Author |
Message |
Shonandb Samba Member

Joined: January 12, 2019 Posts: 1750 Location: Vancouver, BC
|
Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2024 9:48 am Post subject: Re: Road side fix..... |
|
|
jeffavatech wrote: |
O.K.,....help me with this...how did you change a pilot bearing by pulling the nose cone off??????.... |
I removed the nose cone and then was able to remove the transaxle as without the nose cone on, there was enough room to slide the transaxle forward and drop it down enough for the input shaft to clear from out of the flywheel.
Once the transaxle was out and on the ground I could access and remove the pilot bearing with the engine still in place. Installation was just the reverse with lifting and sliding the transaxle in place and then putting the nose cone on again (with form a gasket) and hook the shifter back up, attach the CV axles, attach the clutch cable, and refill with gear oil.
In my case, I had to do it twice but the second time was a lot faster as I knew what I needed to remove and the pilot bearing was easy to take out as it was basically just replaced.
So a manual transaxle in a Late Bay Bus can be removed without dropping the engine if you are stuck at the side of the road like I was. You need to drain the gear oil and have clean rags but with the nose cone removed, you gain enough room to slide the transaxle forward and out to access the flywheel. This would work if you needed to change the throw-out bearing or replace the clutch too. _________________ *******************************
76 Westy with a 2.5L Subaru SOHC + Vanagon (010) Automatic Transaxle
Build & Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=758760
Previous 1973 Panel Bus:
Click to view image |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
jeffavatech Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2009 Posts: 144 Location: Titusville, Florida
|
Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2024 5:21 am Post subject: Re: Road side fix..... |
|
|
O.K.,....help me with this...how did you change a pilot bearing by pulling the nose cone off??????.... |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Shonandb Samba Member

Joined: January 12, 2019 Posts: 1750 Location: Vancouver, BC
|
Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2024 11:29 am Post subject: Re: Road side fix..... |
|
|
I did a 2+ year 30k mile trip in a 1973 Panel Bus throughout the US and parts of Canada back in the early 90s and have too many Road Side Fix Stories to list here but here is a memorable one.
My pilot bearing started to go when I was in Hood River Oregon one summer and it got so bad I couldn't get it into gear. I only had a bottle jack so I couldn't remove the engine so I pulled up on one of the side roads next to an open field and took off the nose cone of the transaxle and was able to remove it (the transaxle) without dropping the engine.
I hitchhiked to Portland and got a new pilot bearing from a VW dealer and temporarily bought a Dremel tool from Walmart and removed the bearing cage (then returned the tool for a refund) and put the new one in and installed the transaxle again using gasket maker when putting the nose cone back on. Started up and tried to drive but the there had been too much damage done to the transaxle so I had to pull it out again and call around to Wrecking Yards to try to find a used transaxle. I had a visit from a local Police Officer who was sympathetic and said he would allow me a few days but I'd have to have the Bus gone by the weekend or otherwise it would be towed.
The closest Wrecker with a Transaxle was in Corvallis so I hitchhiked to Portland again and bought another pilot bearing and then hitchhiked to Corvallis to buy the transaxle. I paid about $200 for it (my budget for the entire month) and then made up a sign and hitchhiked back to Hood River. Surprisingly, there was a young guy in a wagon who was heading to Portland and after hearing my story, offered to drive me to Hood River as I had the transaxle to bring with me/deal with.
Got back and installed the used transaxle (also put in the new pilot bearing just in case) and was back on the road again. Missed a few days of windsurfing but all good. _________________ *******************************
76 Westy with a 2.5L Subaru SOHC + Vanagon (010) Automatic Transaxle
Build & Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=758760
Previous 1973 Panel Bus:
Click to view image
Last edited by Shonandb on Tue Mar 26, 2024 9:53 am; edited 2 times in total |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
PWB Samba Member
Joined: September 11, 2019 Posts: 107 Location: PA
|
Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2023 8:35 am Post subject: Re: Road side fix..... |
|
|
storm wrote: |
PWB, storm here, go ahead and Wright your story, I would like to read it. |
What I mean is, I had the same throttle cable issue, pulled off to the side of the road, and fixed it in the same manner as jwd722 (key-ring "relocation") in order to get home. Only difference is, I was only a few miles away.
