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Hasta Alaska – Chile to Alaska VW Travel Series
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HastaAlaska
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 22, 2012 10:51 am    Post subject: Hasta Alaska – Chile to Alaska VW Travel Series Reply with quote

Hello and Hola! I just got introduced to this awesome community by a fellow bus owner that I met in Cartagena, Colombia!

I have an invitation for you.... I have bought and converted a VW Kombi T2 from Chile and am on my way to Alaska (currently trying to get across the Darien jungle from Colombia to Panama)

My project is to bring the roadtripping dream to the people and let people come and stay for free for a while and experience the roads less travelled in the Americas.

It is kind of like mobile couchsurfing.

I made a short video to explain all and promote the trip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJpbOdrfYC8

This video is in a competition for Couchsurfing and it would be great if our VW loving community could SHARE my video with Facebook, twitter and VW sites, and also LIKE it on YouTube (this is how I win the round the world ticket, with the most likes)

Hopefully you or one of your friends might be available to come and join me in Central, mexico or North America for a little adventure!

Follow us at www.facebook.com/HastaAlaska
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HastaAlaska
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 22, 2012 11:01 am    Post subject: Also expect a few technical questions coming your way Reply with quote

One thing to add. Something breaks on my Kombi most days, I have broken down on an errupting volcano (that I should not have been on in the first place) and had the engine out 4 times in the past 2 months.

Getting reliable information down here in Latin America is very difficult and the Mechanics are shocking! So please expect a few technical questions from me from time to time.

Lord knows I could use the help!
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busdaddy
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 22, 2012 4:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well that certainly looks like an ambitious adventure that you'll never forget, good for you!
Please keep us updated here occasionally as some of us refuse to even click on a Facebook link.

Good luck on your journey!
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Jon65
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 22, 2012 5:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You're a very brave person.

Good luck on your journey and keep us posted.
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HastaAlaska
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 7:29 pm    Post subject: Check out our Kombi trip to the Amazon! Reply with quote

Hey guys,

Our Hasta Alaska trip is doomed with kombi related problems. I am stuck in Panama now, lack of compression and the engine bouncing around like it was on rubber bands and that makes engine out number 5 (in the past 4 months).

Broken piston, and valves (both have less than 5000km in my engine) and I am currently rebuilding it on my own for the first time!!"!! No idea what I am doing, the engine is in bits and I am a little worried down here!

Anyways, check out Episode 3 of the Trip in Ecuador. This is where we take the Kombi into the Amazon, and breakdown on an errupting volcano! And where we rebuild the entire engine!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpGXGbb5GsU

Happy travels

Ben
www.facebook.com/HastaAlaska
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busdaddy
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 16, 2012 10:09 am    Post subject: Re: Check out our Kombi trip to the Amazon! Reply with quote

HastaAlaska wrote:
Broken piston, and valves (both have less than 5000km in my engine) and I am currently rebuilding it on my own for the first time!!"!! No idea what I am doing, the engine is in bits and I am a little worried down here!

Sorry to hear that Ben, perhaps we should discuss how you are setting the timing to reduce the chances of this happening again.
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Mike Fisher
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 16, 2012 10:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

How to Rebuild Your Volkswagen Air-Cooled Engine by Tom Wilson from www.Amazon.com would help.
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mark tucker
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 16, 2012 8:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

awassom trip guys, good luck.and dont forget to have some fun while your at it.
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Jon65
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 6:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hope you get everything straightened out. Best of luck to you on the rest of your trip.
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HastaAlaska
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 6:46 pm    Post subject: Yes lets discuss timing Reply with quote

Yes Busdaddy, now would be a perfect time to discuss setting up timing as I have no idea how to do that!!!! Smile

I have spent the whole day sawing at the piston I found to make it fit. (sounds bad but I think it will work)

Pistons are now in the cylinders and they are ready to go on. Any advice from anyone would be appreciated at this point.

Also I am building this outside in a dusty yard under a tree. Quite a bit of dirt has gotten into my crank. It is monsoon season and I only have cardboard to cover it Confused Please tell me this is not the end of the world!!
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busdaddy
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 9:29 pm    Post subject: Re: Yes lets discuss timing Reply with quote

HastaAlaska wrote:
Please tell me this is not the end of the world!!

