This is the first batch of photos of the Busaru project that I have shared. In time I will add many of my T4 and general bus photos also.
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have been reluctant to call the project finished due to complications withthe transmission and some minor cooling system glitches. The tranny problemssimply cannot be related to the engine conversion, but until I have aproperly working complete bus I just can't call it complete. The cooling system uses a Toyota 4Runner radiator which, with about 30 feet of "radiator hose" is much more cooling than required. It works properly until I accelerate up an on-ramp to the freeway type of scenario and on exceeding 4000rpm, the engins takes a big gulp of cold water. The solutions I intend to try are first, add a bypass circuit to the main lines with an adjustible valve. This system will allow adjustment of the amount of coolant that is allowed to bypass the radiator in order to match ambient temperature and load conditions. Other possibilities are smaller diameter tubing (currently 1.25" hard copper) in order to restrict flow and increase velocity; smaller radiator; adjustable lovres to control airflow through radiator and one I eventually want to try, placing the radiator underneath with ducting from the front of the bus.
This cooling system was tested on its' first outing in an ambient air temp of 108 degrees F. We were pulling a mountain pass highway that would have required 3rd gear with the T4 motor (but it would not have been practical to drive it in that high a temp with the T4!) We held a steady 85mph in high gear and the coolant temp ran between 192 and 200 degrees - perfect! (System is designed to not boil until somewhere upwards of 260 degrees at sea level.) The Flex-A-Lite fan came on only when driving slowly through towns and when pulling the hardest (on at 200 / off at 192.)
The wiring was the biggest hassle. I need to find the wiring nightmare photos still.
....................Thanks for posting these Dave. You've really done an amazing job on this project. You mentioned the mess involved with the wiring.........I'd be completely lost with sorting out and combining the harnesses from 2 different vehicles.
Brilliant! And I love the radiator! Just a thought - maybe you could put a thermostat in the cross-over/bypass. Oh, and add a heater core while you are at it. Cozy!
The heater is in a seperate circuit that works as a thermostat bypass, so I have almost instant heat! The bypass circuit I referred to is a larger scale of what I built for the heater core bypass. Ultimately some sort of thermostat would be nice, but it will take manual operation and data accumulation before being able to automate. There simply isn't the information available! -BaH
Now it makes sense, that's what it looked like, but I thought it wasn't available until late 80's. The EJ series is a bit better thatn the EA series of course.
Very cool!! I didn't know that could be done! Congratulations on your success!
Am a newbie to bugs, but do know Subarus. They'll run forever if kept cool so that's a good choice. Years ago I had a GL with 232K on it -- just maintenance sort of problems (starter/alternator/coolant pump/etc). Unfortunately, an accident totalled the car.
Maybe I shoulda kept the engine and try shoehorning it into my bug.... :)
Now THAT'S a secret!.... Next chapter will cover that issue. Basically, the intake manifold is turned 180 degrees. You can see in the pics the air supply from filter / airflow meter to TB. I flip-flopped parts of the fuel rail and simplified the plumbing. Ended up with fuel rail intake end closest to fuel pump as it should be and pressure regulator closest to tank return line as it should. Next was the alternator issue, the AC compressor issue, the "fan" belt issue and the air bypass valve issue! -BaH
Wow, that was a lot of work. What about putting the rad on the roof towards the back and covering it with a shroud like you would find on an RV air conditioner? Although, I guess the idea is to get it as far outta sight as possible. Now that you have it "almost done" are you happy with the results?
Mike, I have been driving it for almost two years now. The couple problems that I have, especially the transmission (unrelated to the engine swap) have had me so bummed out that I haven't shared much of this until "the guys" here in RAMVA asked me to post pictures. The engine had 150,000 miles on it when I got it and much more HARD mileage since. It is now getting tired and so am I! As for happy with the results - I only wish I'd done it when I first got the notion about 8 years ago. It has all the features that bus owners love their buses for and none of the shortcomings! It drives more like a modern car. I don't need to downshift. Period. I still do, but I don't need to. The best gas mileage I got with it was on a tank of gas that I averaged over 80mph on! I can relax while driving because I know I'm never really in anybody else's way and I can pass anybody I want to at any time. Handling has never been a problem with Bussy due mostly to the wide wheels and tires and the extra offset adding to track width. I'm constantly thinking of things I'd like to have done differently, especially in the wiring, but maybe there will be another chance - if I can put some money away, I'll jump at another opportunity to do it. Just having headlights that are as bright as everybody else's is a major plus all in itself!
There is a website - Road Cow
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that shows a setuplike you described. I don't even like pop-tops because I think they ruin thelines of the bus! I want to make a pop-top that uses the stock roofline, butthat is another chapter! Another person was preparing to mount the radiatorunderneath, many do the back (my initial plan) and a lot do various versionsof the front. One used electrical conduit to make a mount similar to minebut supported solely by the nose of the body. I like the idea of anunderneath mount as it can be totally hidden there. I have had NO serviceproblems with my plumbing thus far (1 or 2 loose hose clamps in 19 monthsrunning) and expect that not to be an issue with it. The issue is hittingthings and gravel, rocks and sand getting to the core. It will take someclever ducting to use the inertia of the heavy objects to miss the core andthe air to turn a corner of sorts to make it through! I don't have a lot ofroom for angling either. We shall see.-BaH
towards the back and covering it with a shroud like
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