Thingamajigger thread

[chojinchef]

Thought that I should consolidate my efforts towards the Thingamajigger this winter in hopes that sharing my quagmire of projects to get done may actually assist someone else.

EDIT - Subject vehicle is a 1984 Westy. Has had some significant love in its past, but more recent PO allowed it to sit. She is a dirty girl, she has been around. Dog show participants, chased the Dead, 7 years in Hawaii, a year in Italy, and then back to Connecticut and New England winters. Thats when I rescued her.

Today's efforts were towards replacing the brake master cylinder, but first post is last weeks radiator replacement.

The offending core. Rotted on the bottom, support band was broken off due to rot.

Definately a candidate for replacement.
After jacking the front end of the van and draining the coolant. I prepped the area with plenty of paper towels and the tools I would require. Pulled off the hoses, disconnected the wires to the fan switch and the fan itself.

The first issue was the bolts holding the radiator support brackets. The nuts on the backside spun in the support carrier. Ended up cutting two of them off.
went to nearby FLAPS to get these spiffy body shop version and then to Lowes to get matching stainless bolts.

After the support brackets were off, I was able to lower the radiator/fan assembly.
Disassembled the fan assy from the radiator, pulled fan out of the shroud and blasted the shroud. Cleaned it up, primed and plainted it black. Allowed to cure under a heat lamp bulb while I attacked the hoses. Also did the radiator support brackets with blaster and paint.

These were the old and the new replacements for the front two hoses. Some new clamps and a visual check of the coolant tubes checked out. PO (Bill) replaced them about 12 years ago, and I am due for a SS set, but not until I go for that new powerplant

Took opportunity to install some more sound deadener, a few spot blasts and clean up the front end behind the radiator.
Put the radiator fan/shroud back together. Installed a new fan temp switch and slid my aching self back under the van to reinstall the radiator assembly with the new SS bolts, radiator support washers and nut clips (that sounds wrong).

Now completely reinstalled, wires attached and everything buttoned up I headed to the heater lines (another post). Need to acquire a couple new pieces of the funky cardboard that directs air into the radiator. You can see the added sound deadening mat in back of the radiator.
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Its a mistress; an expensive, whiney, needy bitch of a mistress. She is a chunky, dirty girl with bad skin, little motivation and yet she always makes me smile. She sure has been around before shacking up with me. She has a direct line to my wallet, plays with my emotions, is consistantly jovial yet with a sarcastic and sardonic side, is consistant in her inconsistancy, and every once in a while gives me a great ride and a fantastic memory.

[Syncroincity]

Cool, looking forward to the new series!

I made new air deflectors using the crumbling originals as molds. I discovered that POR-15 makes a great matrix for fiberglass cloth; I laid up a few layers on each piece.
After it sets up, it is easily cut with scissors, and is completely waterproof.
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'86 Syncro CHC Top AAZ Turbodiesel
'04 Passat Variant 4Mo 5MT

Vanagon Build: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=466866&highlight=

[trailnewt]

Nice work!
Go Westy is making some pretty nice reproductions of the cardboard pieces that flank the radiator on either side and direct the air towards it. I just installed a pair yesterday. They seem to be some sort of plasticized composite that looks like it will hold up to the weather better than the old decomposing VW ones. VW Classic Parts is also making the lower one and at least one of the sides again.
Brent
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'87 Syncro Westy TDI
Too many bicycles
Maybe an old unicycle around here somewhere

[chojinchef]

Following the Bentley (sort of) and using this reference as well (http://www.vanagonauts.com/Brake-master-cyclinder190.htm), removed gauge cluster and cover. Did not really need to, but I also removed the steering wheel to have better access. Also pulled the steering column covers just in case I spilled some fluid. Would make for easier clean up.

Started by draining the reservoir. Attached a line and bottle to the left front brake bleeder screw, opened it and pumped away until the reservoir drained through the line.

Pulled the wire connectors off and away fromt he work area. Placed a wad of rags under the old master cylinder and started disassembly. Cracked the two nuts holding the master. Pulled off the vacuum line, unscrewed the hard lines, and then finished with the nuts attaching the booster to the master cylinder.

Pulled the cylinder / reservoir assy out.

Installed a new brake switch (these wear out, and are pressure activated - just do it).

This was what residue I was left with in the reservoir. Cleaned it out with some brake cleaner, blew a bunch of air through, wiped completely clean and reinstalled into new master cylinder.
Installed new seal ring on back of master cylinder with some lube jelly.

Reinstalled with new nuts and washers, attached hard lines, reinstalled the wire connectors and filled her up with new fluid.

I had recently flushed the system (twice in 6 months) due to brakes repair and clutch master cylinder a month ago. The wife graciously assisted in a bleeding of the system, and I will probably do it again tomorrow because I still feel some sponginess. I have run three quarts of fluid through these lines in the past few months due to various repairs. Its new, clean and almost ready to run.

