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Wed Jun 10, 2009 7:45 pm

Took my dog to get surgery in a town about 45 minutes away. I figured the bus would be easiest for him to get in and lay down in afterward. (Its a great dane.)

We stayed at a friend's house the night before, and drove to the vet that morning. Just as I turned into their parking lot, the engine died.

I was able to use the starter to get it to a parking spot, got the dog situated, and started troubleshooting.

Everything seemed to be working right so I was befuddled. I pulled the fuel filter and it was pretty cruddy looking, so I had the local FLAPS order me a couple and expected that to fix the problem the next morning.

But it didn't.

After futzing around with it awhile longer, I finally gave in and had AAA tow it back to my house, and drove *back* to the vet to pick up the dog.

The bus sat for about a month before I did anything with it. When I finally did, I decided to put a couple gallons of gas in, "just in case."
:shock:
It fired right up. Stupid gas gauge had broken and told me I had way more gas than I did!

Wed Jun 10, 2009 7:52 pm

touched the manifold while it was still hot. wont do that again.

also touch the spark between the coil and distributor. that was a fun shock.

Wed Jun 10, 2009 7:55 pm

enjoispammy8 wrote: touched the manifold while it was still hot. wont do that again.

also touch the spark between the coil and distributor. that was a fun shock.

haha that reminds me. I had just finished installing a new muffler on my 73 Sport Beetle and drove it home from a friend's house. When I got home, I noticed that it was slightly crooked, so with both hands I went and grabbed the tailpipes without thinking twice.

That was probably one of the most painful things I've ever experienced.

Wed Jun 10, 2009 8:17 pm

enjoispammy8 wrote: touched the manifold while it was still hot. wont do that again.

also touch the spark between the coil and distributor. that was a fun shock.

this also reminds me of a stupid thing my buddy did when we were working on my bus. so I just got my 72 and it isn't running... yet. I got the spark plugs out, hmmm I wounder if there firing? well I got a screwdriver and had him hold it against the crank case to ground to them. the idiot didn't know why I told him to hold it with a screw driver and decided it would be easier to hold it with his hand, it fired very nicely.... into his hand.

Wed Jun 10, 2009 8:28 pm

My memory is failing me 'cause I know there are plenty...

How about feeling my clutch slip 1/2 hour into a 7 hour drive to camp and ignoring it... Made it to the campsite fine (except for my electronic points failing) But it took 16 quarts of oil (at least) to get me home once my main seal gave out 2 hours into the drive home.

And I've stripped plenty a thread from a bad habit of over-tightening.

Wed Jun 10, 2009 9:09 pm

The worst I've done so far is put in one of the spark plugs upside down
(happened today by the way)
my friend caught my mistake and laughed himself silly

then he went to start the car and found out that he had forgotten to connect the
distributor (which i gladly pointed out to him)

fun day :)

Wed Jun 10, 2009 10:00 pm

seabass0527 wrote: The worst I've done so far is put in one of the spark plugs upside down
(happened today by the way)
my friend caught my mistake and laughed himself silly

then he went to start the car and found out that he had forgotten to connect the
distributor (which i gladly pointed out to him)

fun day :)

up yours seabass :lol:

Wed Jun 10, 2009 10:27 pm

A while back I actually drove for about 10 minutes mistakenly in 2nd gear instead of 4th...doing about 60. It was windy, plus radio, so couldn't hear engine well. At least it didn't (seem to) do any damage.

I need a tachometer...

Wed Jun 10, 2009 11:51 pm

chrisd1891 wrote: I was driving on the beach (which is legal) but two of my friends were standing up looking out the pop top. A cop pulls me over, and asks for my license, registration, and proof of insurance. I give him all 3, but my insurance card had expired days before. He says, "I could give you a $700 fine for people not wearing seat belts, and your insurance card" and he walks back to his car to check that I'm not a felon or anything :D He comes back, asks, "How much did you pay for this bus?" and I say, "About $700, and I'm about $1500 into it total" and he smirks at me and says, "What year?" "...a 1969" and I'm shaking at this point, and he says, "Stop shaking you're not going to jail...yet" and so of course I'm shaking more. Then all of a sudden he smiles and says, "Well, I used to have a '76 Westy, and you guys seem nice, so this is just a warning, I'm gonna let you guys go.""

Biggest sigh of relief ever. That was my first run in with a cop, and the fact that I own a bus saved me :shock:

That's funny, one time I went through a roadblock and this cop pulls he over... he has a pissed off look on his face and he looks at me then shines his flashlight in the bus and mumbles 'I bet theres so much weed in this van...'. Oh thought to myself 'Oh no', then he says 'Ahhh just kidding buddy I used to own a '75, love these vehicles, carry on.'

