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Sun Jan 03, 2010 1:18 pm

Hey everyone.

After creeping around on this site after buying my bus, I decided to make my own thread. I have asked a number of question and always received lots of helpful advice. Instead of making a new thread every time I have a question it will be better to do it all on one.

So here it goes:

Bought my bus on Sept. 2 2009 form a guy in Managua, Nicaragua for $700.

The car documents say its a 1970 but others say its a 1972... not to sure.

Here are some pic's from when I went to pick her up.

It had been sitting in the patio for at least 2 years.

It ran on 3 cylinders and the brakes hardly worked. But I managed to get her to the mechanics and then left her there for a week to be able to drive it 90 km home.

Any idea about these turn signals? Haven't been able to find another bus with them like it.

Different coloured door

Basically rust free

Sun Jan 03, 2010 1:44 pm

The time spent at the mechanics in Managua: 2 small windows were put it where there had bin none. Spark plugs were replaced. New locks were put in. New (to me) air filter. The oil kind. Gas tank was removed and cleaned. A new mirror and im sure a bunch of other stuff that I cant remember.

When I bought the bus the PO had cut a whole in the back inside of the bus and was using a gallon jug as a gas tank. Thanks to that I have a big hole covered with duct tape.

First time driving it.

Ok so now I have the bus running and read to take her home. A buddy of mine and me drove her around Managua for about 30 min and then stoped to check everything.... Gas flying out of the fuel pump. Epoxy... ha ha I know but it worked.

OK so we are off again. About 15 min out of town BOOM. The front left tire explodes. Don't have a jack or a tire iron... after awhile of asking around we finally find one and get the tire changed. Off again. Now we are a little bit worried about the other tires and the fact that we no longer have a spare and that we have about 80 km to go.

So crawling down the highway at about 45 km/h we finally get close to town when I dont really have a lot of power and there is a smell of hot metal. Pulled over and the brakes were red hot. So we hung around the side of the highway for a while and then luckly it started to rain. So off we went again with out own privite brake cooling system :wink:

Finally made it home and straight to the bar for a well deserved beer.

All in all 90km in 6 hours... Not to bad for the first time driving her. :shock:

Sun Jan 03, 2010 1:57 pm

Congrats on the bus.Sounds like you have some work ahead of you. :lol: Someone put those turn signals on there.Those are not factory. I'd have to say it is a '72 do to it having the big taillights. You are also missing the engine to body seal or your bus was equipped with a T4 engine at one time and it was swapped for a type one. I'd say it's the seal though given where you live.

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress. 8)

Sun Jan 03, 2010 2:19 pm

So the first major thing that happen to me was driving down the road and the brakes seized. It had happened before (and I now realize it is because the spring that pushes the break pedal back up is broken) so being all pissed off and angry I pushed down as hard as I could on the pedal until the pressure let off and I had no breaks. :oops:

All the fluid leaked out. So assuming that I had just broken the rubber went out and bought some new ones. Then after taking the caliper? off realized that the whole thing was messed up because the metal ring had broken off.

Oh well. I friend of mine had an extra and after a week of soaking to get the stuck pistons out. I was back with breaks.

Before that I had stuck a nail head in the brake hose so I could keep driving around... :wink:

Sun Jan 03, 2010 2:29 pm

Done some slight painting with spray paint. Bumpers, Front thing above the symbol and the roof rack and the sliding door and rims(black)

Put the symbol back where it should be.

Getting better everyday 8)

Another funny story. The bus only came with 3 hubcaps so one day I was out side of my house and a guy approached me asking if I nted to buy one.. He said he only had one and that all I need so I said ya. He told me he would be back at 6 pm that night to show it to me. Never showed up.

Then one Sunday 3 months later at 7 in the morning he shows up with the hubcap. I now have 4. :D

Sun Jan 03, 2010 7:16 pm

Im a little bit behind posting my repairs. I have done a lot before I starting making this thread.

I finally got tired of the knocking noise that was coming from the engine and decided it was time to replace the lifters(solid). While the engine was out, of course, other problems were discovered.

One of the pistons had be destroyed by a nut/bolt or screw that fell in and then had been left in.

While the engine was out and the case split the lifters were changed, a piston, valve lifters, all the gaskets and new piston rings.

Sun Jan 03, 2010 7:21 pm

Looking good, I hope you moved that fuel filter!

Sun Jan 03, 2010 7:22 pm

Here is a photo at the mechanics with the double cab of a friend of mine.

Basically getting the engine rebuilt.

I know dirt floors at a mechanics... but hes the best I can find here :shock:

Sun Jan 03, 2010 7:23 pm

Oh ya that fuel filter was attached to the gallon jug that was the "gas tank". It was a garden hose that was acting as a fuel line.

Sun Jan 03, 2010 7:57 pm

VWNica wrote: Basically rust free

I love this picture... The barbed wire, the banana trees...

How rare is a rust free 35+ year old bus down there? Seems like they'd be few and far between. I don't know anything about Nicaragua but I picture it being wet and humid. Looks like you've got a nice bus there for the money. Love the stories too.

Keep posting your progress.

For more info about your bus have you checked the M-Codes? Also the VIN? The VIN should be just inside the passenger door... someone correct me if I'm wrong, but the 3rd digit would be the year (0 for 1970, 2 for 1972). Here's a long thread about M-Plates: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=138499&highlight=mplate there's a link to what the codes mean in the second post.

