TheSamba.com :: View topic

Fri Sep 24, 2010 12:18 pm

One thing people seldom consider when buying a burnt van is smell. Its very difficult to get the smell out of the interior fabrics...

Fri Sep 24, 2010 12:55 pm

stevey88 wrote: The rear cabinet is not damaged and that is good. But the hoses need to be changed any way as the ends in the engine compartment most likely are.

There are people in the forum think one can get a good Westy for not over 7K but I have looked for one for nearly a year and can not find one at that price range ( 87 up as I want the newer AC vent that is closer to the front. I end up getting one that lived near the California coast ( so there are some rust ) with high mileage. The mileage does not bother me as I can change everything that wears out. The rust is not that much trouble as I have a MIG welder with C25 gas. If yours is a CA Westy, it is worth over 10K if it is running. I think it will cost less than 2k to fix yours if there are no fire damage to the paint beside the rear hatch.

When searching for one I ran into the same thing , the models I liked were in the 9 to 12K range and out of my budget , I think this will be in the 6 to 7k range once I'm done with it. Not bad but not peanuts either.
I'll make sure those hoses get replaced when time comes, thanks.
It is a California Westy with all manuals and several OG keys , overall is pretty clean(except for that smell 914 mike mentioned).

Fri Sep 24, 2010 12:57 pm

That's a nice looking van.

If there's a burnt smell in the fabrics:

Remove all seat fabrics. Soak in cold water with mild, mild detergent such as woolite. Gentle hand agitation. Rinse cold water. Hang dry.

Remove carpets. lay on driveway. Soak with hose. Add some dish detergent, scrub with broom, rinse with hose, "squeegee" with stiff brush, hang in the sun to dry.

Fuel lines: After installing new fuel lines you also have to make sure that your new fuel lines are well attached. You'll have to snug down the connections after your first drive or two, and again when the weather turns cold. Watch, and sniff, for fuel leaking from the connections where fuel lines are attached. I've replaced the fuel lines in two vanagons and after checking and re-tightening the clamps I've had not a drip of fuel in many thousands of miles. (Note, I've always used the worm clamps on fuel line replacements. Maybe the spring clamps are better? But they would have to be the correct diameter and tension for the size of hose you're using. I feel better using worm clamps and my good judgement.)

As for the price: yeah, I could have got one for $500! But you bought the one that was available to you, and you're saving a burnt van. I would probably have done the same thing. You should be able to get that van on the road for much less than it would have cost as a complete van.

Fri Sep 24, 2010 1:04 pm

funagon wrote: That's a nice looking van.

If there's a burnt smell in the fabrics:

Remove all seat fabrics. Soak in cold water with mild, mild detergent such as woolite. Gentle hand agitation. Rinse cold water. Hang dry.

Remove carpets. lay on driveway. Soak with hose. Add some dish detergent, scrub with broom, rinse with hose, "squeegee" with stiff brush, hang in the sun to dry.

Fuel lines: After installing new fuel lines you also have to make sure that your new fuel lines are well attached. You'll have to snug down the connections after your first drive or two, and again when the weather turns cold. Watch, and sniff, for fuel leaking from the connections where fuel lines are attached. I've replaced the fuel lines in two vanagons and after checking and re-tightening the clamps I've had not a drip of fuel in many thousands of miles. (Note, I've always used the worm clamps on fuel line replacements. Maybe the spring clamps are better? But they would have to be the correct diameter and tension for the size of hose you're using. I feel better using worm clamps and my good judgement.)

As for the price: yeah, I could have got one for $500! But you bought the one that was available to you, and you're saving a burnt van. I would probably have done the same thing. You should be able to get that van on the road for much less than it would have cost as a complete van.

Great tips man , thanks a lot for your help and comments. Now I just have to convince my friends and neighbors that I'm not crazy :lol:

Fri Sep 24, 2010 1:11 pm

Dont forget about the insulation in the walls, the headliner, the foam under the carpets, the foam in the seats, etc......it all holds the smell. Carpet and seat covers are the easy part.......

Fri Sep 24, 2010 1:19 pm

914 mike wrote: Dont forget about the insulation in the walls, the headliner, the foam under the carpets, the foam in the seats, etc......it all holds the smell. Carpet and seat covers are the easy part.......

