Official lazy person's stupid question thread

[jimf909]

[Camper_Velourium]

Ok. I simply ran out of daylight and non rainy time to wrench but got a funky one I'm going to dig into further tomorrow:

Was doing my front bearings, rotor, brake pads. On the right I got it all together and went to have my lovely assistant pump the brakes for bleeding aaand: not a drop coming out of either bleed port. ATE calipers. Brakes functioned fine before, brake pedal has resistance like everything is good even with the bleed ports opened and/or fully removed...

Unfortunately right as I was discovering this it started raining heavily and I had to button it up so couldn't look closer.

[dhaavers]

[Camper_Velourium]

They are... old. Externally they seem fine but obviously it's what's inside that counts. The van is new to me, original owner was quite old and did regular maintenance until she parked in in the 00s

That didn't cross my mind as being the issue because removing the caliper had fluid freely dripping ou of the line, but if it blocks under pressure that could be a culprit. I'll remove the caliper and see if it doesn't flow out of the line under braking. Or actually that might not work because there's no pressure with the caliper off. Should probably just replace the flex lines for peace of mind.

Edit: by the brakes "working fine"I mean they functioned to stop the vehicle. They left a lot to be desired, mushy pedal and poor performance.i ran through the rear which had what appeared to be almost unused new shoes before being parked, and weeping wheel cylinders which I replaced. Then bled. Pedal performance felt great after that before I got to the fronts.

[dhaavers]

FWIW, you could remove the hose at the hard line on the body, see if you get pressure flow from there.

At this point, it’s worth replacing the hoses just as maintenance. Keep on it…

- Dave
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86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS>

[Camper_Velourium]

[nilbog]

Trying to install a new TDI starter to my vanagon using an adapter, and of course trying to get it back there I dropped it. I filed it as smooth as possible, but should I use it or chalk it up to a lost few hundred dollars?

Thanks

[bobbyblack]

Uhhh, is the shaft bent? Cosmic stuff, likely no, shove it in, test 30 times, clear. But, that nosedive might have bent the shaft a tiny amount. If it works now, good, but you could have a near future reality to face.
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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

[do.dah]

Does the starter have a sticker on it saying something like; 'Do not hit starter with a hammer.'? Seems to me, alot of new generation starters do not tolerate being hit/dropped, unlike the old timey starters, where if they jammed, you tap them with a hammer to get them to unjam.

[AndyBees]

Test it before installing it .......

If it works, install it and motor on!
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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.

[Camper_Velourium]

I feel like I've read about a million words on all things brake related. But I'm blanking on parking brake set up. Once drums are adjusted, do you do most of the parking adjustments at the splitter (or whatever it's called?)

When I picked up the van it had a very solid second click which fully engaged the brake, can't even muscle a third click. I'd prefer to have it in the usual 3-5 range.

[bobbyblack]

[fxr]

[bobbyblack]

[fxr]

[Camper_Velourium]

[jimf909]

[bobbyblack]

How do wing window latches get into the wrong position, so they can't latch? Do I need to beg, borrow or steal a new latch? Would taking the entire wing window out and trade to with another from one of my other buses be the easiest thing to do?

I see posts about knocking the roll pin out, but the one I am looking at seems pretty corroded...

Thanks,

-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

[whatwrenchwhere]

Question: Should I remove my driver swivel seat? Am I losing anything?

From the picture below from 1985 brochure, they make it seem like the driver and passenger seat can turn into the middle, and you have a 2 person table. Cool, but is this even useful or possible for anyone?

For me, swiveling the driver seat towards the middle, it runs into the parking brake (can be lowered, if you chalk the wheels), and the armrest hits the lower part of the wheel preventing it from going fully sideways like the picture. And the window has to be down or headrest hits glass. Am I missing something?

I've heard some people say removing the swivel base is also more comfortable for taller people. Is that accurate?

[/u]

Side question, I would be using the method below to remove, and does anyone have any protips for removal?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWKRkfJkcdE
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'85 Westfalia, 1.9L 2wd Manual

[bobbyblack]

The only useful reason I have for the driver swivel is to help remove the seat itself. Otherwise, it's a garbage bit, IMHO
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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