What did YOU do to your van today?

[Russpauly]

Went camping and decided to also take care of replacing my speedometer cable. The last one was pure junk compared to the one I got with van cafe. Still a little jumpy between 30-40mph, but overall dramatically better.
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1988 Wolfsburg Edition - TinTop
2.1L Watercooled
The Space man Van

[cellerdoor]

Started cleaning up and inspecting the underside of the engine. I've had a nuisance oil drip ever since I owner the van and I'm trying to determine where its coming from. Took off the push rod shields and scrubbed the underside.

Push rods are ok, and it looks as if a have a drip coming from under the crank pully and where the transaxle meets the engine.

Could be galley plugs or seals, both require major engine/trans removal so for this year Ill monitor. its only a teaspoon of oil every couple months so i think Ill be OK if I monitor it.
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1986 Westy

[campism]

Got my spacers installed, 15/16" total for the three pieces that boosted that corner by a significant amount while simultaneously adjusting the other corners as well, giving an overall improved stance that is slightly higher at the rear.

Before

LF=16 5/8" RF=16 7/8"

LR=15 1/2" RR=16 1/2"

After

LF=16 3/8" RF=16 1/2" Actually lowered the front a little and did so evenly.

LR=17" RR=16 3/4" Raising the left side also raised the right a bit.

I did have to loosen the CV joint to get the trailing arm to drop enough to get the spring out and everything back in and that was the hardest part. Getting the joint to break loose was a pain and when it did a lovely thick grey goop dribbled out onto the floor...and onto me. Got no pix of the underneath but everyone knows what that looks like.

One pic I did get was of my new overhead clearance. I used to have about 3" above the skylight but no longer; probably 1.25" now but some of that reduction is due to taller tires installed a couple of years ago. I backed out very carefully until I knew. I might consider a single spacer on the right side to try evening things up but that might be risky. Maybe no more lift for me until I get some garage surgery done.

Now.

Before.

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'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic

[campism]

Thought I might take the newly worked-on van out for a spin today and mentioned it to the bride, who suggested instead that I remove all the curtains so she could wash them. Little does she know how much cursing is involved in such a task.

My cheap little ratcheting right-angle screwdriver is essential for the task, especially for the screw behind the sink cabinet. Others can be reached with a normal tool but this one is a lifesaver when nothing else will reach.

That done, I figured what the hell and unloaded all our resident gear for a thorough cleaning. Found a couple of mouse nests in the van that pretty has much been parked for a year while we attended to more pressing things; one in the rearmost cabinet and one in one of the cubbies. Dragged out everything for evaluation and cleaning, and will reload as required.
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'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic

[bobbyblack]

campism, ughs so sorry on the mouses houses. The 'bad boy' of mouse houses is the front airbox/heater blower area. super annoying to get flying mouse house in your face and hair.
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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]

[campism]

It occurred to me that if clearance was an issue the interference would probably be so slight that I could probably get out with a partial deflation on all four. Turned out to be unnecessary but I'm sure another goof awaits me somewhere.
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'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic

[bobbyblack]

campism,

So, the next thing is when you get even larger diameter tires

I've gone up a little on diameter, and did just exactly like you, and worried about it, etc. I use a piece of wood or such to push the door back/up a bit further out of the way. I have only forgotten once, and it was in-bound, so I heard it touch a little and stopped and pushed it up and stilted it so I could proceed.. But I too fear the day I try going the other direction after having forgotten

Also, I hope to find a used set of Carat springs, which would lower my bus a bit. Chris Schimke recommended Carat springs to both lower AND bring better control to the suspension (in addition to the other parts I have found excellent from T3technique). I was asking him about the nose dive of Vanagons, and that was in his list of what his most demanding customer had found to be best help in the suspension. Lower, progressive springs.

I guess I've put off a WTB classified, as I have been just watching and waiting. I missed a set about 2 years ago for like $50.. Oh well. I know another fellow that has a set, but seems pretty busy, and I haven't followed up with him on the springs in a while. Maybe Summer will be a better time.

Cheers!
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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

[elizer]

I gave up on trying to get into the garage when I put the x bars and solar ontop.

I replaced the shifter tabs last year and the passenger side broke off. I replaced that piece.

[bobbyblack]

eli-

I've been putting off any height additions like solar, bars, etc. for a long time. My idea would be to do a solar install that would go under the bars, if anything, and both bars and solar would need to have 'quick release' options on ARGs if I do add them. Can't let the (better) Vanagon sit outside all winter. Since I am going to drill at least a set of holes in my top for the JackBombay poptop shocks, may as well get the ARGs ready and put them on, too.

I once saw a thread with a solar install that used a huge aluminum sheet with holes that were maybe an inch or two drilled out in a precise grid with two flexible solar panels attached to that. From memory, it looked to have been only about as tall as the skylight after install.

-bobby
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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

[elizer]

Bobby
The problem with mounting under the bars is that you will block the cells. Even if the bars align exactly on the panels frame, depending on the angle of the sun, the shadow of the bar will block the sun.

I added the jack bombay assists. I had it share a bolt with the ARGs. Honestly if I could do it all over again, I would not have shared a bolt. I dont like the placement of my bars. It sits too high. And the shortest yakima towers are still too tall.

