Preparing for our first major bus adventure

[sstoosh]

Hello!
2 year reader, 1st time poster.
Quick background:
2015
- bought a 74 westfalia "Hilda" in late summer. (fairly recently rebuilt 2.0L, dual carbs).
- knew nothing about buses when I bought her. Admittedly still know very little.
- flew to Victoria BC to buy her, then drove her home to Calgary AB. Was insanely nervous but had zero issues.
- by the time all the out-of-province inspection stuff was dealt with it was time to park her for the winter.

2016
- lots of local camping trips. New fuel line fell off new fuel filter while on highway which I was able to find and fix. Woke up one morning to find gasoline dripping in the garage. Although apprehensive I managed to find a stuck float in a carb, fix it, and get everything together again.
- 11 day trip through AB, MT, ID, WY (grand teton & yellowstone). Fuel line fell off carburetor a couple times. I hippy-fixed it the 2nd time with a chain link of zip strips (which I'm quite proud of). The 10% grade climbing Jackson hole was nerve racking, but we managed. I lost the ability to downshift to 2nd on the journey back home, but seem to have fixed that with a shift plate adjustment.
- she seemed to be running a lot hotter in 2016 that she did in 2015. Not sure why. This stresses me out. I don't want to be stressed out.

2017
- planning a 47 day July/Aug trip through 15 states, 3 provinces, 23 national parks. This is a family adventure paid from savings, not sponsorship or welfare. I am self employed and shutting down shop for the summer to make it happen. I understand that my very limited mechanical knowledge is likely insufficient for this trip to be successful. I feel like I've probably been lucky so far with Hilda's minor issues and don't want to continue to tempt fate.

Here is my planned route. After reading the awesome posts from Amskeptic I now plan to change the southern california swing to cut through death valley. I desperately want to see it, and his posts have given me some degree of confidence that it is possible. I figure if we leave at sunrise we can make it through before the July heat completely fries us. It seems there is fuel mixture and timing adjustment that I should learn prior.

I'm posting now with hopes that the seasoned bus veterans out there can coach me with respect to what I should spend the next few months learning, and how to learn it. I have read the books, but I somehow just go blank when I'm looking at the bus. This won't serve me well on the side of the highway if a real issue presents itself. I know I'll need one or two oil changes on route, which I am capable of. Beyond that... thoughts/help?
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1974 Westfalia

[Globespotter]

#1 - fix those fuel lines properly. Attach with proper clamps and out safety wires on them. If you have not already, change all the fuel lines.

#2 - I ran my 71 Super Beetle across the country from California, across Death Valley, up into high altitudes etc, and never had an issue with needing to adjust the carb.

#3 - If you can - book a day with Amskeptic. It's well worth it.

#4 - Make sure you adjust the valves and timing.

#5 - Have fun. Crap happens and you move on. Enjoyment is the point.
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1977 Westfalia - October 2015 - Current
1971 Super Beetle - May 2012 - Current
1979 Westfalia - 1986-1991
1971 Super Beetle - 1977-1980

1971 SB Survivor Story: https://globespotter.com/
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My 77 Westy Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=647114&highlight=

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[Manfred58sc]

Get a cylinder head temp gauge installed so you know what is going on. I see you route takes you east on hwy 50 leaving Colorado...that is a really shitty, dull, hot, stretch of nothing, go 50 west to Durango and have one of the best drives in the state.I would pick a route w/o interstate hwys so you don't push the bus tying to keep up w/traffic. I'm going to get beat up for this one...I would not drive a VW Bus in Texas. Sounds like a fun trip
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Fat chick owner/operator

[busdaddy]

Welcome!
Post some pics of your engine compartment please.
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[Xevin]

That looks like an awesome roadtrip. Looks like you're going to bypass Portland, OR and all thoughs dummies that don't know shit about Beer, Camping,Creative food, Hospitality, and Volkswagen Buses

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Keep on Busin'

[Abscate]

But Portland sure knows Bays, Bugs, and Beyond..
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[Xevin]

[sstoosh]

Thanks for the replies!
Globespotter:
#1: safety wire – will do. Fuel lines were all replaced in 2016.
#2: sweet.
#3: I would LOVE time with Amskeptic. Not sure my location in AB allows for it?
#4: Timing - I will put it on my to-learn list. I don’t think my engine requires valve adjusting as I believe it’s from a 78 or 79. Unless I’ve been grossly misled??
#5: Thanks.

