1973 Bay window,1700cc and automatic transmission, with a/c

[smittykins]

[Wasted youth]

Man! I cannot believe it has been almost four years since that last post. It's funny how this madness goes... in that time I have acquired and sold off a rotted 1968 doublecab and kept the nice one... I bought, then later foolishly sold the '77 sunroof CE-1. My son spotted a super dry, complete 1970 Brilliant Blue deluxe, and after rebuilding the engine, it went to great Britain because no one stateside thought it was worth six grand.

Then we bought and enjoy our 1987 Westy on a daily basis, and also found an '81 Westy for more fun (I guess!). I found a 1970 beetle near my town, drove it for awhile and Robbie bought it. I just got a '78 sunroof and it has a damaged valve seat.

But hey! TODAY the 1973 bus came alive again after being relegated to chopped liver status. I was in the process of getting this bus all dialed in:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=556424&highlight=

...but after two trips in about 50 miles, I noticed on a valve check that I was going to drop a valve. So I parked it and focused on another project.

But I recently decided it was time for this bus to get rolling again, so I started to rebuild my spare 1700cc motor with automatic camshaft. That motor is still in progress, but in the interim, I pulled this engine out and did a refresh with good used heads. And today, I have it running again.

Totally stoked!

[KentABQ]

You've been a busy boy in those intervening years, WastedYouth!

Somehow I missed reading the brake caliper rebuild thread before. Nicely written and documented. I wish I had seen it a few months ago when I was dealing with frozen calipers, but it's great to see I did an adequate job. There are a couple points in your thread that I wish I had done, such as the anti-seize. Next time I'll do better.

[Wasted youth]

Thanks! I have a tendency to collect things... which usually causes a lack of focus on actually getting something accomplished! But, the 1977 sunroof bus totally sold me on the magic of a well-running fuel injected engine, and I don't regret for a second buying the '87 Westy. In fact, it looks like that is going to be my home for awhile while I chase my job. So, total score there, too! Really, wading through all those different flavors of VW ice cream has taught me a lot more than all the previous years of ownership.

Even though I grew up in a time when every fifth car in America seemed to be a VW, I was not aware they made a double-cab Baywindow until this website showed me that. The scarcity of those is often attributed to the Chicken Tax. Anyway, when I found the'68 DC, there was no way I was going to let it pass. It is safely tucked away in my garage waiting for my skills to sharpen. This website is incredible for the amount of free, hard-earned knowledge. Just gotta' get past egos and strife sometimes!

This week, I hope to finish tuning up the engine and get this guy back on the highway. It's what I consider a temporary engine. Properly jetted Weber Progressive DFAV with 205 S distributor. I have made a decent air-intake heating situation which I will share here, because that seems to be one concern with that style of carburetor.

The Weber is incorrect for these engines. They can be made to work, but they will never have the right vacuum signature with the distributor, as near as I can tell.

[Abscate]

[Wasted youth]

So after I refreshed the engine, I completely botched the joining of the transmission to the engine, and you can read about my folly here:

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=674690&highlight=



This week I am planning on working through the front beam. I have a lot of parts on order, so while I wait for those to come in, I decided to get busy on the windshield.

Windshield Frame Repair and Glass Replacement...

It's like so many... window rubber hard as a rock, cracked and filled with sealant over many years.

Of course I waited until we had another hot as hell San Joaquin summer day to get started on this. I think it got to 106* in the shade today. Perfect time to be outside doing work.

Time for the Easy-Up!

My son helped me push out the windshield and we carried it to a crib.

This is the worst of the rot, and I have a replacement piece (that gray piece laying on the dashboard)

[url][/url]

[pioneer1]

A little off topic...I have a 73 with auto tranny and single carb just like yours. I found the "two way cut off valve" was disconnected. It's on page 71 of the Bentley engine and clutch section .I read that this valve is on all dual carb. fitted vehicles. Should I be hooking this up even though I have a single carb hook up? Thanks
_________________
"Always waiting for tomorrow ruined everything"

'85 Porsche 911 Targa

'76 Westfalia project

[Wasted youth]

Only reference I find is on page 73 and it is in regard to Vacuum Advance Cutoff. Is this what you're talking about?

