Turbo Project Problems

[JShadzi at aol.com]

<<  I went for a decently longer drive than before, let's say I went 20
 miles this time.  The first thing that caught my nose was the burning
 coolant, man that stuff stinks to high hell when it burns off on a hot metal
 object, namely my cylinderhead.  Then I noticed that oil pressure is still
 lower than I'd like:
 
 Idle (0.8k) = 0.5bar to just below 1bar, the hotter the lower
 2k rpm = 2bar
 3k rpm = 3.5bar
 4k + rpm = 5bar>>

That does seem a little low at idle, but you also have to take into 
consideration the accuracy of your gauge and the sender.  Aren't you using 
the factory gauges?  They are notorious for reading low IME, try a VDO unit, 
they are more accurate IMO.  Also try 20w50 as others have recommended, it 
helps get the pressure up.
 
 <<That low pressure at idle scares me and I still haven't had the oil cooler
 thermostat allow oil into the cooler, even after 15 minutes of sitting to
 get the fans to kick in for the cooling system, which they finally did.  Oil
 temp gauge read around 90-100C at the hottest idle, oil pressure was 0.5bar,
 too low for me.  I am thinking maybe I should get rid of the coffee can
 filter and go back to the regular filters and some higher weight oil, sound
 like a good idea?>>

That seems odd, if you took it for a drive the oil cooler thermo. should have 
opened, what is your ambient?  I would use the stock filter for your car, 
remember, with the turbo and the oil cooler you have increased the capacity 
of your system quite a bit, and not the pump has more oil to pressurize, that 
diesel filter doesn't help there.
 
 <>

I would reset your CO a little on the rich side, it won't hurt anything, 
definitely a little richer than you had for your NA motor.  Don't expect your 
fuel system to be good for much over 5 pr 6 psi, if it is leaning that 
does'nt surprise me, that is the same place the GTI's start leaning too with 
the ND turbo kits.
 
 <<When I hit full throttle, no matter what, the air/fuel gauge drops to full
 lean and doesn't hop back up until I let go.  The WOT switch is the same one
 that was in the car before the conversion and I know it works.  I can hit
 full boost slowly and everything is fine, but if I try to jump on it a bit
 it goes lean.>>

Roll up your windows, turn off the radio, and listen for pinging.  The A/F 
gauge is not the most accurate either, if the engine is making power and not 
detonating, you don't have too much to worry about, the fact that it is going 
lean when you hit the throttle is a little odd, it should take a little 
longer than that to go lean.  As long as your fuel pump is running, you don't 
have anything to worry about, just set the CO on the rich side for now.
 
<< I will have to get a new seal for that leaky flange at the rear of the
 cylinderhead.  I'm not loosing that much coolant at all but it is real
 smelly and sometimes there is a tiny bit of smoke from it.  I can't find any
 secret oil leaks that would be causing low pressure, but I want to get it
 higher for sure.  I am going to fiddle with the base mixture and timing to
 get the idle a tiny bit higher so the oil pressure is higher as well, plus
 when I slow down to idle the engine wants to drop to 0.5k rpm and then kick
 back to regular idle.  >>

Ya, sounds like you still need to wrap up a couple of details...you are right 
on track as far as that goes.  Take a deep breath and enjoy yourself!  You 
are farther along in this project than most will ever be, take pride in that, 
fix up some of these details, and enjoy the fruits!

Javad