Sun Jan 03, 2010 8:21 pm

Nice story, I love to see and hear from different people all over the world.

Sun Jan 03, 2010 8:31 pm

Ok, The plate behind the drivers seat has these numbers on it.

22 054 274
503 508
414151 132 010 240 500
45 1 73 43 PA 2312 11

Here is the Government "Bus ID card" it has the chaise number on it but I have yet to find it on the actual bus.

232205427M

I guess that makes it a 72'

Sun Jan 03, 2010 10:18 pm

Nice bus. Looks like a '72 that's had some creative front end work - lower turn signals sealed up and the round signals mounted up where the later bay signals are. If you look behind the kick panels in the front, you'll be able to tell if the old signal locations were welded closed or just bondoed.

Mon Jan 04, 2010 7:17 am

VWNica wrote: While the engine was out and the case split the lifters were changed, a piston, valve lifters, all the gaskets and new piston rings.
New cam and all bearings too I hope?? Cam and lifters should always be replaced as a team.. How's she running? Good looking bus. Nice progress in few months time. Keep at it. Are parts easy to find there?
Cheers..

Tue Jan 05, 2010 7:45 am

First off I am completely new to buses and the world of mechanics. The knocking noise at first I thought was the vavles but after learning how to adjust them and then adjusting them my self(have learned a lot in 4 months :D ) ) was told that it was the lifters. So not being able to drop then engine myself,yet, I took it to a mechanic. Once the engine was dropped I was told that the cam shaft was fine and didn't need replacing. In retrospect it would have been a great idea because the knocking has come back and when I took it back to the mechanics he told me it was the cam shaft!

Oh well... there is always next time. And this time I will do it myself!

As for the engine to body seal. I know it missing but have been unable to find one. I will be taking a trip to Honduras where supposedly parts are cheap and available.

Parts here are kinda hard to fine and are really expensive. For example looking for new CV Joints the ONLY place in the country that sells them only has 2 and the set of four costs almost $400.

Nicaragua has basically 2 seasons wet and dry. It rains about 6 months of the year and then doesn't at all for another 6. So ya its kinda bad for rust in the wet season.

Also about those M codes mine has PA for the export destination but its not labeled on that page. Anybody know what it is?

Thanks again!

Tue Jan 05, 2010 12:06 pm

The next thing I got up to was to change the bearing in the alternator/fan because I could hear them spinning while driving. This time I decided not to take it to the mechanics and just do it myself.

After fighting with the fan shroud I finally got the alternator off. Actually I lied I then took the alternator to the mechanics to take it apart because I had no idea what I was doing.

New bearings

The problem I have with the mechanics here is that they will strip just about every nut possible taking it off or putting it back on. Even if they strip the nut taking it off they will put it back on. Drives me crazy!

I once spent all day trying to get 5 stripped lug nuts off because the guys that put my new tires on stripped them soo badly they were completely round!

While the alternator was off I realized that the top pulley was really worn.
Another reason to do everything myself, the mechanic put it back on!

So I went out and got me a new one. Chinese, I know, I know, but it was all I could get my hands on. (I have both plates)

Painted it orange to match the bus 8) and then proceeded to put it all back together.

Once together, for some reason, the old fan belt was WAY to big. Both pulleys are the exact same size...

Oh well got a new belt and not the engine runs super quiet. Except for that damn ticking!!!

I still have tones to share but I am currently in the garage replacing the intake manafold... Ill explain, dont worry :wink:

Tue Jan 05, 2010 1:25 pm

Questions Questions Questions

So I got a new carb, 34PICT3 and went to put it on and it would not fit the manifold. Oh ya its a dual port. So someone had the bright idea to cut off the flange? and weld/epoxy a flange for a smaller carb H30/31PICT.

So went looking for a new intake manifold and found one but...

Not to sure what this goes to if it goes to anything at all. A vacuum hose right? And can I cut it off and weld or epoxy it shut?

The old intake manifold.

Complete with epoxy

The old and the new

Old and new carb

Thanks for all the help!

Tue Jan 05, 2010 1:30 pm

The other question that I have is about spark plug wires.

I bought some new ones just a little while ago (Brazilian thats all I can get down here) and had to pull them to get the manifold off and a bit where the wire attaches to the plug stayed attached to the plug. Anybody had this experience before and or delt with this brand?

The brand

The wires. One with and one missing

Here is what it looks like still on the plug.

Thanks again!

Tue Jan 05, 2010 2:14 pm

VWNica wrote: Not to sure what this goes to if it goes to anything at all. A vacuum hose right? And can I cut it off and weld or epoxy it shut?

That should have a vac hose that goes to the brake booster vacuum line.
Check for vacuum leaks along the brake booster line too.. If there is a vac leak in the line or the booster, you'll run like crap. If there is a leak in the line or the booster, you can block the hole on the manifold till you fix the leak but your brakes will not be as good without the vacuum assist.

I think I got some of those plug wires from a local vendor once and they were junk. Are they real stiff and cheap looking? Place I Got them told me they were genuine VW from Brazil but they were horrible quality.. I hope you can find some better ones if they are the same kind.

Keep at it man.. As you are finding out quickly (and painfully it sounds) you are your best mechanic..

Tue Jan 05, 2010 4:44 pm

My old intake didn't have that vac hole in it.

Im not 100% sure but there are different types of brakes right? As far as I know there are master cylinders with a vacuum and with out, correct?

My breaks work pretty good not excelent 8) , I have screeched them before.

Would that hose go to the master cylinder?