Our [new] 1978 Bus!

[Wasted youth]

[Traveling Writer]

A few years ago, I had an obstruction in the fuel tank of my 1976 FI bus... in an underground garage with a headlamp I got the tank out without dropping the engine in about an hour... Just FYI but it can be done. Nice bus in any case!
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Cheers,
Davi

1977 2.0 FI Westy
2011 1200cc Yamaha Super Tenere
1976 Feet (they work surprisingly well)

[guanella74]

I'm just going to have to remove and re-seat the windshield properly - need to get an extra set of hands to help get it in first. Thanks for the tips.

And Traveling Writer, I don't doubt you were able to - it seems others have also been able to, but on my setup (late '7 there was literally no way for that to happen without denting the tank and brute-force ripping it out. Was there some trick or specific direction you pulled it in to finagle it out? What did you remove from the top of the engine to get it out?
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- Travis

1974 Westy CampMobile - the OG!
1979 Transporter
1979 Transporter
1977 Transporter
1974 Transporter
1973 Transporter
1971 Westy

[Traveling Writer]

Here's a cut and paste of what I sent to a few folks back when I pulled the tank... if you check my photo gallery, there are a few labeled photos of the pull that seemed to be illustrative:

Search my gallery for the missing pics. they're labeled on the pic, so do check my gallery....

Drain the tank. Clamp line to fuel filter, remove filter, put gas can under line, let 'er rip. While draining:

1) Spray the tank strap nuts with penetrating oil NOW (not WD 40, something good). Nuts are located inside frame rails in a horrible spot (see photos). To get them out, I used a 2' T-handle flexible head socket with a 13mm Deep Socket. You may be able to get around with some extenders on your regular socket, but a flexible neck and a deep socket (plus a flexible wrist and arm!) is a requirement.

2) REMOVE these items: Hot Air Blower and hoses; Air Cleaner; S-boot; Distributor Cap; whatever vacuum lines are in the way. Label everything with masking tape labels and take some pics first!

3) Loosen or detach these items without needing to disconnect them: Coil (just let hang in pulley well, no need to disconnect); Voltage regulator and Double Relay on firewall; brake booster vac line. DISCONNECT BATTERY

Optional: Remove throttle body if you are comfortable doing so. I didn't, and no harm done. It does get a little pressure on it at certain times, so if you're nervous about that, pull it.

4) Undo firewall screws. Three or four per side (mine had some missing), two underneath (some people's are missing because of PO laziness, see photos for location). I used a super long 2 foot philips head screwdriver and got the bottom ones out easily.

5) Firewall pops out. The engine tin is slightly overhanging, but the firewall has plenty of flexibility to take it. If not, bend the tin down with pliers. It'll be easier to reinstall the tank and firewall that way anyway.

6) Undo two tank strap bolts. Tricky buggers located inside the frame rails. Use the fuel lines as reference, both are almost directly above the in and out gas lines, 2 inches toward the passenger side of each. VERY IMPORTANT: If bolts don't want to come EASILY, then get a helper to put some vice grips on the tank straps from above, so they don't twist while you wrench. Otherwise they WILL twist and snap and then you'll have another problem. Mine were lubed well enough that I didn't need a helper, so you might get lucky.

7) If you're removing your tank, drain now or earlier. Disconnect sender wire and ground, fuel filler neck hose, vent lines, lines from underneath bus inlet and outflow of tank.

To remove the tank itself, it can seem like it gets "stuck" on the way out. This is because of those two J-shaped in and outlet pipes on the bottom hanging up very easily. The correct move is to lift underneath both sides of the tank with your arms like a forklift, as high as it will go, then push it away from you toward the front of the bus with the passenger side, while at the same time sliding/pulling the left (driver's) side to the left and toward yourself. You want those in and outlet pipes on the bottom to clear the metal and then hook the tank 90 degrees, driver's side coming out first. It is easier if you pull the metal vapor lines instead of just tucking them out of the way. I'm assuming you're going to replace the rubber vapors anyway, so you may as well give yourself as much room as you can.

9) Once the tank is in that position, it's easy enough to slide it along the left side of the engine and out the engine bay door. There will be a lot of squealing, but really the only thing is the tin at the back; you'll see nothing else is really touching the tank. Watch the in and out pipes on the bottom so they don't rip out wires on the way out, go slow, check often.
_________________
Cheers,
Davi

1977 2.0 FI Westy
2011 1200cc Yamaha Super Tenere
1976 Feet (they work surprisingly well)

[Manfreds78bay]

Nice progress. I just did my front beam myself and did the same under coating this summer.

One thing that was a pain was the bolt that holds the drag link to the link pin arm.

Even when I did compress the link pin washer, I stripped 3 bolts trying to get that sucker in there.

I found turning the bolt very slowly and pushing in finally did the trick. Just be aware that this may take you more than one try.
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1978 2.0L FI Campmobile

1982 AMC Eagle SX4 4.2L FI

[eche_bus]

[guanella74]

As usual, thanks for the beta - I'm making progress!

More photos and updates to come, however would anyone know where I can find the front caliper bolt that has the shoulder on it for a '71 caliper?

It is an M12 x 1.5 bolt, like this one at http://www.busdepot.com/j12625, but with the threadless section toward the bolt head.

