What did YOU do to your van today?

wesitarz · Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2015 3:34 pm Post subject:

Recently disconnected my OEM speedo and it didn't work after re-install because the cable wasn't pushed in far enough. Decided to re-try this Jetta speedo that wouldn't work for me years ago. Duh.Didn't push the cable in far enough. Looks nice now with my 7k tach.

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88 Wolfsburg auto with 02 Subaru 2.5L

Paulbeard · Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2015 9:01 am Post subject:

Took off my prehistoric muffler in anticipation of a new one arriving tomorrow. Went quicker than I expected. A little overnight spritz of WD40 might have helped.

Tempted to fire it up and hear it but I'm afraid of terrifying my neighbors' chickens…
_________________
Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs

ktr-sb · Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2015 3:53 pm Post subject:

R&R'd the luggage rack, washed off crud with Greased Lightning, glued in hose washer screens, painted tie-downs with Krylon leafing stick, replaced the seal and missing washers, now no vibration even at ludicrous speed.

Paulbeard · Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2015 6:24 pm Post subject:

Installed my new Walker Quiet Flow muffler, tailpipe still to be done as I couldn't re-use (or even see) the fasteners from the old one. Sounds better already…
_________________
Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs

danfromsyr · Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 7:04 am Post subject:

changed out the oe turbo in my 1.8T swap
it's had this rattleing noise since I first drove it.. and limited boost.. only 5-7psi, and n ogreater once I installed a chipped ecu.
so after some internet diagnosis concluded that the wastegate flapper isn't closing and allowing the WG door to rattle, like a cat door in a breeze.

well new (rebuilt) turbo on and OHMYGOD it's a whole different beast now..
GIAC chip takes it right to 15~20psi.. and acceleration is immense. compared tot he stock 72hp air cooled motor that was in this van..

but to recap, I've been driving on this bad turbo since May2014
I've taken it on many 400+mi trips. up Mount Washington twice, NY to Gatlinburg and the whole smokey mtn park, tail of the dragon, and the full blue ridge parkway and some of skyline drive.. all on the bad wastegate rattling away like a dog with jangling tags. it's not been slow.. it's not been unreliable..

but this is a new beast.
preparing it for a ~6kmi trip NY to 4corners, incl a look up Pike's Peak

Edit. ok so make a positive comment on it and then it bites ya in the butt,
karma, I better go apologize for my comments in the off-topic forum,
anyways get home with loss of power and sputtering, checked the hoses and nothing popped off,
so tomorrow will pull plugs and have a looksee if melted a tip or sumthin
_________________

singletrackrod

After lots of consideration I have decided on a new strategy for refrigeration. I like the idea of redundant systems, thus I kept the existing fridge so we will always have the option of a propane-fired unit and added a Dometic CFM-025 as a console between the front seats. The new unit fits nicely and is very efficient. Oh yea and it holds 27 cans of beer! We can be gone a long time.

_________________
Ella '89 Full Camper - bit by bit I'm importing the pieces from my wrecked '87
Louise '87 Full Camper - bought her new - zero hours 2.5L subie conversion. She had more add-ons and mods than I could ever count. (lost in an accident 10/25/2020)
'08 Stage 2 STI (sold)
'04 Forester XT
'00 4Runner Limited (sold)

oldhuldy67 · Posted: Thu Sep 03, 2015 6:24 pm Post subject:

Very nice addition...thanks for the post....I'm going shopping now
_________________
Currently:1980 Westy Westfalia Poptop (a total stock-look rebuild with all my favorite camping mods)
1967 stock Sunroof Beetle
Formerly:
1978 Westy Campmobile, the"EM50 Urban Assault Vehicle" code named "The Pickle"
1973 Squareback (sold on a lark)
1973 Super Beetle (crashed..walked away without a scratch)
1972 Standard Beetle (lost in a relationship..)
1966 Beetle (the Black Beauty, my Dad's)
1964 Beetle (the Beige Bug, my beginning beater, also my Dad's) Thanks, Dad.

406kid · Posted: Sat Sep 05, 2015 10:39 am Post subject: What fridge is in this van?

What fridge is this? 12v? how well does it work? I really dig the look of it!

406kid · Posted: Sat Sep 05, 2015 12:02 pm Post subject: front floor

Who makes the front floor?

Vnyd Dog · Posted: Sat Sep 05, 2015 3:14 pm Post subject: USBs added

New to the site. Not new to my Van. Recently brought back to life via a 1.8T conversion at Stephan's. Small upgrades coming. Tackled the iPhone charging issue. Nothing original, but an accomplishment for me nonetheless.

Paulbeard · Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2015 11:14 am Post subject:

• Diagnosed the dash powerport (the charger that plugged into it was b0rked); need to add a couple more in the back
• Rewired the courtesy light over the glove box, cursed the person who designed it such that removing/replacing it will almost certainly cause the hot connection to spark against the metal in slot where it fits. A little black tape fixed that
• Diagnosed a non-op tail light: the bulb wasn't seated Embarassed

• Pleased to discover the muffler flange for the tailpipe has threaded holes so no nuts or extra hands required to install. Not sure what bolts I need: the ones I have don't thread

When the poptop canvas dries out, I'll go find a wall to see if I can aim the headlights a little better.

