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EA81 conversion into trike type 3 auto

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tweety Wolfsburg Wizard

460 posts · joined Feb 2011 ·

#857948
A top adviser for me is a fellow from Western Australia. "Toonga" told me today that the valve breather hoses hooked up that way wasnt right.

The hose on the dizzy side sucks clean air in at the original air filter housing. Then the air circulates and comes out the other valve cover hoses (alternator side) to go back into the engine through a PCV valve.

Prior to that PCV valve air also comes form the air cleaner housing to meet up with these fumes so the engine isnt saturated with gases, effectively making the mix less toxic.

The easiest way to rectify this with a weber conversion is to gwt two mini filters

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/MINI-AIR-CRANKCASE-VENT-BREATHER-FILTER-15MM-CHROME-RED-/250814188569?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a65b0cc19

place one on the end of the breather hose of the dizzy side. I will then secure the filter to the top of the adapter plate.

The other filter I'll use a "T" peice prior to the PCV valve so air can be sucked in there. Essentially though they are treated as two seperate systems, one sucking the other blowing.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXwh4z8d66o
SUBARU ea81, VW auto, Detour camper
My ex girlfriend said "its me or a trike". Her big mistake.

tweety Wolfsburg Wizard

460 posts · joined Feb 2011 ·

#859123
Ready to strart up in the morning only for a few seconds as I havent got a radiator yet.
Electric fuel pump hooked up (safety cut off switch to come), all electrics at this point seem ok (labelled most things) Exhaust is to get me to the exhaust shop only. roo deterant



I had made a small pulley arrangement for the throttl BUT too much friction. ended up making this set up witha cable that doesnt snake and a lever that is simple.



I have swapped ideas on radiator location mant times. finally I am to order a custom one that will fit vertically over the transaxle. even though I reversed the oil filler it is still too far to the front so will get my engineer to alter it to angle rearward clear of that radiator. Radiator to be about 850mm wide, 260mm high and up to 40mm 3 core thick. plenty of wind from the sides available. two small thermo fans maybe 3 or 4.



Bit nervous starting it up. I'm no mechanic, in fact I'm a poor back yarder too. When younger I owned a Lotus powered car. It needed head work. I ended up pulling that head off 4 times before I got it to run. 1/ forgot to install a oil drain tube that sandwiches between head and block 2/ chain driven twin OH camshafts and chain had a split link...dropped it as I tried to connect it and down to the sump it went 3/ didnt syncronise the cams and bent all 4 inlet valves on the pistons 4 forgot to cut out the S/steel off the cheaper headgasket that would have coroded the alloy head. was an expensice excercise. hope I have success in the morning...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXwh4z8d66o
SUBARU ea81, VW auto, Detour camper
My ex girlfriend said "its me or a trike". Her big mistake.

tweety Wolfsburg Wizard

460 posts · joined Feb 2011 ·

#859778
yeh Helbus. good feeling.

A custom radiator was $1200 including expansion tank. No thanks.

Ordered a Racing two core Toyota MR2 radiator. not as wide as a Jeep Cherokee but the Jeep is too wide anyway.

Couple of weeks to sort it all out then engineer. A friend of mone is having problems with his conversion in SA. A Oztrike he put a EJ22 in it. Weight, balance issues. hope he gets it through. And I'm hoping I dont have issues.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXwh4z8d66o
SUBARU ea81, VW auto, Detour camper
My ex girlfriend said "its me or a trike". Her big mistake.

tweety Wolfsburg Wizard

460 posts · joined Feb 2011 ·

#860677
radiator is secure now.















hardly visible from rear



scoops found on ebay will direct air from ladder bars

www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXwh4z8d66o
SUBARU ea81, VW auto, Detour camper
My ex girlfriend said "its me or a trike". Her big mistake.

tweety Wolfsburg Wizard

460 posts · joined Feb 2011 ·

#861306
More progress. This is a $10 item at Bunnings. A steel shelf type rack.



Protects the engine side of the radiator. you can also see the expasion bottle mounted



Here is the expansion bottle access to the cap in an opening ormslly reserve for a glove compartment, an option I didnt take when trike was ordered.



air filter remounted.



