Official lazy person's stupid question thread

[GoEverywhere]

[Abscate]

[4Gears4Tires]

On the 85 Westy, if I have power at the first torpedo fuse behind the driver seat when the van is off, I should have power at the kitchen light. Correct?
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'87 Syncro Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition
'85 Westy Sciuridae Domus Edition

[crazyvwvanman]

In a Westy the kitchen light uses an extension of the driver's seat ceiling light wiring.

Mark

[4Gears4Tires]

That makes sense because that light doesn't work either. I see a constant 0.7v whether I switch the light on or off.
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'87 Syncro Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition
'85 Westy Sciuridae Domus Edition

[lobsterguy]

A guy named Pete (can't remember his Samba handle) had a really good write up on his site on removing the heads. Someone else will likely remember his Samba name which would make the search easier. Hopefully the information he had on his site is still out there and searchable, maybe it's here on The Samba somewhere.[/quote]

Anybody have an update on this? I now almost all the way through the job I started a while ago due to work and school and all that. It seems actually removing the rod bearings themselves will be the most difficult. I can't find a how-to on that part specifically. Heads are out but it will need some fine handy work to get the new bearings in.
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2.1L 1987 Manual Westy

[Chris-a]

Is there more than one option for the steering column trim pieces? Mine came to me with this cut piece of upper trim that doesn't really fit. Ive searched and only see one kind. Makes me wonder if I have a deeper issue with the steering column where they had to cut that piece of trim to get it to fit...

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I gotta have nice tools, just look at the cars I drive.

Current: 87 Syncro AHU Tdi Westy'ish?
Previous: 77 Westy, 72 Tin Top Camper, 69 Passenger

[kaalualu]

My guess is it was broken accidently, then they "cleaned" it up by trimming it smooth.
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'84 Transporter 16" CLK's/LED's/ AT's/Mansi injectors
'86 Wolfey Weekender Westfalia AT's/otherwise stock
Sold-'82 TinTop Diesel

[do.dah]

As far as I know, there are at least 2 different versions of that upper trim piece.

What you have is the version meant to mount the heated seat switches. I don't believe VW shipped heated seat vans to the USA?

Some time ago, some of our usual vendors were selling that top trip piece, both the heated seat version and the plain version, don't know if they still do?

My WAG, is that somebody before you, bought that top trim piece for some reason. Perhaps, like I did, to install a temp/voltage/amp meter?

The piece you have, may be poorly made, and somebody cut it to fit better?
Or, somebody didn't re-attach the steering column quite right?
That top trim piece tends to be kinda fiddly to remove/re-install under the best of circumstances....

[ZsZ]

Other than color there are two types of upper trim one with the switch fkr the heated aeat and the other qithout.

Yours is meeded to cut probably due to a failed steering column alignment.
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Zoltan
1.9 MTdi 2wd Multivan (ex Caravelle)
Van since 2006, engine since 2008

[maco70]

I plan to change for bigger front brakes, so a hub will be necessary.

Because I haven’t make my choice of bigger brakes and wheels yet, I wonder to know if I can install the hub for the front bearings, but still using the stock brakes and the stock 14 inches wheels?

Thanks!
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Martin from Montréal

1986 Vanagon GL full camper westfalia
(brown/tan interior)

[GoEverywhere]

[4Gears4Tires]

I didn't want to take my Syncro on this recent Halifax trip I did, but the Westy suddenly developed a problem quite likely on the day to leave. I am thankful it didn't develop this problem 3 days into the trip though.

In neutral the motor revs freely. Until 3000 rpm the motor pulls strong with 80% throttle on a flat road, with maybe slight hesitations. Accelerating from a stop up hill is very laborious. But even on a flat road, at 4000 rpm the motor falls on its face, refusing to accelerate past that.

It felt like a fuel issue to me, so I T'd in a fuel pressure gauge on the driver side fuel rail, just before it returns to the FPR. 34psi at idle, 20psi at full throttle. I swapped in the Westy's old FPR and same exact result.

Thoughts? Suggestions?
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'87 Syncro Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition
'85 Westy Sciuridae Domus Edition

[Wildthings]

[E1]

I’ve experienced the same lately, and am nearly sure it’s an overheating coil.

Only when full-hot, mostly when under load, and curiously *right at* 4,000.

It feels as if there’s not enough spark to rev higher but in our case it misfires which you did not mention. The fuel pump was very cool so not that, but if a coil swap doesn’t do it my next move will be the fuel pump relay.

Once, it did the same thing at ever-lowering rpms below 4,000. We haven’t driven much this summer so am about to diagnose and fix this in a few weeks.

Djkeev had the same, and in his case it was indeed a coil.
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1984 Westfailure/2.1 Digijet/5.43 Ring & Pinion/Peloquin/D-rated BFG KO2s
AI has spoken to further illiteracy, to steal, to cheat, and to replace humans

"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere." — Colin Chapman

Jonathan Weisheit, Race in Peace:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3dS7xiFn7I&t=500s

[DanHoug]

[E1]

Thanks Dan, I did edit that out as the technique can go very wrong if done wrong or if the ignition were to lock. To wit, only done in a straight line, no traffic around, clutch pedal out, fully prepped for it all going wrong.

I do that technique a lot, mostly to distinguish electrical from fuel, but always with some safety trepidation when posted. I absolutely agree it’s more of an ecu reboot with obviously no heat reduction effect one sees with a few minutes’ shutdown.

I have considered ecu in all this and have a fresh rebuilt in stock — tested for a few hundred miles so I know it works. It’ll go in if issue’s not fixed.

Thanks.
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1984 Westfailure/2.1 Digijet/5.43 Ring & Pinion/Peloquin/D-rated BFG KO2s
AI has spoken to further illiteracy, to steal, to cheat, and to replace humans

"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere." — Colin Chapman

Jonathan Weisheit, Race in Peace:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3dS7xiFn7I&t=500s

[AndyBees]

So, I wonder how a bad coil as well as the ECU circuitry going into oscillation affects the Fuel Injector function?
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'84 Vanagon Tin-top, ALH TDI, two trips to Alaska, 2014 & 16. 1989 Tin-top unmolested.
1983 Air-cool, 225k miles, 180k miles mine, seven trips to Alaska from 1986 thru 2003. 1975 Bay hopeful.

[E1]

Andy, is it a fair guess that it’d err towards open loop like with startup?

Paging Dan, Crazyvanman, et al…
_________________
1984 Westfailure/2.1 Digijet/5.43 Ring & Pinion/Peloquin/D-rated BFG KO2s
AI has spoken to further illiteracy, to steal, to cheat, and to replace humans

"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere." — Colin Chapman

Jonathan Weisheit, Race in Peace:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3dS7xiFn7I&t=500s

[4Gears4Tires]