VanagonLHS

Incredible! I love it! Beautiful job!

Awesome to see it mobile! Hope you get all the electrics worked out.

I had a dark blue/white wire dangling from the body control module that i had written off as some unrelated ignition-on feed that spidered off to the hevac and cruise control, among other systems I wasnt using, but it also fed the dial guages. I simply extended it to the feed source, plug c, pin 1, and I now have tach, speedo, gas level and coolant temp. wahoo. It was dangling like i hesitated to pare it out. the descriptor for it was vague, so it languished until i finally looked it up and connected it.. I still dont have the horns or the headlights. but I have a new walker dynomax muffler [made in the USA] and it sounds like a carrera now. she's not shifting as well as it had in the past, so I swapped engine and body brains and installed the original eagle tsi modules--and it runs. There may be different chipping in the deluxe models--I don't know--I will drive it tomorrow and see.. My stupid awning came down today that I work under-- the park gave me another ultimatum--it was fastened to the top of a perimeter fence-- so it will get re-engineered yet again. guages!!!

yes, i'm a thummmper fanboi. i love this project!

Think when this thing gets wrapped up, get it cleaned up and GRM needs to do an interview and a feature. Awesome, awesome build thread.

^^^ I second that.

Yeah, a vanagon article would be pretty damned good reading.

It seems the eeprom in the cm is learning still, and I suddenly have an airbag lite on. I'll just remove that lamp. the module for it is in a box in my shed. I will extract the extension wires from the van in a few weeks and wrap them up properly, just as with all the wiring--and the rusty parts will get powder coated in about a year or when I just can't stand it anymore. thanks for all the kind words--I am still in denial that it drives--constantly dodging the law, but with insurance and 3 day permits with no dates, I absolutely have to put some miles on her to collect more data-- like the coolant temps that hang at 160 in the engine...maybe its the coolant tubing being metal instead of plastic...not sure--and the brakes are effing flawless. the luck of all these things functioning so well is suprising-- although I need to get actual pressure readings from the steering system--the wheel feels unresponsive a bit--you can't wing through a tight parking lot steering with one hand-- next week i will visit my favorite chrysler factory mechanic and show him the van and pick his brain. the transmission doesnt perform like my trep--it feels like a city bus as it shifts. my razorback mirror needs remaking. It's too high and isnt tall enough--at 2" hi it could be 2.75" and recant the 2 outside panes on each side to shoot down over the shoulder more- I might make them all adjustable with a little knob behind each pane. something-- I am currently fabbing the engine hatches out of 16g sheet steel. Using it up leftover from the fuel tank--so far, so good.

thummmper wrote: My stupid awning came down today that I work under-- the park gave me another ultimatum--it was fastened to the top of a perimeter fence-- so it will get re-engineered yet again.

Ridiculous. Your wood roof was built ON the fence. The awning was clearly supported on posts that went to the ground. Did they claim fabric lapped over the block wall was the problem.. due to drainage or something?

Have you been tuning cars with no exhausts or something? Sounds like an irritated neighbor is tossing hurdles at you by way of the regulatory agency.

With that obvious stuff out of the way... Looking good.

they said nothing can be attached to the fence--and I look in the rules and regs and they are ignoring other stuff I am violating-- no rollup or any other canvas awnings permitted-- they are so afraid of neglect-- thats why aluminum is king here--man- i just hurt my stupid back squatting and shearing the center panel for the engine cover-- the last piece-- so It's tacked together after I sat with ice on my dimples--my wife used to say-- "oh, put powder on that!" the morning will define my level of gratitude

My engine hatch sucks terribly, so i'm remaking it--all the pieces for all 3 are cut, deburred and cleaned- some are tacked together and the rest gotta wait for me to pick up a new mig gun after I beat it on the cement after the millionth time it wouldnt feed--miller junk. The awning went back up for today just long enough to skilsaw all the steel. when the sun went down, so did it. I'll have a much more precise fit this time-- and I have to reset the lockup converter for break-in sequence, which will reflash the eeprom in the trans and reset the shifting. It's been dry and uncharged for over 2 years. I'm sure my chrysler guy will have an opinion about it. otherwise, I have 200 miles on it and it's almost done pinging--even on hills. the computer is still learning its new digs. with the new muffler she is sweet and quiet, although it still growls at 3500 up. it's decieving as she is spry off the line but she isnt really dialed in yet, at least not like my trep-- I need to see what codes its throwing as well