Great thread btw |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
storm Samba Member
Joined: April 28, 2008 Posts: 321 Location: Juneau, Wisconsin
|
Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2023 7:59 am Post subject: Re: Road side fix..... |
|
|
PWB, storm here, go ahead and Wright your story, I would like to read it. _________________ always ready to learn and give advice |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
PWB Samba Member
Joined: September 11, 2019 Posts: 107 Location: PA
|
Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2023 7:40 am Post subject: |
|
|
jwd722 wrote: |
My roadside fix came about the same time this thread originally started.
My accelerator cable broke off at the pedal so I took the circle thing (obviously I don't know what it's called) off my keyring, hooked it to the hole on the pedal and twisted the cable around it.
Worked great. In fact, after reading this ressurected thread I realized it is still that way, some 8,000 miles later!
Guess it's time for a new cable!! |
Was gonna post my story, but this guy beat me to it.
Last edited by PWB on Tue Aug 01, 2023 8:29 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
storm Samba Member
Joined: April 28, 2008 Posts: 321 Location: Juneau, Wisconsin
|
Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2023 10:09 am Post subject: Re: Road side fix.....fruitfully solution to a hot engine |
|
|
Driving down a country road on a hot day in my ‘71 bus. Suddenly engine loss power and died. Was able to coast to a safe spot near a grocery store.
Open engine lid and noticed a hot engine. (Could not hold oil dip stick).
Why engine hot? Check distributor if loose, no, check gas in carb, some but accreator pump, not to much gas.
Now check fuel pump, disconnected fuel hose from carb and had my wife crank engine, little or no gas come out.
Ok, gas problem took fuel pump off. Checking fuel pump rod. Not to high and took it out. The tip was over worn to the point that it was not (13 mm high.
Under my belly I took a piece of my pants belt leather.. wedge it between pushrod and pump to compensate for the worn pushrod.
Ok it worked somewhat, but what about the vapor lock problem. Apparently the fuel line was closed to the heat riser.
So I figured if I insulate the fuel line the gas that’s in a vapor state will convert to a liquid, I would be ok.
So I had a brain fart and went in the grocery store and got some cold oranges, lemons, limes. Took out my trusty boy scout knife and put a slit into each orange, lemon, lime, and wrap them around the hot fuel line, then wrap some cloth to insulate the fruit. That work for a while to out campground where I was able to order a new pushrod and had it delivered to our campground. _________________ always ready to learn and give advice |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
VWNate Samba Member

Joined: October 04, 2016 Posts: 428 Location: Sunny So. Cal.
|
Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2023 7:36 pm Post subject: Road Side 'Fun' |
|
|
Subscribed to read more stories . _________________ -Nate
One last Beetle : 1959 #113 DeLuxe survivor ~ 36HP & full synchro tranny, 6 volts etc. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Blue Baron VW Aficionado

Joined: June 16, 2006 Posts: 26746 Location: Free State of Florida
|
Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2021 1:24 pm Post subject: Re: Road side fix..... |
|
|
Just discovering this thread. There are so many, but here are three:
My friend Tony and I were on our way back to Buffalo from a VW show in Michigan, driving across Southern Ontario, Canada, in my '65 bug, when we lost power and the engine started rapping loudly. We stopped and quietly ate lunch while the car cooled down. Afterwards, I pulled the valve covers and found a rocker clip had broken, causing the rocker to slide down the shaft and strike the valve spring retainer instead of the valve. Just that moment, a local VW freak pulled up in a Ghia, and we explained the problem. He then took me to his nearby home and we swapped the rocker with one off a parts engine. We went back, I installed it, adjusted the valves, thanked him and Tony and I went on our way! After this, I always carry a rocker clip in my toolbox.