Thanks man I'll do my best, but even if I have to wear one of this I'm getting that Van on the road

Fri Sep 24, 2010 1:31 pm

Awesome.....another one saved!

Fri Sep 24, 2010 2:15 pm

Something else not mentionned in this thread but stated in others.

Just looking at the hoses is not good enough. Feel also. Time also wears the inside of the hoses even if van not driven. One Samanista said he changes his every 6 mths and that's his decision but he also (and others too) said every few years as they corrode from inside out and you can't see the cracks and the first thing you know is an eruption. I've been there, experienced that, got off real lucky.[/u]

Thu Jan 13, 2011 7:18 am

Is the kit from gowesty any good?

Thu Jan 13, 2011 7:31 am

GoWesty kit worked for me. Didn't have time to hunt locally for the correct hose/clamps, etc.
All the thinking's done for you; all you have to do is the work. :wink:

You will need a pair of "end cutter" pliers for the crimp clamps:

Get the kit & git 'r done.

Thu Jan 13, 2011 7:53 am

For smoke smell either look it up on Google or why not stop by a business in the business and ask some questions.

Smell absorbers are good to use i.e. charcoal, baking soda, but I don't know if they'll stand up to the invasive smoke smell. Someone mentionned you gotten take out behind the walls, it all absorbs smell. Good luck, you'll be able to get all kinds of help from here and looks like you have some offers of help already.

Thu Jan 13, 2011 11:10 am

just to let everyone know. I didn't fix up the burnt van. Insurance co wouldn't sell it back to me. Also gave me alot more money then i had in to it. I bought another 85 westy and I'm almost done fixing her up mechanically. ib bus Good luck fixing the 87. Sounds like fun.

Thu Jan 13, 2011 4:54 pm

:cry: PLEASE STOP POSTING THOSE PICTURES OF VANAGONS ON FIRE!!! IT'S KILLING ME :cry:

Thu Jan 13, 2011 5:07 pm

But obviously there are not people getting the fact how important it is to change the fuel lines on a regular basis even if they look good. No as much as I shudder to see the burnings we all need it to keep on top of potential problems. I don't have a sense of smell and I wouldn't know (I didn't know) a leak was happening. Fortunately someone forced me off road before any damage could be done.

I think the pics must be constant reminders to all and are an emphatic learning tool for the inexperienced and experienced Vanagoner. Different for Eurovans as they are in front and you can see!!!

Thu Jan 13, 2011 5:16 pm

I know but it's so disturbing, lol, poor vans!

Thu Jan 13, 2011 5:23 pm

Gotcha, yeh I get a sick feeling and now we know that he didn't get to buy that van. I hope it goes some place where someone will buy it.

Thu Jan 13, 2011 5:25 pm

I would be in the same position busheypapa is in. I have a good leak at the fuel rail on the drivers side, didn't notice it until after my cv axle sheared off because of some loose bolts. The vanagods work in mysterious ways.

Thu Jan 13, 2011 9:13 pm

JeffDenson wrote: Is the kit from gowesty any good?

I've used two, and I was very happy. Nobody really talks about using the GW kit here on The Samba. Generally, only the kits from the other vendors are mentioned. Not sure why. I found the GW kit to be easy to install with plenty of hose included (I had about 2 feet left over). I did notice that the brand of fuel line that GW uses seems to be the same fuel line that Ben (ftp2leta) uses. From what I recall, I spied some of the same stuff in a few of his photos. I was a little leary of using the single ear pinch clamps that come with the kit, but after using them, I'm not sure I'd want to use anything else. I'd never done the job before, but using the pinch clamps with a good set of end cuts like dhaavers suggests gave really consistent results and the proper amount of clamp pressure each time. Also, the grommet that replaces the plastic fire wall fitting was a good fit.

Recommendo.

Another fuel line tip:
Route your fuel lines like tencent does on his beautiful engines. The routing is super clean and really visible. I consider it a nice improvement over my old routing. When I want to inspect them, they're right in my face, not hidden under a bunch of plug wires, engine parts and hoses.

Plus, it's just fun to look at this and say, "purple plenum".

Fri Jan 14, 2011 10:17 am

Perforce, the fuel line to the tank from the pressure reg's gonna prohibit people's particularly perfect perspective of said purple plenum's profound purpleosity....

DougM

Fri Jan 14, 2011 10:24 am

You can say that again :!: