GhiaBlog

And I'm out. She's going to a good home right here in sunny Florida, though, to live out a long and well-deserved retirement. Just like me.

On to other projects....like this one:

1991 Syncro Doka Diesel

Latest Status

Here it is November, 2015 and a not much has happened since we picked up the Ghia from the shop back in 2013, but a few things to report.

First, the engine runs really well. After the initial run in, I adjusted the valves as it is typically recommended to do so after a few hundred miles or so. When it warms up (takes a minute or two) it really runs well, hits the sweet spot around 55 mph (the 'power band' such as it is for a 58 bhp motor). It does take a moment or two to warm up even in this Florida weather.

I've tried changing the thermostat back to the original one (I'd installed a new replacement during the carb rebuild) but this does not seem to help, so that requires a bit more trouble shooting. The engine starts fine (more on that later) and goes into high rev but never does seem to bring itself down to low RPM's once the engineer is warm and the thermostat coil has back off.

I've changed the engine oil after the running-in period. When I did this, I had a couple of problems.

I had trouble getting the oil sump gasket seals back on. Instead of using the silicone ones - the ones I put on the car when I originally rebuilt the engine - I used paper gaskets, and lubed them with Vaseline to make then easier to remove. In any case I had trouble getting the sump plate nuts back on fully tight - the last one would not seem to thread on as it had when I rebuilt the enginer, it just kept slipping. So as a result the sump leaked and I had to keep a oil drain pan under the car whenever it was parked.

I change the oil again after a few hundred miles and this time I did the following:

1) Cleaned the sump gasket mating surface and the captive sump bolts thoroughly with electronic parts cleaner. You don't need much of this and it cleans better than mineral spirits or pet distillates; since it is a chlorinated solvent you need to be careful on what polymeric things you let it come into contact with, but since I'm just cleaning metal surfaces, it's ok. And it dries fast so you can quickly see how effective it has been.

2) Used a new silicone gasket between the sump screen and the engine body. This is because the engine itself, the mating surface, has a perceptible bit of pitting which would tend to leak. The silicone seals are recommended because they will deform into those pits better than a paper gasket.

3) Used a (new) (German) paper gasket between the sump screen and the sump plate, for reasons of thickness.

4) Used Loctite Blue gel thread locker on the sump bolts.

5) Reused my original sump plate. This one I'd had powder coated long ago, but I took a disk sander with a mild grit to the mating surface to ensure it was smooth, clean and most of all, flat.

After all that, when replacing the sump bolt nuts, they were able to get a good grip on the threads all around and I was able to hand torque them and get them quite tight - probably more than the torque spec, but when tightening by hand, you really get a good feel of what is tight enough and what is on the verge of too tight (for these nuts, anyway).

At the moment, all looks well from an oil leak perspective.

Now as to the engine running. We'd experienced some problems restarting after driving for a period, especially in the hot weather here in Florida which gets into the 90s (deg. F) during the summer.

After a bit of trial and error, I'd determined that the metal fuel line running across the engine to the carb inlet was actually lying on the equalizing manifold, which gets very hot when running. This led to a vapor lock situation - likely the very same one that we'd encountered when we first picked up the car from the shop in Virginia. So to rememdy this I took a 3" long piece of rubber fuel hose - the kind with th cloth outer covering - and slit it lengthwise, then wrapped around the metal fuel line where it was touching off on the manifold. This cured the problem immediately - no more restarting issues.

You know that's what makes these cars so enjoyable, after all. You use a little bit of common sense and with a little grit and gumption (and perhaps redneck engineering) and you find a way to make the car work just a little better, longer, more reliably. Each one has it's own personality and you've gotta spend some time with it to understand the car and what makes it tick. Now having rebuilt this darn thing from scratch I know where all the 'bodies are buried' so to speak - but not all of them, clearly, so we can see that I'm still getting to know the car on a 'personal level'.

Right now one other problem I've got - the adjustment for the shift shaft electronic auto-stick switch - it's not right and the car doesn't drop out of gear as easily as I'd like when I place my hand on the stick. From what I recall, even a very slight hand pressure should be enough to take the car out of gear, and that is enough to allow for easy shifting. Just another little tweak I've got to make....

The Ghia is Done!

I'm happy to report that after some 25 years of shucking and jiving with my Karmann Ghia, the car is finally finished.