Another time I was cruising my '64 on my way back to New York from a VW show in Pennsylvania, when the car quit running. I tried messing with the distributor, but to no avail. The next thing, up pulls an old Squareback driven by an elderly man. He explained that he used to build engines at the local VW dealership. It took him two minutes to diagnose a bad rotor. We switched out the rotor from his Squareback, and sure enough the car fired up. A quick trip to his house netted me a rotor, and I thanked him and went on my way. After this, I always carry a spare rotor.
Finally, another year I went to the same show in Pa. with my buddy Scott, but this time we decided to go in style, and Scott rented a new car to drive down instead of one of our VWs. This was back in the Grateful Dead days, when Jerry Garcia was alive, and the Dead played Buffalo every summer. (It was obligatory, due to the lyrics in "Truckin'.")
Anyway, we were headed away from New York while a conga line of deadhead buses was going the other way. Somewhere in the Pennsylvania wilderness we spotted a deadhead bus on the side of the road. The decklid was propped, and tools and little yellow sparkplug boxes were scattered around behind it. Scott wheeled the white rental car around, and we pulled up to see if we could help. Sensing our new white car was the man, the deadheads started scurrying around and hiding their stash, like monkeys hiding bananas.
We got out, announced we were VW freaks headed to a VW show, and offered to help. The owner of the bus said, "I think it's the spark plugs."
Because we were in a hurry, Scott tore straight into the hot engine.
"Hey, what are you doing?" the owner protested.
"I'm fixing your bus," Scott said.
Scott pulled the distributor and found the culprit: a broken fiber block on the points caused them to close. He asked the owner if he had an extra set of points, and the owner's response should go down forever in the annals of Deadhead VW lore:
"That is my extra set of points!"
At any rate, we didn't have time to be bothered, because we knew there would be another deadhead bus truckin' by with an owner who had sense enough to carry an extra set of points that weren't already in his engine. Also, despite the fact that we had stopped, worked on a hot engine, diagnosed the problem and told them what they needed to do, these followers of the Grateful Dead were not very grateful. _________________ We are striving for perfection, to make our cars run forever, if possible.
Heinz Nordhoff
Last edited by Blue Baron on Sun Jan 03, 2021 1:51 pm; edited 6 times in total |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
jinx758 Samba Member
Joined: October 04, 2014 Posts: 900 Location: half a bubble from plumb
|
Posted: Sun Sep 15, 2019 7:21 am Post subject: Re: Road side fix..... |
|
|
Summer 1986 ...
Drove 27 miles to Padre Island from Corpus in my '73 Super. Had good surf session. Turned key & nothing but spinning crank. Popped rear hood & touched a few things ... had only changed a spark plug on a lawnmower at that time. Guy walks over, pulls distributor cap & notices metal tab on top of rotor had broken off. He tears a strip out of Dr Pepper can from floorboard with dull pocket knife & wrapped it around arm of rotor with rusty pliers. Fired rite up & destroyed itself just as I'm pulling into apt parking lot. Pushed clutch in & killed key. Coasted into parking spot. Rode bus for 6 days till payday from fast food joint I worked at.
Best regards ... jinx _________________ " It's not valuable unless you learn something from an experience. " Henry Ford
It's not unlike the same difference
"Air does not boil or freeze." Ferdinand Porsche
Cheap parts ain't good
and good parts ain't cheap.
It's hard to win an argument against a smart person.
It's impossible to win an argument against a stupid one.