I don't have the answer. And I am confused by the grammar in the instructions... it states "Except for 1974 models with manual transmissions, all dual-carburetor engines are equipped with an automatic vacuum advance cutoff..."

But then the instructions for checking this discuss operating the clutch and engaging 4th gear.

I must be missing something...

[Abscate]

[Tcash]

[Tbob]

OK, IIRC, and I may not be because it was a long time ago, that vacuum cutoff switch was a prehistoric attempt at controlling emissions by controlling the vacuum to the vacuum advance in all gears except 4th because you need a vacuum signal to advance the ignition timing. You can get away with not having enough advance in the lower 3 gears because the only problem is reduced power, but in crusing speed/rpm you need the power, and possibly the engine would run hotter without enough advance. I guess the EPA didn't force us to ruin our engines for the price of a few less emissions, at least not in 1972-4. Since all the hoses, switches and solenoids were failing by the end of the '70s, the fix was to delete the ineffective system and run with a fully hooked up vacuum system in all gears. The reward was better power in the lower gears, and the cost was possibly greater emissions. Back then we all thought that our civil disobedience didn't hurt anything, really. After all, how much effect on the planet can one little car make? BTW, my 1973 non California model had no 4th gear switch/vacuum solenoid from the factory.
_________________
1969 Deluxe, owned since 1973
1973 Westfalia, owned since 1983
1980 Westfalia, watercooled conversion
1985 Westfalia, stock!
1986 Westfakia, Audi I-4 conversion
A couple of trucks and a couple of Jeeps

[Wasted youth]

Swing Lever Shaft question...

I have a lot of new front end parts I am working at getting changed out. I have the Febi Swing Lever Shaft kit, and I have the front end pretty much torn down: Tie rods, steering knuckles, damper, steering box and all four ball joints removed. That shit was pretty old! Steering box looks great, though... just gotta find the right seals.

I read through the Bentley and this thread:

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=597889

It seems like a pretty straight-forward affair, and I am tooled up to do this.

I was planning on installing the Swing Lever kit last night, but I was surprised to find that it felt really good by hand. I felt enough drag/tension on the arm when I moved it by hand that some effort was needed. The movement was smooth, and I tried to jog it from side to side to feel for lash or slop, but there was none. No vertical play, either. I went ahead and lubed the front beam until grease weeped out and cycled the Swing Lever, but there was no change in how it felt, so I am thinking it is not feeling that way just because it needed lube.

This is a far cry from most of my ball joints, which can be played with the way a barn cat paws at an old cow's sagging udders.

Should I install this kit anyway? I just don't feel like it's worn out, but I have little experience in the matter. It is not a big deal to replace it, as the bus is up on jack stands with all the other work being done. But maybe I would be unnecessarily disturbing something good. Should I hold onto the kit for when they are NLA and the Swing Lever bushings finally wear out?

[Wasted youth]

I need to bump this question up at the risk of breaking the rules...

[Wasted youth]

I never got any response on the Swing Arm question, so I went forward with the rest of the project. More on that later...

With the windshield out, I addressed a stone chip and put on the Bus Depot windshield seal #211845121DVW for $34.95 and it was a great fit! I used that same seal on my last 1977 bus, too.

My son helped me install the windshield, and during the last few inches of seating the upper corner, it went tick! and I got a nice long vertical crack. I'm still not sure just how my effort did that, especially after watching VW assembly line people use rubber mallets on the rubber. Regardless, the 1973 Sigla VW windshield would no longer be of service.

I sourced a local shop for a new one. All American Glass in Fresno had what I needed for $130 and I got it the next day. Not sure who makes it, but the shop said this was 'green glass' and not 'clear' as OEM required. This glass turned out perfect for me! WAY more clarity than my 1973 windshield and a perfect fit. No annoying blue visor tint, either!

These are the tools I used...