My wife Jackie and I have been on assignment in the Middle East since October of 2012. We arranged to put the car into the shop for final fit out as described in previous posts at Skyline Auto in Madison, VA. One day we were sitting at our home one evening when Jackie turned to me and announced, after checking her email, those lovely words that I had been waiting to hear (or, that I had hoped I would announce to my small network of friends and relatives): "The Ghia is done!" We arranged to pick up the car, with the appropriate arrangements for insurance and tags, during our home leave / R&R in the US during August of this year. So without further ado, here are the pics of the end product of all of these dreams and visions:

We drove the car over to Delaware for it's maiden voyage - the first real miles on that rebuilt engine and that overhauled transmission, and let me say, there were a few nervous moments. A gorgeous day for an inaugural cruise, for sure - only a small hint of rain with beautiful blue sky and puffy white clouds like you never see in 'The Sandbox" - so it was top down, for sure. Jackie led the way in her rental 'chase' car.

A few little vibrations as I brought the car up to speed and then rolled into a gas station on US 29N for the first fill up - with that dreaded ethanol-contaminated swill that substitutes for gasoline in the USA these days. 93 Octane for sure and off we went. Otherwise, the car is tight!

I had to learn how to shift the autostick all over again on those rolling country roads of central Virginia, and it was a joy. First nervous moment: we stopped for a picnic lunch beside a small gas station. When we pulled out for the final leg, we'd gone about a mile down the road when the Ghia's engine sputtered and flat out DIED - nothing! I quickly turned into the driveway of a private home to get the car off the road. Panic set in - no gas? no fire? After a frantic call to Grant at Skyline who offered there might be a vapor lock - we let the car cool for a moment, then tried her again. Praise God, she fired back to life, and off we went. From that point, the engine just got stronger and more dialed in.

This car really is meant for cruising - the sweet spot is about 55 to 65 miles per hour (who knows what RPM that might be) in 2nd gear, and I know she'll go a bit more but I wasn't about to push it that first few hundred miles. She's doggy in L or 1st gear. Most modern cars, you can just punch the accelerator and be in the power band quickly but not this car. But when she's up to speed, she is smooth and responsive.

What a joy!

Latest Crisis

I was contacted by the warehouse where the Ghia is in storage in Delaware: "Dear Larry, I am sorry to have to write this message. During our annual storage audit our warehouseman placed a storage vault in front of your vehicle, accidentally hitting the front of the auto and causing minor damage. The attached photos are poor, but show the damage. Obviously we will cover all repair costs but need to have your authorization to move forward. Please confirm that we can proceed and whether you need a local contact to come by to take a look at the car. I believe you had an inspection late last year on the car. Our apologies for causing this damage and troubling you with this issue. Best regards,"

At this point I'm a little frustrated that the car won't be done in my lifetime. So I'm in the process of screening a few Ghia restoration specialists to determine who best to finish the car while we are abroad.

Update

It's been over two years since I've posted to this blog. The reality is, in October of 2008 I accepted an assignment as Engineering Manager for a large petrochemical project in Nanjing, China. As such, the Ghia project, believe it or not, was carefully packed away - all the miscellaneous parts, for temperature controlled storage. We expect to be away from the U.S. for quite a while, so the project is on hold, indefinitely.

Here with are some pics of what was done most recently to the Ghia, before being placed in storage.

Momentum

Couldn't wait.

Installed the replacement ATF suction line. Added two quarts ATF, enough to prime the pump.

Replaced the battery ground strap. Had the wife turn the key to the ON position. Dummy lights for GEN and OIL lit right up. Sum-beech it's wired correctly!!! Key back to OFF.

Pulled out the spark plugs.

Pulled the oil pressure switch out of the engine tap. Had the wife turn the key to START - the engine cycled!!!! Goddammit first time this engine has turned over in 22 (yep!!) years. Rebuilt starter I've had sitting for nearly a decade worked like a champ!!! Oil coming out the pressure switch tap as expected. Shut the engine back down.

Replaced the switch in the tap, turned the engine over once or twice, oil light staying lit. Then turned it over and held it for 5~10 seconds or so. OIL light went OUT as expected!!!!!! Damn looks like the oil pump is doing it's job. Let the thing cycle for 15 seconds or so, as advised, to circulate the oil.

Wow that is a good feeling - so many things could have gone wrong. No oil or ATF spewing out from places I didn't want it to, happy just to have that happen.

Added 2 more quarts ATF and cycled the engine until the fluid came out the return line. Success!!!

Dash Install

Well it's time to start this car up. To do that you have to have an ignition switch, and to that you have to install the steering column, and you need the dummy lights for oil pressure and generator charge status on the speedometer. To install the speedometer you need to install the dash face so here we are.

Installing the dash face with conventional contact cement is a pain. You have to line up the face exactly right the first time 'cause contact cement is a permanent bond on contact (hence the name, right?). Tried that, and failed. Missed it by that much. 3M super spray adhesive is more forgiving; that's why you see the area masked off in the pics.

A heat gun is helpful in smoothing out bubbles and around curves but be careful: too close or too long a time in one place will cook the dash face quickly!!! There are a few muffs on mine which the dash pads hopefully will hide.