TheSamba.com :: View topic - SHOW & TELL, show a tow & what you learned to do aft

Wed May 16, 2012 6:52 am

Just a switch on strictly towing. Each one of my multitude of tows has had me learning a new maintenance/fix. Example my tow of May 15th :oops: because I ran out of diesel (but had a reserve portable 5L), 2 mechanics(?), a tow driver did not know how to prime. VOILA a tow to my main mechanic and he taught me how to prime. Now I know how to prime which is ultimate with diesel. Also must drop that tank and check/change level indicator and gauge reader. :roll:

[img] Aw I can't get it in here. What is wrong with that pic of being towed yesterday. Has to do with model. Will never do it again/![/url]

Wed May 16, 2012 7:07 am

Wed May 16, 2012 7:15 am

ahh an all too familair sight for 2011...
we don't want to see any of these for 2012....

didn't your (insert wise family member here) ever teach you to drive off the Top half of the tank.. we have 2 vans on our fleet w/o a working gas gauge.. one of which also has no Odometer... but there's a little tingle in the back of your nect/butt that knows when you have gone too long w/o fueling...
now that I've properly jinx'd myself.. I'll prepare to carry a gascan.

Priming diesel is why I prefer to run a lift/supply pump near the tank in my Diesel conversions.. makes it mucho easier onthe engine to purge all that air.. you really don't want to burn up a starter just because you overlooked the fuel range.

Best, Dan in NY

Wed May 16, 2012 7:27 am

Thanks for posting pic! Now with my new camera, I am able to resize easily and get them into my Gallery, will learn next step soon :roll:

Well I was tracking it but figured I had a least another 100 km BUT I did not take into account all the times that it was started and not moved and left idling. Oh well, now I know how to prime. I didn't know I ran out of diesel :oops: The stupid thing was that I had stopped at a store that had fuel tanks (no diesel but I had diesel) with a garage and none of the guys would come out to smell it or help me. I don't have a sense of smell and sometimes that handicaps me. Once I'd checked all my fuses, lines etc. (the supposed clear section of line is opague white and one can not see thru it >>>will replace for sure). Nelson wants to replace it with either neoprene or nylong clear hose. I agree, opague is stupid cause I can't see anything.

WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH THIS SCENE? Should not be (especially Riviera) towed backwards. We went city roads instead of highways to get to Nelson's. Never thought of that before, no support or bracket at back end of Riviera. Dan when I get back I have some questions about the leading front of the pop top, its separating, I think I have to recaulk it and put some screws in for more support.

Oh yes I usually drive on top 1/2 of fill but I was going to drop my tank and wanted less in it. Alas yesterday was not the day I planned to drop it! I was more upset at the 2 questionable mechanics not knowing that you didn't just fill an empty diesel and drive off. (That's what they told me to do >> I, simple me, had to explain about diesels and priming) In Ontario you can have 1 fully licensed mechanic overseeing 2 non qualified workers. Just my luck the boss was not there! ggggrrr.

Anyway due to the voluminous tows over the previous 2 years and now with all new, well I learn another operation to do something myself. Like if you want it done, do it! I've been saying I had to learn to prime, well now I know and its sooooo simple :lol:

Another tow I had, which I already did yesterday was check all my fuses because if one specific fuse blows then the diesel stops working. (i.e. my tow in central PA last year). Now I check my fuses. I've certainly learned so much from each of my tows. Hopefully what has happened before won't happen again :roll: :lol:

Anyhow, this too will pass. Not leaving until at least tomorrow now for Granny Grose's.

Wed May 16, 2012 7:34 am

Good luck with your van.

Wed May 16, 2012 7:49 am

The time the engine stopped running going down a steep mountain immediately after a hard climb, ended up to be a fuse up under the dash, one of the extra 2. Hillbilly Diesel in PA is the one who fixed that one. I had checked everything but forward fuses.

Just about all my volominous tows were pre 3rd engine and 2 have been wiring/fuse problems. As I've said I'm learning for sure.

It's very fortunate that you have only been towed once but hey you work on engines, systems, etc... I used to run life support systems and I was quite mechanical but those days are over. I am relearning mechanical systems but I'll not do any engine work. I have enough other things that I can do. This is what happens when you buy a conversion from someone unlicensed who bought a van with a dead engine, hadn't been run for years and no real history. That is the past of this van. Scooby was reborn late July 2011 and any tows since have been 'normal' in my viewpoint. I told the story because it was a [-X #-o

Tow truck driver (and he was aged and pleasant) told me that normally he won't tow the pop tops backwards as the wind can more easily get under the lid from behind that towing forward. No big deal but I once again learned something. Andrew, you know so much and you've experienced so much and despite my age, I am a neonate at this but a pretty experienced one on things going wrong.