As I stated, one project leads to another. The steering column had a slight movement to it. Upon delving into the problem, I determined it to be the mount bolts. There are two conical mount bolts that took a pair of vice grips to get out. Thought they might have been allen centered, but if they were at one time they were not now.
Went to local hardware store and found some 8x1.25 bolts in a 1 inch length, spun them in with some new lock washers and a drop of loctite.

Now I have a tight steering column.

_________________
Its a mistress; an expensive, whiney, needy bitch of a mistress. She is a chunky, dirty girl with bad skin, little motivation and yet she always makes me smile. She sure has been around before shacking up with me. She has a direct line to my wallet, plays with my emotions, is consistantly jovial yet with a sarcastic and sardonic side, is consistant in her inconsistancy, and every once in a while gives me a great ride and a fantastic memory.

[DAIZEE]

Do you have a list of the projects you are going to address?. I realize the list of what you actually do will undoubtedly expand. If you have a list of the major projects, could you post them here so I can follow them for my major projects? It would be really helpful. Thanks

When I had my rad and cooling system changed I did not install the directional wind sides and I've have no problems with temps at all. Are they really necessary and perhaps they impede cooling the back of the rad? I haven't made a final decision on the matter.
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'09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold)

[campism]

Aren't those steering column bolts designed to be shear bolts that will break if sufficient force (collision) is applied? I think I heard/read that somewhere, so replacing with "better" ones might not be the best approach.

[bquigs]

[chojinchef]

[chojinchef]

[RadioRental]

Great thread. If you ever need an extra pair of hands I'm more than happy to come out. I also want to pick your brains about lowering and stiffening the front end.

PM me if you ever need some brute force and ignorance. Cheers /pauric
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'87 2.1. 125K 4spd Not rebuilt "Red Dwarf"

[vanagonjr]

[SWbySWesty]

subscribed.
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1986 Westy - Billie Jean
A Westy with a Jeep heart (Pura Vida)
www.theadventurebrigade.blogspot.com - Latest update: Johnson Valley - Nov 22, 2011

[PDXWesty]

[dubbified]

I replaced mine with 10 grade hardware, thick washers.

This thread looks real good.

I am so bummed I didnt take the time to pickup those powerflex bushings..

It actually cost me more to track down all new OE.. and I'm so not happy with the new rubber.. the van still wanders a little, but I'm sure itd be even better with a full powerflex setup..

Jealous!!!!

[wasserbox]

[vanagonjr]

[wasserbox]

[chojinchef]

Was not something I was going to tackle pre-winter given the disassembly the van will endure, but the aforementioned accident involving my wife's Honda has made it necessary for me to drive the Thingamajigger a couple weeks longer while she uses my car.

After checking in on the auto body that has the door and fender I bought for fixing the Honda, I got some time to tinker.

Needed to address some lighting issues. The first I noticed was that my spiffy relay upgraded H4 headlight housings were filling up with water.

When I removed the grille, and then the headlight retaining ring the headlight itself fell into two pieces - the lens and the rear of the housing.

The condition of the gasket was useless at best, and the housing's reflective coating is becoming pitted and when I tried to wipe out the residue from the water, the brown color of the plastic started coming through. Guess its time for new ones. I did seal up the headlight housing with some silicone to attempt to keep my bulb from blowing prior to acquiring new housings. Reassembled per usual manner - beer and cigar in hand.

The second part of the tinker session started with figuring out why my tailight directional was not working. Turned out, it was a contact thing and easily fixed. But while I was in there I started looking at the unused portion of the taillight and thought about the box of bits Rubbachicken had graciously donated. (Thank you RC!) I pirated the little spring contacts from an older cracked tailight backing that was in said box and installed them in the Thingamajigger's taillights. I had to run a wire to the open spot in the harness clip, and splice it into a power source. But here is the result:

I have doubled my taillight running light output. In order to get the bulbs I wanted through the back of the lens, I needed to break out the dremel and carve out the existing hole a bit. I have not installed so high a wattage that the plastic will melt, but it will increase visability.

I know someone here did this, and many of you may have already done this, I accept that the idea is not original. But I am pleased with the end result.
_________________
Its a mistress; an expensive, whiney, needy bitch of a mistress. She is a chunky, dirty girl with bad skin, little motivation and yet she always makes me smile. She sure has been around before shacking up with me. She has a direct line to my wallet, plays with my emotions, is consistantly jovial yet with a sarcastic and sardonic side, is consistant in her inconsistancy, and every once in a while gives me a great ride and a fantastic memory.

[chojinchef]

[vanagonjr]

[quote="wasserbox"]