When things go wrong.

[ftp2leta]

This is one long post but please read and cope with my poor English.

Got scared tonight, working on those van is not funny anymore.

I was having problem with a conversion, third one in 3 weeks. 3 automatic. I had glitch with all of them.

I thought that i had a conversion problem (engine surging), to cut that short the second transmission was defective and had no neutral or park, so all the time i was trying to raise the RPM/engine with a tranny in reverse with me in the back!!!!!!!!! good thing that the emergency brake was very good. But it took me a good day to realize that, well, when your tired this kind of stuff happen.

so of course the engine was not able to freely rev to higher RPM. The story is longer but i will make it short.

Just so you know, the original tranny broke when i got the stock engine out, half of the bell housing (bottom) came with the engine (picture to come), this is why I was needing a replacement. So you know the story about the second one.

Hans from Vanaru got me a third one that look in perfect shape, low mile, ok, time to swap another one. (understand that in a Subi conversion there is a lot of modification around the transmission)

I started this morning and at 1pm we where testing this one on the lift, all look perfect. I then finish my conversion.

time for a small road test, all is fine and I came back to the shop to fix the front brake.

6pm, time for the final test drive, customer is with me, he is from BC, nice guy (a surgeon).

We hit the freeway after some easy driving around the block, 50, 70, 80 mph, the customer is real happy and me to........

this is is when hell happen, at 75mph on deceleration......... the rear wheel completely locked down.... putting me side way at 70 mph, i fear the worse and got ready to roll over, but I got it under some kind of control sideway until i finally slow down (it seem for ever with those tire hssing like crazy), she then steer left and right for a bit but bang we ended up on the shoulder perfectly align off of the freeway, I even had the hazard light blinking before I was fully stopped????? Thanks to my racing years in F1600.

Got back to the shop on a tow truck, van on lift, no problem with the engine, nothing wrong with the brake, transmission is even trying to go in P, R, N......??? only one thing left, differential... but it feel ok when I spin the wheel???? The hell, I removed the diff pan and...... NO OIL!!!!!!!

The 2 main bearing had exploded and part of those lock the diff.

I never looked at the oil diff level, well I forgot when the phone ring for the 100th time today distracting me.

Now, let's say that i would have put oil in it and postpone the explosion, he is driving back from Quebec to BC with 3 young (beautiful kid) and his wife...

How do you think I feel tonight. My mistake? Maybe, to tired, for sure. I miss one thing out of 100. this guy came for a conversion, i'm now dealing with transmission problem from hell.

I'm only happy that it did happen to us and not his family.

I made a mistake by not checking that third transmission oil/diff level, the fact that I was disturb so many time with phone call didn't help.
But I'm not suppose to be dealing with transmission problem, I'm suppose to do a conversion on a perfectly running van and it's not the case.

By the way, this is not a question of money because I'm not even charging for all that transmission crap. I lost 2.5 days so far and I'm not asking one $. Conversion are hard work and no easy task, glitch are part of the deal. But where does it end???

For those with automatic transmission... please check that oil level.

I do thing that the damage was already done way before I got that tranny, by not adding oil I have pushed this one and it failed on me.

still, we could have injured ourself badly tonight.

those van are getting old, many of you have kids, if it happen to me it can happen to anyone.

Cheers, Ben
_________________
Working with rust, grease, dirt and dust is a sad truth.
------------------------------------------------------
FI part for sale: http://www.benplace.com/parts_sale1.htm
My site: http://www.benplace.com/vw2.htm
Subi conversion: http://www.benplace.com/vanaru_eng.htm
Youtube http://www.youtube.com/user/ftp2leta

[outwesty]

I was in Vanagon hell a few weeks ago. Hang in there. You'll get out. Glad you aren't hurt!

[Sir Sam]

Man I feel your pain. Every hour spent diagnosing and fixing things costs money. Every rusted bolt, every stripped head.

I flip vehicles(Jeeps mainly), and the latest one I got has been fighting me on the AC system.

When I get the vehicle it is a collision repair, no big deal, I buy the vehicle sight unseen knowing exactly what to expect out of it. Seen so many before I can counts all the expected variables.

What I got that I was counting on was the AC system not working prior to the accident.

I fix the collision, that all goes smoothly and takes a few days of work, spray new paint and buff, fairly straight forward.

The accident left the condensor intact(saves me a few bucks), but the system was discharged when I got it. So I pull a vacuum, it holds fine, I fill it with one can of refridgerant. Compressor kicks on and off a few times like it should and then stops. After switching out the various pressure switches with known good units I decide its time to test the clutch.

Test power lead to AC clutch, its getting power, jump 12V directly to clutch, still not working. Call it a night. Next morning get going on compressor replacement, replace compressor with a used unit(luckily I had a spare here), pull vacuum, seems to hold fine. Fill it up, blows cold, get 48*F out of the vents when ambient temp is 95*F.

Week later I finally get title and plates done, go to drive the vehicle around, no AC.

Replace compressor to lines o-rings(most likely suspect). Pull vacuum, lt sit for a couple of hours, check vacuum again, seems to be holding fine. Evacuate and recharge with UV dye and stop leak.

4 days later drive the vehicle to visit family 2 hours away. On the drive home I notice AC doesn't seem as cold as it should be, get home and check pressure, dropped to half of what it should be.

Evacuate system again, remove header panel etc to replace condensor with known good unit. Replace every o-rings I can get to. Buy bottle of UV dye and refill with dye and another charge.

