What did YOU do to your van today?

[tpelloux]

Put some new seats (from Dodge Grand Caravan).
Just use a bracket adapter, and it was an easy install.
Even comes with the armrest (but not as coomfy as the orginal ones).

[tpelloux]

I had to change the front heater fan.
Fortunately, the heater core was in good shape (after some cleaning).
The dash removal is pretty strait forward (but for the security screws) if you follow the instructions on the forum or on youtube.
I found out that someone has established his nest in the heater box

[madworks]

[Mark Lewalski]

Replaced OG alternator bracket and bolt with Late Model kit from VC.

What a difference it makes in adjusting the belt tension! No more using a huge screwdriver to wedge the alternator over.

Mark
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'89 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg "Bluestar" (given to and owned by my son now)
'87 Vanagon Weekender
'74 Thing

[Paulbeard]

Removed what may have been the OG O2 sensor, with the help of some PB Blaster applied to a hot exhaust *koff* *koff*

Took delivery of a new Rev E ECU for the TiiCo ("this time, it will work™") which is why I needed the new 4 wire O2 sensor. All the rest of the parts are in hand so now I just have to figure out how the whole thing goes together.

Some trimming will be required here…

Drilled out the crummy fasteners that came with my ABS hatch panel so I could paint it. I'll want something different/better before I reinstall it and replace the slider panel that is also awaiting paint.

Messed up my hatch latch which was also why I needed to remove that panel. I closed it with the key inserted and bent the receiver so the key couldn't be turned and somehow got the inner workings all out of sync. Resolved now.

Tested my solar panel with the fridge turned on. Nothing burst into flames. Panel just lays on the roof with the power cables plugged into the new PowerPort where the old fridge flue was.

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Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs

[Jamo7]

Got the tranny out. (Probable 3/4 hub break.) Two or three night shifts (after the kids go to bed) plus about three hours today and it's out!

Now I have to box it and ship to GTA.
I have CV repacking and ShowaBraun's dash rewire on deck while I await my rebuild.
At least spring is coming! I was getting tired of laying on my back in the puddles and dark and cold this winter.
Many thanks to all of you offering tranny rebuild and removal advice. This hobby wouldn't be possible for me without you.
James
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'84 Westy 2.1 wbx

[VWagabond]

Removed and cleaned the headlamps on the westy and fixed the non-functiong windshield washer on the syncro. Fixing the WS washer involved removing the tank & checking the pump. With the tank off I emptied it & found a lot of solid gunk in it…a blue/green slime that looked like fragments of congealed washer fluid so the tank got cleaned out but that wasn't the problem. Tested the pump but it wouldn't come on so removed it and hooked it to a 12v source and it purred into action. So next checked the wiring and no juice..checked the fuse & it was fine but no voltage at the pump connector. Turned out the switch was not making contact so sprayed it down with contact cleaner followed by a spray electrical lube and that did the trick. Put everything back together, filtered the fluid and put it back in the tank and the washer works like new now.
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The Road Goes Ever On & On……...
VWagabond
87 Camper GL
87 Syncro GL

[Chestercopperpot]

Finished electrical.

Upper power panel

AUX fuse panel, solar controller

[bobbyblack]

Played 'lunch-break-mechanic' again today. Still attempting to sort out the choppy acceleration issue. Today's 30 minutes were dedicated to replacement cap, rotor, and plug wires.

No Joy. (now do I take the new ones back off and put them back in the box for when I do need "new" set? Or, just keep the old ones in the 'weren't necessarily a problem' pile)

Grr, maybe the timing has buggered off. The symptoms developed over about 1000 miles of grocery getting. Can't imagine timing has been buggered, but maybe.

Last weeks I had the chance to borrow a known good AFM. Not the issue.

Next, Grind the grounds and test the ohms? Fuel pressure? Vacuum leaks? Plugs again (only 2K on them now)? Yet another Fuel filter? Swap in spare Fuel Pump? Hall sender? Ugh!

