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Syncro Jael
Samba Member
Joined: December 19, 2013
Posts: 2204
Location: Utah
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 Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 1:44 pm Post subject: Driving to Alaska (fixing the Syncro) skills test (LONG) |
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Well we spent a couple weekends doing maintenance on my Sons' 87 Syncro. He is headed for Alaska to work for the summer. We did all the fluid changes, brakes, CV joints (boots), replaced all the fuel lines, starter motor, repacked the rear wheel bearings, and passed inspection/emissions.
It runs great but has had a starting issue. It was flooding when trying to start. But after about 10 cranks it fired up. We checked the grounds, ignition wires, but still having some issues. It has done this for about 5 months so he said he can live with it.
So hugs and goodbyes, off he goes to Alaska from Utah. Yup, starting issues are getting worse, I was thinking an injector was leaking and flooding it. But it would still start so smiley on his way.
Crossed the border to Canada and stopped for fuel. Almost didn't start lots of cranking, flooded smell from exhaust. Then fired up. Drove along and started to hear terrible scraping grinding noises from the drivers side front wheel. He stopped did an inspection and called me. "Dad, you know the two little Phillips head bolts that hold the rock guard and the new front boot protectors that YOU installed"," they came loose and the guard is rubbing on the new rotor that YOU installed" How do I get those bolts off holding the brake caliper? They are freakin tight and I don't have YOUR big wrenches! He got it all tore down, came up with another bolt from the parts store in town, then reassembled it and was on his way. Went to start and it was the same thing, just barely got it going this time. Whatever it is, it is getting worse. And he is headed for more remote Canada now. (and stressed about turning off the engine)
So now I lay here in bed thinking of what it could be.
I emailed him the Pro-Training manual first thing this morning then got a text. "The van won't start" no matter what I try it just won't start, we are up a forest service road in BF Canada and I had to walk up a ridge to get this text out, what do I do?"
I thought of all the things to check, clamp off the fuel line from the pump, let the engine clean out and fire / check for spark at the distributor / check the injectors for spray-leaking, etc... So I texted him back to check for spark from the coil, he checked "NO SPARK, NOTHING" now what do I do? I said it sounds like electrical to the coil, make a hot wire from the alternator post and check for spark again. "NO SPARK DAD". Arggghhhh....  Then he called me frustrated having tried everything he could and it came down to probably needing a part. He said I will get back with you. So I started looking for towing services around Clinton, BC and thinking the worst.
Next text a while later, "Dad, I have the old coil in my spare parts bin, I am going to install it now".
About 20 minutes goes by then another text "Dad, as soon as I put the other coil on, Hot Spark jump across to the center post on the distributor, I hooked up the coil wire and it fired right up! Thank God for keeping some spare parts!"
Whew!!! I am so proud of him for taking the time to read the Bentley, roll up his sleeves, and fix some of this stuff.  If your gonna drive an older Vanagon, take tools, some spare parts, a Bentley, and be prepared for the unexpected!
This will all go down as good memories on a fun trip to Alaska for him one day. But for right now he just wants it to start when he turns the key! 
So if you ever have issues, check for spark, fuel, connections, then read!
_________________
1987 Syncro Westfalia Hightop - NAHT
Subaru EJ25 Forged Frankenmotor, Triple Knob.
Jael = (Mountain Goat)
Last edited by Syncro Jael on Mon Apr 07, 2014 2:07 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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bigbore
Samba Member
Joined: December 19, 2003
Posts: 3297
Location: Wasilla Alaska
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| Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 1:51 pm Post subject: |
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Well boys good job if you get down to Wasilla drop in to my shop (I am one of the last old vw shops in Alaska) The Abbey phone is 907-376-6919 mike
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where its cold and snowy |
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dobryan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 16508
Location: Brookeville, MD
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zeohsix
Samba Member
Joined: August 31, 2012
Posts: 501
Location: United States
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| Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 6:15 pm Post subject: |
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Note to self....MTDI swap....then you won't have any of these worries as long as you park on the top of a hill every night! Glad to know there are a few young uns out there who don't have their head stuck up their.....cell phone! Great effort!
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I'm Cheap! I'll build that Syncro Westy myself and save money but, my labor is "FREE" especially if I ever go to sell it! One thing is I will know the quality of the parts and labor that went into the build and rest better when I'm actually driving said Westy down the road! |
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Syncro Jael
Samba Member
Joined: December 19, 2013
Posts: 2204
Location: Utah
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| Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 6:55 pm Post subject: |
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Update...
The Syncro and Son have landed in Prince George. He said he has turned it off and started it up several times taking photos today. He also said it runs smoother down the road also. He sounded a lot better than he did this morning.
Good things to hear when your son is driving across Canada heading to Alaska in a vehicle much older than he is!