After trying to get the AC to drip some condensate(very dry here), I finally get some to leak out, I blot it up with a paper towel and go inside to a darkend garage to check, sure enough I see faint traces of the UV dripping from the evaporator.

Great it needs a evaporator replacement, this means a dash pull.

So I go get a new used unit from a parts vehicle of mine(located at a friends house an hour away), fight the waps and weeds, pull that dash, and get the box out.

Go home get my dash pulled, old one out, and new one in, start putting dash back in, at some point laying on my back on the floor reaching up fighting some random bits of wiring I accidently touched the power door locks while trying to gain leverage.

They just make an annoying click. That was at 6pm. I spent the next 3 hours trying to track down what wiring I might have inadvertently damaged during the pull. Finally at 9pm after checking every loom and connector I could think up I give up when 2 attempts to lock the door result in the hazard lights flashing. The second two attempts(separated by mere seconds) result in the horn honking.

Needless to say I ended the day very frustrated.

Next morning I get back out at it and start checking for continuity between every pin that I can find, everything checked out.

I then notice that on this plastic dash assembly all grounds are attached to a metal substructure which grounds out through the two main dash support bolts.

So on a hunch I put everything back together(again) tighten down the main bolts, and viola, everything works.

So because I hit the door locks part way through the procedure when the dash wasn't completely grounded I ended up wasting many many hours of time trying to find an issue which didn't exist.


So ya I feel your pain.
(I know none of that was van related, but maybe someone can share my misery too!)
_________________
'91 Carat Westy

87' Syncro + '87 Westy conversion coming soon

[purplepeopleeater]

Geeze ben, I think you need to hire a sexy lady to answer your phone and keep you less distracted

[FNGRUVN]

Holy cow! Reading those two stories makes me want another drink. I thought that stuff just happened to me.
_________________
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." - Benjamin Franklin

[Sir Sam]

[insyncro]

[ftp2leta]

Sir Sam, you made me laugh, so for that I thank you.

It's midnight and I'm drinking a few good one. No way I can sleep now.

This week: My mom is loosing her eyesight (big eye operation). My girlfriend best friend and aunt just learned that she as cancer, a bad one to make that short. today, the same girlfriend call me and says her dad as cancer... she called me when I was waithing to get that van towed back to the shop...

I feel useless tonight. I feel like crap. my story above is so true that it feel unbelievable, I'm so lost now...

Where to go, what to do. Work more and more until i fix that stupid van????

Take care of my friend and beloved one???

some day I just hate life. Frigging unfair.

Sorry for all that crap, i had to vent, Ben
_________________
Working with rust, grease, dirt and dust is a sad truth.
------------------------------------------------------
FI part for sale: http://www.benplace.com/parts_sale1.htm
My site: http://www.benplace.com/vw2.htm
Subi conversion: http://www.benplace.com/vanaru_eng.htm
Youtube http://www.youtube.com/user/ftp2leta

[FNGRUVN]

Sometimes a good night sleep is better than a few stiff drinks. Hope tomorrow is way better for you.
_________________
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." - Benjamin Franklin

[Tracey]

Hey Ben,
Im so glad you were able to hang on to that van and keep it under control. 70mph and locked up wheels is not a fun ride. Thumbs up to ace driving skills man.
_________________
1986 Westy Subaru 2.5 Syncro **SOLD**
1970 Westy camper
1965 split project
I love the Vans!

[ftp2leta]

[DAIZEE]

Ben not only are you a good man, well you are even better. I understand venting plus mix in all the personal bad news, well you will survive. You will live to fight another day. I know its hard sometimes but you are doing what you like to do.

Get an answering service and/or only answer the phone for one hr in the morning and one hr in the afternoon. State yours hours. I know that being interrupted in the middle of jobs can lead to danger and changing your track of mind.

Your skills as a mechanic and driver are well matched. Glad you made it thru and you can vent any time. It'll keep you sane French Cdn but sane! p.s. that surgeon probably understands exactly how you feel.
_________________
'09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold)

[ftp2leta]

Conclusion:

Massively seize diff/pinion bearing on diff shaft, the bearing brace even turned into the housing. My transmission guy told me that this diff had suffer way before I put that tranny in. Whatever, we have rebuilt the diff completely today with another one and new seals and bearing.

Transmission is back in the van, i'm back from a test drive, all is fine.

This family can safely go home now

I have decided to not charge the customer. I just want him to pay my transmission guy... and he won't charge much.

Ben
http://www.benplace.com/
_________________
Working with rust, grease, dirt and dust is a sad truth.
------------------------------------------------------
FI part for sale: http://www.benplace.com/parts_sale1.htm
My site: http://www.benplace.com/vw2.htm
Subi conversion: http://www.benplace.com/vanaru_eng.htm
Youtube http://www.youtube.com/user/ftp2leta

[Captain Pike]

What did that locked tire look like? Lucky it didn't blow.
_________________
LEARN TO SELF RESCUE
59 Panel bus, 1966 Single cab. 73' 181. 73 Westy. 91' H6 Vanagon 3.3L.
....Bad Sneakers....

[ftp2leta]

[Captain Pike]

Swap out that tire, it may be shot.
_________________
LEARN TO SELF RESCUE
59 Panel bus, 1966 Single cab. 73' 181. 73 Westy. 91' H6 Vanagon 3.3L.
....Bad Sneakers....