Another Cross Country Journey in a strange van.

[Abscate]

[AZ Landshaper]

Your a damn fool. Thats a 30 year old vehicle. Your likely to break down, encounter starngers and only god knows where your gonna end up.

On the other hand summers coming in and its going out in style.
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Support Small Business.

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85 Weekender w/ EJ22
Previously
64, 71, 72, 73, 76, 81, 84, 85 & 87 Campmobiles and Westfalias
and a 67 bug.

[Gizmoman]

I know it's a negative thought, but a van with passenger tires doesn't say much for the PO or the care he/she took during ownership. That said, by some of the things you've done already, you sound quite capable of handling things that may arise along the way. Once your home, you can start emptying your bank account into it

This is a great group of folks here and and has been stated, AAA is a good move.

Happy travels
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82 Vanagon Westy - AAZ 1.9 TD, HE200 Holset, WAIC, 27.75 dia tires, Electric power steering, 5-speed AAP w/.078 5th
Oversize spare carrier - stock location (no longer for sale).

[mad.macs]

We lost our coolant sensor on Rt 189 out of Salt Lake City. Running on bypass until we can get a replacement.

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'84 Rivi Vanagon Auto Trans, Stock WBX

[IdahoDoug]

Head t my house. Spares in a box under the bench vice. Happy trails!
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1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader

[Jake de Villiers]

[mad.macs]

[danfromsyr]

PM'd you my cell number and email if you need anything in central NY.
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[Steve M.]

Making good time!
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This free advice is worth exactly what you paid for it.

There are seven days in a week. Someday is not one of them.

[syncro surf]

Congratulations! Glad to see that you made it home.

[Bassyaks]

who's taking odds!!

[mad.macs]

Six days. We made it home, almost without incident. Very glad for Satnav. iPhones, the Samba, Go Westy and Vanagain.com

Day one
Four new 95T rated tires installed at PepBoys. In and out for barely over $400
Installed the new roof rack and gathered supplies.
Norm and I with the Original owner. A fellow MHS classmate of '88 of ours who moved to California after 9th grade and later purchased the van. We haven't seen her in 30 years, but she happened to notice a pic of the van we were buying in San Diego off craigslist, and positively identified it as her old van. Sure enough there was an old registration with her name on it tucked behind the glovebox. (There may also be a loose 10C diamond floating around in the van that she lost. worth a look I think.)

We left San Diego for Las Vegas around 7. The van really didn't like the heat, or the hills. The odometer gave up in the first 10 miles. Blinkers stopped working after an hour. The hazard switch is a little picky.
Pulled over a few times with a hot van and blinky light. About 20 Mi from Barstow we stopped and put a half gallon of coolant in. Not a good sign.
Slept in Barstow for a few hours. Left at 5AM in 86 degree weather. All was good until the temps and altitude creeped up. Pulled over more than a few times on steep grades to get the needle back on the LED.

Got to Vegas around noon in 108 degree temps. Got a room, tried to sleep until 12AM.
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'84 Rivi Vanagon Auto Trans, Stock WBX

[mad.macs]

Day 2
Las Vegas to Rock Springs WY
18Hrs of driving.
Pulled over while defending a steep hill for low oil pressure light and Coolant level warning. Bottom of hill, wait 10 minutes lights out, keep going. I actually think we stalled for some reason. This problem never reoccurred.
Mountain pass to St George Utah was a challenge, and it was just he beginning of a very technical day of driving. In St George, noticed the Radiator fan was not on when we stopped-odd...
All day the needle sat just above the middle of the LED, going up and down on hills. We had the heater going full blast since we left San Diego actually.
Took 189 out of Salt Lake, about halfway through to 80 we pulled over after ascending a pretty steep hill with the temp needle at 3/4 Shut down for a few minutes and noticed the radiator fan is not on. took it real careful for the next couple of hours and limped in to wha tis hopefully the crappiest KOA in the US. Rock Springs Wyoming.
Did some research on the radiator fan operation and testing. Made a heavy gauge jumper and wired the fan for full time low speed operation. Put the spare tire on the rack to free up some airflow. Tried to remove the tire pan. Gave up when i realized the O2 box needed to be moved.
Took on about 16 oz of coolant and a half quart of oil.

