johnj92131

No Google search results for that web site. Not good.

Looks very nice. Where did you get it painted? I will need to paint my 86 TDI Diesel, so would be good to see example of their work.

I failed my last California smog check because I was missing the two connections to that canister. It is easier to just fix it with 2 hoses than go to the effort of taking it out.

I have one pair of short, 3 legged jack stands I purchased about 1972 from Sears - when the used to sell decent quality tools. My other set is also a short set but has 4 legs and I can not tell you where I purchased them (Harbor Freight?). Both have worked well for decades of home use. Harbor Freight likely offers the best combination of price and durability for the home shop.

My son is driving about 125 miles per day round trip to work, so he has been using the truck and putting quite a few miles on it. So far the clutch leak is minimal. Only requires reasonable checking and no more than 2 top offs with DOT 3 brake fluid. But the long term solution is to change from an internal slave to an external slave cylinder. To that end, I have been checking Craigslist for the conversion parts. Think I have found them about an hour and a half away. So will be checking them out this weekend. The stock 6 inch wide steel wheels had 18 year old 235/75 x 15 tires. Besides the age of the tires, they rubbed on the lower control arms at full lock. About 2 weeks ago I found a set of aluminumn 7 inch wide stock Jeep wheels with decent 8 year old 235/75 x 15 Goodyear Wranglers on Craigslist. I got all four of them for $200 and another $60 to have the old tires on the steel wheels disposed of. First thing we noticed with the new wheel and tire combination had no interference with the lower control arms at full lock. So the new wheels have solved a couple of problems The TDI engine is running great at this point. Odometer now shows 136569 km. That is about 4300 km (about 2675 miles) since the TDI engine conversion. My son has not been tracking the fuel consumption. So no data there, unfortunately. Got the gauge pod for the A pillar a few weeks back, but I don't really like the look. So I am exploring other mounting options like in the clock panel. Sometime in July I plan to install my Krusty built rear bumper and my Drawtite trailer hitch. Not sure I will be using the swing away tire carrier Krusty built for the bumper at this time. Still to many other things to do to the truck. All for now. More updates as progress is made.

Not hard to do at all. Get the Onterio title changed to your name. Take the title and bill of sale with you. Stop at customs, pay duty, custos will give you a form saying you imported the car. Take that form and Onterio title to your DMV and complete registration. Did this with 86 Comanche diesel and registered it in California.

Also consider if you want to use an AX-15 with the internal slave or the external slave. Bell housings are different. Wish I had thought of that before I did my AX-15 conversion for the 86 diesel TDI Comanche conversion. Should have done the external slave. Now I will have to convert to the external slave at some point.

Photobucket simply made a fatal mistake. No chance of recovery. Just like the Dodo bird.

Sent you a p.m. and yes could still be interested in the turbine wheels. JJ

Don, Just had the upholstery shop take material from the rear of seat backs I was not going to use and make the pockets as in this picture:

Where are you located?

I mixed and matched at least 6 pairs of bucket seats before I finally made up a good set. Then I added a storage pocket to the back of each seat.

IMHO, above is poor advice to pass the California Smog test. It is so much easier to pass the test the first time than have to make multiple trips to repair shops and multiple trips to the smog inspection station. Last time I replaced a CAT, it cost me about $100, that was 4 test cycles ago. 3 cycles ago I failed because of a bad fuel tank cap. 2 cycles ago, I failed because of a cracked exhaust manifold. This last cycle was the worst and most expensive: The 8 month old fuel pump started crapping out right on the test dyno. The car barely ran and I had to tow it to a repair shop. The shop found low fuel rail pressure and replaced the pump. Once that was done, I passed the test with no further problems.

National Parts Depot retail locations: Ventura, Calif, Michigan, Florida, and North Carolina. https://www.npdlink.com/store/pages/store_locations.html Ventura location is less than 200 miles for me, I need to check on that tail gate shell for about $120 and maybe a couple more items while I am at it.

Picked up a nice set of 4 aluminum Jeep Cherokee wheels for $200 from Craigslist today. Not the turbine wheels I would have liked, but very good looking set and the price was right. Came with 235/75 x 15 tires. Have not looked to see how old they are, but they have to be more recent that the 18 year old tires that are on the truck now.

Never did any research into using an automatic transmission, but there was a write up from a fellow on the TDI Club who was using a GM automatic with a TDI in a Jeep Wrangler. I you want to do an Automatic, I would suggest you use the 2004-2005 2.0 litre engine rather than the 1.9. The 2.0 has more torque and more power right out of the box. Like 140 hp and 247 ft/lb. Plus a ecu tune will give it a very nice bump without changing the turbocharger or the injectors.

Check the fluid level in your clutch master cylinder. Bet it is low and you have air in the clutch line. Solution is to bleed the clutch master and slave cylinder. As Knucklehead said: watch the fluid level in the reservoir. Top it off every couple of pumps on the clutch so you don't let more air in the clutch system.

Yes, I remember doing a few things as part of the learning process. Recall the first time I pulled a cylinder head with 2 of my 17 year old cousins. None of us bothered to drain the radiator before we unbolted the cylinder head. We all wondered where that water was coming from when we lifted the head.

I don't like loud exhausts either! Totally pointless to me. Why draw unwanted attention (like cops pulling you over) just because you feel the "need" to be loud and in everybody's face?

Jump on it! I could be interested in buying the complete transmission/bell housing etc if you want to sell the whole thing.

Take a look at this link: http://gastodiesel.tdconversions.com/ This is where I purchased my engine/transmission adapter. As you will see, he has lots of different adapters listed and several more that are not listed. Because his adapters are 2 different "plates" bolted together, he can supply a number of different transmission to VW engine adapters reasonably easy. What vehicle are you thinking about doing an engine conversion with???

AHU engine from a 1998 Jetta. top end and bottom end were inspected and refreshed with new, stock bearings, stronger head bolts and a fresh valve job. Then the turbo was converted to a VNT unit from a 170 hp VW TDI engine. Custom engine tuning software from TDtuning.

$50 labor rate??? Labor rates are different depending on what kind of place does the work. Here in San Diego, the truck I have the 91 Comanche in right now is $110 per hour. If I want to get a lower labor rate, I have the option to take the truck to a shop in Tijuana, Baja California for about $45/50 labor rate.

If you Google "AX-15 Rebuild" you will find a bunch of rebuilt ones offered for sale. Prices have a wide range. You will have to add in a new clutch/flywheel/ slave cylinder and who knows what else. Then you will have to price out the labor for a "normal" transmission change. Don't forget that there will be more things that previous owners have left off or buggered up. You will have to pay for those also. All the above is why the shop tells you they need to see the truck in their shop. Suggest you tell the seller he needs to get the truck to your shop so you can get a repair estimate and then decide if you can reach a reasonable price agreement with the seller.

Cruiser, Tell us about that blue lift you are picking up the Alfa with! Make, model, and where to get one. Looks to me like it fits in a standard 8 foot high garage? How high off the ground can you lift an XJ/MJ in your heated garage? Thanks, John