TheSamba.com :: View topic - 1978 FI Wesfalia

Thu May 06, 2010 12:11 pm

Stuartzickefoose wrote: Gas Heater Gauge right?

Umm, that IS a tach, but whats cornfusing is that the "needles" seems to be switched around. The red one should be the one to set your redline, with the knob in the center, and the white one should be the one pointing at the 4 and freely moves. Wierd. :shock:

EDIT- Not wierd if you took this pic while the bus was at 3000 rpm and you haven't set the red needle.

-dasdachshund

Thu May 06, 2010 3:33 pm

dasdachshund wrote: Stuartzickefoose wrote: Gas Heater Gauge right?

Umm, that IS a tach, but whats cornfusing is that the "needles" seems to be switched around. The red one should be the one to set your redline, with the knob in the center, and the white one should be the one pointing at the 4 and freely moves. Wierd. :shock:

EDIT- Not wierd if you took this pic while the bus was at 3000 rpm and you haven't set the red needle.

-dasdachshund

Thats with the car off, and the white needle is currently set at 4300 rpms, and yeah i figured out it was a tach as soon as i started the bus. i asked that question before i had a chance to start it.

Thu May 06, 2010 3:34 pm

nathansnathan wrote: maximan1 wrote: And VWs are made to be run with 87 gasoline. Not premium crap. Since busses do not automatically adjust the spark to ignite sooner with more refined gasoline (aka premium shit you put in it earlier) you were probably running lean (or the gas was pre igniting). Not sure if that would make it run cooler, but it sure as hell isn't good for it.

Is it just me or is this just total misinformation? premium gas making it pre ignite over regular?

It wouldn't hurt it at all to run premium, despite that it probably wouldn't help any either.

i did notice that the car does not run quite as smoothly on regular as it does on premium. not a huge difference, but noticeable.

Stuart

Thu May 06, 2010 4:34 pm

Maximan is sort of right, that if your distributor timing is advanced a bit too much, premium gas would make it pre-ignite less. Using that is supposed to be for when you have a compression ratio that is designed for that. Yours probably is not a high compression engine (it has dished pistons) so should be running on regular. If you say that it runs better on pemium, then it makes me think your timing is advanced too much. You should try to time it with a gun. Timing is super important to making it run well, and reliably.

Thu May 06, 2010 5:14 pm

ill check the timing later sometime soon.

Thanks

Stuart

Sun May 09, 2010 9:54 pm

Okay, haven't had a chance to check the timing, but it seems to be good. I got 18.8 mpg.... (That’s good right?)

Maisy just got back from Portland. A guy tried to buy her for 10 k (another thread) and I met two nice Vdubbers, Greta and Michael (one each day I was there)

I’m currently trying out my fridge, and I’m curious how hot it is supposed to get on the vent side? The fridge isn’t cold yet (two hours or so) and I have heard that it takes about 15 hours or some high number of hours? Any help there would be great.

Also, I’m planning on getting my second battery wired up correctly, and tips on that would be great, links would be even better.

The front vent needs new seals, haven’t had time to look for them yet, I also have no clue what I’m getting into there yet, but I looked under the screen and it looks fairly simple, hope it will be.

Is there any adjustment for the heater knobs? My fan switch feels like it’s to low for the dash. It wont go all the way up (I push it up, it swings back about 1/3 of the way back down) but the fan turns on about a inch from the bottom. Is there a high low setting? Or one speed only? Id love a high switch.... :D

also, ill be installing a new stereo (one out of my stash) and some better speakers, possibly my 10" sub ($15 at value village :D) my stereo I’m putting in has wiring for the sub so I shouldn’t need an amp I think, I wont be pushing it to hard...

Finally, ill be fixing the dash light. I will most likely just put in all new bulbs and see where that gets me. Got find the bad ground on my tach light (flickers real bad) and then I have to get a few more screw for the dash (I only have on, so it moves around a lot)

Any ideas or other suggestions would be great.

Thanks
Stuart

Sun May 09, 2010 10:13 pm

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=940707

Would this table work in a 78? I already have the seller contacted, but id like to make sure it would fit before he ships it.

