:42 p.m.

Me too. Curtis told me they weren't too bad in a 454 swapped car(I forget what). A v8 might be better balanced than my inline 4 though. 

buzzboy
buzzboy UltraDork
6/7/24 10:11 p.m.

The cheap intercooler pipe flare tool works pretty well

buzzboy
buzzboy UltraDork
6/11/24 3:46 p.m.

Saving another one for later. I'm going to use the VW fuel filter/water separator and relocate it to fender.

2 - is from the fuel tank to the filter
8 - goes to the engine
7 - is the return from the engine
1 - goes back to the fuel tank

 

 

buzzboy
buzzboy UltraDork
6/12/24 11:12 a.m.

Ewwww

Glad I decided to take the intake off for cleaning. Now how do I clean the ports?

Shavarsh
Shavarsh Dork
6/12/24 12:24 p.m.

The last one I did was on a gas motor, not sure if it changes things. I found it beneficial to do most of the cleanup with penetrating oil before switching to solvents. Also I found dryer lint brushes to fit the runners nicely.  Either way its a brutal task.

buzzboy
buzzboy UltraDork
6/12/24 5:41 p.m.

I can handle the manifold, I'm worried about doing the ports on the head. I don't want this crud getting to my valves or worse into the combustion chamber, right?

Sonic
Sonic UberDork
6/12/24 8:55 p.m.

Work one cyl at a time when it is at TDC and then vac/blow it all out.  

buzzboy
buzzboy UltraDork
6/13/24 1:27 p.m.

It's so nice putting 3lbs of E36 into a 5lbs bag. Unlike the Passat I'm able to space things out so I can get my big hands in to all the clamps and hoses and wires. Slowly buttoning up all the plumbing and trying to use as many parts from the donor as I can. 

I bought a RivNut tool that came in today. The fuel filter holder was my first go at it and I'm absolutely chuffed with how easy that went. 

buzzboy
buzzboy UltraDork
6/17/24 8:56 p.m.

The BHW TDI has a lift pump on the engine, known as the tandem pump, and nothing in the fuel tank. So I could have plumbed the supply and return lines straight from the Mercedes tank like factory. However I have read a lot of TDI swappers like an external lift pump to help with bleeding and for higher horsepower builds. This is a 6.5TD lift pump that I was recommended. If it fails, it'll still allow fuel to flow.

buzzboy
buzzboy UltraDork
6/25/24 1:19 p.m.

My NAPA doesn't carry random radiator hoses anymore. I spent a while on their website looking for a hose with a ~135° bend. This hose has lots of fun bends so I bought two!

I love a car where I can stand on the ground in the engine bay with the engine in place! 

buzzboy
buzzboy UltraDork
7/6/24 7:09 p.m.

Wiring has begun

Thankfully I stripped a w210 a few years back for all this "free" wire 

volvoclearinghouse
volvoclearinghouse UltimaDork
7/7/24 10:10 a.m.

In reply to buzzboy :

For crazy swaps like this, I've found you can buy hard (steel) coolant pipes in various bends (30, 45, 60, 90) and diameters, and connect them with short pieces of straight rubber. It looks a bit fugly, but works, and as a bonus (for the suction side hose anyway) they won't suck closed and won't need an internal spring. 

brad131a4 (Forum Supporter)
brad131a4 (Forum Supporter) HalfDork
7/7/24 4:41 p.m.

If I remember correctly I think you can use a older tdi intake manifold from a transverse mounted motor and have the throttle body at the front of the engine. So it would be a straight shot from the intercooler to the throttle body. Just my .02.

buzzboy
buzzboy UltraDork
7/7/24 8:03 p.m.

In reply to volvoclearinghouse :

I'm thinking about that for the suction side. Not too worried about the pressure side.

In reply to brad131a4 :

I've seen people using different manifolds, but I made it work fine with the manifold I have. I already set up the intercooler piping.

buzzboy
buzzboy UltraDork
7/11/24 8:52 a.m.

My dad is not a man to cuss often. He walked into the garage and described my mess as a "cluster berk." I didn't think it was that bad! I'm trying to finish up the plumbing before I start wiring which led to wiring up the fuel pump which led to setting up a fuse and relay board for the rear of the car including the fuel pump, rocket booster and brake lights. Thankfully I have all these nice long shots of wire so I can keep everything color coded front to rear. 

volvoclearinghouse
volvoclearinghouse UltimaDork
7/11/24 10:10 a.m.

In reply to buzzboy :

If that's a clusterberkeley, your old man would have a heart attack if he saw Sputnik's garage. 

buzzboy
buzzboy UltraDork
7/12/24 12:20 p.m.

Step two in wiring a car is to build a new transmission tunnel. I want to put my switch panel and ECU above the transmission. So my Passat hood is becoming the tunnel. Please excuse bird E36 M3 welds. I'm slowly improving

buzzboy
buzzboy UltraDork
7/13/24 7:33 p.m.

This is so far my best method for cutting steel with any sort of accuracy. Way better than a recip or wiz wheel. 

 

Almost done with this hood and therefore tunnel 

buzzboy
buzzboy UltraDork
7/15/24 6:21 p.m.

ECU mount and switches in place! 

And now for this

buzzboy
buzzboy UltraDork
7/21/24 2:40 p.m.

This morning I finished up the wiring by connecting all the sensors, injectors and glow plugs. But there was one sensor that I couldn't find. The MAP sensor didn't seem to be anywhere.

Oh, I found it

Wait that's not attached to my intercooler piping...

Glad I didn't throw away the factory intercooler piping. Guess I need to buy an aluminum MAP mount to weld into my intercooler piping.

Azryael
Azryael HalfDork
7/22/24 10:42 p.m.

Can't wait to see this thing running! A colleague of mine had a neighbor who has a 116-chassis with the 6.9 sitting in his driveway. Might ask him to see if he can get his number so I can reach out... not that I need another car.

buzzboy
buzzboy UltraDork
7/24/24 12:50 p.m.

Dad asked, "Are you getting close, or still a long way off?"

I wrote a basic list to "run and drive" the car

5 6 7 8

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