What did YOU do to your van today?

[djkeev]

Dang!
I haven't seen an oil mess like that for a long long long time!
You might pull the valve cover, the rockers may be a similar mess.

I remember as a boy back in the 50's, my Dad was always picking up used cars.
Oil back then tended to build up with waxy goo. I remember him pulling a valve cover and all you saw was black wax in the shape of the valve cover! The rockers had voids in which they operated. A lot of cleaning on that one!

Dave
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Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos

Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473

Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537

Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

[leecat]

Yeah - old oil is beyond awful. The head is freshly rebuilt and had no evidence of oil fouling - oil was terrible when I originally drained it, but I expected that. Maybe the previous owner thought factory oil was the best and just left it in there forever. Should have dug further into the engine in the first place - I have excellent hindsight.

Edit - WOW, what a difference between 8 psi and 70 psi!! It's like a whole new engine! Lifter clatter? WHAT lifter clatter??

Now today's project is to drop the fuel tank and reseal it, pull the injectors for another cleaning and inspection, and add rubber bushings to the right side motor mount - some minor vibrations going on at idle.

If it's the end of May then I am TOTALLY on schedule with repairs and upgrades!! WOO SUMMER!

Also putting some new bumper clips that didn't fit my van into the 'Karma' section, in case anyone needs.

[Slimvest]

Tore out the dash and heater box to replace the core after the used one I put in 2 years ago failed (after the new one I put in 2 years ago was faulty). Hoping the Gowesty heater core is the last one I put in this van!


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'87 GL w/ Reimo top

[bobbyblack]

finally got my new speedo cable to stop clicking and bouncing. Was super annoying. Used a few zip ties to loop around it and some other bits behind the pod, and got it to smoothen out.

Later I got my ambition up to get the 215/60/16 spare up in the clam hole. I had cut it like a post I saw a while ago, I think Sodo had a post where he chopped off the hinge section and welded on some bits.. well, I chopped and such, and got some u bolts, and a longer bolt for the front. Success, and it doesn't rub the steering column, and the hoses seem OK too.

I looked at the fasteners to get going on the front end job... Lots of purple stuff awaiting me.
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'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch

[jlrftype7]

Continued onward with interior Seam work. Removed the rear seat assembly, and the 2 remaining trim panels on either side of it.
Had way less seam rust this much further in than above the wheel arch area.
But, someone long ago added body wax in the interior above the trailing arm mounting area, so that probably helped a dood deal, and I’m grateful it was there. I had seen the plastic plugs on the outside of the body underneath the Vanagon, but wasn’t sure how much wax got sprayed into that section of the inside .

Will add some more Dynamat to the now accessible sheet metal over the next few days, and cup holders on those rear trim panels to go with the Rear Seat once it’s installed again.
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'68 Westy- my first VW and vehicle/Bus- long gone.- sold it to a traveling Swiss couple....
'67 Type 3 Fastback, my 2nd car- gone
'69 Semi-Auto Stick Shift Beetle-gone
2017 MINI Coopers, our current DDs
‘84 Tin Top - Hilga....Auto

[jlrftype7]

Wire brushed the few rust areas on my rear seats while they’re out of the Van, primered the bare metal, and will add Gloss Black Paint to match the existing paint once that dries. Worst section was the curved floor support tubes for the lower bench. Past heater core leaks and lord knows what else attacked that paint harder than anywhere else....
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'68 Westy- my first VW and vehicle/Bus- long gone.- sold it to a traveling Swiss couple....
'67 Type 3 Fastback, my 2nd car- gone
'69 Semi-Auto Stick Shift Beetle-gone
2017 MINI Coopers, our current DDs
‘84 Tin Top - Hilga....Auto

[jlrftype7]

Painted first coat of black on my seat parts.
Finally got the remaining upper ballpoint and tie rod assembly replaced today after work. Aligned the Vanagon again, adding boxes of rotors in the front seat to simulate my weight. So nice to be done with suspension and steering work for awhile......
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'68 Westy- my first VW and vehicle/Bus- long gone.- sold it to a traveling Swiss couple....
'67 Type 3 Fastback, my 2nd car- gone
'69 Semi-Auto Stick Shift Beetle-gone
2017 MINI Coopers, our current DDs
‘84 Tin Top - Hilga....Auto

[jlrftype7]

Removed the large Drivers Side Trim Panel and addressed what little seam rust
was there with Rust Converter. Tomorrow I’ll follow up with the Eastwood Encapsulator.
Added more Dynamat while all the interior Trim Panels are out. Added a Grab Handle above the Passenger Seat per my Wife’s request.

