[rbryan]

Yes the title is correct. I am putting together a grand trip thru 8 countries and hope to end up in Panama. Two of the countries are quit wild to say the least.

Since "Ole Yeller" is down for the new timing belt and head job, opps can I say that, I thought I would really take it apart and prep it for this new life adventure. I am going thru about everything on the car and upgrading or renewing it.

This thread will follow the build out and the trip thru these 8 countries. Southern USA, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaraqua, Honduras, Costa Rica and Panama. The start date will be when I have completed the build out and am satisfied that all is ready.

The trip down will be done on one, yes one, fill-up of bio-diesel. I personally will make the bio-diesel so I know it will be correct. That tank will consist of 100 gallons of fuel,on a trailer, plus a full tank in the NB. So no stops for fuel just eats and rest.

I will literally start at the top of the car and work my way down. New headliner and new antenna to receive AM/FM/CB and GPS/WiFi. Going to try to keep it as non-discript as possible. Try to not attract much attention if possible. One country is in the top 10 for Americans to not be in. From there the interior will get some upgrade to the drivers seat. Then a new A/V system will be installed with moving map ect., plus front and back viewing and recording cameras. New windshield and then to the exterior.

I now have VR6 suspension with Audi TT 312 mm brakes but hoping to upgrade to an air bag system on all four corners. The LCAs will be swapped out for Audi TT as well as the steering knuckles, with new bearings and ball joints. New 108 mm axles and u-joints of course.

I will be cleaning up the casting on the head for better flow and cooling. New valves, guides and a regrind. Thinking about a Frank06 stage 2 cam, but not sure yet. I have an new hybred oil pan I will be installing also, with a new oil pickup. New A/C compressor and a new radiator as well. All new hoses and belts of course with the new timing belt kit. Also may use a fluid harmonic balancer, doing research on that now.
I am now running several mods, engine wise and have 55 watt HIDs installed.

I have a small boat trailer that I will be modifing for the trip. It will hold the fuel and the supplies that I may need along the way. Of course extra parts and tires. I will be installing a trailer hitch on the NB also.

Lots to do so follow along as I will be showing all of the build out and the trip in this and several other forums.

Happy times are here again...... I love being retired finally.
Richard55

 

[swimbug]

Wow. This is living! Not my kind of living, mind you, but inspirational, nonetheless. Our best to you...


Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App

 

[rbryan]

lol what is your kind of living?

 

[rbryan]

I pulled the headliner out for two reasons, one to replace the cloth and two to install new antennas.

Drivers seat is about to be removed and base will have new leather installed. It's out of a VR6 If I remmember correctly.

My guardian angel for the trip, a broken snowball.

 

[rbryan]

Now to the engine: I pulled the head off as I had stripped the timing belt and now must do a complete head job. All new guides, valves, seals and grind. This was not too smart on my part. Change the belt at the correct mileage. This also amazes me, two bent valves, 7 destroyed lifters and not one scratch on any of the pistons. I will pull the pan and replace it with the hybred pan and will report on the lower end at that time. Look how clean those pistons are, yeah for home made bio-diesel. B100 forever. Yes I make it myself.

 

[rbryan]

Pulled the head completely apart and thought I may as well cleanup the ports and polish them while it is apart and before it goes to the machine shop.
Hear is a picture of a stock port, there is a lot to clean up in those castings.

This pic is of the polishing close to the end.

 

[rbryan]

Here we go time for the build out pics. Ole Yeller is all jacked up and ready to start getting things changed

Remember to always use jack stands when working under your car, it hurts when one falls on you. lol

The current brake set up is off a VR6 with the Audi TT 312mm brakes, I will be changing everything over to Audi TT asap, I want the adjustability of the TT. Caster and Camber.

 

[rbryan]

There are a few differences in the stock spindles as compared to the TT spindles, but the machine shop will solve that.
The hub surface where the axle nut tightens is different and I am going with the stock NB hubs and this will solve that problem. Stock hubs have a much larger and flat surface for the nut to tighten and the new 108mm axles will work perfectly with these hubs.

 

[rbryan]

Here is the left side TT LCA ready to go to the machine shop for install of new hubs and bearings. Note the tie rod end is lower and sticks straight out compared to the stock NB spindle.

 

[rbryan]

Stamped out LCAs will be gone real soon.

 

[Chuckie]

What an astounding trip! Any idea what sort of grades you will be climbing? Is your external tank well baffled? 700 lbs of fuel plus tank and trailer weight on a 90 bhp engine is going to be amazing!

Damn I am envious! What an adventure. Make sure you take a digital voice recorder with you. This would make one helluva adventure script/ book!