I used yakima load stops to mount the panels. I was a little worried that the rubber wouldn't be strong enough, but it is incredibly sturdy up there.

yakima.com/loadstop

I honestly didn't need a permanent solar mount on top. I have the gowesty solar hook up and a flexible panel. Aux battery charges off the alternator as well. So wherever I end up I could just hook up the flexible panel when stationary. I don't know. I did a lot of stuff that didn't make sense and didn't really think things out. But, since its up there I will leave it for now.

-eli

[bobbyblack]

eli-

Another 'problem' I've been kicking around is where to put batteries. My under seat is where my 2 tool boxes and wrench rolls go, along with spare things like ECU, axle/CVs and such.

I have been looking at the pictures of SyncroJael's diesel tank on his underside, saying to myself, "wouldn't a box like that be a good place for batteries and a chinese parking heater?" Or, since I have a manual trans, there is some room above the transaxle. However, dropping the trans to change my batteries would be a joke on me.

Anyway, it is funny how precious every nook and cranny inside my Westy is, packed with stuff like tow bar, jack stands, spare parts, odd wire, belts, and other various emergency resolution inventories.

Once I met a retired couple who drove a nice White '89 with a GW 2.3, Gillian and Pete. When they drove up to my camp site and showed me their rig, I exclaimed "your Westy is so clean and tidy" with not a bit of fluff or throw blanket in sight. Clean clean clean. Made me feel very inadequate. My crap goes everywhere when I go camping. They had their 2 Marine batteries under the slider in the optional PS LP tank location. Looked lower than I would want to have 2 big batts but maybe it was the same low as the LP tank on mine? I hope to meet them again some day

-bobby
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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

[Vanlife Geek]

I got an inexpensive 12V shower setup for the van. It was only $15 on AliExpress. In the past, I've always used the solar showers in a bag, which work fine but have a very weak gravity-fed stream for showering. This new unit has an adjustable stream and at full, it's fairly impressive. Powerful enough to wash mud off the van, dog, boots, etc. I'll still use the solar showers to heat the water (I have two of them), but will transfer the heated water to a big collapsible bucket for the new shower setup which has a submersible pump. I always have the Westy stove to augment the solar bags if needed on cloudy or winter days, or the wood stove's water heater if I have it setup (see picture below). I already installed a 12V outlet at the back of the van in anticipation of this purchase. I also recently purchased the Bus Depot "Add a Room" for the back of the Westy, so I think I'll now have a pretty sweet privacy shower solution in case there are people around. I can put my port-a-potty in there, too, for a full-on bathroom... an En Suite if you will, .

Water heater attached to my wood stove:

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Vanlife Geek
Current:
1986 Syncro Westy
Previous:
1983 Westy
1981 Westy
1972 Bug (Last year you could buy a new one for under $2,000)
1965/66 Bug (2 bugs from a junk yard combined to make 1 functional bug)
1959 Bug (Pre Gas Gauge Era)

[campism]

^ Glamping!
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'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic

[Vanlife Geek]

[campism]

Gramping!
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'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic

[jlrftype7]

Swapped out my ailing Automatic Transmission for rebuilt one from one of Samba’s vendors. I had discovered the 2nd brake band was not adjusted correctly earlier in the week after I had installed the rebuilt unit last Saturday and was unable to reverse off my rack or even roll backwards in Neutral and of course this had caused me some problems getting the trans to function correctly....
So, I removed and installed it several times to iron out the bugs.
Not ideal, but pretty easy on a shop lift versus on the floor.
It helped having my original trans side by side with the new one to figure out what wasn’t right.


Finally got it dialed in on the bench and back it went in today .
Shifts well, smoother than my transmission ever was even after I had replaced the end play shims that had worn on my old unit.

Added the GoWesty Trans Cooler, replaced the Accelerator Cable with a new one from Van Cafe to complete the job.

Painted my exhaust with High Temp Paint to dress it up a bit for awhile.
( Have NOT tried the infamous Peanut Oil treatment, but the year is young....)..

Also replaced the plastic Evap Tanks with the metal ones from Van Cafe.
Fit was very good and I was able to fill the gas tank with no leaks on a full tank for the first time in months.
Corrected my error in routing the gas tank crossover hose as well while I was at it. I previously had it Above the Shifter rod but Below the metal coolant pipes and heater hoses. Seem to remember doing that when I installed the Stainless Steel pipe kit and never got back to rerouting the tank hose after those were installed.

So, long day but a great one. I have 3rd gear again , smoother trans operation, and a leak free gas tank system( so far)..
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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

[12Paths]

I finally Took the locker out of my spare trans to add front locker to my syncro. And made a super ugly tool!

[campism]

Bath time. With inspection coming up I like it to be presentable, figuring it might sway the inspector if anything else is sketchy. And I like to show it off at the dealer.

Scrubbed the poptop to get off the oak tree residue that accumulates. That stuff is terrible. The finish is thinning also and you can see bare fiberglass up there so the plan is to sand, prime and repaint when the top comes off for canvas replacement and new gaskets. I'll also scrub the flocking on the inside.
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'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic

[dieseltdi]

Lengthened some of my wiring harness for my AHU TDI swap. Also pulled the carpet and power washed every piece to finally get rid of that wonderful mouse pee smell!!!!