Also washed out the water tank with a full bottle of CLR to 3-5 gallons of water, flushed it out and and flushed out the sink line. Mmmm, tastes like water now…might still carry a 3 gallon jug for drinking water but it's better to have that clean.
_________________
Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs

59 DL · Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2015 1:51 pm Post subject:

Last friday my son and I washed our 90' Tristar Syncro to put it on display inside the local VW Dealer "Skien Bil" in our hometown Skien.
We also put our 65' Crew Cab to show in the local VW Dealer because they had a release-party for the 6th generation Transporter and the new Caddy Very Happy

Got lots of positive comments for both of the cars from the 100 guests that were special invited to the release-party Applause

16CVs · Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2015 8:36 pm Post subject:

Any pictures of the new T6 ? did they they have that ultra cool Tristar Prototype there? Or are you sworn to secrecy ?
We stopped getting Transporters at T4. They did give us a re-badged Chrysler though.

Stacy
_________________
1987 Syncro Westfalia Triple knob (bastard)
1989 Syncro Tristar Triple knob "Swedish"
2013 Jetta Hybrid a true "Zwitter"
Samba member # 14980
Call anytime number 650 722 4914 .
Keep Your van running and upkept tastefully for the love of the hobby.
Don't let your van end up in an "abortions" thread.

uncommonvw · Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2015 4:15 pm Post subject: Custom hitch

Finally getting around to posting about the custom hitch I built for my Vanagon.

Only cost me $20 for a receiver tube and $10 for a can of paint. I used some 2" x 2" x 1/4" HSS tubing from work and welded it to the stock bumper brackets. I reinforced the bumper brackets with some stitch welds so as not to rely on the factory spot welds.

I wanted to keep the factory tow loops. I also fixed some cracks in the bumper with JB Weld epoxy.

WiboBusMan · Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2015 5:57 pm Post subject: Raingutter trim

Just did up my missing rain gutter trim on my Doka. I found the look without the trim a little unfinished.

I found this product at Walmart for less than $10.00.

A little thicker line than stock but perfect cross section

However, it's too shiny as it is, for my taste...

So I took some 0000 steele wool and rubbed it to mat...

I think it looks much better now:

WiboBusMan

Paulbeard · Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2015 10:13 pm Post subject:

Took her to work, showed her off to some folks who had never seen one.

Got my Jay Brown headlight relay kit but the wiring behind behind the fuse panel is an insult to rats' nests. I can barely pull the fuse panel out, let alone reach behind it. Lots of old tatty wires that probably don't go anywhere anyway. I may have to R&R the dash again to get access to it all. Not my favorite task…

EDIT: looks like someone has already added relays for the headlights.

I dropped the panel, traced the wires from the switch and they lead right to a set of relays similar to the ones I was going to add.
_________________
Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs

kamzcab86 · Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 12:19 pm Post subject:

Bumper refurb: Crack repaired and old aux light holes filled in the front; reflective decals removed and small chips removed from rear. Spoiler painted for the second time.

Front bumper refurb now makes the grilles look really bad... Mad

Pulling them and giving them a respray is next on the to-do list.

Polished up the front table leg and bracket using Blue Magic metal polish (both need rust removal and repainting, but this will do for now):

(Top: before; bottom: after)

Made a filler piece for the space once occupied by the rear heater so that the floor no longer has a large gap:

New fans for the Dometic:

_________________
~Kamz Anxious

1986 Cabriolet: www.Cabby-Info.com
Blue Vanagon

1990 Vanagon Westfalia: Old Blue's Blog
2016 Golf GTI S
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - 孔子

Paulbeard · Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 4:19 pm Post subject:

Your list looks suspiciously like mine…the Dometic fans were very vocal this summer and I had little muffin fans like those in mind.
_________________
Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs

Paulbeard · Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2015 7:14 pm Post subject:

Fabbed a new panel for the hatch out of panel board (water resistant Masonite). Needs to be covered with something at some point.

Reconnected the heater valve control, now that days are getting cooler. Had to reverse the generic FLAPS valve I cut into the heater core hose as it was open when the lever was closed, etc. Maybe the rest of the levers will be connected some day. For now heat limited to the defrost vents is fine.
_________________
Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs

BillWYellowstone · Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2015 7:03 pm Post subject:

It wasn't today, but it was in the past 2 weeks. Fixed my bad idle, my intermittent oil blinking light, and my hard start with a new ground cable between trans and chassis. It had pulled free and would occasionally make connection. Drove me nuts. I didn't even know there was a ground there! (Sorry)

During the failed fixes and failed diagnoses, I replaced the Hi & Lo oil pressure sensors, the wire harness leading to them, the battery cable, added an oil pressure gauge, changed out the dash (unrelated) circuit board, changed the dashlights from white to red.

Been a busy and expensive couple weeks. However, it now idles perfectly at about 850. Starts with a sidelong glance at the ignition key and the il light does not blink.

Now awaiting new shifter from RS Fab and hopefully take the slop out of shifting. Life is good.

Today I washed it.
_________________
Live Fulltime in motorhome
Have 86 Westy Camper 2.1 rebuilt
Work in Yellowstone NP year round.


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