And, yes, all this on the 2.1 WBX that will be history as soon as I get the few hundred left to put into the Subi swap piggy bank. (getting really close now

Huh, funny how I just remembered I should check the air filter... derp

Other symptoms seem to be initial idle RPM of about 1200, and about 1800 when warmed up. Full throttle acceleration is choppy to about 3500 RPM then smooths out, easy acceleration is smooth bottom to top (maybe 3/4 throttle).
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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

[danfromsyr]

vac leaks, grounds and any exhaust leaks (even a pinhole).
hard to find vac leaks are the injector seals, the 4 braided rubber intake runner joiners. the odd shaped seal under the T-body.

make sure your Tbody switches are operating/adjusted properly.
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[bobbyblack]

Dan,

Good stuff, thanks!!

Reminds me that after I resealed my heads, the exhaust studs seemed to gradually ease out. When I got my rig out of the garage today, it did seem to be popping a bit like it was again loosened up. Oh, and I am not differentiating stud vs bolt... I mixed them up and have not sorted out which type goes in which hole as of yet. BUT, I do know that they thread in a long way each, so I am inclined to try just a tiny bit of loctite. I am quite leery of having the effect be snapping the heads or nuts off later tho. I wish those pesky Germans had engineered a mechanical holder for the nuts/bolts when tight, keeping them from easing back out on their own over time.

Thanks Dan!
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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

[fxr]

Added an extra relay for the fuel pump, located above and just behind the pump. The relay coil has +ve power from the original fuel pump feed, and the coil is grounded via a long wire underneath, up through the front, and to a well-concealed kill-switch. Easily put back to square one if the relay fails- unlikely as that might be!

I'd love to show you where I put the kill-switch, but then I'd have to kill you all...
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Jim Crowther
1984 1.9l EJ22 Westy Wolfsburg Edition
Vespa GTS 300

[dbirtch]

Gave up storage space, for reserve capacity!

[danfromsyr]

Bobby, I use stage8 fasteners for my turbo that likes to back out bolts.
https://www.stage8.com/

you can make a DIY locking tab with a piece of heavy galvanized strap.
cut a length about 1in long drill the M8 hole in the center. put it between the bolt/nut and the washer. then bend one side up tight to grab the nut/bolt and the other side down to grab/interfere on the head..

but my turbo heat cycling meant I went with race grade retainers.
expensive is relative to when/where the inconvenience occurs. on a vacation I'd gladly pay $100 for a quiet rattle free exhaust. and loose nuts will wallow out the threads forever not getting tight enough till the torque strips what remains of the threads.

[bobbyblack]

[bobbyblack]

lunch break mechanic strikes out again.

Got the back side of the rusted bolts off with dremmel and hack saw. Got OxAc and heated flange red hot. Seemed like the bolts were coming out, but then as they got easy, they just fell off from breakage instead of having loosened by the threads

So, here is what I have to drill out to fix now...

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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

[vanadom]

[bobbyblack]

Drill bits from Fastenal worked wonders, and then chisel-picked out the threads in order to mount this 'heavy duty' tail pipe. Its just lipstick on a pig, but hey, it only took 2 hours! Now, when I get a few extra lengths of shop-vac hose I can put it over this and draw the exhaust fumes outside while I look for whatever else is causing mayhem! I just don;t do well working outside in the rain in 37F weather.

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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

[AZ Landshaper]

I pulled my calipers and spread a coat of anti-squeal jelly on the backs of my pads. Very quiet braking now. BUT for some reason, my brakes lost pressure. I'll be bleeding tomorrow.
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Support Small Business.

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85 Weekender w/ EJ22
Previously
64, 71, 72, 73, 76, 81, 84, 85 & 87 Campmobiles and Westfalias
and a 67 bug.

[AZ Landshaper]

Id like to pull that yellow cracking window trim. Did anyone ring in? Is that a bad idea for some reason.
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Support Small Business.

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85 Weekender w/ EJ22
Previously
64, 71, 72, 73, 76, 81, 84, 85 & 87 Campmobiles and Westfalias
and a 67 bug.