TheSamba.com :: View topic - vanagon headaches {ready to shoot the [censored] thing

Sat Jan 17, 2009 12:54 am

87 vanagon 2100wbx auto trans .... first i noticed after it stalled and i was driveing home with the engine cover off at about 1/4 throttle the thing gives off a highpitch whistle (leak?...where?) second .. changed the front drivers side tire and the speedo quit..agin.. any ideas on how ti KEEP it working and mabey quiet its annoying "squirrel in a cage" chatter in cold weather?.. and finaly the factorey cruise control has yet to work .. where is the speed sencer for that i have replaced all vacumelines and patched that goofy rubber thing that pulles the throttle when it needs to speed up
belive it or not a simple bicycle tire patch worked great and after testing it i found no leaks or resistance any help would be great!!!!!~[/b]

Sat Jan 17, 2009 6:15 am

<< first i noticed after it stalled and i was driveing home with the engine cover off at about 1/4 throttle the thing gives off a highpitch whistle (leak?...where?)>>

You'll find the vacuum leak as soon as you get a hand held vacuum pump on the lines--fastest way to locate / pin point a leak.

<< second .. changed the front drivers side tire and the speedo quit..agin.. any ideas on how ti KEEP it working>>

As soon as you get a new c-clip on the cable.
They're available in the smaba.com vanagon parts section--new

<< and mabey quiet its annoying "squirrel in a cage" chatter in cold weather?>>

Time to yank the dash outa the Van and get a new front heater motor installed.
No more "squirrel in the cage"

<<.. and finaly the factorey cruise control has yet to work .. where is the speed sencer for that i have replaced all vacumelines and patched that goofy rubber thing that pulles the throttle when it needs to speed up>>

Under the dash--got your Bentley out for the cruise repairs?
Another job for the vacuum tester too--finding out where the system could / might be leaking from.

Might be the kick off switch on the brake pedal--Take a look at the Bentley--It'll tell you how to diagnose the cruise.

<<belive it or not a simple bicycle tire patch worked great and after testing it i found no leaks or resistance>>

How's you check out the cruise throttle pull for no leaks?

Sat Jan 17, 2009 6:16 am

<< first i noticed after it stalled and i was driveing home with the engine cover off at about 1/4 throttle the thing gives off a highpitch whistle (leak?...where?)>>

You'll find the vacuum leak as soon as you get a hand held vacuum pump on the lines--fastest way to locate / pin point a leak.

<< second .. changed the front drivers side tire and the speedo quit..agin.. any ideas on how ti KEEP it working>>

As soon as you get a new c-clip on the cable.
They're available in the smaba.com vanagon parts section--new

<< and mabey quiet its annoying "squirrel in a cage" chatter in cold weather?>>

Time to yank the dash outa the Van and get a new front heater motor installed.
No more "squirrel in the cage"

<<.. and finaly the factorey cruise control has yet to work .. where is the speed sencer for that i have replaced all vacumelines and patched that goofy rubber thing that pulles the throttle when it needs to speed up>>

Under the dash--got your Bentley out for the cruise repairs?
Another job for the vacuum tester too--finding out where the system could / might be leaking from.

Might be the kick off switch on the brake pedal--Take a look at the Bentley--It'll tell you how to diagnose the cruise.

<<belive it or not a simple bicycle tire patch worked great and after testing it i found no leaks or resistance>>

How's you check out the cruise throttle pull for no leaks?

Sat Jan 17, 2009 9:58 am

Terry Kay wrote:

<< and mabey quiet its annoying "squirrel in a cage" chatter in cold weather?>>

Time to yank the dash outa the Van and get a new front heater motor installed.
No more "squirrel in the cage"

I think the OP was referring to the speedo.

It probably needs oil or a rebuild. You can find online guides to taking it apart if you'd like to try to fix it yourself. Lubrication might be all that it needs.

If that doesn't work, you'll probably have to pay a professional to look at it. Expect to pay 100-200 for a rebuild.

If the speedometer stops working when you mess with the left front wheel, it's because there is a problem with the grease cap on the hub. Check to see if the hole in the center is rounded (which would allow the cable to spin freely), also make sure that the cap is firmly seated on the rotor. I spent about $20 for a new one to replace the old, which was a little warped and no longer fit properly.

Sat Jan 17, 2009 12:53 pm

[quote="zuhandenheit"][quote="Terry Kay"]

<< and mabey quiet its annoying "squirrel in a cage" chatter in cold weather?>>

<<I think the OP was referring to the speedo.>>

Ya know what --that makes sence--even though there was a multiple list of stuff shved all together in that post---

<<It probably needs oil or a rebuild. You can find online guides to taking it apart if you'd like to try to fix it yourself. Lubrication might be all that it needs.>>

A lttle lube on that front cable will go a long way-

<<If the speedometer stops working when you mess with the left front wheel, it's because there is a problem with the grease cap on the hub. Check to see if the hole in the center is rounded (which would allow the cable to spin freely), also make sure that the cap is firmly seated on the rotor.>>

Don't go putiing the problem this way--
He'll think the hole is suppost to be round.

If the cap is hogged out, & round--if the cable is round, the speedo ain't gonna work.

If the c-clip is missing and the cable dissapear's back into the cap--it ain't gonna spin the speedo either.

Check this stuff out first.