Stuck on the roadside

[67rustavenger]

[kourt]

Yes, I’ll be stopping at ZSI in Pahrump on Friday, just to check things out.

Kourt
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2001 Eurovan Winnebago Camper

[OB Bus]

[67rustavenger]

[OB Bus]

I just checked and Trinidad Motors does rebuild automatic transmissions. Their phone number is (619) 798-2133. Maybe get the U-Haul truck and trailer and make a trip to San Diego? Weather is lovely here. 76°, sunny, gentle breeze coming in from the ocean.
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Larry in OB
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
69 Westfalia and 2002 Eurovan Camper.
People deserve the Government they voted for.

[OB Bus]

By any chance do you have AAA premium with RV? That will get you one tow of 200 miles and the next day you get another tow of 100 miles. Like Havasu city to San Diego on my phone shows 301 miles.
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Larry in OB
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
69 Westfalia and 2002 Eurovan Camper.
People deserve the Government they voted for.

[Endopotential]

[swsl]

Again, thanks all, especially for the source leads. The mechanic here is very busy and I doubt he's going to want to do the rebuild if he even can. He says that if it was out of fluid and now making metal noises then likely need a replacement. But he will get to it later today and give me a diagnosis.

So, I'm preemptively looking for transmissions, rebuilders, rebuild kits. What will work from my situation. I found a rebuild kit promptly (https://www.oregonperformancetransmission.com/product/OPT-VW-098-RB.html) which says something about Oceanside Certified Transmissions' claim that parts for 01P are unavailable. I suspect that they just do swaps and only deal with in stock transmissions. So, scratch them off the EV resource list.

I read through the recently revived (good timing!) thread on the manual conversion and am very interested in that. Seems that Patel has a kit right now! But who could do the conversion anywhere near where we are?

I'm looking at vehicle shippers as I don't feel great about trailering it and renting a truck and trailer is expensive anyway. I got a quote of just over2K to ship the whole van to German Transaxle in Bend,OR, who are currently insisting that they do the RnR. I like the idea, but it adds 2K to the cost.

And the option of the conversion. Seems that it would take a very patient as well as competent VW mechanic with a lift to do it. Not that the RnR is easy but a manual swap is next level.

We love our EVW Westy and I can't really imagine another vehicle that can fill it's place and also fit in our short and shallow garage.

A manual swap might give us another decade of MORE reliable travel. But how to pull that off? Or, invest the same in another unreliable tranny...

Or have it hauled home and start looking at Chevys, Transits, I dunno. I have years of improvements in this one. Don't want another, but need one we can rely on for travel.
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2002 EV WK

[swsl]

[swsl]

[OB Bus]

[dsh1705]

[67rustavenger]

GTA's insists on doing the RnR's,
They have had bad results shipping their trans to other shops that didn't follow GTA's explicit instructions on the installation and after care required to meet their warrantee requirements.

GTA will do the manual conversion. You just, gotta ask. Ken loves a challenge. The issue is, you have to order the conversion goodies from Europe and it takes time for the parts to arrive on US shores.
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I have learned over the years.
Cheap parts are gonna disappoint you.
Buy Once, Cry Once!

There's never enough time to do it right the first time. But there's always enough time to do it thrice.
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo!
2003 Astrovan? GFYS again, Xevin!

[swsl]

Just saw the mechanic here that has the van. He's a good guy. It's definitely gone he mentioned a pump but whatever- it's spewing fluid, took 7 qts to move it and noisier than a can of rocks. He intends to source a rebuilt from the shop he uses in Georgia, Almost certain it's this one - https://europeantransmissions.com/
Says he has been using them for some time with good results.

I commented that the advice is to pull both the engine and the tranny together if he hasn't done one before and he said that he's "done a few" is a VW specialist and will just pull the tranny. Confident, not cocky just sure. As I said, the other shops send their problems to him. Said he once worked on a Eurovan that had a Buick engine transmission mod. Great power, very clean install and 30 mpg he said. Imagine that.

I asked if he couldn't rebuild and he said no because some machining would need to be done and there are some improved parts including a thrust bearing that the Georgia shop will have installed. I figure the kits will too but didn't argue. They have the van and are 100% confident. Moving it anywhere is a lot of time and money. He wasn't interested in doing the manual swap and encouraged me to just do the 01P and enjoy the miles the next one gets me.

OK then, you got a plan and it's the path of least resistance for me. I have enough problems. I have to say that if he wasn't into it then I would be looking at shipping the van to German transaxle or even more likely the San Diego shop, Trinidad. I will keep them in mind for the future, thanks.

Tomorrow after he talks to Georgia he'll get me the cost. I'm guessing 6-7k with RnR out the door. Oh well, I just have to amortize it to not feel sick. it's the only money I've spent on mechanics in 40 years practically except maybe an AC recharge or alignment.

I would really like that manual conversion but life is complicated, time is short and we need this van back ASAP. I'll be scheming on how to justify and get it for the next few years. Sorta have to choose to do it before the tranny goes out.
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2002 EV WK

[HeyCrutch]

You're a lot further "down the road" than you were this time yesterday. Knowing what lies ahead is always better than the alternative.

Hope the call from the Georgia shop goes well and the van is back running with time to enjoy it this year before the cold sets in.
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-2003 EV MV Wk - Forest - 51k
-2002 EV Camper - Ghost - 82k
-2003 EV GLS - Fluffhead - 176k

-1997 EVC - 12vVR6 (SOLD 5/2025)

[swsl]

[Johnnyw]

Glad you’ll be back on the road soon.!!
Hope you’re on the road in time to make your San Clemente campground reservation dates. If you haven’t stayed at the Doheny State Park before you’ll be very pleased with it. Especially if you have a beachfront camping site.

John
San Clemente
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1997 Eurovan camper
1974 Thing with a 1776
San Clemente, CA

[swsl]

[67rustavenger]

[Abscate]

It wasn’t safe to surf Dana point. That’s Charlie’s beach.
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