Good thing he didn't search :shock: haha well having weed in BC isnt so big a deal, but they do care a little more if its in a vehicle.

Thu Jun 11, 2009 3:02 am

Hey Mikey, What's that noise? You sure you tightened those lug nuts?

Thu Jun 11, 2009 8:04 am

...and we can't forget how many times we have driven around with the E-Brake on. :oops:

Thu Jun 11, 2009 10:37 am

A year or so ago I was changing the disc brake pads on the front of my ’79 Westy. I had changed disc brakes on other cars before, but not on a bus, so I studied the Bentley manual and thought I had a handle on everything. I start tapping the little pin that holds the pads in and it moved, so I tap a little harder. Then it stops, so I bang it pretty good. Nothing. I get a BFH. Nothing. I get out the air chisel with the pointy thing on it, and it finally moved…right out the back side of the caliper along with a big chunk of the casting. It seems that the pins/holes are tapered, and I was driving it the wrong way! Now I have new pads AND new calipers! :oops:

In my defense, I’m pretty sure the photo in the manual was backwards. :wink:

Thu Jun 11, 2009 10:37 am

Pulled the gauge panel...
Put the Wipers at the up position... left keys in ignition.
Pulled the wiper switch to convert to elec switch for pump...

Weaved my hands up through the dash and around the wiper motor links into that tiny little opening to install new washer hose to the drivers side nozzle.

Bumped disconnected leads with right arm... hot lead grounded... Actuated wipers to return to the up (finger-guillotine) position.

Fortunately, No permanent harm, (no permanent foul).

Thu Jun 11, 2009 11:12 am

bought a bus

Thu Jun 11, 2009 11:13 am

Marv [UK] wrote: bought a bus

Hey this isn't the "greatest things I have ever done" thread!

Thu Jun 11, 2009 11:15 am

calebmelvin wrote: Marv [UK] wrote: bought a bus

Hey this isn't the "greatest things I have ever done" thread!

yeah I know.... I love my bus, but I could have bought a Rolls Royce by now ;)

Thu Jun 11, 2009 11:39 am

My friend and I were driving to a discount tool place on Central Avenue in Albuquerque and noticed that my '74 Super Beetle felt wobbly. I pulled in to the parking lot and found that the front passenger wheel was loose, but it wasn't the lug nuts. I grabbed my wrench and cranked down the nut that holds the bearings in and VIOLA the wobble was gone. Drove it for about 1.5 weeks before it completely seized. D'oh! Welded that sucker right to the spindle. Thus the beginning of my education about bearings.

Thu Jun 11, 2009 6:46 pm

oh, this embarrassing:

used a cast crank, got paranoid about the gland nut coming loose, so i used green loctite on it.

8 years later, i forgot i had used loctite on it, forced the gland nut off without heating it first and the crank threads tore out. nice engine too- i just wanted to freshen the seal. :(

Thu Jun 11, 2009 7:37 pm

Well I have only had mine for a short while but I have a couple.

Decided to change my fuel filter without draining the tank and there was no spot to clamp the line, so I pulled it off and shoved a pencil in the line to stop the gas. Pulled the filter out and put the new filter on the 11mm side. So all I had to do now was to remove said pencil and reconnect the 7 mm line. Well the flow was fierce and after 5 tries and a gas bath it was back on. I knew better but was in a hurry. Still feel like a tool.

Secondly, i took out my air filter to replace the filter. The next day i went to put it back in and it wouldn't go in very well. There was no way to connect the afm to the s boot. I tried 5 diffferent ways to get it back together with no luck. Scratching my head, I was saying to myself, it's like some little trolls came here last night and turned the afm on me as a trick. Then I remembered taking the air box apart and how the clamps didn't seem to clamp very well. Guess what...... they do if you rotate the cover of the air box 90 degrees the way it is supposed to be.

Hi, my names Jason, and I am a dumbass

Thu Jun 11, 2009 9:12 pm

I was changing my fuel filter, or rather putting one on (PO's ehh?) under the tank on a super beetle. I decided that instead of draining the tank, Id just let it sit at an angle so it wouldnt drain. Well it fell off of what I was propping it up on and quickly spilling a gallon or two of gas in the ground. I picked it back up, but there was still gas in the sump of the tank so i try to find my vice grips to pinch off the line. They are under the car, being doused with gasoline #-o So I throw a screwdriver at them to knock them out the other side at which point I grab them and pinch them over the line.

I probably dropped 5 gallons of gas on that pavement.