What did YOU do to your van today?

[AZ Landshaper]

Installed a new slave cylinder. Much easier to do through the wheel well and not lying on my back w fluid leaking all over. Much easier!
_________________
Support Small Business.

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

[Alaskaberrys]

[Paulbeard]

Finally got around to doing these.

The driver's side was easy (except for getting the old sprayer off). The passenger's was a challenge as the hose was barely long enough to insert the new one. If I had it to do over, I find some of the same hose and a length with an ID that matches the OD and add a few inches of working room. Almost lost it several times, even with a clamp on it.

They work well. Got to exercise the washer pump as well as refill the tank, so there's some needed maintenance crossed off.

Removed the front speakers to replace them only to find the replacements are too big if I want to use the stock grills. Getting those out was a challenge as they didn't want to unscrew. So the retaining rings are no longer functional. Returning these speakers and ordering some 3.5 inch ones. Not an audiophile, just don't want to hear the crackle of 30 year old (blown) speakers.

Mmm, toast…

Got a battery test at my FLAPS and everything checks out. The battery was good, alternator and starter checked out. My intermittent starting problem remains intermittent.

I am noticing a smell of burned rubber after each trip and I wonder if a belt is too tight or if something is binding. I put a little slack in the alternator belt a few weeks back when I heard a repeated squeal. It went away. I used the screwdriver stethoscope to listen to the alternator as I am hearing something…odd at idle if I take the lid off. Should it sound harsh or grinding to the augmented ear?

Alternator replacements make a regular appearance in the pile o' receipts, but I think that was a combination of PO's aux wiring misadventures and the shop he used that never grokked the trouble he was making for himself. A new alternator went in the week I bought the van but I have had no trouble in the 2+ years since.
_________________
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

[eug_camper]

Cleaned up the turn signal switch and the wiper switch on our '85 Westy. Now the intermittent wipers work reliably and my left turn signal will stay on without holding the lever down. Not sure about the windshield washer action yet.

I removed the steering wheel and switches per Bentley and posts here. Steering wheel nut was scary loose, almost could have taken it off with my fingers. Both switches were pretty gunked up with the grime of time. Copper contacts were oxidized some as well.

I used a Simple Green bath and toothbrush to get everything clean, then scraped the copper contacts with a small screwdriver. I elected to open the secondary switch that operates the high beams to be sure there was no water left. That was a bit dicey, but it turns out I got all the parts in the right place and didn't have any parts left over.

Before putting the switches back in, I applied white lithium grease to the plastic wiper ratchet and dielectric grease to all electrical contacts. The steering wheel post threads and nut also got a light coat of lithium grease.

Satisfaction ensues.

[16CVs]

Spent some quality time with 91 Westy today.
Fuel tank had a hole in it , your thumb would fit into. While I was there I replaced all the lines to the pump and filter and then continued into the engine compartment and changed ALL of the fuel lines. Even the small sections which run to the injectors, remove the plastic Firewall nipple and added a grommet to replace it and it now has a continuos line.
While the tank was dropped I changed all the grommets as well as all the Vacuum hoses to the overflow tanks and added proper clamps to them all(overkill probably).
Took it from no start to running. Starter was F'd, had a good used that solved that problem. (thanks Jeremy) Played with Marks Diag tool and was able to get it running.
Took it out for its maiden voyage today, The Master cylinder is shot as it feels like it is only grabbing on the front brakes. The power steering rack leaks or the lines are bad or both. I have a good used rack and some lines so that'll be somewhat easy.
My main concern is to get the van driving and stopping first. Happy as can be that it started right up and seems to run fine. I was shocked that there was no lifter noise.
Pictures to follow.

Stacy

_________________
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.

[lowbody]

Installed Land Rover mirrors.

[campism]

I installed an additional stop screw on the underside of the rear bench hinge so the seat prop could hold the seat bottom up at a steeper angle, thereby improving access to tools and parts.

_________________
'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic

[Paulbeard]

Replaced the absolutely toasted OG front speakers with PYLE PLX32 3.5-Inch 100 Watt Two-Way Speakers.