The filter will poke out a bit less than this. Too far and it will impede on the roof retracting mechanism. This shot also shows the S/steel plates for the glove compartments. 5 louvre vents to cover these and add forced air to the radiator.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXwh4z8d66o
SUBARU ea81, VW auto, Detour camper
My ex girlfriend said "its me or a trike". Her big mistake.

ian.mezz I never said, I could write or spell

3,913 posts · joined Sep 2004 ·

#861476
the expansion bottle needs to be higher then the radiator 😊
😂🤪😂🤪😂
car forums. where a lot of peoples good intentions end up taking a good old car off the road forever never ever to see the road again. 🥲

ian.mezz I never said, I could write or spell

3,913 posts · joined Sep 2004 ·

#861481
I would take that $10 steel shelf type rack off and mount a one or a couple of electric fans there.
😂🤪😂🤪😂
car forums. where a lot of peoples good intentions end up taking a good old car off the road forever never ever to see the road again. 🥲

tweety Wolfsburg Wizard

460 posts · joined Feb 2011 ·

#861645
thanks ian.mezz

I tihnk the angle that pic was taken makes the bottle look lower. in fact my I think the top of the radiator is about one third the level of the bottle. Also I cant get it higher- there is no location higher to mount it. I'll see how it goes and check for air pockets.

I know sucker fans are more efficient but a DCraig 12"fan is on its way to be mounted as a pusher fan. a sucker fan will crowd the engine area and fingers (?). there is enough room between the fan and the seat back for the 51mm needed for the fan. and extra space for air flow.

It remains an option though as the DCaig fans are reversible.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXwh4z8d66o
SUBARU ea81, VW auto, Detour camper
My ex girlfriend said "its me or a trike". Her big mistake.

tweety Wolfsburg Wizard

460 posts · joined Feb 2011 ·

#861684
thanks Helbus. yeh, love to do this stuff but like to tour around more. cant wait to hook up the van after I strengthen the tow bar etc. wait to I get the exhaust on- its going to be a hell raiser custom job. not like way out truck stacks, bit more subtle than that.

having a look at the pics of the expansion bottle it looks too low as suggested. will look at that tomorrow when I get home.

thanks again guys.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXwh4z8d66o
SUBARU ea81, VW auto, Detour camper
My ex girlfriend said "its me or a trike". Her big mistake.

tweety Wolfsburg Wizard

460 posts · joined Feb 2011 ·

#861895
Good news and bad news.

Good news is my Hawse pipes arrived today. held one in position here



hope that will allow a little cool air into the thermo fan area with a duct.

Bad news is that in this pic the spirit level doesnt lie. the top neck of the expansion bottle is at the very top of the radiator core- too low as has already been pointed out. I've looked at the bottle location. I could squeeze out an inch or so by mounting it higher and maybe rearward but it isnt much.

Suggestions?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXwh4z8d66o
SUBARU ea81, VW auto, Detour camper
My ex girlfriend said "its me or a trike". Her big mistake.

Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,789 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#861899
well done!

Interseting stuff
Futue te ipsum!!!

ian.mezz I never said, I could write or spell

3,913 posts · joined Sep 2004 ·

#861913
you can fit a air bleed plug in the highest part of the radiator to allow for the different height.
You just use a plastic funnel sitting in header tank when filling the system up.
You also need to get some yellow pool noodles to fit nice and neat between the back of the seat and radiator.
across the top and down both sides of the radiator to make sure all the air get forced into the radiator.
and not just pass over the top.
Pool noodles are great because they don't hold water or loose shape.
😂🤪😂🤪😂
car forums. where a lot of peoples good intentions end up taking a good old car off the road forever never ever to see the road again. 🥲

tweety Wolfsburg Wizard

460 posts · joined Feb 2011 ·

#861927
thanks bizaar

Ian.mezz had to google pool noodles! now I know what you are suggesting and thats been on my mind a gfair bit- the sealing of the air flow. are these noodles heat proof? can they withstand heat form the radiator?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXwh4z8d66o
SUBARU ea81, VW auto, Detour camper
My ex girlfriend said "its me or a trike". Her big mistake.

vlad01 Compulsive Aussie Vee Dubber

4,270 posts · joined Jun 2010 ·

#861985
Its not uncommon for radiators to be lower than some of the system.

