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BigPapaV Samba Member
Joined: February 05, 2023 Posts: 73 Location: Long Beach, CA
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Posted: Mon May 12, 2025 11:21 pm Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? |
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Pulled off the whole shifting linkage.
Bushings are worn, but looks like some work was done on the ends at one point since the plastic ears are in good shape and there's a GoWesty 90 degree elbow. Maybe the u-joint was also replaced? Will see after cleaning tomorrow.
_________________ 1986 VW 3-knob Syncro Tintop w/ 1992? Suby Legacy 2.2L (KEP install) |
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BCE56 Samba Member

Joined: July 16, 2013 Posts: 381 Location: So Cal
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Posted: Thu May 15, 2025 2:08 pm Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? |
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BigPapaV wrote: |
Pulled off the whole shifting linkage.
Bushings are worn, but looks like some work was done on the ends at one point since the plastic ears are in good shape and there's a GoWesty 90 degree elbow. Maybe the u-joint was also replaced? Will see after cleaning tomorrow.
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BCE56 wrote: |
Replaced the rear shifter bushing- OG part had completely disintegrated, shifting was unpossible.
I acquired a soft bushing and split it, removed the brackets and cleaned the debris of the old bushing.
Greased the shaft and slipped the new bushing around it, then reattached the bracket halves.
Success!
This should hold until I do a complete overhaul. |
This repair is easy, economical and effective. Slitting the bushing makes removal of shifter rod unnecessary.
I grease the rod at oil changes. _________________ =BCE56=
'86 Syncro tintop
EJ22, OBD II early SC adapter plate conversion
Side project: '69 Frankenbug "It's alive!" |
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Paulbeard Samba Member
Joined: July 10, 2015 Posts: 2611 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Sat May 17, 2025 2:06 pm Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? |
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I see it has been some time since my last confession…
I installed the uniWerks hard start relay kit. It is a well-designed and packaged kit that literally any idiot can install if they take their time and are prepared to re-read the instructions and roll under the van 2-3 times as they go. It was more work mounting the relay than the actual install/connecting the wires. Only issue I had was the male spade and the female connector did not want to stay coupled…I ended up doing a bit of taping to keep them together.
Sorry, no pics, it's ugly as a mud fence back there. I ended up tacking it up on the right side behind the coolant tank. I lost one of the screws, found it later, but I had some sheet metals screws on hand.
The van started right up, maybe even a little more briskly, with the new relay installed. Here's to not having to endure boring extra long rest stops or getting a bump start off the ferry ever again. _________________ 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
— dhaavers |
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bobbyblack  Samba Member

Joined: May 21, 2015 Posts: 4602 Location: United States, Iowa
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Posted: Thu May 22, 2025 6:14 am Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? |
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My spare old rail that has been riding along in my spares kit under my bench, fully ready to go was needed. I had recently done both sides with new metal rails, and 2 new injectors, but the #2 cylinder cut out again within 30 minutes of use. The 'new' injector had been a spare replacement injector for my gold set, it had ridden along in the bus as well, for 3 years. Should that make a difference? I'd say not, it was sealed in its original packaging. But the No-Fire on #2 was definitely caused by the inop of the injector, not the spark. Anyway, popped on the old injectors and rail, and today I drove to work without a hiccup. I may have just imagined it, but it seemed a little less peppy than with 4 fully working gold injectors
-bobby _________________ '87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch |
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BCE56 Samba Member