They are friction-fit into the original grills which are then friction-fit into the door panels. I bent the mounting affordances to fit the speakers into the grill and they are pretty snug. That means the grills are slightly out of round which helps the fit but it may not last while underway. The retaining rings did not come out undamaged so could not be re-used. If the grills move, I'll drive a couple of screws through the rim to fix that. Not overly impressed with the radio I put in a few weeks ago as it seems to have a lot of static. I'll try it through the AUX to see if it's the radio/antenna or the unit itself.

Unfcked my seatbelt after struggling too many times to get it to retract. For some reason it doesn't come off the reel without twisting.
_________________
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

[pomfritz]

Fuel pump cutoff switch, shhhh.

Recaros replaced the Original seats, what a difference! Let’s go for a drive...anywhere!

Coming up, removing the fuel prefilter and a radiator flush, installing the KEP radiator petcock, Vanagon.org cluster wire kit.

Wish/To do list is getting shorter, finally.
_________________
83.5 233K. GW 2.3, SS exhaust, My German Frau named her Stefi

[jimf909]

[Paulbeard]

Swapped in a Group 41 battery to replace the 15 year old miracle battery. Time and the increased demands of the TDI starter accelerated the decline. But yeah, 15 years. That's something.
_________________
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

[campism]

Finally found my binder of receipts I have not seen for a couple of years. Uncovered lots of other stuff that has to be dealt with. I'll be on garage cleanup for weeks now, but I got my binder!
_________________
'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic

[T3Atlantic]

Started on doing a steering column volt meter like HoustonPhotog

_________________
http://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate-41980.htm
1990 White Atlantic Poptop 1.6TD JX

[iulian]

Replaced headlights wire terminals. Luckily I only had to cut an inch from the wires to get to shiny copper
I was surprised because I considered I had decent lights, probably because of the relays, and ignored inspection of terminals
Cleaned also the star grounds under the dash, not that dramatic there, only had to replace the headlights and radiator fan terminals.
While I am here I will give a good rinse inside the headlights, but that tomorrow

[WestyWanter]

Some mondays are better than others, I was due for some bad luck... This is my van after I handed over my bank account to my mechanic for head gasket job and to get sweet girl back on the road... Anyways to say the least its one of those times when things are frustrating...

My buddy sent me this picture as a joke saying think about it on the road west during the ultimate road trip.. being dramatic I said I rather drive it off one of those cliffs right now to see if piggy banks can fly...

Then he sent me this LOL

[landkholdings]

EJ22, o2 sensor, cruise control unit?

I unplugged this plug and now my o2 sensor seems to work again. I plugged it in when I had the van on a lift to change the fuel filter and saw it unplugged. I don’t have cruise control, if that’s even what that is, but it looked like it needed plugged in anyways. Ever since, my o2 light has been coming on. Changing the sensor didn’t help, but uplugging that plug seems to have fixed it. Beats me.

_________________
Kevin

[riceye]

The wire from that plug goes directly up to your dash to illuminate the light that you are seeing on the dash display. It is only a reminder to service the o2 sensor (even though it probably doesn't need servicing) based on elapsed mileage. Notice that it is associated with the box on the speedometer cable. Every 60,000 miles or so (I think) a switch is triggered to juice the dash light. If you examine the box you will find a small (1/4") button that can be depressed to turn the light off.

Or, you can unplug it as the PO probably did! It has absolutely nothing to do with your engine management.
_________________
'87 Westy Weekender - daily driver on salt-free roads

There's gonna be some changes made.

“I find that things usually go well right up until the moment they don't.” - Ahwahnee

"Quality isn't method. It's the goal toward which the method is aimed." - Socrates, later quoted by R.M. Pirsig

[landkholdings]

That was it alright. Now, I have a spare o2 sensor, and I can sleep easy knowing there isn’t anything dangling from the bottom of the van. But like you say, it hasn’t made any difference hanging there for the last 40,000 miles or so.

For future reference, I had to use something smaller than my finger (an allen wrench, because it was handy) to press the button far enough in to reset the box.

Thanks riceye!
_________________
Kevin

[campism]

Looks like somebody got new suspension bushings.
_________________
'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic

[1981 Ed]

New pop top canvas, top seals, decals, screws and paint