The van has seen a LOT of use this winter! Many snowboarding trips and ice fishing trips under it's belt now... But I recently had an oil leak spring up so I had to dig into it and see what was going on so it's been parked for the last few weeks until I could find time to get at it.
This past weekend though, I was able to get outside and get a LOT of work done on the van.
I'll just copy my posts from thedieselstop.com below, but the list that I got done looks like this:
-Replace as many O-rings as possible (complete fuel bowl rebuild, fuel line seals, turbo o-rings) using dieselorings.com combo pack
-Clean out fuel bowl
-Clean EBP sensor and tube
-Install under-hood fuel pressure gauge, and Schrader test port
-Install HPX line
-Install Riffraff FRx system
-AIH delete (Riffraff plug and code eliminator wire)
-Resonator box delete
-Riffraff High Flow CVD fitting set
-Install Riffraff Plenum Reinforcements
-Silicone intake plenum boots and T-Clamps
-Install new Napa 4019 coolant filter base and Napa 4071 coolant filter
-Put it all back together and hope I fixed the oil leak that started this whole rabbit trail of upgrades... Hahaha
Pictures!
After removing everything on top of the block, I can finally see daylight from inside the cab!
I found it was really helpful to leave a full set of tools inside the cab as well as a full set outside...
A handful of the stuff I removed. I have a bunch of ziplock bags and as I was removing bolts and pieces, I'd put them in a ziplock and label it. That way I won't forget anything when putting it back together. I labeled the bags with the size of wrench/socket I need too for reassembly. Should make it pretty painless in the end:
Old and dirty:
New and shiny!
I have one table full of parts/orings:
And another table for my workshop manuals/paperwork/laptop:
Cleaning the fuel bowl:
Assembled and clean with the FRX installed and the fitting for my fuel pressure gauge. I chose the lower port (post-filter) because I want the actual pressure of the fuel rails. Pre-filter readings don't really mean much IMHO.
And the pesky EBP tube and the fittings... The old stripped fitting next to the new one. It cost me $1.50 at Princess Auto. For future reference, it is a 1/4" NPTM to 5/16 JIC (37deg) connector.
I ended up taking the alternator and belt tensioner and alternator bracket off (they all use a 13mm deep socket). It made a TON of room! I should have done it right from the start.
I didn't unhook the electrical connections... Just unbolted it and swung it over to the drivers side.
Now, I had really good access to the front port on the passenger side for the FRX to tie into. (I'm pointing at it with my torx wrench in this picture).
And here's the rear port on the drivers side that the FRX ties into. Easy access here.
With the alternator moved, it also gave really good access from the front for the fuel lines on the fuel bowl. When I removed these lines, I did them from the rear, but if I were to do it again if do it from the front.
Here you can see the FRX bolted to the fuel bowl:
Also, removing the alternator/tensioner/mounting bracket gave WAY better access to the EBP sensor and tube.
For the fuel pressure gauge, I bought a 90deg fitting that threads into one of the plugs on the fuel bowl. It converted the threads to 1/8"NPT and also came with a fuel-rated Schrader valve. You could technically just put the fitting and the Schrader onto the bowl but it would be tricky to get to it later to test the pressure. So what I did is thread the 90 onto the bowl, then I used a 1/8NPT to 1/4" hose barb which allowed me to run 1/4" fuel line up into the front of the engine bay. There, I installed a T fitting that has the mechanical gauge and the Schrader threaded into it.
Having the Schrader up at the T by the gauge allowed me to bleed the air from the line easily. It also gives me a test port so I can compare gauge readings if my mechanical gauge ever fails. I'm quite happy with this setup. I also have enough hose so that I can swing the gauge up onto the hood and view it while driving if need be to monitor the pressure under load.
I think in total I spent about 15-18hours on it, but a lot of that time was spent consulting the Internet and the workshop manuals. I had never removed the turbo or intake plenum parts and fuel bowl etc. if I were to do it all again I think I could realistically cut my time in half.
Lessons learned:
1) Remove belt, alternator, tensioner and bracket at the very beginning when you remove the airbox. It allows more access to the fuel lines on the fuel bowl and it is necessary for the FRX mod. It also allows MUCH better access to the EBP tube/sensor.
2) silicone plenum boots and t-clamps are well worth the money. I think if I had tried putting it all back together using the cheap stock boots and worm clamps I would have ripped a boot for sure.
3) you NEED a good assortment of wrenches. I used my flex-head ratchet wrenches, my stubby wrenches, my long handled wrenches, crows foot wrenches... Basically I had to use the whole arsenal to get the job done. Everything is just so crammed and awkward on these vans that having the right tool really saves a lot of headache.
4) Basically just ignore most of the FRX instructions. They describe how to install the FRX when the fuel bowl is in the vehicle still. I can't imagine that would be a fun task on a van. Maybe a truck, but it would create a TON of headaches on the van. Just pull the fuel bowl out, install the FRX onto the bowl and then put it back in the van.
