What did YOU do to your van today?

[Steve M.]

[fxr]

Our propane usage is pretty consistent - 1.8 gallons of propane for every seven days. A tank won't last two weeks at that rate. In February we're off to Baja, a three-week-plus trip. So at long last I got around to adding a connection into the propane lines so we can use either a 20lb BBQ tank or 1lb bottles.

I tee'd into the line to the burners, with a ball-valve and a male quick-connect:

The female quick-connect is attached to the hose I use for testing the Dometic fridge when out of the van, this comes with a regulator and the fitting for a BBQ tank. I also bought a BBQ to 1lb bottle adaptor.

Lastly, I added a screw to prevent the ball-valve being nudged accidently. It tucks nicely out of the way beside the kitchen drawer:

_________________
Jim Crowther
1984 1.9l EJ22 Westy Wolfsburg Edition
Vespa GTS 300

[Steve M.]

[JCTahoe]

Finally the got the VW to fit under the deck. Now it can snow!

_________________
84 Westy - Jean Claude Damn Van

VW's from my past:
72 Bay
79 Campmobile
81 Vanagon

[bobbyblack]

Put 3 500w halogen shop lights inside van, and let it warm up for 15 minutes. Then removed stock fridge. I've been able to do some work in the unheated garage by using the halogen lights pointed at me, I can last about an hour.

Took fridge to kitchen table and took the flame box apart. All the way this time, including the jet, and burner tube. Found a moth cocoon inside the burner tube. No wonder it wasn't working.

Replaced the fan with a computer muffin.

Took apart one of my gas grills to see if I could test the gas function, but that will have to wait til tomorrow as I ran out of daylight.
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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

[Paulbeard]

Replaced my ignition switch after being momentarily inconvenienced by the old one deciding it had had enough. Not the project I planned for today but the weather was against me doing much else. Need to pop the old switch so I am not starting with a screwdriver.

New non-PS steering arrived so maybe that can be managed, as well as that fuse for the PS wiring that seems to have gotten a lot of attention.

EDIT: removed and replaced the switch and removed and replaced the smaller steering wheel with a non-PS one.

Makes a difference in what I can see. Turning lock to lock is much less work, from what I noticed on my test drive.

Some things I learned:
• you need your key in the barrel to get the switch mount off the column. Slides right off if you do that.
• don't put the horn button on until after you verify the wheel is true. Also might be obvious but maybe not and it will save some aggro if you don't have to R&R that.

Possible unintended side effect: the high beam indicator flashes (but not the lights) when I use the horn but it occured to me I have never used the horn once in the past 2 1/2 years. So maybe it was always like that. I'll see about fixing it some day maybe.
_________________
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

[Paulbeard]

Not just today but over the past couple of days.

Changed gear oil.

Replaced tired old radio with a new simpler one.
_________________
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

[elizer]

Was not today but Sunday I took it to the self-wash. Pointless though they pretreated and dump 3000 gajillion tons of salt and sand all over the roads for the 0.000001 inches of snow we got here in Northern Virginia.

[rlbarnes5]

A few days ago...I finally did the 'slider project', including replacing all the bushings & bearings.
WOW! I am truly amazed at the difference in terms of how quiet that door can operate.
This project is definitely worth a few hours and $40[/img]
_________________
Rob Barnes
Tabernash, CO
1989 Vanagon GL Camper
2017 Subaru Outback 3.6
http://byronsalaskaadventure.blogspot.com/

[bobbyblack]

Working under multiple 500 W Halogens in the freezing shop again tonight. Trying to sort out why 3 of the 4 CVs will go back together (fairly) easily, but the 4th is just not even close - after the 4th ball is placed, the whole thing is nearly immobile no way to get #5 or #6 in place. I fear that there was a mixup in the groupings of CV components while the kids were degreasing. This is somewhat unlikely though. I took a pretty close look, noticing that different balls per CV would look more evenly matched to one row than another in the same CV outer, and inner. Also, the cage seems to be differently matched per ball, where some pass easily through one gap, and are 'sticky' going through other gaps. It seems as if each ball must be precisely placed per groove inner/outer+cage at exact right spot. Probable that the previous rebuild had mismatched a couple balls between groups. This is bound to turn out poorly I think there may be 36 permutations of how things can line up, and I haven't figured out a method to try each in succession.

Complications abound, as there are obviously several generations of CVs in the "set" of 4. Enough to drive a person out of their mind. Calling it a night at 11 PM.
_________________
'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch

[elizer]

Sorry bobby can't help with the cvs, but why not get a forced air heater?

[bobbyblack]

[danfromsyr]

maybe you have the inside race and outside race out of proper orientation

http://www.benplace.com/cv_joint_maintenance.htm

big to little then little to big.

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[mikemtnbike]

"Fairly cavernous." Bobby, I remember the pictures you've posted of where you live. I think that's just plain cavernous.
_________________
1991 Vanagon GL 2.1 AT Westfauxlia. "Frankie" Totaled https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=764510&highlight=carnage
1995 Eurovan Camper "Marzivan"
2020 GTI SE manual

[bobbyblack]

[elizer]

Wow that's amazing. I would be spooked walking around inside at night.

[bobbyblack]

1 of the 4 CVs I recently mentioned was a very different unit than the other three. That one was easily reassembled. Indeed, the other three had, indeed become mixed up when the kids cleaned them, and that was ultimately the reason I couldn't get one back together last week. So... this AM, I took the three all back apart and carefully measured and was able to re-unite all the proper bits in their original groupings. All four are now assembled.

Tomorrow, perhaps, axles back in the deep-freeze, CVs in 450 Deg F oven, (the only way to get them back on the axles) and all back together!
_________________
'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch

[getset]

I can finally see!

new Osram 7" led headlilghts and Auxbeam LED spots.

Also replaced a broken signal lens, busted bumper caps, busted widow cranks and my leaky clutch slave which are all wonderful but don't photograph as well

Previous weekend installed a Fantastic Fan in the existing roof opening. Made two aluminum adapter plates and sealed it up. Also finally got the gas ebespacher heater working by installing a small 1 litre scooter gas tank to fill at camp. not ideal, but until I swapped it out for a diesel heater it works great.

_________________
87 Syncro sunroof w/ 2.5 Subaru.
2015 VW golf TDI

Bikes, KTM motorcycles, sailboats, and busted knuckles.

[bobblebeauty]

Getting the engine bay painted in a Subaru Pearl White that will match the outside before the original 1.9 comes back from a first rebuild at 340,000km

[/img]

[ajdenette]

Finished repairing the leaky exhaust and repaired the blue wire on the alternator to get the van charging again

I had a new cast collector in a box and installed that but needed a J Pipe

got the gaskets at Napa as it tuns out VW part number 855.253.137A cross references to Walker part number 31365.

Thanks to a used J pipe from Vanagonjr the exhaust is back together and quieter than before.

_________________
1985 2wd Westy with 2000 Subaru 2.2 current driver
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=685635
1986 Syncro Doka Project next in line
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=732777
1990 Vanagon Syncro Base awaiting body work