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errolprowse
Samba Member
Joined: April 18, 2009
Posts: 177
Location: monterey california
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 Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2009 8:41 pm Post subject: |
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haha, thanks guys, I love this van
progress as of today:
found bad thermo-switch for fan, and found a crack in the coolant reservoir
bought a nice brand new 60 dollar engine stand off of craigslist for 30 bucks!
i should get the engine out once i get some vehicle ramps. Can you guys recommend some car ramps for lifting up the rear enough to get out the engine? i was thinking of getting the plastic "rhino ramps", any good? |
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vwjedi
Samba Member
Joined: November 29, 2005
Posts: 1463
Location: G-ville, FL - hopefully on a trail.
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| Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2009 7:39 am Post subject: |
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If I may add, the term "deferred maintnance" seems to have been the downfall of many a Vanagon. Be preparred to be the first one to have given her any love for a decade.
The third picture of you bent over grabbing your ankles will define your relationship well with this ride. 
Welcome and enjoy!
_________________
1987 Wolfsburg T25 still riding out. A bunch of other VW's passed on... |
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RCB
Samba Member
Joined: September 05, 2005
Posts: 4143
Location: San Francisco-Bay Area
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| Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2009 7:14 am Post subject: |
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errolprowse....you got a good attitude, and one nice looking ride to boot.
..sometimes ....when your trying to track down a gremlin....think about the atom.....its allways been there.....it just took time to find it!!
Seek slowly, and sooner than later youll find the gremlin and when you do it will feel as you just kicked the winning field goal in the Super Bowl  |
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errolprowse
Samba Member
Joined: April 18, 2009
Posts: 177
Location: monterey california
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| Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:14 pm Post subject: |
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| wavanagon wrote: |
Dear Stoked One,
If I had a sweet ass vanagon like yours when I was your age, I would be just as stoked as you seem! A few bits of advice:
Search this forum. It has more info than any Haynes/Bentley/ebay cd put together! There are years of knowledge and professional (and some unprofessional) expertise here. If you are doing it, then it has been done 200 times before! I have found Van-Cafe to by my best source for parts. Personally, I have not had the greatest of luck w/ ebay. Also, search thesamba classifieds. I picked up a pair of AMC heads for $200, in great condition. It all depends on what your budget is!
Get the Bentley, search this forum, ask when you get stuck, you will love your van. Welcome to the Vanagon Owners Club. |
good info, thanks |
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errolprowse
Samba Member
Joined: April 18, 2009
Posts: 177
Location: monterey california
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| Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:14 pm Post subject: Re: Just got my new vanagon, needs work, I have some questio |
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| VisPacem wrote: |
| errolprowse wrote: |
I bought a 1989 water cooled vanagon gl
my dads a mechanic and sayed I need new cylinder heads, gasket set, the temperature sensor for the fan, and periodic tune up stuff and new fluids. I also plan on changing all fuel lines, replacing some seals for the engine compartment door,
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Well Errol, I do understand that one must stick to a certain budget and the greenback reality cannot be ignored.
I had 3 1/2 vanagons before I am on my fourth one. My view on the matter is that I would not even drop a single dollar of that wonderful stimulus aid package or whatever charities are called today on a doomed design. It is just like that wonderful gift from our Loving Big Daddy throwing good money after bad. The heads will leak again
and again
and again.
If and I say --IF-- you can afford a conversion that is the only way to go.
Incidentally, I just discovered from this thread that Haynes was publishing a manual for the WBX. The only one I could locate and own since my doomed VW/Corvair Westfalia was only for air cooled beasts.
Good luck, very sincerely |
i dont mind as much work as its going to take to fix it, my dad isnt spending any money on this and im spending only mine, i moved out over a year ago and im 18, i have two jobs and im a full time college student getting good grades. I like what the vanagon has and i want a vanagon, so i will fix one and use it till it dies, with my own money. |
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errolprowse
Samba Member
Joined: April 18, 2009
Posts: 177
Location: monterey california
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| Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:05 pm Post subject: Re: Just got my new vanagon, needs work, I have some questio |
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| Wildthings wrote: |
| VisPacem wrote: |
The heads will leak again
and again
and again.