Stuart

Mon May 10, 2010 7:56 am

Stuartzickefoose wrote: Also, I’m planning on getting my second battery wired up correctly, and tips on that would be great, links would be even better.

Thanks
Stuart

Have you purchased an auxiliary battery relay kit yet? If not, buy this one.
http://www.germansupply.com/xcart/customer/product.php?productid=16766&cat=&page=1
It will come with instructions.

Mon May 10, 2010 8:53 am

Stuartzickefoose wrote: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=940707

Would this table work in a 78? I already have the seller contacted, but id like to make sure it would fit before he ships it.

Stuart

Yes, it'll work, not the correct one but better than no table.

Mon May 10, 2010 9:09 am

Stuartzickefoose wrote: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=940707

Would this table work in a 78? I already have the seller contacted, but id like to make sure it would fit before he ships it.

Stuart

Perhaps - but it is definitely not the original VW table for a 78.

Mon May 10, 2010 9:22 am

The sub outputs you speak of, aren't those just a set of rca's out of the unit? -if so, that's signal only. I'm just about positive that your headunit can't power your sub.

Mon May 10, 2010 3:35 pm

nathansnathan wrote: The sub outputs you speak of, aren't those just a set of rca's out of the unit? -if so, that's signal only. I'm just about positive that your headunit can't power your sub.

its a clarion head and it has two wires for the sub, but i dont know much else than that.

Mon May 10, 2010 3:43 pm

Stuartzickefoose wrote: i dont know much else than that.

Truer words were never spoken.

Sat May 15, 2010 10:21 am

HELP!

So i went to start up the bus today, and when i started it, it has a nasty ticking noise. i personally think its a stuck or sticky lifter. its not an exhaust leak, and the bus still has the same amount of power, but its throwing out white smoke (unburned fuel) and i was curious if anyone might know why.

SIDE NOTE:
Do i have to adjust the valves on hydrolic lifter just like on a solid lifer engine?

Sat May 15, 2010 10:28 am

Its a lifter that has bled down.

take it for a drive and it should pump up.

Sun May 23, 2010 9:15 pm

okay, just got back from portland. ran great the whole time. i think its time tofigure out my heating. :P any suggestions on where to start? i have TONS of heat coming out the blow off vents near the engine, but almost none on the inside! i have some air flow, (almost none) and a little heat, but not enought to defrost the windows or anything.

just figuring out how the propane works, and when i took it to a local vw guru, we found out one of the valves was bad on the main tank (pass side). can i replace that on my own? propane comes out when its opened up.

also, does anyone have a 78 westy table? i need one....

peace
Stuart

Mon Jul 12, 2010 10:49 am

just got back from lincoln city last wednesday. got a tin peice that overs the thermostat (finally) and got a thermostat all for seven bucks. (traftons rules)

also put in a new coil and a compufire electronic points that i had in my bug when it died. doesnt miss upon acceleration. :D

also got my licence so now im driving her everywhere. YAY!

noticed on the last fillup i have some sort of gas leak around the filler neck. what do i have to do to fix that?

Also loving the new wheels i got from andrew, five spoke vanagon rims. they look amazing!

Peace
Stuart

Sat Feb 12, 2011 11:58 pm

Okay, so in the prcess of replacing my clutch, i have replace the pilot bearing, main seal, clutch disc and pressure plate, and the throw out bearing i have the engine less than an inch from in and it wont go any further, period. i removed it again, and double checked that the clutch was lined up properly, and when that didnt work, i tried it with bus in gear, then again, out of gear. still wont go in....any ideas?

Sun Feb 13, 2011 12:58 am

Turn the crank pulley back and forth as you push the engine in to align the splines.

If the tranny is on a jack you can lower the rear a little and slide the engine in on an upward angle to avoid hanging up at the rear.

There are several other places you could be hung up.

It's much easier to remove and replace the engine and tranny as a unit. I can do it myself using a motorcycle/ATV jack.

jim

Sun Feb 13, 2011 8:45 am

jamesdagg wrote:
If the tranny is on a jack you can lower the rear a little and slide the engine in on an upward angle to avoid hanging up at the rear.

jim

That is known as "the agle of the dangle". :)