Sent from AutoGuide.com App

 

[rbryan]

Lol I did't notice but my signature is not on this site. No not a 90 HP bug. It's right at 200 HP. It's a wow car to drive and own. I'll try to get the signature to work. thanks for the heads up.
Yes it will be very well documented, from these stills for the build out to a complete video of the trip. Also front and rear cameras. So video, from four different cameras and stills from my trusty crappy Nikon.
I will be updating the trip all along the way.

 

[rbryan]

Been working on other peoples cars these past few days. timing belts and IP installs. Will get back to the important things now. lol

 

[rbryan]

I did another mod in my ole garage yesterday. It allows us to replace the stock fuel filter with a much cheaper and better spin on fuel filer. Our stock fuel filters filter down to close to 10-15 microns, the spin on filter will filter down to 2 microns.
Here we go. I started out with a NAPA 4770 fuel filter adaptor and cut it down to size. It will go in the stock fuel filter bracket and will eliminate the fuel "T" as we don't really need it in the south and I sure will not need it on the trip to Central America.
This first image shows the adaptor and where to start cutting, with a hack saw, for get rid of the three hole mount, again we don't need it, so lets get rid of the excess baggage.

After cutting the mounting portion off, I ground off the excess to make it better looking lol.

I used my belt sander to do the trimming as it was fast, the sander has an 80 grit belt on it and it went fast. I mounted the sander upside down in my vise and just went at it. Please be careful.

In this picture you can see some of the excess trimmed off. So sand and turn, sand and turn until you are happy with your mount.

I then painted it glossy yellow, I did a splatter job on it as I messed up the hack saw cutting portion of the mod and ruined the adaptor. I wanted to finish it to show the mod and I will get a new one in the next couple of days, redo it and show the mounting portion at that time. LOL Look at both sides of the adaptor before you cut. A $22.00 mistake.

 

[rbryan]

Going to start on the next mod tomorrow or Saturday. It will be the hybred oil pan install. Look for pic and how to asap.

 

[rbryan]

Thinking very strongly about running an air-water intercooler. If any of you out there have done this please tag me back with your thoughts and options.

 

[rbryan]

Was going to do the hybred oil pan install today but decided to do a stealth EGR mod instead. I need to apologize as I only took fotos after the job was completed. :-( I have changed over to videoing all the mods and forgot about the stills. Here is the after fotos. It is very simple the way I did it. Took a hack saw and a dremel and just removed the interior of the egr. I left the shut off plate in place to prevent run a way. I also used two part epoxie to close the shutter valve hole in the bottom of the egr. I did this to create a smooth flow of air thru the egr, it would have really been tumbling if I had left that big hole in the bottom. I will still run the delete plate on the bottom just to be safe.

The epoxie is still drying here.

 

[rbryan]

It appears that I will be making up my own system for the intercooler. It appears that the pre-made systems are way over priced for what they have in them. My option only. I'll start with the bare cooler make the case and go from there. Too many off the shelf parts are around that will work as good if not better then the pre-fab systems. I will show that build as I do it. Yes it will be an air-water system.

 

[rbryan]

Well I have decided to pull the entire front sheet metal off the NB for access to the front of the A/C condensor. I need to get in there to see what kind of room I have for the intercooler or the heat exchanger. This will help me decide if I will go water-air or air-air.
I have called a couple of intercooler sales sites and they all have said to go with the air-air as I don't want to get in the middle of Honduras and have a mechanicial problem with an intercooler. I still have not decided which way to go. Everything tells me the water-air cooler is more efficent. ?????????????????

 

[rbryan]

Was going for the front sheet metal today, but saw I needed the car back about 5-6 feet and it was up on the jack stands, so I decided to do the R&I of the hybred oil pan. Here goes.
First thing you have to do is get all the crap out of the way, lol. Remove the belly pan, right wheel, ect.
Now down to the real nitty gritty.
1. remove the two A/C mounting bolts and pry the a/c pump toward the front of the car.

2. Next the three bellhousing bolts on the drivers side of the oil pan.

3. Break loose all the 10mm bolts that hold the pan on, don't for get the four hidden ones inside the bellhousing on the drivers side and the ones at the passengers end of the pan. I broke them all loose and got out the trusty drill with the 1/4" adaptor and went to town.

4. After they are all out, gently pry the pan off the block, slow and easy it will come off.

5. It's off and here are the gutts.

6. Chain, oil pump, and sprokets all in great shape.

7. Two 10mm bolts and R&I with a new oil pickup tube.

8. Clean off all the old RTV, take your time and get it all off, and install the new pan.

9. Check pan to a/c pump clearance and if good you are done. If not loosen the a/c pump and file off until you have enough clearance.
Another fine job complete. lol