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Yes the heads will fail again and again even if properly installed, but since the failure interval is about 300K for a well rebuilt engine it is no big deal. I am not against doing a conversion, I own one and may do another, but new heads on a good rebuilt are not that much of a problem. |
haha, i dont think 300k is any problem, especially considering my commute and how close the beach is for me
(what i love about the vanagon is that i can bring all my kiteboarding equipment, surf boards, skimboards all to the beach)
i hate thinking about it considering i still have to fix it! |
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errolprowse
Samba Member
Joined: April 18, 2009
Posts: 177
Location: monterey california
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| Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:01 pm Post subject: |
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| tikibus wrote: |
Sweet ride! Damn, I wish I was 20+ years old again...
You've got a grade A stabbin' Wagon. 
Bentley, Hanes, very good to have both. Cross reference.
There are mountains of info here, just use the search. Luke.
The first sojourn in the ownership is to check vacuum hoses and clean them there grounds! Makes a world of difference and you don't need a manual to do that.
Cheers to your new ride and look up a Z-bed for your people mover. |
Thanks! It was hard for me to not jump up and down when i bought it
sounds good, ill start on that first thing in the morning
and your right about information on this site, i found some guy who showed pictures on how to step by step install cylinder heads on here, thanks! |
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tikibus
Samba Member
Joined: July 07, 2006
Posts: 834
Location: Rochester, NY
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| Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 6:13 pm Post subject: |
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Bentley is published here in the USA in MA.
Ask me how I know....
_________________
Happy Trails!
Mark
______________
Founding member of the Empire State VW Camping Club.
http://www.empirevwcamping.org/
1984 Westy - Tiki
1997 Honda Civic -The Green Hornet
1971 Volvo P-1800E- needs TLC |
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tikibus
Samba Member
Joined: July 07, 2006
Posts: 834
Location: Rochester, NY
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| Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 6:09 pm Post subject: |
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Sweet ride! Damn, I wish I was 20+ years old again...
You've got a grade A stabbin' Wagon.
Bentley, Hanes, very good to have both. Cross reference.
There are mountains of info here, just use the search. Luke.
The first sojourn in the ownership is to check vacuum hoses and clean them there grounds! Makes a world of difference and you don't need a manual to do that.
Cheers to your new ride and look up a Z-bed for your people mover.
_________________
Happy Trails!
Mark
______________
Founding member of the Empire State VW Camping Club.
http://www.empirevwcamping.org/
1984 Westy - Tiki
1997 Honda Civic -The Green Hornet
1971 Volvo P-1800E- needs TLC |
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RCB
Samba Member
Joined: September 05, 2005
Posts: 4143
Location: San Francisco-Bay Area
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| Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 5:56 pm Post subject: |
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Its the same thing.
Robert Bently is the Publisher and most people just call it the Bently.
So that said.....The Bently is authorized to Publish Official Factory Repair Manuals.
They publish them for Audi and BMW and even Rolls Royce (spelling??)
and a whole slew of auto makers.
You can get a brand new one from Van Cafe for your year ( check out their web-site) or you can scout around for a used one on flea-bay or craigs list or here on the Samba used parts listing.
Its a real good book to have. |
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devesvws
Samba Member
Joined: January 05, 2004
Posts: 1540
Location: madison va
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Wildthings
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50334
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| Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 2:01 pm Post subject: Re: Just got my new vanagon, needs work, I have some questio |
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| VisPacem wrote: |
The heads will leak again
and again
and again.
|
Yes the heads will fail again and again even if properly installed, but since the failure interval is about 300K for a well rebuilt engine it is no big deal. I am not against doing a conversion, I own one and may do another, but new heads on a good rebuilt are not that much of a problem. |
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VisPacem
Samba Member
Joined: July 15, 2007
Posts: 1143
Location: Las Vegas
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| Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 1:27 pm Post subject: Re: Just got my new vanagon, needs work, I have some questio |
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| errolprowse wrote: |
I bought a 1989 water cooled vanagon gl
my dads a mechanic and sayed I need new cylinder heads, gasket set, the temperature sensor for the fan, and periodic tune up stuff and new fluids. I also plan on changing all fuel lines, replacing some seals for the engine compartment door,
|
Well Errol, I do understand that one must stick to a certain budget and the greenback reality cannot be ignored.