Thats why they invented bleeders and the overflow tank system.

With the overflow system it draws in coolant when the system is cooling down after a run using a sort of siphon principal and negative pressure.
If also comes down to the rad cap as in a overflow system the caps has a one way valve.

On my car the rad and coolant tank is lower than the thermostat housing and hose. Its got a bleeder on top of that housing to allow initial bleeding but after that is set the system works perfectly.

71 notchback,
Past owner of, 70 NB, 73 SB and 72 FB TLE

ian.mezz I never said, I could write or spell

3,913 posts · joined Sep 2004 ·

#862015
yeah , I have them around the front of my radiator for 3 years.
😂🤪😂🤪😂
car forums. where a lot of peoples good intentions end up taking a good old car off the road forever never ever to see the road again. 🥲

tweety Wolfsburg Wizard

460 posts · joined Feb 2011 ·

#862024
Thanks again. Well did what all guys do when they have an issue- ask the wife......yeh right!. She did make a point in that if the cooling system is sorted and working right then access to the radiator cap on the expansion tank is not that relevant.

So I found the highest point. And the bottom of the bottle is in line with the top horizontal core of the radiator.





You can see here the flexi radiator hoses are installed. one was 60cm the other 50cm.





One Hawsie pipe has been fixed. I am happy with this option.



You can see here the flow direction of air towards the radiator. Need some ducting. 12 inches circumference. so ducting about 4.5 inches diameter....have to start looking.



The temp gauge. I have a favourite spot beneath the instrument cluster.



gotta seek our some 50mm internal pipe...maybe pvc and paint it or chrome exhaust tip or similar to house it and protect it from the rain.



So what's left. Will get back my engine protection bar and modified oil filler Friday. Then start up and tune the best I can. Get it to the exhaust joint. Ride home!. engineer.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXwh4z8d66o
SUBARU ea81, VW auto, Detour camper
My ex girlfriend said "its me or a trike". Her big mistake.

ian.mezz I never said, I could write or spell

3,913 posts · joined Sep 2004 ·

#862200
does that radiator have rubber mounts,
😂🤪😂🤪😂
car forums. where a lot of peoples good intentions end up taking a good old car off the road forever never ever to see the road again. 🥲

tweety Wolfsburg Wizard

460 posts · joined Feb 2011 ·

#862203
another pick up ian.mezz. no it doesnt. didnt occur to me at all. will buy some.

thanks.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXwh4z8d66o
SUBARU ea81, VW auto, Detour camper
My ex girlfriend said "its me or a trike". Her big mistake.

vlad01 Compulsive Aussie Vee Dubber

4,270 posts · joined Jun 2010 ·

#862224
the rad could form cracks from harsh vibrations if there is/will be are any.

71 notchback,
Past owner of, 70 NB, 73 SB and 72 FB TLE

tweety Wolfsburg Wizard

460 posts · joined Feb 2011 ·

#862228
YEP. THE AIRBAG REAR SUSPENSION IS GOOD BUT A LITTLE HARSH. great for levelling when towing etc.

will seek out some rubber grommets, botls and locknuts to absorb those bumps and vibrations.

your advice is valued guys
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXwh4z8d66o
SUBARU ea81, VW auto, Detour camper
My ex girlfriend said "its me or a trike". Her big mistake.

tweety Wolfsburg Wizard

460 posts · joined Feb 2011 ·

#862254
One of the things that annoys me with custom work is the negativity one gets from service staff at retail outlets. Some are good, others have no vision.

Today was no exception. Arrived at a large hardware store where there is prompt service. I didnt want to go through the ordeal of explaining such- VW chopper trike now with Subie engine and have ducts called Hawse pipes and need flexible pipe to direct air to the thermo fan etc etc. But I did say it all and got the common reply- "hope, you wont find that here". "Ill just have a browse then".....my common reply knowing full well I'll find something.

