The_Lobbster
Well-Known Member
Ever since I’ve been going to pull it yourself yards (only about 10 years) there has been a core charge. Maybe not at mom and pop shops, but every pick a part, upullit, pull n save, etc they’ve charged for a core.
TDI Comanche Build
- Thread starter The_Lobbster
- Start date
The_Lobbster
Well-Known Member
Bought a Rock Trac from DAA, more or less a core. I’m hoping it’s still salvageable enough I can just replace the shell, throw a rebuild kit in and call it good. I’ll have to pull it apart and inspect the planetary before I go dumping anymore money into it though.
The_Lobbster
Well-Known Member
Well crap……
What’s the consensus? Did I buy a boat anchor? Or is this saveable? Doesn’t appear to be any major pitting, but I won’t know for sure til I start cleaning it up more.
The planetary only spins in LowRange correct? If so, can I clean it up enough to where I can run it and just chalk up any low range noise to lightly pitted gears, or is that a disaster waiting to happen?
What’s the consensus? Did I buy a boat anchor? Or is this saveable? Doesn’t appear to be any major pitting, but I won’t know for sure til I start cleaning it up more.
The planetary only spins in LowRange correct? If so, can I clean it up enough to where I can run it and just chalk up any low range noise to lightly pitted gears, or is that a disaster waiting to happen?
The_Lobbster
Well-Known Member
Hmm, it’s actually cleaning up pretty well with just a shot of brake cleaner. I’ll have to get to it with a nylon brush and plenty of brake clean and see where I end up, then I’ll give everything a nice coat of oil until I can get a fresh shell.
Also, considering all the crap in here, anybody have a suggestion how to clean the bearings or bushings in the planetary gears? They appear to be swaged in so I can’t remove to do a thorough cleaning. Just blast them with more brake clean perhaps?
Also, considering all the crap in here, anybody have a suggestion how to clean the bearings or bushings in the planetary gears? They appear to be swaged in so I can’t remove to do a thorough cleaning. Just blast them with more brake clean perhaps?
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RockChucker
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Highland
Probably best to soak in a solvent bath. Even though it will take a bunch of solvent
The_Lobbster
Well-Known Member
Any recommendations on what solvent to use?
- Location
- West Haven, UT
I bet that all cleans up pretty easy.
Now finding parts is probably going to be impossible
Now finding parts is probably going to be impossible
The_Lobbster
Well-Known Member
Surprisingly not bad, it’s just pricey. Front half will be about $500, rear half I think I can source from a Liberty at pull n save, chain and rebuild kit is another $200 or so. I think all in all, I’ll have about $1,000 into this one.
RockChucker
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Highland
I just soaked the guts of a nasty steering box in gas followed up with another soak in MEK. Worked pretty well for me.
Follow up with a scrub brush in the solvent and you should be golden. I fixed a broken 241or a few years back and was about $1000 deep as well. Then flipped it for $1700. Crazy what people will pay for them.
The_Lobbster
Well-Known Member
I’ve finally got enough stuff to keep me busy for two years, except for a donor TDI, I’ll keep searching for one though.
In the meantime…..
Got a 97+ front end swap
Traded my bench for factory buckets
Got a center console fridge/freezer for a steal to try and integrate.
In the meantime…..
Got a 97+ front end swap
Traded my bench for factory buckets
Got a center console fridge/freezer for a steal to try and integrate.
The_Lobbster
Well-Known Member
Bought a donor!!!
Almost went for a BRM, but after some cost analysis I settled for a 5 speed ALH, going with a 5 speed saved me a little money in tuning, as I wouldn’t have to go in and change the ECM program from auto to standard. Plus, I should be able to sell the 5 speed swap for around $400 to recoup some money.
Almost went for a BRM, but after some cost analysis I settled for a 5 speed ALH, going with a 5 speed saved me a little money in tuning, as I wouldn’t have to go in and change the ECM program from auto to standard. Plus, I should be able to sell the 5 speed swap for around $400 to recoup some money.
The_Lobbster
Well-Known Member
While I wait for the donor to arrive I’m starting to finally assemble all my hoarded parts. Still on 4.5” coils up front, trying to decide if I should stay with them or put the 3” Rusty’s springs I got in. Threw 2” shackles on the rear.
Front end is……on…..kinda…..
Mounted up my 255’s by hand, I’ll need to balance them later. Threw them on with 1.5” adapters and 2” rear, even though my 8.8 isn’t in yet.
And I discovered my floor is less than beautiful, so I’ll need to cut and patch pans I guess!
Front end is……on…..kinda…..
Mounted up my 255’s by hand, I’ll need to balance them later. Threw them on with 1.5” adapters and 2” rear, even though my 8.8 isn’t in yet.
And I discovered my floor is less than beautiful, so I’ll need to cut and patch pans I guess!
The_Lobbster
Well-Known Member
Should I rebuild the 241OR, or just go with a 231 doubler kit? The good thing about the 231 is parts are much easier to find if say, I need to replace a case, I can pull one from a junkyard.
My crawl ratio in Low Low would be 116:1 with a doubler,
62:1 with just the 241
I have the wheelbase to run a doubler if desired, but then just gotta add a crossmember.
My crawl ratio in Low Low would be 116:1 with a doubler,
62:1 with just the 241
I have the wheelbase to run a doubler if desired, but then just gotta add a crossmember.
The_Lobbster
Well-Known Member
The donor showed up tonight. Noticed the coolant is empty, and found the front end was banged up, I’m assuming in an accident. Hopefully if the PO hit something they didn’t overheat it, time will tell I suppose. It fired up and drove into the driveway with no power loss or misfire that I could tell so that’s a plus!
The_Lobbster
Well-Known Member
Managed to track down the previous owner and find out what happened. Supposedly spun out off a road, jumped, and planted into the dirt! Amazingly the oil pan didn’t break! But he said the engine was dislodged…..only thing I can find so far is the engine cover was popped up and sitting cockeyed. I think the dude just isn’t much of a car guy and didn’t know how to fix it.
So this is how all the coolant was drained. I filled it with a hose to check.
Also it runs great!
So this is how all the coolant was drained. I filled it with a hose to check.
Also it runs great!
The_Lobbster
Well-Known Member
Pulled the beetle up the driveway and pulled the engine today. Managed to get the engine to ECM harness out clean, but I hacked it at the firewall….only need about 6 wires for my DBW and OBD2 going that way anyways so I’ll build it up to how I need it.
The_Lobbster
Well-Known Member
Finally started pulling apart the 241OR. This thing is so chock full of dirt and grit it’s mind blowing! Found the tone ring rusted to heck, and struggled to remove it. Once I got it off I noticed the pin was sheared, and almost appears to be distorted. The ring has two slots, and my suspicion was since the smaller slot was used, it may have been the incorrect one, and when the output yoke was tightened down, it sheared it.
Any suggestions for removing that pin? I’m thinking perhaps a carbide drill bit and try to drill it out?
Any suggestions for removing that pin? I’m thinking perhaps a carbide drill bit and try to drill it out?
The_Lobbster
Well-Known Member
Adapter is ordered. Went with a Whitbread Performance plate, was about $200 cheaper than the next leading option.
The_Lobbster
Well-Known Member
Harness is almost done, pulled most of the wires out that I was pretty sure I didn’t need and labeled them. Once I can confirm it runs and doesn’t throw codes for anything, I’ll finish it off. The wiring really isn’t all that bad, there’s tons of resources for the ALH, not nearly as many for prior or succeeding engines.