I had 3 1/2 vanagons before I am on my fourth one. My view on the matter is that I would not even drop a single dollar of that wonderful stimulus aid package or whatever charities are called today on a doomed design. It is just like that wonderful gift from our Loving Big Daddy throwing good money after bad. The heads will leak again
and again
and again.
If and I say --IF-- you can afford a conversion that is the only way to go.
Incidentally, I just discovered from this thread that Haynes was publishing a manual for the WBX. The only one I could locate and own since my doomed VW/Corvair Westfalia was only for air cooled beasts.
Good luck, very sincerely
_________________
LG aka VisPacemPB, *The* party Pooper
No Regrets (Nothing to do with Vanagons) |
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RCB
Samba Member
Joined: September 05, 2005
Posts: 4143
Location: San Francisco-Bay Area
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| Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 12:51 pm Post subject: |
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Its called the Bently....not the car but the official factory repair manual.
You can find them on The Samba or on E-bay or you can get one from many of the online parts houses like Bus Depot or Go-Westy or Van Cafe.
They are available for different years of Vanagons/Westys |
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devesvws
Samba Member
Joined: January 05, 2004
Posts: 1540
Location: madison va
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wavanagon
Samba Member
Joined: September 17, 2007
Posts: 400
Location: Everett, WA
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| Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 7:09 am Post subject: |
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Dear Stoked One,
If I had a sweet ass vanagon like yours when I was your age, I would be just as stoked as you seem! A few bits of advice:
Search this forum. It has more info than any Haynes/Bentley/ebay cd put together! There are years of knowledge and professional (and some unprofessional) expertise here. If you are doing it, then it has been done 200 times before! I have found Van-Cafe to by my best source for parts. Personally, I have not had the greatest of luck w/ ebay. Also, search thesamba classifieds. I picked up a pair of AMC heads for $200, in great condition. It all depends on what your budget is!
Get the Bentley, search this forum, ask when you get stuck, you will love your van. Welcome to the Vanagon Owners Club.
_________________
1988 Vanagon GL - For Sale
1987 Westfalia
2008 Audi A4 2.0T
http://wavanagon.googlepages.com
Dirty from working on your Vanagon? Buy soap from my wife!
http://www.teatreesoap.com |
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errolprowse
Samba Member
Joined: April 18, 2009
Posts: 177
Location: monterey california
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| Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 11:44 pm Post subject: |
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| i see, i just got the tracking number for my bentley (i will have it tomorrow), so i will study it like my college text books, hopefully everything i need will be in there. |
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Wildthings
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50334
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| Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 10:29 pm Post subject: |
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| Neither the Bentley, Haynes, or much of any other manual that I know of is going to give you very good step by step instructions on how to pull an engine, maybe Muir's Idiot book would be the best. Check Ratwell.com for information that applies primarily to air cooled buses, but would be very similar to water cooled as far as engine pulling goes, and check Ben's website, his stuff is water cooled Vanagon specific. Everything you want to know is probably on the pages of Samba as well, get familiar with the search function. |
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errolprowse
Samba Member
Joined: April 18, 2009
Posts: 177
Location: monterey california
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| Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 10:09 pm Post subject: |
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found out my dads going to help me put the cylinder heads and stuff on but i have to do it all myself at home.
what i need:
guide to taking out the engine on my 1989 vanagon gl
instructions for changing cylinder heads/ gaskets
How to take the engine out at home (thinking some jacks with a engine lift, any tips?)
i just ordered the bentley manual, does this manual have what i need? |
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AndyBees
Samba Member
Joined: January 31, 2008
Posts: 2325
Location: Southeast Kentucky
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| Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 9:59 pm Post subject: Manual |
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Yeah ......... get a Haynes Manual and while your at it, get an interpreter as well! And, almost every page there's something about being careful, precautions, go back to another page, etc.
Nothing beats a Bentley, unless its an official VW Factory Manual!
My two cents!
Welcome and enjoy your Vanagon!
_________________
'84 Vanagon Tin-top, ALH TDI. 1989 Tin-top
1983 Air-cool, 225k miles, 180k miles mine. Seven trips to Alaska from 1986 thru 2003. |
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