I changed the muffler, most nuts had to be torched loose. I chased the threads on the head studs with a die and cleaned everything with a wire wheel, it looked great when clean. While the rear shroud was out it got a coat of paint.
I adjusted the valves, they were all loose by several thou. I forgot to take a pic of the new muffler but you can see a bit of it here.
Surprise! A new head on the left side. It's clean and a different PN than the right head- not a big deal but the Samba guys mention a step in the combustion chamber that changed CR. I wonder if the CR is different on the left head than the right?
I beadblasted and painted the valve covers while they were off, and installed them with silicone gaskets. The left head has a cast VCG surface which is weird- all VW heads I can remember have a machined surface..
I removed the shifter, cleaned and repainted the shift lever.
Checked the front shift bushing and regreased it, it was tight.
I figured I'd check the rear coupler and pulled the inspection cover. I could phukking strangle the SOB that did this- he put about almost a quart of wheel bearing grease in/on/under the shift coupler. When we first racked this car I noticed that the the "duck bill" drain on the bottom of the tunnel was rotted from grease and grease was dripping out. I pointed it out to Nick and said that was weird.
Not only do you not need grease here, it wrecks the rubber bushings in the coupler because they're rubber and not neoprene. This guy needs a lesson about rubber, neoprene, and petroleum products.
Cleaning this old stinky grease out was a mess- not only was it hard to get to, but there's a bunch of sharp edges in there which cut the hell out of my hands.
Luckily I had a pair of new bushings on hand so I cleaned everything and put the new bushings in. This is what it's supposed to look like when done. I forgot to take a picture of the 40a MaxiFuse, it's just in the lower corner of the picture. This protects the main feed that goes to the dash and everything, VW "forgot" to put protection on this circuit like every other automaker does.
Right heater cable tube was rotted off at the end, I cut it shorter to find it clogged solid with rust.
Here's the heater cable after- tube shortened, reamed with a drill and wire brush, blown out, greased, new condom installed, I happened to have one on hand.
New left cable, freed up the heater flap valves. I checked the heater ducts with a mirror and flashlight, they're clean, no critters.
More critters...
Here's where we sit right now- I stripped the engine bay, cleaned and painted everything separately. I wirewheeled the aluminum castings, they shine like chrome. I cleaned the orange overspray off the diag connector and other items. I masked off the engine bay and painted the noise insulation and sheetmetal. The entire engine bay is cleaned, detailed, painted, and cleared. I used high temp on the heat riser tubes. I replaced the vacuum hoses and even put the stupid RPM/timing sensor thing back on #1 plug wire that goes to the diag connector (never to be used again in a million years) I set the old carb on there to support the air cleaner for mockup, we're waiting on a new carb and then we can run/drive it. I put 5 gallons of gas in the tank and sucked fuel through from the back to flush out anything that was in the new lines or pump. (I had already flushed the main steel line with carb clean and air).
Mon 11/17 4.75 hours. Replace muffler, heat nuts, chase threads, clean parts, coil, bracket, paint engine compartment, parts- coil, bracket, air cleaner, etc, install fuel pump, lines, clean distributor, install points and condenser, test advances.
Tues 11/18 3.25 hours Install plug wires, vacuum hoses, detail engine, locate and install extra shims for fan belt, install dist, coil, shorten dist wire. Adjust valves, blast and paint valve covers, replace heater cable, free up heater cable adj clamps, install fuel line, mask and paint engine surround, clean misc engine bay.
Wed 11/19 3 hrs Install valve covers, fab heater cable connection strap, install MaxiFuse in main power feed, clean grease from shifter coupler area, install heater tubes, repair fuel filler area.
Thurs 11-20 2.25 hours Remove, clean, paint shifter, fill fuel tank, bleed/flush fuel system, check for leaks, replace shifter bushings, lube front shifter bushing.
46 hours so far.
I drove both my Ghia and bus yesterday because it was dry and I needed to switch them- one was at home and the other at the shop. I don't think we'll be doing any driving today, got some snow and school's called off.......