my back is all better now-- drove her north to orange, ca. to mcpeek dodge and my lh guru, mark, a factory mechanic and electrician there. He illuminated interesting stuff today. My engine is running too cold for it to close loop and the trans won't lock the converter clutch until it "warms up". now, the thermostat opens at 195f and the engine lurches a little and the radiator fan comes on low. I have to allow it to run a bit hotter, so i will read the cooling system section in depth for clues as to what temps are correct, so I don't burn it up. My trepidation is partially at fault for the cool temps--the coolant is lucky to get above 160 on the road and it needs to be near 210f for the emissions systems to work properly. It wont run right or pass smog until then. So I look for a taller tstat, probably with bruce roller at dynosaur parts in phoenix, az. I weighed her to boot--3770lbs without rear seats or hatches and full of gas. front was 1910 and rear was 1810 lbs. of course, my 36 lb spaniel was in the front seat too. went to see my smog referee too today-- he won't be back in until monday oct. 8th. I wanted to show it to him and find out what I need for my pass. next week.

the trans went into limp mode after slipping upon take off from the local costco. i drove home in second, all bummed out. it all is aggregate of the cool running temps--she is full of atf-4--all 10 quarts. and she takes .94 quarts od diff gear lube for the pumpkin and that bugger is starting to sing a bit--she has 175000 miles on her- and its 2 gees to rebuild. oh boy. the power steering jumper hose leaks so it is off and I effed it up grinding the fittings off of the hard line sections, so i got 2 more today at the jy. there needs to be a more elegant solution than what was done last year. I'm just chasing leaks and stuff

the trep doesnt shift badly when cold-- the vans eeprom is building data--but I unplugged the battery for the reboot and it forgot it had a shift problem, it runs warmer and lower rpms on the hiway-- so I am on my way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g80X6rJcNSc

In reply to thummmper:

Moving on to the Previa?

There are a lot of lingering issues I wish I could pass on to the refining dept--like the cooling system and the wipers. the bedseat is almost ready to fab- and I need a redesign on the shift cable. the razorback mirror is reconfigured and a new windshield is in place.
I need to study the toyota systems, mainly the instruments and other electrics. usually the chrysler instruments are the only thing that works, so tearing the dash apart is part of it. I may be busy relocating next with the federal reserve war starting at xmas time...

smog referee loved it. said he had never seen anything like it before and that I had obviously done my homework except for the fuel tank--I have to build another from the stock tank-- those are already carb certified-- it would cost 40grand to get my tank design certified by a company in chico, cal. But they make a wicked aluminum cell..I just may do it-- and diagnostics on the transaxle reveal that the lockup overdrive clutch lining is excessively worn and wont lock, so I will pull it next month and get it rebuilt--about 1800.00 bucks-- at least there are remedies for me

I just found out today that it is now illegal to feed the homeless--wth? where is this going? the amish are getting fined and arrested for selling pure milk to neighbors......it's illegal to grow or produce your own food--theyre just not enforcing it everywhere---

The cooling tubes that you constructed are doing a lot of the cooling. Restricting air flow to the radiator or a smaller one may work. Perhaps a restrictor for coolant flow might work.

I have the radiator blocked with cardboard and found a good balance to drive around town--I suspect same on the aquaducts. 10 feet up and back. the trans needs rebuilding- the od clutch is fried, but she sure is smooth around town.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Afb8H-1fcYU&feature=related

After the work you've done on this swap, i dont think a DIY trans rebuild is entirely beyond you, especially considering your patience/perseverance with long projects.

Id just buy the ATSG book for the 604/606 trans and a nice set of snapring pliers and go after it. You'll likely need to farm out the clutch hub disassembly and reassembly as far as the return springs, but you can do pretty much everything else yourself if you want to.

The 606 in my 3.5 intrepid burned up 4th after some top speed attempts (130+) at ~120k. I worked at a trans shop and rebuilt it myself. Normally i wouldnt recommend DIY trans rebuild but you seem to have the patience and attention to detail that it wouldnt necessarily turn into a train wreck, so its at least worth considering!