Manfred:
I’ll look into your recos. Thanks. Well, most of your recos. Still wanna hit Texas.

Busdaddy:
Here are engine pics. This somehow feels like bending over at the doctor. Should I cough?

Xevin
I’d like to check out Portland, but saving it as a fly-in pubfest.

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1974 Westfalia

[richparker]

Go over all the systems in the bus, making sure you check everything over. Change transaxle fluid and check/grease CVs. I take a lot of trips. Get AAA, sit back and enjoy the ride!

I'm in Durango. PM if you need any help or just want to grab a quick beer and talk VWs.
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Adventure thread
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[williamM]

That looks like a great trip- that coast route is a great ride+ redwoods but check condition of #1 hwy as bits have fallen into the ocean recently.

Given Mexico a look???

Your bus seems "Proven" and more importantly "likes you"--- very important--- will fail going into camp site next to a car parts store vs leaving you stranded at dead end on mountaintop w no cell.
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[wcfvw69]

Any knowledgeable bus volkswagen mechanics near you? It would REALLY benefit you to have someone very experienced with them to go over your bus to give it a clean bill of health before your trip.

You need to verify if it's hydraulic lifters or not as well.

A VW bus that's been gone through mechanically will be reliable as long as it's not pushed beyond it's limitations.

X100 on insuring you have good fuel line and clamps on the hoses.
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[chabanais]

You should try and go to Devil's Tower... it's an hour from Mt. Rushmore and worth a visit.

Also, camping on Antelope Island in Utah is worth it.

I took my 71 on a 2,500 mile trip last year across many of those states and had no issues but I spent 6 months preparing it for it.
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[Abscate]

Okay - I think you are looking at about 300-4000 miles on that trip?

Start with all new ignition parts. Everything new. Use your old ones from your running bus as spares and bring with you.

You really want to make sure your fuel tank is clean of gunk. If your fuel filters are running clean, you are good.

Brakes suspension and steering - have a pro look at these, Colin is best because you will learn to fish instead of losing your fish to the monger.



On the road

Keep your speed down at 100 kph - that will keep your Bus unstressed. Best way to do that is use those side and state roads, not the freeways.

Drive it like you are strapped to the front like an Aztec sacrifice - because you are.
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[richparker]

[Malokin Martin]

Huge post. Just my thoughts.

I feel like you're kind of putting a lot of things into 45 days. Even for a trip like this in a normal car, you'd be stretching your actual experiences thin. Simplifying your route means you have time to make more memories.

A.) With your Washington peninsula leg: make time to check out "la push". It's worth an overnight. There's some great reasonable cabbins to rent right on the water that would give you a good break from the van sleeping. It's also legal to camp on the beach here without a permit. Third beach is also excellent for camping (permit required). The Hoh rainforest is literally/scientifically the wettest place on earth... unless your exceptionally lucky, you will be rained on for the entire west side (not a huge deal). Olympic hot springs is a great stop and worth camping at the grounds close by. Skip sol duc hotsprings. Total tourist trap. Maybe do some research on the totem poles close to I-5. They're a kind of interesting quick stop to break up the road and are unique to the northwest.

B) mount rainier is cool, but really kind of not worth the gigantic swing in you're going to take. Is it a cool space for a weekend? Sure! All that driving for a day stop? Not so much. Besides!! If you have kids, Astoria Oregon would be much more fun! That way they have fun memories when their brain is melting in Oklahoma.