That's not supposed to happen until later this week Wink

Dirt in your engine is really bad, especially on a type 1 with no oil filter, wash out as much as possible with gas or kerosene (don't set yourself on fire) and change the oil 5 minutes after you get it running. Timing may be the least of your worries if you are "sawing" pistons to fit, please tell us more about that operation as well as what distributor and carb your bus has on it.
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giller
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 9:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Where are you in Panama?

I am in Gorgona, which is about 60 miles outside of Panama City on the Pacific side. I'm two minutes off the highway.

I'm not sure I can help much, but if you are close by maybe we can chat. I know an American mechanic and he's an older guy, so he might know about air cooled engines.

Do you haopen to have a sign on yours that says "Chulay" because I just saw a bus today in a mechanics yard and it looks a lot like yours.

Anyway, my name is Chris and my cell is 6567-6774
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giller
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 9:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Holy crap, just checked out your Facebook page and saw your bus, with the sign. You are literally two blocks from where I live.

I will drive down to the garage in the morning and see if you are around. My wife is on Facebook, so maybe she can pass along some info.

Call me.

I am not a mechanic and don't have tools. But, I have a 72 bus sitting back in Canada and I'll try to help you out however I can.
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giller
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 10:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry, one more post tonight. The American mechanic is only about two miles from you - out on the highway near the entrance to Gorgona. His name is Len and he can probably get you whatever parts you need and help out if you can get it to him.

I've not dealt with the place where you are parked so I can't comment on them.

Len's number is 6045-3543
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giller
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 2:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So, I met up with Ben today to offer some support. He's got the engine out and is working away. I was able to line up a guy who knows air cooled engines if Ben needs some help. Unfortunately, all I can do other that that is offer him a shower, couch to crash on, some food and cold beer.

Maybe we can posts some pics and everyone can offer some advice?
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Ian
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 9:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Stoked!!! I have been following and offering advice on Facebook. I do have some used pistons that are in top nick that I can ship to you guys in Panama, seriously send me an address!

Super stoked that another Samba person was able to link up with Ben and at least offer a couch to crash on!!!

You are kicking ass Ben!!!

STOKED STOKED

Czech out the vids, you'll probably be as hooked as I am!!


Link



Link



Link

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19super73
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 1:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

giller wrote:
So, I met up with Ben today to offer some support. He's got the engine out and is working away. I was able to line up a guy who knows air cooled engines if Ben needs some help. Unfortunately, all I can do other that that is offer him a shower, couch to crash on, some food and cold beer.

Maybe we can posts some pics and everyone can offer some advice?


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giller
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 4:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey everyone

We've moved the thread over to the bus forum so we could get some more technical advice.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=538476

Agreed, those videos Ben is doing are very cool. He's still going at it but at least I've been able to get him a shower, some meals and some cold beers. He's content sleeping in the bus - very good of the garage owner to let him do that.

Hopefully he'll get the bus going tomorrow. It seems setting the timing will be the key issue at this point.

And, another Samba member stopped by to offer support! I didn't meet him so I'm not sure who it was. Unfortunately he didn't have much technical expertise either. The cool thing is that Ben is learning this as he goes, and doing quite well I think.
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HastaAlaska
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 7:41 pm    Post subject: THE SAMBA Rocks Reply with quote

Crazy that I felt like I was in the back end of nowhere and the two Samba members came by to see what the situation was. Not to mention all the great support I am getting remotely. It really does feel like Christmas!

Busdaddy, the piston I managed to get from the back of a garage in Panama City looked pretty good, a few scratches but much better than my broken piston...and well, the only option really. Ian did kindly offer to send one down to me (which I still haven't ruled out) but I would really like to be back on the road before Christmas!

So the problem with the replacement piston is that the bottom ring (by that I mean the oil distributor ring) wasn't rotating at all, it was rather stuck. so I had to saw, and sand the ring (of the piston itself) to allow enough space for the oil ring to move freely.

It looked ok when it went in. Tomorrow we will find out if it worked, and how much damage the dust, sand and tree that is in my engine has done.

I was literally picking out leaves from my crank today.

PS, on a side note, my dog has burried in the sand all the screws and bolts for putting the engine back in the bus... Not exactly the best conditions to rebuild the top end.
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HastaAlaska
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 14, 2013 6:05 am    Post subject: Colombia video Reply with quote

http://www.youtube.com/user/kombilife?feature=watch

Here you can see the latest video of the adventures in Colombia.
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