What did YOU do to your van today?

[WestleyTheWesty]

What rear view/dash cam did you end up buying? I love that you can get it to mount on the factory ball! What tweaks did you need to do? Thanks!

[revolution337]

[Blue Hill]

I worked on this...

[Blue Hill]

Before that I did some of this...

[16CVs]

Change the fuel pump on my Tristar today. My idle had been erratic and would not start a few times. After some thought it occurred to me that maybe it was the pump or relay. I looked at the Pos lead lead at the pump and the case had been corroded or melted around the connector.
When it would not start one day I whacked it with a hammer and it started right up. After installing a new pump I decided to do an autopsy on the pump. The armature was grooved and the one of the brushes was worn out. With the new pump the idle has stabilized and it starts right up.
That pump gave its life and died from 409K miles of pumping fuel. If your pump is noisy or just really old it may be a good time to replace it.

Stacy
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1987 Syncro Westfalia Triple knob (bastard)
1989 Syncro Tristar Triple knob "Swedish"
2013 Jetta Hybrid a true "Zwitter"
Samba member # 14980
Call anytime number 650 722 4914 .
Keep Your van running and upkept tastefully for the love of the hobby.
Don't let your van end up in an "abortions" thread.

[campism]

While I had some momentum from the previous tasks I thought I'd change the trans fluid. Last done years ago, I was hoping the switch to full synthetic would be an improvement, and it was. Noticeably smoother shifting.

Got started using my homemade 17mm key to remove the fill and drain plugs. Fill opened fine but the drain was stuck and I broke loose the double-nutted pieces so I had them tack welded for strength and those broke loose on the very next try.

I bought a 17mm 1/2" drive bit and it looked stout but was too long so I ground a couple of millimeters off the back end and that worked to get the bit into the plug.

Old lube still looked good and there was very little metal on the magnetic plug.

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'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic

[Rich_T]

Installed the dual horn and relay kit from Van Cafe today. Out with the meep, in with a honk.

[jimf909]

My trans was just rebuilt so I'll be changing the oil a few times. I tested out my 24" + 8" + 17mm fill plug removing combo...not because it's really necessary but because it's fun.

Fill plug painted hi-vis blue ...

Nearly a 36" reach...

Testing...it works...the wobble on the end of the 8" extension helps...

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- Jim

[levi]

Nice beemer.
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One of these days I'm gonna settle down,
but till I do I won't be hangin round.
Going down that long lonesome highway,
gonna see life my way

https://youtu.be/cSrL0BXsO40

[campism]

Followed up on the trans lube change with an engine oil change (Mobil 1 of the 15W-50 variety with a Mann filter) and then did a celebratory coat of peanut oil on the exhaust system.
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'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic

[jimf909]

[maueman]

I'm installing a 2.5 Subaru engine and a waterboxer rebuilt automatic transmission with the higher gear ratio. PROBLEMS.....ALWAYS..... The shift cable is NLA. Everyone says that all the automatic transmission cables are the same. SAME part number anyway. They are NOT. The waterboxer cable is longer and you will need one if changing out the tranny. I bought mine used from Vanagon Recyclers, not cheap. Shipping was quite fast and it arrived in decent shape. Got to figure how to change out the large bellows on the cable.

[Multivanagon]

After last year's dash pull and airbox cleaning the van still had a lingering mouse smell. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...p;start=61

I finally found the source while running the RCA cable under the carpet in the passenger floor.

Bleach and water spray on the floor, carpet padding, and a little carpet cleaner freshened it up.

Sub

Cleaned floor

Sound deadening added

_________________
Current VWs:
1990 Vanagon Multivan
2019 Golf Alltrack
1971 Super Beetle project
1996 Special Edition Trek Jetta mountain bike

Past VWs:
2008 Passat Wagon
1999.5 Golf
1991 Golf

[SlalomVan]

Over the last six months, the van was starting to grind when I was shifting out of 4th gear. Getting worse as time went by. A couple times it even got stuck in 4th gear and would not shift out until I would rock the van back and forth with the motor off and clutch out. I got tired of running around town without using 4th gear. I’ve been working from home for the last six weeks, so not a lot of driving. And, obviously no freeway driving! So out it came. Spare waiting to go in.

As you can see, the drive flange seals were leaking pretty bad, despite being replaced when I rebuilt this motor 5 years and 52K miles ago.

I had an extra transmission sitting on the bench that I had cleaned up and detailed that was waiting to go into my other project van. More on that project later. Great to have a spare! Although it looks great from the outside, its condition is unknown. It was included with the “project” van and the previous owner claimed it was “running great” when he parked the van back in 1997. We will see!

I had never pulled just the transmission from the van, always done it with it attached to the motor as a complete unit. With the right tools and the help of a good friend, it was an easy and enjoyable job. Taking our time and not really rushing, it was a little over 4 hours start to finish.

I have used this gear oil in several of my transmissions with great results.

_________________
1989 Vanagon GL - 2.1 (White - "Northlake" Totaled/Gone)
1988 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg (Orly Blue - "Poulsbo" - Sold)
1989 Vanagon G - 2.1 (White - "Kingston") - Full rebuild underway - Last on the road in 1997

[joetiger]

[Multivanagon]

The Rockville 8" seems to compliment the stock 4" speakers well. It's enough to shake the rear view mirror, fill the van with bass, and annoy the passenger sitting on top of it.

I have no need to go bigger.
_________________
Current VWs:
1990 Vanagon Multivan
2019 Golf Alltrack
1971 Super Beetle project
1996 Special Edition Trek Jetta mountain bike

Past VWs:
2008 Passat Wagon
1999.5 Golf
1991 Golf

[j8]

Updated the van with a new 3-window poptop tent.
Updated the poptop with a new 1-piece seal.
Updated the skylight with a new gasket.
Updated the luggage rack with a new seal.
Updated the poptop and the luggage rack with a new coat of paint (Raymond Auto Body did the work.)

So the real deal is that we updated the poptop by purchasing one (which magically was available about a 10 minute drive from my house) because I ran the fiberglass poptop into the garage. Yep. My overworked, overtired, overstressed brain didn't make sure it was down and latched and I screwed up the fiberglass and the hinges but good. If you think I cried, you're right but it wasn't until I settled down. I'm still mad at myself and not ready to forgive myself for it.

But the van looks great. Next job is applying the Westfalia stickers.

[/img]
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Julia
'89 2WD Westy (No end to names...)

[j8]

Follow up to answer a question: It took four of us carrying it in order to get the poptop off the sawhorses and ontop the van. It was four women and we weren't quite as tall as the dudes in the gowesty video, so scaffolding was in order
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Julia
'89 2WD Westy (No end to names...)

[4Gears4Tires]

We've all been there, don't beat yourself up about it too much. Before I installed automatic garage door openers, one of the doors slid down a bit and I backed out of the garage right into it. The 33" spare tire on the Explorer sits on the roof and clearance was tight even with the door all the way open. The door was brand new. I beat it back to workable, but it's still dented.

Such is life. You repaired it and it looks good!
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'87 Syncro
Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition

[campism]