Rite of Vanagon passage

[davlance01]

Van not starting at gas station seems to be a rite of passage for new vanagon owners.

First thing you'll probably do is read a gowesty article about how old our starters are and give them some money.

Then you'll probably read an article about why you need to give van Cafe money for a relay kit .

Then you'll read a samba post about how bad your grounds are and proceed with cleaning all of them.


Stop the madness before it even starts and learn voltage drop testing.

Watch this front to back, twice if you have to and take notes.


Link


Then next time you read some comment about vanagon syndrome or some other arm chair mechanics post you can roll your eyes with the rest of us that actually know!

This was a public notice message from a vanagon owner who was there once too (with a pile of starter hacks in his trash)
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Life is short and the road is long so if you want to see it all you have to drive fast!

[dhaavers]

Rite on man, rite on…

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

[DanHoug]

Vanagons are entering the transistion years moving from fun road tripping vehicle to the antique/classic car realm. while the '63 Vette can remain in the garage and taken to the local Dairy Queen on Sundays, the nature of the vanagon is to be on the road, away from home. learning basic electrical testing skills plus understanding an engine needs spark, fuel, compression, and timing is going to become more of a requisite for all but the very wealthy. or very lucky.
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-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.

'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd

Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com

[davlance01]

[oceanair]

Funny, I thought the rite of passage was getting laid in the pop-top.
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84 Vanagon Pop Top Conversion from Tin Top, 1970 Ghia - all sweet rides! Love em!
Previous: Green 72 Tin Top, White 72 Westy, Blue 64 Beetle, Yellow 71 Squareback, 2014 Jetta TDI Wagon - wish I could have them all back!

[rogertj]

[snoop]

[MayorMcCheese]

Other rites of passage include:
Clutch slave bolts
Water jacket seals
"what is this connector near the alternator"

[Wildthings]

Blowing all the coolant out seems like a Vanagon right of passage to me.

[Howesight]

My own rite of passage:

Finding out, two years after you bought it, that your WBX Vanagon engine has a built-in oil funnel.


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'86 Syncro Westy SVX

[Zeitgeist 13]

I suppose you could file a writ of habeas corpus to see if you can get out of this hellish enslavement to the machine. That would be a right to avoid the rite.
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Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[0to60in6min]

My rite of passage is the hiccup... it took a while to figure out why...

[ledogboy]

[Walty87]

[Schnippzle]

I think my rite of passage was figuring out that I had a leaking oil cooler on my CS. Took me an age and several coolant flushes.
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1988 Caravelle - FB25B - Syncro converted
2016 MB E63 AMG S - The daily driver
2019 Harley Davidson FXFBS Fat Bob - The leisure

[DuncanS]

Rite of passage--Hmmmmmmmm. Don't have time for the War and Peace response, but in time length, it started in 1961 with a 23 window and the numerous splitties and bays which were practice for the T3 that requires a masters degree in Volksvanology. Never been without one since then. Haven't earned my degree yet, but without you guys and my earlier bus/van VW 101, I wouldn't have been able to do it.

Poor/rich/smart/stupid. No one mentioned an unreasoned dedication to a thing which most might label a mental health issue.

The Alice in Wonderland quote about how we are not all quite there is the rite of passage without which we wouldn't be owned/concumed by these unforgiving beasts.

Duncan

[steve244]

My wife drives a 2018 GTI. I told her I'd do the maintenance for her. Downloaded the shop manual. Although it is written in English it reads like Greek to me. Changing the oil was formidable. I told her to take it to the dealer.

I'm sorry, I flunked modern Volksnology.

Still working on Vanology 102. I'll let you know if enlightenment comes.

[clamay]

Rite of Passage?
500 miles into a 3000 mile trip, going over a pass, blowing a hose and losing most of your coolant, no cell phone service. If that hasn't happened to you yet you are not a true vanagon owner.
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91 Carat, automatic, GW 2.2, GW EFI, Peloquin TBD

When you come to a fork in the road, take it. --Yogi Berra

[steve244]

AC for the win.

[campism]

Rite of passage? For the wimp, the dilettante and the non-hardcore it would be to keep the A/C functional.
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'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic