Poll: Long drive, did you make it? 1,000+ miles

[elizer]

that is a really cool concept/program. Someone more motivated than I should attempt this in the US.

[Kirsche Wasserboxer]

[elizer]

I wouldn't even know to look these things up. Thanks for posting it. Already have a porta potty coming but I may finally need to install the grey water tank.

[Abscate]

[elizer]

Flew up to Maine to pick up my van from FAS. I got the tdi engine conversion, rebuilt gas tank, new radiator, aux fuel tank, rebuilt transaxle from GTA, decoupler, rebuilt front diff with locker (matt steedle), and a few little things here and there.

I set up an appointment with Pierre from Les Atelier PK last year so I decided to drive up to Quebec.

Picked up from FAS.

The new engine

Blow out on Rut 73 nefore St George

Boris hard at work

All done

Aside from the blowout it was a great drive home home. The aux tank is fricken AWESOME. I can refill my tank on the fly. The only issue is that in Canada the flow rate or something must be different because I got so much foaming so it was hard to fill up. But in the US no issues. I need to do a test run to see how many miles I can get on a full tank. I kept my tank topped up when it was at 50%.

All in all it was a good drive. The Adirondaks proved no match for the new conversion. I kept it in the right lane the whole way and went the speed limit, but the engine has so much more in it.

[jimf909]

Thar she blows! That all looks super sweet. Enjoy.
_________________
- Jim

[Wildthings]

What tires are you running and at what pressures?

[uberaudi]

The past two years my wife and two kids made a southern Utah trip in our unknown mileage 84 Adventurewagen...about 1700 miles round-trip each time. Lots of remote dirt roads with no one around makes you wonder how far you should actually go in a foreign place. It turns out you just go for it and enjoy the adventure. We had some engine hesitation on the first trip, but a quick fuel filter swap fixed that issue. On the second trip in a new location, with a resealed tank, it ran effortlessly. Slow and steady just as VW intended. See more, travel less.

[elizer]

[Steve M.]

[Ahwahnee]

[elizer]

[Slimvest]

1200 miles across Oregon. Odometer starting and stopping was the only issue, if you want to call it that.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=719953
_________________
'87 GL w/ Reimo top

[crazyvwvanman]

Long Memorial week trip, total 1500 miles from San Diego to Shasta County and back. Only issue was a lost alternator belt at night about half way. Warning led came on north of Sacramento. Pulled over immediately and put on a new one at the side of the I-5. About 40k miles on the old one. Thought about a new one before the trip since it showed some cracks but decided it could wait. Ooops

Mark

[fishgo]

Madison Wi to Paducah to Birmingham to Chattanooga and back to Madison. 1800 miles in 5 days with 31 mountain bike miles and lots of friends along the way. Only thing that broke was the driver's side window crank, and I had a spare in the toolbox.

[BlueTwo]

North Vancouver to Prince George then back home through Kelowna. 1272 miles averaging 18 mpg over 18 issue free days and the the oil level still at the full mark where it started. Surprisingly Westy Wave Free. Dinna see one the entire trip.

[shadetreemech]

88' Westy "Miss Dorothy"

Second week of May this year: Claremont, CA to Grand Canyon, AZ, Cedar Mesa, UT, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, Kanab, Zion and back home. 1,500 or so miles. Dispersed camping on BLM land. Beautiful weather. No problems

_________________
'84 GL 1.9
'01 Volvo V70 T5
'88 Westy - "MZDRTHY"

[kendalwoolf]

Another Over 2,000 Miles from Missouri to Ohio for the Southern Ohio Forest Rally.
No problems at all. AC worked great.

Engine is a 2 liter ABA with 1.8 digifant head.

Gas mileage averaged just over 20mpg.
Some Pictures of the Southern Ohio Forest Rally and The Vanagon.

Camped in the Vanagon every night except the last night. Fun time

_________________
-Kendal-
71 VW Super Beetle, 74 VW Bus, 85 Jetta GLI, 89 Whitestar
86 Vanagon, 1.6TD http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=499268
86 Vanagon, 1.8 Digifant http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=513537
"but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal." Matthew 6:20

[vanagonjr]

-86 Wolfsburg Westfalia "weekender" (pop-top). Or a VW WWW or VW W^3
-Reversed 1.8T W/Passat 5-speed by Flint European Automotive
-So East MA/RI border on the ocean through VT, across the Hero Islands to a few miles from Canada Border, back South to Stowe, hitting a Blue-Grass themed Music Fest in No.Adams, MA
-A little less than 1,000 miles, but more than 900

No problems except occasional diverter valve mooing (1.8T thing)..well we were in VT, so cows. Might play with intake someday.

After 4 days, even my wife was saying "I'm not worried if it is going to start anymore." ( her first trip in the van since engine conversion) Such pleasurable driving; VT has really steep grades at time - 15-18%, and don't expect a truck lane - this is when the 1.8T is most appreciated.
Last two tanks were as 21.7 and 21.8 mpg. In the end I get the same mileage as I typically get with 2.1 driving at slower speeds.

First 2 camp nights, I booked a "lean-to", as this is a standard offering in VT State Parks. Note, not all can you drive into so nicely.

[/img]

Below- van from the Bennington War Monument

_________________
John - 86 Wolfsburg Westfalia "Weekender"
Flint reversed 1.8T W/Passat 5-Speed
LiMBO (late model bus club) www.limbobus.org
LiMBO is on Facebook too! https://www.facebook.com/groups/
FAQ thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=525798

[Brownj]

-87 Westfalia
-Zetec / auto / 2wd
-York Maine > Lancaster, PA >Skyline Drive > Charlottesville, VA >
Williamsburg, VA > Wilmington, NC > Assateague, MD, > Cape May, NJ > Cranston, RI > Maine
-2310 miles

No issues! Hard to believe we were camping a few days ago in Maryland!