Sprayed Wurth Body Wax on the Interior Seam sections I'd already treated and painted earlier. This Wax spray, which is a thicker WAX protection spray than other thin, seepable type Wax Sprays, clings well, and doesn't run.
Since I still have Outer Panel Work to do during the next few weeks, but want to prevent a thin Fluid Film type Wax from creeping out of my seams before I add fresh seam sealer, this WAX is what I went with for the interior.
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'68 Westy- my first VW and vehicle/Bus- long gone.- sold it to a traveling Swiss couple....
'67 Type 3 Fastback, my 2nd car- gone
'69 Semi-Auto Stick Shift Beetle-gone
2017 MINI Coopers, our current DDs
‘84 Tin Top - Hilga....Auto

[jimf909]

Swapped out a bad a/c blower motor with a new one from Bus Lab.

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- Jim

[colbysmith28]

[bobbyblack]

[Abscate]

Spotted

I rolled from Albany to Princeton Tuesday, and Albany to Burlington VT today

I saw one white Westy Vanagon with OR plates at the Medical Center street at about 1030 am
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.ssS!

[Paulbeard]

[jimf909]

Updated my electric behind the driver’s seat. Battery cutoff switches for each aux. battery, addition of usb, cigarette lighter socket, volt meter. The VictronConnect is new as part of solar 3.0 earlier this year.

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- Jim

[beach_creature]

I like those battery switches. What are they?
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84 Westy
1.9TD AAZ
5spd manual with Locking Peloquin TBD

[bobbyblack]

Did a few 'small' things over the last couple days (compared with what I have yet to do)

ChrisToph3r sent a large box a while back that I got started on.. Steering rack bushings and his thick bar with HD endlinks. A 10 mile test drive proved these two upgrades are stellar. Also, it proved that my endurance and strength is probably 1/3 of what others here have: took me 9 hours, where others have suggested these things are quite simple and easy. Hah. Oh well, was a fun time under there anyway.

Water has been getting into my gas tank in heavy rain or in the carwash, so I pulled the evap tanks to check the rollover valve grommets, as this was the easiest thing I could do, and I was suspicion of them. Nope. BUT, I saw that the oval indents where the evap tanks go were a tad rusty, so I cleaned them down to metal and hit them with some paint. Personally, I hate the way the evap tanks go into those body cavity things, I struggle getting them to go back in. Even when I lube the body and the tanks with soapy water or axle grease, I still have a hard time of it. Then I worry that I have cracked them pushing too hard, or that the grease will eat through the plastic or paint. Plus, they are just stupid.

I guess I will lower the gas tank next and look to see if I got something wrong when I put the reseal in last year.

Contemplating the rest of the front re-bush project now. I am sore and pretty tired from these little projects! Mostly, I don't want to be off the road for more than a day or so. I will see what I can do in smaller chunks.
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'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch

[jlrftype7]

Yesterday I painted the headliner and lower White Vinyl of the Vanagon to get rid of the glue stains leaching through.
Used Rustoleums Universal All Surface Spray Paint, Satin White.
I had tried out test sections of the headliner a few weeks ago, and was pleased enough with the results to take on all the headliner from the A/C housing rearward in the Vanagon.
Taping and masking took the most time of course, painting was less than 15 minutes.
Having a small Auto Body Paper Roller with the tape wheel in the rear of it to join the masking tape to the masking paper was a huge time saver...
Thank you Auto Body Toolmart for that little gem...

Reinstalled the rear bench seat once the Paint had cured enough.
While I had the Bench Seat out over the past week, I cleaned up any rust on the steel frames, painted them, and lubed the release latches on the upper seatback as well.

Will still need to paint the small section of Headliner in front next Spring, but I get to lower the Ceiling A/C box to further work on it, so that will be the ideal time to clean, prep, and paint my remaining headliner.
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'68 Westy- my first VW and vehicle/Bus- long gone.- sold it to a traveling Swiss couple....
'67 Type 3 Fastback, my 2nd car- gone
'69 Semi-Auto Stick Shift Beetle-gone
2017 MINI Coopers, our current DDs
‘84 Tin Top - Hilga....Auto

[4mymalamute]

Sally the Syncro got new Powerflex steering bushings, double nozzle windshield squirters, filler spot grommet and new wipers. Awwww, I need to install the stainless coolant hoses that are sitting in the garage for past four months
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1989 Sally the Syncro.....she is a work in progress. 1.8T and tuned...she scoots up the hills...watch for flying dog drool out the windows.

1969 Bucky the Bug Convertible...red, rusted, work in progress....LOTS of work.

[Make America Vanagon]

[jlrftype7]

Masked and in the process of painting

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'68 Westy- my first VW and vehicle/Bus- long gone.- sold it to a traveling Swiss couple....
'67 Type 3 Fastback, my 2nd car- gone
'69 Semi-Auto Stick Shift Beetle-gone
2017 MINI Coopers, our current DDs
‘84 Tin Top - Hilga....Auto