Wed May 16, 2012 8:33 am

the leading edge on my ASI roof has 4 large rivits securing it to the metal

others could chime in if thier ASI are similiar.

you can just make them out in this historic pic from Westies @ Watkins track event.
http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/259444.jpg

Wed May 16, 2012 8:50 am

I've been towed once in 7 years of Vanagon ownership. The timing belt on my EJ22 broke, luckily it is a non-interference engine so there was no internal damage.

The belt and idlers had only 30k miles on them; the idler siezed and tore up the belt. The lesson to me was to use all factory Subaru belts and idlers; I used "quality" aftermarket parts previously. $350 in parts later, my van was back on the road.

Wed May 16, 2012 9:19 am

Only got towed once because I had a brake fluid leak. Thought about it for a while, after all it was still braking and I could always add fluid as I went, with the tank located so cleverly right in front of me when I drive. But then, I live some 300m above town, and it's quite steep to get down there. Also I have CAA which I had never used to it costs me nothing. Lesson learned ? I should stop trying to do every single thing on my own and you don't want to take that kind of risk !

Wed May 16, 2012 10:06 am

OK, that's a bunch more reasons I've been (past tense emphasis) towed, none of you have been using the services. Gosh the tow truck drivers would go broke if they knew all of you!!!! :lol:

Wed May 16, 2012 10:21 am

Have a great day.

Wed May 16, 2012 10:27 am

I don't know where that is coming from but I do hear you. Lots of previous problems were created by a non qualified person, now professionally done and fine but I will stop at another Vanagon Shop and have them look at it. Problem is I don't know what the hell you are talking about! Hillbilly Diesel in PA replaced the solenoids fuse. Solenoids do have fuses, that I know.

Andrew don't be harsh with me, won't do you any good and it only hurts my emotions. It certainly doesn't get the attention of my intelligence.I do not fear death, only the process, don't want it prolonged! So don't talk to me unless you can be civil.

Wed May 16, 2012 2:33 pm

No problem. If you feel my prior post was too harsh or less than civil I am completely content not offering any assistance or advice in the future. Good luck with your van.

Wed May 16, 2012 3:59 pm

so be it. I really have no idea what you are talking about my "wrongly wired solenoid". I blew a fuse of the solenoid over a steep, prolonged incline behind a transport, temp went up a titch and got to top, the engine died. Short story is it was the fuse that blew. No known problems as you suggest.

Wed May 16, 2012 4:10 pm

Daizee, he said earlier:
Andrew A. Libby wrote: That circuit is not fused on stock diesel vans because a blown fuse on the railroad tracks or middle of a busy intersection could kill you.

So I guess he has a problem with the fact that your circuit IS fused.

Hum, would I rather stall out (fused) or have my van start on fire (unfused)? Uh, just trying to take some heat off you. :lol:

Wed May 16, 2012 5:41 pm

Thanks. Yes I got what he said but I don't know why he is saying it. I am not a stock diesel van. I am a 98 Jetta TD 1.9L AAZ engine and the entire engine compartment was rewired and set up correctly by automotive electricians just before and during the 3rd engine enplacement. So do you see what I'm saying. I don't know what he is talking about. :roll: He knows more about my van as it exists now than I do?

Wed May 16, 2012 8:25 pm

well I'm sure youa ll get tired of this one..

but I learned to make sure the ignition timing is spot on before you let mom take the Van on a 2,000 mile roadtrip.
and it's best not to do engine swaps 4weeks before a major roadtrip.

in my defense my brother was to test drive mom's van for 2weeks prior but never picked up on the pre-detonation pinging..

timing it's not just for breakfast..

Wed May 16, 2012 9:05 pm

Had no money so tried to get home from a long trip on what i had left and the spare can but ran out of fuel at 5 in the morning next to nowhere outside of town, cell was out of battery and there was no traffic. Took 3 hours before the fourth car to pass stopped and let me borrow a call... I learned that on long trips: always take some emergency cash, always keep a cell charger in the van, and get a bigger spare can! I only had a 10 liter spare can, my current 20 liter jerry can would have gotten me home. Got the tow truck driver to drop me of at the gas station just down the road from were i live. He was supposed to drop me of at the first possible location to fix my problem but he had nothing better to do and it was just 5 more minute's so he took me all the way. A couple of days later i walked down there with money, pushed the van over to the pump and filled up.