hardmonkeys - mk3.5 Cabrio 2.0 8v auto to 2.0 16v manual conversion

[hardmonkeys]

Finally getting back on this today, my little one is now out of hospital after 2 days.

[hardmonkeys]

Finally got back into this, not as quick as I would of like as I'm having to still take my daughter up the hospital every day, for her meds, still managed to get the engine out of the 16v



I had a few stubborn bolts, as expected, on the cat-downpipe flange, so I got my junior hacksaw (don't laugh lol) out and got to work, hour or so later, it was done!! 

Next stage was the easy bit, strap her up, and release her mount bolts!

Quite happy with the way this has gone so far, having not took an engine out of a car for 12 yrs, I've took 2 out in 5 days! Happy with this progress!

Unfortunately I'm back to work on Tuesday. So can't do much in the week, I work odd shifts so normally in bed by 7pm

I hope to get dribs and drabs done in the evening, and full weekends over the next few weeks

Next jobs:-

Sort and swap looms over
Change pedal boxes
Possible swap running gear although not sure about this yet.

[hardmonkeys]

Just a quick update

Removed the loom from the Cab today, just to sort through this little lot



to remove it from the fusebox...wish me luck!!

[hardmonkeys]

Not been on here for a while, worked all through the bank holiday weekend, I managed to sort through the looms on both cars, and remove them, ABF loom was easier, obviously I knew which plugs from the fusebox to remove this time, and sort through them if any were different,

I've had to swap the whole immobiliser from the gti over to the cab, I was hoping to get away with just swapping the chips in the keys, but the immobiliser connections were different, also the immobiliser ring that goes over the ignition barrel was different, sorted through that little lot, again with the tx line of MadmanMart from on here...again Very knowledgable, I wouldn't of had a clue if it wasn't for him.

I've completely removed the automatice gearbox loom from the cab, geez this took some time, it comes through the bulkhead with the ABS loom, and goes back to under the rear seats, to the auto gear selector, up under the dash, and over to the fusebox, I got halfway through and thought I'd made a error, and cut the wrong wires....luckily I don't think I have....(yet to find out.....officially)

I've replaced then power steering pipe to the power Steering pump as I snapped..(read strapped!!! It up with the engine) it when removing then AGG! So I removed it from the GTi and put it on the Cabrio, fiddly little bastard...19mm long spanner, but had to remove another before I could get to the one I needed, then had to put it all back together again, in the relevant clips and making sure the pipe aren't rubbing.

I've removed the auto gear selector from the Cabrio and the manual from the GTi and swapped them, of course this involved removing the whole exhaust systems from both cars, it's a miracle I've still a mouth full of teeth, never realised how heavy they are when on ya back!

So I've been a busy bugger these last few weeks, I still haven't finished yet!

Hopefully this weekend I'll be closer to getting that engine in the Cabrio and it running!!!

Fingers crossed!

[hardmonkeys]

Almost forgot I removed the pedal boxes from the cars, I broke the big white clip on the back of the brake pedal, ordered a new one from VW £7.39!!!

It's all ready for the weekend :-)

[hardmonkeys]

Its in!! Went in really easily if I'm honest, expected a few little issues but none were present!



I've refilled with coolant, after buying a new expansion tank as the original and the GTi ones were caked in a clay like substance, not good if it got into the system.

  AND IT RUNS!!!!! 

Feeling very proud of myself, I have never done anything like this before, so it's kinda of a big deal!

After I got over myself   I was giving it all the once over, running it up to temp, I noticed a split in the (now prone to go I've found out) oil breather pipe in the front of the engine



I went to up the local dealers to see about getting a new pipe, after finally explaining to the parts guy which pipe it was, he duly told me VW stopped making it 18mths ago!! And didn't supersede it with anything.....GREAT!!

So online I went, thinking someone must have one, yes...someone did. VW parts international...for £29.49!!!  lot of money for a pipe! But a lot of man hours have gone into this, so I didn't want to leave it. It arrived today, and will be fitted this weekend probably

Next jobs:-

I've decided to go 5x100 so got to remove the hubs and driveshafts from the GTi and swap to the cab
Connect steering

GO FOR A DRIVE!!!

[hardmonkeys]

Has it really been that long since I updated this!! Geez

Right, so after removing the running gear from the GTI and fitting to the cab, I changed all the wishbones and drop links for new, as they weren't looking too great, I was all too excited about getting it moving under its own power...big mistake, I managed to break driveshaft, it popped out of the hub and I hadn't noticed until I dropped it down onto the ground...and moved it...WHAT A NOISE!!

So I had to get a second hand one at eBay, i think it cost around £30 which wasn't too bad, when it came through ( I was on holiday!!!) I carefully fitted it, and carefully dropped it down.

IT MOVES!!

Works in all gears, brakes need some work though, so that's the next job, I think it most probably has a big airlock in the system as they go spongy very quickly after bleeding, something to do when the weather changes for the worst..

I've also changed the cv boot on the n/s as it was perished and split during fitting.

I've not done much to be recently as we've been on holiday, and the missus got a new car that needed some work doing, and I've just been enjoying some family time during the summer months, a lot of people have said I need to get it running and working before the summer ends, but there is always next summer, I do have a lot to do still, I need to wire the lights up, refit the dash and interior.

So I'm taking my time

[hardmonkeys]

i've found a new problem to sort, i hadn't mention before than i broke a driveshaft, while getting over excited about driving it, i hadn't noticed it had slipped out of its joint..so when i went to drive it, it made a crunching noise and that was the end of that lol...so...i attempted to remove the joint from the hub, it was jammed solid,tried to get someone to press it out, but they couldnt, so i found a new hub and shaft on ebay off a GTI for about £40

when it came through i got straight onto it that weekend while the weather was on my side, removed the hub, removed the broken shaft, then refitted the replacement parts, tighten and torqued, wheel back on, all was grand....until i went to move the car again...there was a rubbing sound, took me aged to figure out what it was..



The Caliper was rubbing against the wheel, which it wasn't before, so i think the hub is the incorrect one...annoying!

so back to the drawing board, i'm going to reattempt to get the old joint out the old hub..hopefully this will happen, and ill be putting that back on

[hardmonkeys]

Managed to sort the caliper, I'd failed to put the springs on the caliper over the carrier to  pull it towards each other..school boy error

[hardmonkeys]

I'd finished sorting the engine bay wiring out, and figured I'd need to attempt to rewire the headlights back up, as most know the mk3 and mk4 plugs are different

MK3 connector




MK4 connector




The mk3 has its own lighting wiring loom, that connects to the main ABF loom with a twist plug, something like this



Whereas the mk4 was incorporated within the AGG loom



The main problem was, with me not being used to reading wiring diagrams, I was afraid I'd mess it up...4 hrs later..and we have light




And back on


I looked back this weekend just gone...and figured I'm almost ready for rebuilding it...

I hope lol

So...here I go..


...

I went through every wire, I nudged, pulled, cut, split, and reconnected, to double check I'd done everything correctly, and to ensure it was all weatherproof.














Dash all in, now to put the interior in.