I made the 'hook' tool to pull in the inner lip of the seal. It was a cheap Harbor Freight screwdriver ground to a smooth point and heat-bended into the desired shape. The 1/4 nylon cord was fed into the rubber groove by using the Bic pen tube as an insertion tool. I used the silicone spray in advance of the tube insertion by keeping the red straw on it and spraying in a foot or so at a time, followed by the Bic pen with the nylon cord fed through it. I wrapped the cord twice around the gasket and taped the tail ends to the inside of the windshield to keep them out of the way.

Because my headliner was starting to crumble a little around the edge where the windshield entrapped it, I used a long piece of narrow white First Aid tape to 'form up' a new end of the headliner. The though here is that the tape will 'taco' around the edge of the headliner, and the rubber seal will compress all of that.

There are more great tips, plus a VW video in this thread:

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=479307&highlight=window+faq

By the way, the Wolfsburg West L90D spray paint is very nice! Great color match, and it lays down really smooth and cures quickly.

With the new windshield installed, I parked the bus out in the warm afternoon sun to help relax the rubber. I could not resist a couple of pictures...

These two pictures don't really do it justice, but the Orient Blue is coming out great as I remove the spray paint. While waiting for parts for the front beam to arrive, I decided I'd try to remove the old spray paint the previous owner applied. I used lacquer thinner with a Scotchbrite pad, followed with paint thinner and rags wipe down. I used a chemical rated squeeze bottle from Grainger to apply the fluids, and that gave me a fair amount of control. After all the spray paint was removed, I did a detergent wash down, then hit the area with 2000 grit wet sand polishing paper. Followed that with a light motor buffer and polishing paste, then finally with hand polish/wax.

[Tcash]

Should I hold onto the kit for when they are NLA and the Swing Lever bushings finally wear out?
If it Ain't broke don't fix it.
Tcash

[Wasted youth]

This is just a thread update... I noticed I never posted my front end work. Here is a link to the work. I posted my work in a different technical thread.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8579986#8579986

[Wasted youth]

Edited for continuity...

After many years of owning this bus, I’m planning it’s first road trip which will cover this weekend. All kinds of unplanned things occurred over that time which perpetually sidelined the bus. Mostly distractions, but certainly mechanical issues, repairs, etc.

As I reflect back on my first few months on this forum, I can easily see that I had really no knowledge at all. You guys have helped me countless times, both intentionally and personally, as well incidentally with many detailed processes, photographs and reproduced technical pubs found in your posts and threads.

The confidence gained is priceless. I give you my genuine thanks!

Planning on heading to the Tehachapi and upper Mojave Desert area of California for some hiking and camping with my son. The bus has seen a lot of mechanical work by us since we got it, but still a lot more to do! I’ve made plenty of 25-30 mile freeway trips at 65-70 mph, and all seems well at this point.

Friday afternoon...

We set out from home today. I will try to keep posted of our progress and photos; it should be good weather. I’ll be outfitted with plenty of tools and some repair parts. Planned route is Hwy 99 south to Oildale, where I plan to cross town and pick up the old highway at Magunden and east through Edison, Bena and up to Bealville. Then on to Tehachapi, and the back route from there to Mojave.

[airschooled]

Oh hell yeah! You know we need pictures....
_________________
Learn how your vintage VW works. And why it doesn't!
One-on-one tech help for your Volkswagen:
www.airschooled.com

[notchboy]

Um - #realvanlife
_________________

[Wasted youth]

Edited for update...

Saturday morning...

We are having a pretty good trip so far! Already had a couple of silly episodes this morning; more on that later. We are in the Albertson’s grocery parking lot in Tehachapi while I try to figure out why the transmission has developed a considerable lag shifting from second to third gear. Other than a few drops of oil from the engine that keep hitting the hot muffler, the bus is performing well. Plenty of pictures, but will load those up later.

1700 Type 4 with controversial Weber Progressive carb. Type 3 / 003 series automatic transmission.

Edit: The transmission is consuming ATF. Added 10 oz. at 85,574 and 6 oz. at 85,590 so I decided to check the Final Drive. The gear oil that came out was honey colored, not pink.

No vacuum leaks on modulator vacuum line.

There is some drops of ATF on the undercarriage, so hopefully all I have is a leak. I did a brief Stall Test in a parking lot and had my son look for drips. Nothing seen in about 10 seconds.