What did YOU do to your van today?

[dsdunbar]

Welp, I broke my odometer sometime back in 2015 when I first got my lovely van. I did the unthinkable, reset the trip-ometer during our travels to a campsite (since we didnt have gps reception but had a printed map with distance from our turn off) not knowing what I know now.... fast forward to this week and I sent my odometer off to VanCafe and got it back super fast.

When I pulled the dash cover in 2015 I was surprised to see a odometer sticker indicating the mileage was off by 20,000 (was at 101,000), as such had Van cafe tack on 20k and then an estimate for 2016, (added a total of 27k mi).

Super easy install thanks to the help of a couple members here (my odometer screw points on the cluster fell apart in my hands when I was unscrewing the odometer case, so had to rebuild those points w/ superglue and reinforce with JBweld). I wanted to ask, does everyone who has a stock setup (wrt to the odometer/speedometer) have a needle that "twitches" (meaning at 45mph it is constantly going up and down around 45mph + 2mph)? and I figure you all also hear your odometer cable spinning the gears? Or do i need to do some upkeep to my cable to eliminate noise and fluctuation?

Checked my odometer and speedometer against GPS and everything is spot on (which is amazing since my new tires are 4% larger than stock)...I also notice the same with my other vehicles, that the speedometer on the vehicle indicates a higher speed than actual (says I'm going 70mph but via gps I am going 68 or 67)...I cross verified this with the schoolzone radar devices (which show your speed when you exceed the posted mph) and my gps is accurate with the radar.

I figure it may just be common to err on the "over" side of a speedometer from factory? I tested this in my '05 corolla, yet to test the gps vs speedometer in our '16 sienna.

Vancafe rocks (as you all probably know)!
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'89 2WD Westy "Grey Goose" - Manual 4spd
Crozet VA
Vanaru EJ25, Peloquin

[dobryan]

^^^ Sounds to me like the speedo cable is binding up a little. This catch and release makes the speedo needle bounce. You can try changing the position of the curve behind the unit slightly to see if you can find a sweet spot, otherwise a new cable may be in order.
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Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson

MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646

Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794

[86scotty]

Pulled my dash, one of the last remaining intact pieces of my Westy. Not sure if I feel like pulling the blower fan box or not today. The fan is whining. I've read the dreaded stories.

Layed down a coat of POR15 on the main floor that I sandblasted this week. Patches on a couple of rust spots forthcoming.

Need to go ahead and pull the roof rack fiberglass off while I've got the headliner out. Sheesh. All the ugly work right now.

[Paulbeard]

You may as well…you're in there already and you don't want to do it again anytime soon.
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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

[86scotty]

[levi]

Dealing with the fan, if you just take it slow and easy, step by step, isn't that bad.
AND, while you have the dash off, is a good time to at least inspect that clevis pin for the clutch pedal, so that you at least know if it's going to be needing attention.

Btw, if the box for the fan has never been opened before you're going to need some clips to hold it together afterwards.
Van cafe sells them.
You'll really like how much better a new fan motor works, it's a noticeable difference
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One of these days I'm gonna settle down,
but till I do I won't be hangin round.
Going down that long lonesome highway,
gonna see life my way

https://youtu.be/cSrL0BXsO40

[86scotty]

[vw4wd]

I replaced the bushes in the upper control arms of the front suspension.

I wasn't surprised to need to burn and cut out the old bushes but the new ones went in easily enough. I squeezed them most of the way into the syncro cast arms then tapped them home the last few millimetres using a heavy tube matched to the OD of the large end of the bush.

However, when I came to re-installing them the gaps for the eccentric washers were massive. These washers are sized at 4, 5 or 6mm thick but I needed 13 to 14mm in total to achieve the 0.5mm clearance required.

Ended up installing M18, form B washers (2mm thick) next to each eccentric.

Anyhow, no more squeaking today and the ride is maybe a bit more supple. Chances are the old bushes were the original ones 1989/90.
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Garyd

1990 Transporter syncro camper with 2 litre AGG 'GTi' engine

[vanadom]

First tune up today! In fact, first ever oil change and spark plug change in my life.

Great success!