C.) Highway 101 will take you much longer than you think. The stretches you have, particularly in Oregon and close to San Francisco, are (respectfully) a little unrealistic. One can't really depend on google to give an accurate travel time with these. Its windy nearly the whole way. Plus any sort of disruption on this two-laner will result in you CRAWLING. For example: I did this nearly exact route to San Francisco from Washington last year in a bus and what you wouldn't know is there's construction happening EVERYWHERE on the 101 during the summer months. What they do is shut down one lane and make you wait for your north/south turn. There was easily more than 15 of these with cringe worthy flagger waits (this is particularly true for the cross over roads you have to get to crater lake). Plus the 101 turns into a city street the closer to San Francisco you get. Plan for a full afternoon at avenue of the giants. The exit is tricky to hit right so you don't miss the first half heading south on the 101, so do a little homework here.

D.) I also stopped at Lake Tahoe last year in the bus, and I wouldn't rate this as high in my life experiences list. Sort of just "meh". It's fairly touristy. I get that people would want to head out here if they lived close by, were college kids on spring break or had a boat... otherwise there's not a lot to look at. "Yep... that's a big lake..."

E.) both Reno and vegas are just cities you want to get out of. Especially with a family in tow. I'd scrap both and trade it for one more day at Zion. Spend as much time as you can between Bryce Canyon and Zion. You could easily spend a week here. Skip 4 corners. It's not worth the desert drive for the little piece of concrete.

F.) Driving through Nebraska and dakota's is mind numbingly boring. The badlands are pretty cool. I remember waldrug being a fun stop as a kid, but I forget and am currently too lazy to see if that's on your route.

Bring a 5 gallon gas can and strap it to the roof. The spaces in between stations in Nevada and Death Valley are no joke. I would be weary of traveling these without being moderately confident in solving breakdown problems.

As a rule of thumb, more than 300-400 miles a day results in a not fun experience.

Maybe consider cutting out the whole loop into Kansas. Nice places to live probably, but the hops inbetween actual memories are pretty big.

I'd do some good searching on here about what spares to bring in your toolbox. There's several threads.

You'll be driving through some incredible country! I'm jealous!

[aeromech]

Get the plastic screen for your fan and relocate that red wire that's way too close to being sucked in
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[busdaddy]

[lil-jinx]

Check out this site from Colin,good info there on those duel carbs and he shows how to tidy up those wires.May want to move that spring off of the vapor line.
Remember the pilgrim's rule,if you try to plan every step you will be overwhelmed and never start out.
Enjoy,
http://www.itinerant-air-cooled.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=7767
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1974 Bay Westfalia. she likes to be called Ethel.
1968 Dune Buggy sold dec 2024

1974 parts bus
A smart man learns from his mistakes,a very smart man learns from other's mistakes.

[Abscate]

See Gary's comments on wiring. That one dangling wire and fuse holder need immediate attention.

I'll add more. Do you see those wires neatly threaded through that hole in the metal casting? Everywhere metal touches plastic wiring is a point of wear..once the plastic wears through, it starts a fire. This means person who worked it last didn't have much experience in this craft.

The good news is the engine looks relatively clean and probably cools well.
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[pittwagen]

Well if I was a new bus owner in Calgary I would be joining the Air Riders VW club and seeking the name of a shop that would give my bus a once over but at the same time allow me to be present for some "teachable moments". If that does not pan out I would be contacting Concept 1 for some assistance. If they can not help directly they will know some one who can.

If the "hot hot is my engine" thing causing you stress get a Dakota Digital head temp and oil temp gauges and have them installed. If it gets too hot slow down or pull over and have a rest.

My co-pilot subscribes to the 50 miles in a bus is like 500 in her SUV so we stop lots. She and the bus are best buds.

Oh and 90/55 is the speed the old girl will like. Find the roads that will accommodate this. None of this 110/70 BS.