In the plumbing section I located a rubber sleeve and a flexible lower cistern pipe. And the rubber sleeve fitted onto the Hawse pipe perfectly.



This pic shows the advantage of that flexible section



The view from the side is more brighter with the flash. Can paint black





Add to that a straight 90mm section and it reaches the thermo fan



Not a cheap excercise. hawse pipes x2 $76, flexi pipes and rubber sleeves x2 $96, 90mm pipe $10. total $180 for this. but I think it adds tot eh overall appearance and hopefully a little more air into that area.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXwh4z8d66o
SUBARU ea81, VW auto, Detour camper
My ex girlfriend said "its me or a trike". Her big mistake.

vlad01 Compulsive Aussie Vee Dubber

4,270 posts · joined Jun 2010 ·

#862270
lol cool.

71 notchback,
Past owner of, 70 NB, 73 SB and 72 FB TLE

tweety Wolfsburg Wizard

460 posts · joined Feb 2011 ·

#862414
thanks Vlad01.

Busy day today.

Both air intakes finished.



The length will suffice



Thematic fan finished except for a thermo switch to buy soon







intakes- view from front




Finally I took off the radiator and rubber mounted it.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXwh4z8d66o
SUBARU ea81, VW auto, Detour camper
My ex girlfriend said "its me or a trike". Her big mistake.

tweety Wolfsburg Wizard

460 posts · joined Feb 2011 ·

#862549
Today I fixed the 5 louvre vents in place. Purchased from ebay. They are meant for boats. I am really imprssed with the appearance of these units and there usefullness.




Had to cut out the glove box holes (an option form the manufacturer I did not take up) with a jigsaw. then S/steel self tappers.




This shot shows the radiator under and more rearward. a small wind deflector will be added to direct the air inward more.



This shot depicts both new air intakes. Ignor the plumbing of the expansion tank....small flexi hose will be sought.







Tweety is growing teeth!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXwh4z8d66o
SUBARU ea81, VW auto, Detour camper
My ex girlfriend said "its me or a trike". Her big mistake.

tweety Wolfsburg Wizard

460 posts · joined Feb 2011 ·

#862692
Rarely have I gone to purchase items and it all comes together so well. Today I had luck on my side.

I had purchased a regular temp gauge form ebay for $16. was reluctant to hook it up on the basis that 1/ I could find an ideal spot to mount it and 2/ I had to find an actual mount for it.

With that in mind I entered Autobarn today seeking out a sender unit for my new Davies Craig thermo fan. These switches dont come in the packet and are sold seperately.

Armed with a blocking bolt from the radiator to match it up the guy initially told me he'd have to order one. Then he had an alternative. A temperature sender that has its own housing, that is installed between the radiator hose inlet (or thermostat housing) and the hose. He informed me that if I was to purchase also a thermo fan adjustable unit then that item can screw into the temperature unit housing.

The bonus was that the monitor on the dash, fitted with velcoe and easily fixed to my van electric brake unit, has a temperature guage as well as a voltage indicator.



www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXwh4z8d66o
SUBARU ea81, VW auto, Detour camper
My ex girlfriend said "its me or a trike". Her big mistake.

Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,789 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#862695
Coming together good.
S'cool when things go together

When you reckon it will be "finished"??
Futue te ipsum!!!

tweety Wolfsburg Wizard

460 posts · joined Feb 2011 ·

#862711
Not long Bizaar

Refit the radiator grill so its easy to get off. Pick up rear protection bar thats getting strengthened and the oil filler thats getting its neck direction altered (so its easy to put oil in as its been rotated 180 degrees).

Rough tune without exhaust. (not much out if tune cause when I was fitting this sender unit I put the ignition on and accidentally went a bit far and the thing started up in an instant!!!!). get it trayed to the exhaust joint 75 kms away. pick up and ride man!!

But a few loud kms around my hamlet of a town (Strathbogie Vic) wont hurt before that....eager to see how she'll go.

2 weeks
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXwh4z8d66o
SUBARU ea81, VW auto, Detour camper
My ex girlfriend said "its me or a trike". Her big mistake.