My Craigslist rescued 100 footer :
1971 Standard Bug
1776cc dual port
034 distributor
38mm EGAS Carburetor |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
supercub Samba Member

Joined: June 07, 2010 Posts: 369 Location: Wisconsin
|
Posted: Mon Sep 02, 2019 6:38 pm Post subject: Re: Road side fix..... |
|
|
Earlier this summer, about mid July, I was returning home from Iowa in my '66 Beetle after a day of hiking in the bluffs along the Mississipi River. I am just coming into Madison, WI on US-18, a major route into and out of the city. It's about 5:00PM, peak rush hour, and inevitably traffic suddenly grinds to a halt. I slow down and as I am pushing in the clutch to downshift at about 30mph, the engine dies. Fortunately I am in the left lane so I use the remaining momentum to squeeze onto the narrow shoulder up against the guard rail, so close that I had to exit through the passenger door. I opened the hood and looked around, but nothing seems amiss. I had condenser troubles only about a month before, so naturally I suspect the distributor is the culprit. I get out my little tool kit and pull the distributor out while my mind occupies itself with various gruesome scenarios of being hit by inattentive drivers. Distributor and tools in hand, I hop over the guardrail to ease my mind and get down to the business of trying to work on a distributor that has been roasting at highway speed in the summer heat for the past 100 miles. I fumble with the hot screws and nuts holding the condenser and points to the distributor body. The points are all pitted and burned so I figure the condenser is likely fried. I jumped back over the railing and dug through my "good used" tuneup parts stash under the rear seat. I found another condenser and a set of serviceable looking points so I went about reinstalling them. Naturally the screw that holds the condenser to the outside of the distributor slipped through my fingers and fell into the crack between the curb and the grass. I could still see it about 5 inches down there so I got a flathead screwdriver and after a few tries and harsh words succeded in wrangling it out of the hole. I set the point gap, put the distributor back in, and set the static timing. I climbed back in the car through the passenger door and turned the key. To my relief the engine fired right up like it hadn't missed a beat. The VW and I continued to crawl through the remainder of Madison and buzzed the rest of the way home uneventfully. Having grown weary of the points/condenser troubles that have plagued the car as of late, the next day I ordered a Pertronix ignition module and it has been running great for the past couple thousand miles. I still keep a set of points and a condenser in my emergency parts box under the rear seat just in case though. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
VWporscheGT3 Samba Member
Joined: September 01, 2006 Posts: 2139 Location: Gardnerville, NV
|
Posted: Tue May 21, 2019 10:29 am Post subject: Re: Road side fix..... |
|
|
throttle cable broke on the way home in the squareback I owned. I robbed the speaker wire going to the speaker box in the load area tied it to the dual carb linkage and drove quite interestingly home working the throttle with my right hand and balancing shifting and steering with my left. taught me to always have a spare throttle cable with you. _________________ Schnell, SCHNELL!
I like being wrong, as weird as that sounds, it is another opportunity to learn. If you stop learning from your mistakes than what is the point?
Schicken Sie es!
If you have any questions about Forged ICON 4032 VW pistons just shoot me a line. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
deaaaanno.vw1966 Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2019 Posts: 25 Location: Philippines
|
Posted: Sun May 12, 2019 7:17 pm Post subject: Re: Road side fix..... |
|
|
my rear wheel overtook me
|
|
Back to top |
|
 |
VOLKSWAGNUT Fastest VW Belt Changer

Joined: October 14, 2007 Posts: 11126 Location: Flippin' a Belt........ .... Off-n-On ... NC USA
|
Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2016 9:06 am Post subject: Re: Road side fix..... |
|
|
Hmmmmm..
I try to do anything I can to prevent paying a tow or out of town shop bill.
Knock on wood.. yet to have to surcome to that...
We all know that the worst case burned up trans or bad in tank fuel pump are up on the list of bad ones to happen on a trip..
I've had a few times over the years that had to make some quick repairs to get me home or to a parts house.
ALWAYS carry tools no matter what Im driving.
My pop taught me preventive mantainence is the key to vehicle dependabiltiy
First car.. 64 Beetle.. yeah had some times I can remember.
Pushed it over a ditch to lay in to change a starter.
Used my girlfriends fishnets as a generator belt..
Used fishing line as a through the window throttle cable..
Gum wrapper for a fuse
Wiring repairs by yanking speaker wire to use accordignly.
Im sure there were more in that car...Im forgetting
Over the years..
Used a 16 ounce water bottle to transfer fuel from one car to another to make it 1/2 mile to the fuel station. (not my car)
Heater hoses spliced together to fix a coolant leak.
Overhauled a carbueretor at a car show.
RTV to seal a radiator from the outside.. (still gong after 10 years)
And.. the ineveitable.. water in the fuel 600 miles away from home.
