[Vwdiesel] Maiden Voyage and a coupe of questions

[LBaird119 at aol.com]

  I FINALLY had the opportunity to take Dad's pickup out for its break-in run!
It did quite well even with a good load for the return trip.
  I've been thinking that an intercooler was somewhat optional unless driving
hard.  After watching the gauges, one would be helpful on any TD going
faster than 50mph!  Of course the last time I drove a fully gauged (boost and
EGT) TD VW was back in the 55mph days and it was a BAE.  It didn't have
the boost at lower rpm like the factory units do.  More would still be
better!
I was at the turbo rebuilder today and asked about quicker spool-up.  He
checked on smaller turbine housings and they already use the smallest
Garrett makes for this turbo.  A different turbo would be the next step.
  Anyway...  At 60mph I was running about 800 degrees and 7 to 8 lbs of
boost on level to light hills.  On the return trip I was running a max of
almost
1200 F and just over 10psi of boost.  An intercooler should take nearly 250F
off of that I'd guess.
  Except for a couple of rattles and possibly some rear shocks it did great!

Questions:
  The engine has an intolerable drone, from the exhaust I presume.  Have
any of you had problems with 2 1/2 inch exhaust having a bad drone to it?
If so, how did you remedy it?  I've heard of welding weight to the pipe to
change the resonant frequency.  Should I be checking motor mounts,
again!?
  The instrument cluster light is .... foggy or dusty looking.  I've
thoroughly
disassembled and cleaned it but at night, with the lights on, the cluster
looks
like it's all dusty.  It's the lighting.  Is this typical or has the green
filter fogged
and making it that way?  Should the light be a crisp green?  If this one's
the
exception then I may be needing a cluster.  It has a small crack also and it
looks like my speedo fix didn't quite do the trick.  Seattle is roughly a 300
mile round trip and the trip odometer says less than 250.  :P  Looks like the
gear is slipping a little.
  Thanks all and thanks to Doyt for the center console!  It was SO nice to
have the gauges in and operating!  (and visible)
     Loren