Joined: July 16, 2013 Posts: 381 Location: So Cal
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Posted: Thu May 29, 2025 4:23 pm Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? |
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Balanced and rotated tires.
(3) Rhein rim caps did not survive removal.
Passed CA smog
Scrounged up caps for 14" alloys to replace the NLA Rhein caps.
They are smaller than the 65mm center holes, but I can probably make them work. We shall see...
...............
LATER:
A single layer of cloth electrical tape wrapped around the perimeter of the mounting clips afforded a tight friction fit. The adhesive on the tape should add some security.
So far, so good.
On to the next fiasco! _________________ =BCE56=
'86 Syncro tintop
EJ22, OBD II early SC adapter plate conversion
Side project: '69 Frankenbug "It's alive!" |
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gt0954a Samba Member
Joined: May 05, 2023 Posts: 21 Location: Oregon
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Posted: Sat May 31, 2025 6:24 pm Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? |
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Today.
I’m 90% done with the van.
Stuff done to date
New rad, heater core, vanistan heater valve
Rebuilt heater box
New coolant lines front to engine heater and coolant
New radio that doesn’t blink
t3 front bar & end links
New bearings, new bushings, ball joints etc…
T3 steering stabilizers
T3 plasma dash
Add tach — currently inop needs green wire
New foil replacement
Customized goshower has in/out solenoid for hot water / dog wash
Shade stopper solar panels. — installed not hooked up
NoCo dual charger with cut off switches all wired in
Proper heater with external out and in
Renogy mppt, shunt, controller alt hooked up
New curtains
New tent
Rehab top, skylight, luggage.
Added assist kit
Installed low profile roof rails
Third brake light not hooked up yet
Wired rear view camera
After I hookup solar and secure water/test. It’s ready for camping. I think
Mostly posting because has been such a long time |
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gt0954a Samba Member
Joined: May 05, 2023 Posts: 21 Location: Oregon
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Posted: Sat May 31, 2025 6:24 pm Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? |
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Today.
I’m 90% done with the van.
Stuff done to date
New rad, heater core, vanistan heater valve
Rebuilt heater box
New coolant lines front to engine heater and coolant
New radio that doesn’t blink
t3 front bar & end links
New bearings, new bushings, ball joints etc…
T3 steering stabilizers
T3 plasma dash
Add tach — currently inop needs green wire
New foil replacement
Customized goshower has in/out solenoid for hot water / dog wash
Shade stopper solar panels. — installed not hooked up
NoCo dual charger with cut off switches all wired in
Proper heater with external out and in
Renogy mppt, shunt, controller alt hooked up
New curtains
New tent
Rehab top, skylight, luggage.
Added assist kit
Installed low profile roof rails
Third brake light not hooked up yet
Wired rear view camera
After I hookup solar and secure water/test. It’s ready for camping. I think
Mostly posting because has been such a long time |
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Red Ryder Samba Member

Joined: June 26, 2021 Posts: 1149 Location: PNW — Washington
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Posted: Sat May 31, 2025 6:43 pm Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? |
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Removed Scarlett’s five-piece front air dam and freshened it up with a new coat of Black (satin) spray paint. Great results! _________________ “Most everyone’s mad here. You may have noticed I am not quite all there myself.” — Cheshire Cat, Adventures of Alice in Wonderland
“Scarlett” — 1990 Vanagon Carat Wolfsburg Edition (Tornado Red)
“Nigel” — 1999 Jaguar XK8 convertible (Alpine Green Metallic) |
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BigPapaV Samba Member
Joined: February 05, 2023 Posts: 73 Location: Long Beach, CA
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Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2025 12:26 am Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? |
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Started reinstalling my now safety purple shift linkage. Was hot out, so going was slow and steady.
Got the front half in, and then realized I'd forgotten the little tube clamp somewhere at my work. Hopefully I find it Monday. By then I wasn't feeling it anymore, so started washing the area under the rear seats with soapy water, slow and steady.
GoWesty's new elbow lever seems pretty solid. Installed with blue Loctite.
_________________ 1986 VW 3-knob Syncro Tintop w/ 1992? Suby Legacy 2.2L (KEP install) |
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BigPapaV Samba Member
Joined: February 05, 2023 Posts: 73 Location: Long Beach, CA
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Posted: Today 12:25 am Post subject: Re: What did YOU do to your van today? |
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Found my clamp at work! Should've waited longer before ordering a new one...
Blasted and painted the rear seat frame at work.
I also topped up my Volvo 240's freon which got me thinking (again) about the vam's overhead AC and whether it was worth the trouble fixing it or just tearing out and going with the Dometic 2000 that many have done and seems to work really well. _________________ 1986 VW 3-knob Syncro Tintop w/ 1992? Suby Legacy 2.2L (KEP install) |
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