Thank you for your help!!
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- Travis

1974 Westy CampMobile - the OG!
1979 Transporter
1979 Transporter
1977 Transporter
1974 Transporter
1973 Transporter
1971 Westy

[Tcash]

Salvage yards

[guanella74]

No kidding? Nobody sells this bolt new? Is it necessary to have the shoulder on it?
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- Travis

1974 Westy CampMobile - the OG!
1979 Transporter
1979 Transporter
1977 Transporter
1974 Transporter
1973 Transporter
1971 Westy

[Wildthings]

[Tcash]

This one may work.
Take the one from the other side with you to a Dodge dealer to compare it to.
http://www.factorychryslerparts.com/products/BOLT-...235AA.html

[guanella74]

OK - I'll give an update with what I find on the bolts - surely somewhere has them.

In other news, I've got a couple more questions. I originally collected most of the (new) parts I have intending to use them to restore a '71 that ended up having too much body work. I'm now trying to use what I bought for the '71 on the '78.

Questions:
1) Are the rear bearing housings the same between 1971 and 1978? I already replaced the bearings in the '71 housings I have and they're ready to bolt in if so - would be a big help to use them.
2) Front calipers -I'm using the new ones I bought for the '71, but would like to know if the stopping power for the '71 calipers vs the '78 calipers is much different. I'm also using a Wagenswest beam, btw. I know the late bay calipers are bigger and accept thicker (14mm) pads, but is the stopping power different at all?
_________________
- Travis

1974 Westy CampMobile - the OG!
1979 Transporter
1979 Transporter
1977 Transporter
1974 Transporter
1973 Transporter
1971 Westy

[guanella74]

Samba gang! Here's an overdue update on the '78 build!

I found the caliper bolt I needed from Chris over at Busted Bus. Really good guy, and not the first time I've dealt with him - definitely give him a shout if you need anything, btw.

- I've redone the entire front and rear suspension and steering with Wagenswest Beam and 3.25" boomerangs in the rear. EVERYTHING is brand new all the way around, including brakes, calipers, wheel cylinders, master cylinder and reservoir, e-brake cables, all hardware, seals, wheel bearings, shocks, ball joints, tie rods and ends, drag link, accelerator cable, clutch cable...likely anything else you can think of under there! Once I had everything off the bus, I used POR in all the nooks and crannies, a healthy dose of Internal Frame coating from Eastwoods on any places I could finagle the hose into and spray it, and then WaxOyl for that factory undercoat finish and to protect the underside. I just got the bus aligned as well.

- I've also got the entire interior sound-proofed with FatMat including walls, floors and doors, and I used 2" insulation taped in with a 6 mil plastic sheet adhered over it to seal it in. I used double sided carpet tape for that.

- Inside, I used POR on any areas that remotely look rust-picious.

- I just passed emissions and the engine seems to be in phenomenal shape, verified by Verner over at Verner's VW. I'm fairly certain the mileage (51K) is original. Everything on this bus is OG and has very little wear. Even the maintenance items, down to the light bulbs, were all OG!

Major items remaining:
Align the rear. It’s currently 65 feet per mile ‘out’. No shops are able to fit their alignment heads on the rear wheels (at least of the 5 shops I tried). Does anyone have any beta for this!? Or know of a shop in the Boulder/Denver area that can align lowered buses?
Interior Finish. Need to do the cargo floor and the rear bench seat as well as new front seats (likely from a Vanagon Westy)
Misc: Install belt line trim, get blinkers and horn working properly, fix a center pin issue, adjust the (hydraulic) valves, check compression, install door locks, and a myriad of other small issues.

Enjoy the pics!

First drive to work:

It's all new!

AFM Adjustment at Verner's VW (yes I kept track of starting/finishing points):

FatMat!

Refreshed the distributor entirely:

The OG double relay was shot, so replaced with new Bosch unit:

Dust cap to dust cap, new, new, new!

Woops - should have looked at the forecast and put her in the garage...

Emissions test station, attempt #3 (success!):

Floors scrubbed before touching up with POR and then adding FatMat. I also welded on a new pedal pivot as the old was a little crusty. The pin was rust bonded in there.

Quick shot under the front. Still need to install the splash pan underneath:

Up on the old-school alignment rack at Hawley's Bear Alignment. He adjusted the front, but the rear is apparently impossible to adjust accurately without an adapter for his alignment heads. Bummer.

Rolling!

Any tips on aligning the rear myself? It's 65 FPM 'out'.

Thanks!
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- Travis

1974 Westy CampMobile - the OG!
1979 Transporter
1979 Transporter
1977 Transporter
1974 Transporter
1973 Transporter
1971 Westy

[wcfvw69]

Ok, I'm confused? Why was the shop not able to set the rear toe in/out and tracking with a toe bar? Usually, you set the rear tracking and alignment before doing the front alignment. If the rear tracking is off and is reset during the rear alignment, it can affect you steering wheel being centered or not.
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Contact me at [email protected]
Follow me on instagram @sparxwerksllc

Decades of VW and VW parts restoration experience.
The Samba member since 2004.

**Now rebuilding throttle bodies for VW's and Porsche's**
**Restored German Bosch distributors for sale or I can restore yours**
**Restored German Pierburg fuel pumps for sale or I can restore yours**
**Restored Porsche fuel pumps or I can restore yours**
**Restored Porsche distributors or I can restore yours**

[Amskeptic]

[Wildthings]

There was a pretty good DIY alignment thread either here on the bus forum or on the Vanagon forum somewhere. You really need minimal tools to do an alignment. A 18-24" level, a tape measure, some string, and then just normal mechanics tools to loosen the bolts. Beyond that you need a very level spot to do the work. You can use roofing shingles, work vinyl tiles, etc under the tires to get the level just right.

[guanella74]

[Wildthings]

[Stuartzickefoose]

are they clamping to the tire, or the rim?
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Stuart Zickefoose

2011 Jetta Sportwagen TDi 6 speed manual

206-841-7324
[email protected]