[campism]

[r8n]

Newly acquired Westfalia got new boots...
[GoWesty 16" alloys w. Nokian Entyre II 215/60R16 99H]

[/img]

[Alaskaberrys]

[Paulbeard]

Swapped out the disused fridge flue with a mounting plate for a PowerPort™.

And yes, you can see that I cracked it already when I tightened the screws down. Not a lot of warning with this material (3mm acrylic). I suppose I'll remake it and use more care next time.

I opted not to remove the city water port because I don't like removing features just because I don't use them/haven't used them yet. This is an exception, since I no longer need a flue vent with an all-electric TruckFridge.

Waiting on my 50W panel to arrive to I can connect up the PowerPort™ pigtail Jay Brown made for me (he also made the pigtail that goes to this). The charge controller is in place and mostly wired up, saving the last steps (fuses and final connections) for the panel to get here.

If anyone has a use for one of these I can hook you up. But anyone with a router or drill press can knock one out pretty easily. I am also replacing the vent with combined venting and USB/DC power connections.

Those holes will take one of the new higher-powered USB chargers and a DC power connection when they arrive this week.
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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

[Jake de Villiers]

That's a nice idea. With acrylic you need to countersink the holes for a flat head screw, otherwise the wedge-shaped head will split the material. Or use round headed screws - their flat undersides trap the acrylic better and also allow room for the material to expand and contract with temperature fluctuations.
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'84 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX
'86 Westy Weekender Poptop/2.5 Subaru/5 Speed Posi/Audi Front Brakes/16 x 7 Mercedes Wheels - answers to 'Dixie'
@jakedevilliersmusic1
http://sites.google.com/site/subyjake/mydixiedarlin%27
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
www.thebassspa.com

[Paulbeard]

Those are round-head screws. I misjudged the brittleness of the material and/or that there is enough curvature in the metal to bend the piece past it's limits. I might add a cork backing to it next time. Ideally I would use metal but that is beyond my current means.
_________________
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

[Jake de Villiers]

Ah - they looked like the oval head Fender pickguard screws I deal with all the time.

Bummer.
_________________
'84 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX
'86 Westy Weekender Poptop/2.5 Subaru/5 Speed Posi/Audi Front Brakes/16 x 7 Mercedes Wheels - answers to 'Dixie'
@jakedevilliersmusic1
http://sites.google.com/site/subyjake/mydixiedarlin%27
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
www.thebassspa.com

[MyName]

Finished up the my big brake upgrade to 312 disks in the front and 268 disks in the back.

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[img]http://driiive.com/ub/6232/img[/img]

[AZ Landshaper]

I turned up my idle just a whisker to stop the motor from dying at stop lights. Worked like a charm so far. Then I purchased a 96 f150 muffler to replace my stock aircooled muffler. Turns out the pipes are diff sizes and there will be work involved. Shucks.
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Support Small Business.

-------------------------------------------------------
85 Weekender w/ EJ22
Previously
64, 71, 72, 73, 76, 81, 84, 85 & 87 Campmobiles and Westfalias
and a 67 bug.

[Paulbeard]

Got the hyperactive ticking that told me I needed a new turn signal bulb…

Wonder why it stopped?

The marker light assembly was half full of water as well.

Did a walk around and found a tail light that wasn't working until I removed the assembly and tapped it on the bumper. Also a side marker that was shorting out due to water ingestion. But no bulbs were needed, just some hands-on TLC.

Finished wiring up the solar charging system, in anticipation of the cables (that I should have ordered with the panel) arriving tomorrow:

Wired and installed the new charging ports for the hybrid vent port/charger panel I made.

Not sure if I like them at the top

or bottom

if the dust covers should go up or down.

Tomorrow, I hope to get the cables crimped in and then this battle station wagen will be fully operational… Also, I will try to swap in a new LED for the DOA high beam indicator. Not that I will see it without bending down but I like things to work, even if I can't see them.
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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]

I'll never wonder if my high beams are on again…

Thanks to Timwhy for the hookup on what LEDs would work. Now to find uses for the 199 others. This video from GoWesty was helpful in getting at the old one. The thought of tearing the foil was worrisome but it wasn't a big deal. It was an easy swap in. Some difficulty in getting the old blue lens out (the OEM bulb was white through a blue lens) but nothing major.
_________________
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