What did YOU do to your van today?

[BigPapaV]

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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1986 VW 3-knob Syncro Tintop w/ 1992? Suby Legacy 2.2L (KEP install)

[BCE56]

[Paulbeard]

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.
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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

[bobbyblack]

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
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'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch

[BCE56]

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!
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=BCE56=

'86 Syncro Tintop EJ22, OBD II SmallCar adapter plate conversion
'96 Volvo 850 Turbo
'69 Frankenbug now driven daily.

[gt0954a]

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

[gt0954a]

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

[Red Ryder]

Removed Scarlett’s five-piece front air dam and freshened it up with a new coat of Black (satin) spray paint. Great results!
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“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)

[BigPapaV]

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.

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1986 VW 3-knob Syncro Tintop w/ 1992? Suby Legacy 2.2L (KEP install)

[BigPapaV]

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.
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1986 VW 3-knob Syncro Tintop w/ 1992? Suby Legacy 2.2L (KEP install)

[Alleycat1990]

I cleaned it the paint was so dull probably from acid rain. It actulally has a shine to it now. Cleaned the awning using lyson and a pressure washer. Tore out the cb radio and arial as well as re installed the strerio. One mistake I made was while I have been working on the Vanagon I took the rear table and put it under the rear seat. I think it is stcuk up against the seat release and now I cannot get it opened. A new issue to figure out. Oil change tommorrow Vanagain recommended 20w50. I am also installing a new oil pressure gauge. I also need to repair the dash where I pulled the cb out.
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1990 Vanagon GL purchased fall of 2024
never winter driven and well maintained
minor repairs needed example odometer

[4Gears4Tires]

Can you remove the front cover? All the screws should be accessible from the front once the little screw covers are removed.
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'87 Syncro Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition
'85 Westy Sciuridae Domus Edition

[vanis13]

parking AC

more info here - https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...highlight=

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83.5 Westy with Subaru 2.5, 4 spd manual, center seat, COLD A/C on 134a!, Winter camp heated with an Espar B4 gasoline furnace

www.SuperVanagon.com - some stuff I make

[latelogan]

Punchline: Fridge relay coil under driver seat: pin 85 and 86 are polarity sensitive. 86 is the blue wire to the starter and 85 is the other one....


Background:
Just finished adding a renogy 100Ah mini core and renogy 30 Amp solar/dc-dc controller.

ok so now.. on the stupid side.

I could NEVER get the fridge to run on 12VDC. I tried to sort it 3 separate occasions.

After completing my house battery wiring, switching the fridge on and having it get COLD FAST, I spend a half can of beer and an hour to understand why it didn't work before.

All this time, I never checked the polarity on the relay coil, if I had, i would have had a working 12 V fridge...... ugh... There is a diode inside that unit.

Also: I had no idea the fridge active light on the panel works if the flame is running AND if the fridge is on 12 VDC!
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1991 Westy stock 2.1 auto transmission
1978 Westy (Sold)
1971 Westy (Sold)

[Icebox500]

[Icebox500]

In preparation of our move to New Orleans, I’ve finally named the Vanagon.

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87 Westy 2WD “Van Geaux”
FAS 2.0 Gas GENV (10/2025)
AZ Transaxle + Peloquin Manual Transmission
GW lift springs, solar, Burley front & rear disc, etc...

New Orleans, LA (previously CO, WA, and CA)

Past
87, 90 Westys
64, 65 splittys + various air cooled

[VeeDubn]

Clever!!!

[jlrftype7]

Mini Tune up- replaced spark plugs, removed and inspected the air filter. No change needed.
Replaced the fuel filter. Cleaned up ground wire at fuel pump due to rotted rubber boot covering it. Time for new boots if I can find them.

Adjusted the the heater valve cable on our 10cc heater valve. Hats off to anyone lying on their back doing this on the ground or ramps/jack stands.
I had the luxury of being on a lift at work.

Added washers to my Aftermarket Spare Tire Carrier to shim
out the plate that engages the stock ‘hook’. As it was previously, the cut out of the plate barely engaged the hook to hold up the carrier as it sat back a bit too far. Much safer now with some clear metal of the hook poking through the plate.

Looked over the engine- no leaks, no seepage- trans still tight and dry too.
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'68 Westy- my first VW and vehicle/Bus- long gone.- sold it to a traveling Swiss couple....
'67 Type 3 Fastback, my 2nd car- gone
'69 Semi-Auto Stick Shift Beetle-gone
2017 MINI Coopers, our current DDs
‘84 Tin Top - Hilga....Auto

[joetiger]

[Icebox500]