Pumped it until clean in a Pep Boys parking lot via the in tank fuel pump, aaded tank drier and 3 fuel filters later...made it home..
Thats just a few.
My Pop has some good ones some from his younger days and some from my grandfather..
Shoe leather as a main bearing, permatex head gaskets, ....stealing a drive shaft from a car lot in the middle of the night just to get another 500 miles home... and yes some fuel too.
Do what ya got to do... thats the bottom line.
Stay on the main routes.
Carry some emergency tools, supplies and Good RTV, as it can seal lots of things... even from the outside in.
. _________________ aka Ken {o\!/o}
Its your vehicle- stop askin' for approval-do what YOU like for cryin' out loud
Better to roll em' how you want and wear em' out-than lettin' em' rot out
Its about the going not the showing
Rebuilt to drive not decorate
WANTED: Local Eatin' Joints, Triple D for TheSamba contributions here http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=570510
Search "VOLKSWAGNUT" on YouTube since you cant watch a "certain" BELT change video round here
Usually and often edited |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Mark Samba Member

Joined: January 20, 2003 Posts: 1523 Location: Victoria, BC Canada
|
Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2016 5:23 pm Post subject: Re: Road side fix..... |
|
|
So I replaced the positive battery to starter cable. Big deal right? I'll back up a bit first...
Driving home yesterday I noticed a shooting pain in my right hand, then a couple seconds later it happens again. Jeebus, I'm getting shocked!? Only when my hand touched the shifter. What the..?
I looked at the speedometer and noticed the generator light was on, very dim.
No loss in speed or power, but I pull in the nearest gas station to have a look.
Everything looks good, nothing disconnected in the engine compartment, no burnt electrical smell, so go to start the car and...nothing.
Battery has a full charge, try other lights, nada.
I take another close look underneath and noticed the battery cable was hanging down, broken at the starter connection.
Dial 9-1-wife and get a lift to Canadian Tire for a new cable. Few minutes later and sporting a nice bump on my head from a heat exchanger, I'm on my way again. It could have been worse.
I think that would make a great anti-theft mod, if not a fire hazard. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
thevinster Samba Member
Joined: April 04, 2015 Posts: 100 Location: Arizona
|
Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2016 7:12 pm Post subject: Re: Road side fix..... |
|
|
We were driving our 62 bus to rocky point Mexico. We were driving down the freeway going 75 mph foot to the floor going to spring break. We broke a rocker arm stud. We floated the valves and punched a hole in the top of the piston on the number three cylinder. We pulled over pulled the valve cover off removed the rocker arms and pushrods on number 3 along with the spark plug and ignition wire and proceeded to drive down the road... At 40 mph we drove all the way to rocky point. We drove around until we found a vw repair shop where i bought a used cylinder head and piston. I pulled the head off on the beach while drinking beer and eating shrimp cocktails i used an sos pad to sand out the cylinder vote for no other reason than it seemed like the thing to do. We bolted everything back with no torque wrench (we had the far superior torque arm!) i think it was pretty accurate because we made it home and it drove that way until the day i sold it. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
borninabus  Samba R&D Dept.

Joined: May 18, 2006 Posts: 4672 Location: Arizona Highways
|
Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 8:34 pm Post subject: |
|
|
fred69vert wrote: |
...so I turned my idle up to about 1900 RPM. Using the back streets i was able to get home at a whopping 23 MPH top speed in third gear. Didn't shut the engine off until I had it in my garage. |
I have totally done this, in a bus.
you just have to shift real fast
my best fix ever has got to be when I drove my 71 ghia to Guadalupe canyon hot springs in baja, mex. guadalupe canyon is at least 30 miles down a--washboard--dirt road about 1/2 way between tecate & mexicalli on mex hwy 2. it's really out in the middle of nowhere and in a not-so-great part of Mexico. I guess they used to start the 1000 in the dry lake that the road follows.
ghia does awesome through the states, mexican traffic, long dirt roads, creek crossings the whole bit.
on the way back somewhere on the dirt road I got a little overzealous on the washboards and she just quits. some of you know the sinking feeling, the pit of the stomach pain you experience as you realize that you are in the middle of the middle of nowhere: this better be something simple.