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'84 Rivi Vanagon Auto Trans, Stock WBX

[Steve M.]

[mad.macs]

Day 3
Rock Springs WY to Lexington Nebraska.
Left at 4 AM I think temps were in the 60's. The Van likes the cold.
Crossed the second part of the continental divide and started what we thought was a downhill run to Nebraska.
Near the Wyoming/Nebraska boarder, we were barreling down a hill (65 MPH). The road was a 4 lane freeway, dropped to 2 for construction, with East/West traffic separated by traffic cones.
At the bottom of the hill are 3 young Caribou in the brakedown lane on the opposite side of the road. They decided they could cross in the gap in front of us. I slammed on the brakes, nearly locking them up, and kept them there until we came to a full stop. The closest Caribou was directly in from of me 5-6 feet from the front of the van. It turned and looked at me like it was no big deal, before sauntering off the road with his buddies.
So what I'm saying is the van has good brakes.
Ascended the 8500ft Hill climb shortly after in 70 degree weather. The bypass for the radiator fan worked well. We did downshift into 2nd, but weren't any slower than the big rigs going up the hill.
Stopped in Lexington for the night. Took on half a quart of oil, and about 8 oz of coolant. (These fills have all been in the pressure tank, not the expansion tank.)
ATF Fluid at 3/4 where it's been all trip.

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'84 Rivi Vanagon Auto Trans, Stock WBX

[mad.macs]

Day 4 Lexington Nebraska- Merilville Indiana
Left at 4 AM
Stopped at the i80 truck stop for lunch and a tour of the Museum.
Stopped for routine bio break at a rest stop 70 Miles from Merilville. Noticed a spray of oil on the rear hatch and bumper. the Oil wasn't dripping onto the ground, but it appeared to be coming off the fins on the bottom of the engine.
Discovered the dipstick tube was loose (we checked the oil a lot.)
Entering Joliet the Speedometer completely gave up the ghost, twitched twice, then nothing. Switched to the GPS Speedo while navigating heavy traffic.
At the hotel, discovered the speedo cable is not moving. Reseated, and sealed the dipstick tube.
Added 8oz coolant, half quart of oil.

Here's the Econolodge parking lot.

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'84 Rivi Vanagon Auto Trans, Stock WBX

[mad.macs]

Day 5
Merilville IA- Buffalo NY Via Niagra Falls
Left 5AM
After parking at the Rapids at Niagra falls, we pulled out to head to the falls to discover the low coolant light was not going out. Saw some sights and came back to check the coolant. to our surprise, it was full. Apparently a false read.
Headlights stopped working on the way out of the park. Quickly discovered the headlight switch is also a little picky
Took on NO OIL and NO Coolant, Put in some ATF cause I was bored, and our 1-2 shift is mushy at low RPM. I think I have had this with all my Autos, but wanted to top it off anyway.

Cheap night in the "Crime Scene" Motel in Buffalo

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'84 Rivi Vanagon Auto Trans, Stock WBX

[mad.macs]

Day 6.
Buffalo NY-Bath ME. HOME
Left 5 AM
No mechanical issues.
The brakes are squealing, so, they will be moved to the top of the list to be fixed with the torn Ball joint boots.
The Gas tank does need a re-seal. New Oring on the sender, filler neck gasket, and Vapor bushings will be ordered tomorrow.
Occasionally we would overfill and take off like an SR-71 Blackbird.
Arrived in Brunswick ME and dropped Norm off at 4:45PM

Now on to do the log list of other, Very important stuff. Fuel lines, brake lines, Shocks, Etc.

Oh, How much did we pay for the Van? $2750 I'm glad we had some inside info that the engine was a rebuild about 5 years old.

Here it is on the East coast on the banks of the Kennebec

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'84 Rivi Vanagon Auto Trans, Stock WBX

[Abscate]

Epic journey , well done!
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.ssS!

[brokengun]

Crazy trip eh? Very cool, thanks for sharing! Glad you made it back home I'll keep my eyes open for you on the road this summer.
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1984 Vanagon Adventurewagen with EJ22 conversion
1975 Beetle - Big whole in the floorboards
1974 Westy - Will be on the road one day!
1973 Bus - sold