The Stupid Question Thread

[wihr]

Yes, but never the engine case (of course).

WW
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WIHR

1970 Campmobile "Van Ordinaire"
2009 Lincoln Town Car "Behemoth"
1969 Lambretta 150 DL "Nina"
1962 Matchless G 12 CS 650cc

[cv66seabear]

Hey Everyone -
79 Campmobile 2.0 FI

We're getting a really big vibration noise almost every time we hit 60 mph.
Sounds like it's from the front. Happened before but only when there was a noticeable wind shear from the side, now it is happening when there;s no wind.
Comes from the front end (or seems to)
No increase in vibration in the steering wheel
No shaking in the front

Thought it was the plastic piece along the vent, but that is tight.

It's a very loud noise.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance
_________________
"Not all who wander are lost." JRR Tolkien

1979 Campmobile - "Pancho Verde"

Old Friends - gone now:
1964 Beetle "Liebchen"
Mark 3 Jetta "Liebchen Zwei"
Passat Wagon "Wolf"
2015 Passat Sedan "Rudy"

[wihr]

Check wheel balance.

WW
_________________
WIHR

1970 Campmobile "Van Ordinaire"
2009 Lincoln Town Car "Behemoth"
1969 Lambretta 150 DL "Nina"
1962 Matchless G 12 CS 650cc

[Volswagon]

[cv66seabear]

[busdaddy]

[cv66seabear]

Well, the answer was pretty easy. It was the tire cover on the spare on the nose. I had taken it off because it was sagging (full of water at the bottom!), and when I put it back on, it must have been just a little different, therefore when we hit about 60, it made the same sound it did before I moved it and we got a crosswind at the right angle.

So, a simple thing - thank goodness! Thanks for all the suggestions.

Kent (WI)
_________________
"Not all who wander are lost." JRR Tolkien

1979 Campmobile - "Pancho Verde"

Old Friends - gone now:
1964 Beetle "Liebchen"
Mark 3 Jetta "Liebchen Zwei"
Passat Wagon "Wolf"
2015 Passat Sedan "Rudy"

[WestySteff]

Hello,

Today I took out my VDO Siemens fuel sender unit on my 1973 Westfalia (equipped with an 78' type IV engine). It's the tube type, not the lever with the floater on the end. When it was empty it read 86 ohms, and whilst full it read 6 ohms. Is 80 bad? should it be 100? when its empty?

Also, lately my bus have occasionally just stalled by fuel starvation whilst still having gas in the tank. I recently replaced a fuel pump which was not pumping, but now gas don't even reach the pump on rare occasions. I've also replaced the filter, when I take off the pipe on the top of my carb and blow into it. It takes some time before the it starts bubbling and right before it bubbles sometime a whistle noise comes. Is my prognoses right about having something clogging my outlet pipe in the tank? When the buss stalls, I just have to take of the fuel line from the top of the carb and blow into it, after that my bus acts normally, getting plenty of gas.

Any tips of cleaning the fuel tank without taking it out, I've got an access point to my sender unit. Anything I can mix with my fuel to help it? Is it at all what I think it is?

Thanks in advance for all the help, there isn't a single time when posting things here haven't resulted in a solution for my problems!

[busdaddy]

[Wildthings]

[airkooledchris]

Are there any antenna's made that you can unscrew if you want to go through an automatic car wash?

The typical vertical mount antenna like the dealer installed, as I already have the hole for that drilled in the body.

[honeybus]

[honeybus]

In Virginia, the state safety inspection requires that the air pollution control system be installed and operation in order to pass the state safety inspection for 1973 and newer vehicles, even though the 1973 vehicle is exempt from emission control inspection. (Also, 1973 vehicle is exempt from Virginia safety inspection if it is registered and driven as an antique or historical vehicle)

Does California have anything similar?

Does a 1973 VW bus need to undergo an emissions or safety inspection in California if it is driven as a daily driver?

§ 46.2-1048. Pollution control systems or devices.

No motor vehicle registered in the Commonwealth and manufactured for the model year 1973 or for subsequent model years shall be operated on the highways in the Commonwealth unless it is equipped with an air pollution control system, device, or combination of such systems or devices installed in accordance with federal laws and regulations.

It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a motor vehicle, as herein described, on the highways in the Commonwealth with its pollution control system or device removed or otherwise rendered inoperable.

No motor vehicle, as described in this section, shall be issued a safety inspection approval sticker unless it is equipped as provided under the foregoing provisions of this section or if it violates this section.

https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title46.2/chapter10/section46.2-1048/
_________________
More than I need -
'78 Westy ... purchased 11 Dec 06 ($9,000); sand blasted/primered 7 Jan 07 ($1,200); body shop 3 Apr 07 ($2,000); paint shop 7 Nov 07 ($6,000); home 22 Apr 08; started TLC 28 Aug 08; got very first sign of life 8 Jun 2010; Run about 1,000 miles in Florida in May 2011; 1,600 miles road trip Orlando-Key West-Aldie Virginia 10-26 Mar 2020 (COVID-19 started)

Thanks for all the fish.

[airkooledchris]

[Studiotwosession]

My stupid question: How does one remove seats from a Rabbit?

[notchboy]

[Spike0180]

[KentABQ]

Does anyone understand how the term "ambulance fan" started?

The fan is used to increase the flow of fresh air into the cab. All bays would benefit from this and not just ambulances.

The nonsensical term reminds me of my first week working at the Boeing Co in Seattle right out of college in the late 80s... I was told I needed to go to the "bus barn" to pick up something. Bus barn?!? Boeing didn't build or operate buses, so why would they have a bus barn? So I trotted off down the street in search of the elusive bus barn. After a 45 minute search, I returned without success.

I eventually learned Boeing had purchased a piece of property after World War 2 that had previously been used to repair buses. But it had been converted to another use 30 years prior. However, the crusty old-timers at Boeing (of which there are tens of thousands) still referred to it as "the bus barn", mainly to confuse the wet-behind-the-ears newbies that dared to enter their fiefdom.

My second happiest day working at the Lazy B was the day I quit to work for an airline back in my native California. Working there was reminiscent of a Dan Brown novel. If you don't know the ancient codes, rituals and handshakes, you'll never be allowed inside the inner circle.

---End of rant---
_________________
-Kent-
1976 Riviera, 1.8l FI chrome yellow VAN - "Chloe"

"I must say, how can you be in a bad mood driving this vehicle full of vibrant color.
Cars of today are so bland in comparison. It's like driving a celebration!" ---WildIdea

Bus ownership via emoticons:
---williamM

[advCo]

Stupid question...

I am sourcing a repair piece for some front frame damage on my '70 Westy. This piece is crucial as it is where the steering box bolts onto the frame.

Is the front frame of the bays compatible throughout the years, or did it change after '72 when the design of the nose changed?

From my bus:

_________________
"He pulled the mirrors off his Cadillac ‘cause he doesn’t like it looking like he looks back"
'68/'70 Ghia Coupe Project
'70 Westy Project - Champagne I Wannabe
A bunch of vintage Japanese motorcycles
"Much ingenuity with a little money is vastly more profitable and amusing than much money without ingenuity." -A. Bennett

[busdaddy]