7-8 years ago I was not a working VW mechanic but being 'borninabus' I was able to figure out pretty quickly that the dist rotor was turning freely; as in, not engaged. the clamp stud had rattled out of the engine case because the case was stripped out. there was no way it was gonna hold.
I was able to reseat the distributor properly and I stuck the stud through the clamp & into the case. I then tied the dist down to the oil pressure switch & fuel pump with some electrical wire I had in the trunk.
she cruised home probably 400+ miles all in one shot. no issues. _________________ 88 Van WBX, A/T - 13 JSW TDI 6M/T - 2012 Touareg TDI Sport |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
SBD Samba Member

Joined: October 24, 2012 Posts: 3263 Location: SOUTH DAKOTA
|
Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 4:32 pm Post subject: |
|
|
About 15 years ago I was eastbound on I80 in Nebraska in the middle of summer in my '70 Ghia. Had my twin daughters with me who were almost 2 at the time. Probably about 95 degrees or more & somewhere between Kearney & Omaha the throttle pedal drops to the floor. I knew the cable was broken & I was just coming up to an off-ramp so I pulled off, slipped it into neutral and coasted to the bottom of the ramp. From the bottom of the ramp I could see a small truck stop/restaurant. I shut the engine off, put it in 1st, started it in gear & idled into the parking lot.
Got REALLY lucky. There was a family there with a bay window with an alternator problem & the guy was fixing it in the parking lot. He had a universal VW throttle cable & he sold it to me for $5 & I was on the road in less than a half hour. 
Last edited by SBD on Fri Feb 22, 2013 7:38 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Big Bill Samba Member
Joined: June 21, 2005 Posts: 1804 Location: Fortuna Calif.
|
Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2012 4:51 pm Post subject: |
|
|
This happened to me about 10 yeasrs ago. I was in my 63 Bug on the way home from work( about 35 miles) at a stop light before I got on the freeway the engine starts to miss real bad and is running really rough. So I pull over to the side of the road and start trouble shooting the problem to see what it is. It still will start and run but not very well, so after a bit I figure out the #3 cylinder is dead. I have spark but still wont fire, so what the hell I decide to limp home, I was able to run at maybe 45 or so MPH until I got home. When I got home after checking a few other things, I pulled the valve cover and both pushrods for #3 had some collapsed and were just laying in the tubes. I put in two new pushrods and adjusted them and it run great for many more years. Pretty awesome that it could run on three cylinders for 30+ miles to get me home.  |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Quiche Samba Member

Joined: April 22, 2011 Posts: 63 Location: Atlanta, Georgia
|
Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2012 8:30 pm Post subject: |
|
|
So I had just gotten my 64 beetle running and had taken it out for a test drive and its first full tank of gas. After filling up I hopped in and tried to start it up. It would crank but not turn over. Well I had only gotten it to run earlier that day so I was having a minor freakout. I'm running back and forth from the key to the engine trying different things. I'm so focused that I'm not really paying much attention to what's going on around me. Finally I start to realize that someone is yelling. Then it dawns on me that they are yelling at me. So I look up and see this balding guy with missing teeth and a faded AC/DC shirt on and I realize he is asking me if I want to sell it. All the while his kids are in the back of his car making an awful racket and his wife is yelling at him to shut up and get in the car. I was frustrated and not in the best of moods at this point, so I told him yeah sure if he could give me $8,000 on the spot it was his. He didn't seem to think this was fair and was trying to talk me down. Well it was only a little crud stuck in the carb so during all this I got it started up and drove out of there before I said something that wasn't nice. Now a word to the wise. If you see some one who's having trouble starting there car, it might not be the best time to ask them anything other than can you help. _________________ 67 Beetle - Amy {RIP, gone but not forgotten}
64 Beetle - Ruby {on the road to recovery}
=^~_~^= ZZZzzz... "wake me when the world is done with me" |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
|