Lifes lessons can be had out on the road. As Captain Ron would say "The best way to find out Kitty is to get her out on the ocean. If anything is going to happen , it's going to happen out there."
Good for him, I just wish I was out there too! 
_________________
1987 Syncro Westfalia Hightop - NAHT
Subaru EJ25 Forged Frankenmotor, Triple Knob.
Jael = (Mountain Goat) |
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kbeefy
Samba Member
Joined: March 10, 2006
Posts: 600
Location: Central Oregon
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| Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 9:03 pm Post subject: |
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Is he taking the Casiar or staying on the AlCan the whole way?
Where at in Alaska is he going to be working?
_________________
86 syncro CHC, NorthWesty subbie 2.5, decoupler, locker, custom interior, 225/75r16 Duratrack's on CLK's, Toyo cabin heater, ARB fridge, 300w Zamp Solar, Gowesty bumpers/skid/rails, Fiama awning
'86 Syncro Westy. Stock for now.
2000 F350 7.3 CC LB 11' Northland Cabover
2006 Subbie OBXT
2002 Tacoma DoubleCab 4x4
1969 Mustang Basket Case 351c/FMX/9
http://kbeefy.blogspot.com/ |
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shadetreetim
Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2011
Posts: 1994
Location: Riverside, California
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| Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 9:49 pm Post subject: |
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Your son is learning some valuable experience. Glad to hear he figured it out.
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Tim Potts
Doing my best every time I drive it to dispel the myth these Vanagons have to be slow!
'89 Vanagon Bluestar/Country Homes 1.8T & .77 4th
'74 Jeep CJ5 |
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Yukon Syncro
Samba Member
Joined: June 28, 2012
Posts: 110
Location: Yukon, Canada
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| Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 1:11 am Post subject: |
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I hope to see him pass by
Great drive for seeing the northern lights this time of year and I hope he sees them. I just drove the Dempster on the weekend and saw an amazing display. 
If he is going the Alaska Highway a great ski hill north of Prince George is Powder King, they get too much powder sometime! If he is going the Cassiar, Smithers Hudson Bay Mountain is sweet also. And the Liard Hotsprings on the Alaska Highway are a must stop for soak.
_________________
1987 1.6 TD (JX) 1.9 TD (AAZ) Syncro Transporter Tintop with front and back lockers - Escorial Green. Got a North American High Top buried in snow waiting for a spring, summer when-oh-when-lord install. |
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svenakela
Samba Member
Joined: July 19, 2006
Posts: 776
Location: Ekerö
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| Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 1:58 am Post subject: |
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I wish my kids turn into explorers too. But I hope they don't blame me when things brake...  |
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Syncro Jael
Samba Member
Joined: December 19, 2013
Posts: 2204
Location: Utah
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| Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 7:32 am Post subject: |
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| svenakela wrote: |
| I wish my kids turn into explorers too. But I hope they don't blame me when things brake... |
He didn't really blame me, but I did learn to double check torque values before buttoning up repairs.
I get to learn also!
From the last report all is good and he is headed to Dawson. Mile (0)zero of the Alaska Highway. 
_________________
1987 Syncro Westfalia Hightop - NAHT
Subaru EJ25 Forged Frankenmotor, Triple Knob.
Jael = (Mountain Goat) |
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tschroeder0
Samba Member
Joined: April 14, 2008
Posts: 2096
Location: Boulder CO
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| Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 7:38 am Post subject: |
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| cool story...laird hot springs is amazing, on my way back home I went completely out of my way to go there again |
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bigbore
Samba Member
Joined: December 19, 2003
Posts: 3297
Location: Wasilla Alaska
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| Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 9:28 am Post subject: |
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Laird is one of my always stops on the run Iam not a member of the 40 below club yet but 30 below is all the colder it has been when I have been there I have run the road 18 round trips now.
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where its cold and snowy |
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kbeefy
Samba Member
Joined: March 10, 2006
Posts: 600
Location: Central Oregon
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| Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 10:40 am Post subject: |
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That's Dawson Creek, different than Dawson. We went through Dawson last spring, pretty cool if you like mining stuff.
_________________
86 syncro CHC, NorthWesty subbie 2.5, decoupler, locker, custom interior, 225/75r16 Duratrack's on CLK's, Toyo cabin heater, ARB fridge, 300w Zamp Solar, Gowesty bumpers/skid/rails, Fiama awning
'86 Syncro Westy. Stock for now.
2000 F350 7.3 CC LB 11' Northland Cabover
2006 Subbie OBXT
2002 Tacoma DoubleCab 4x4
1969 Mustang Basket Case 351c/FMX/9
http://kbeefy.blogspot.com/ |
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Honuak
Samba Member
Joined: April 21, 2009
Posts: 521
Location: AK
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| Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 12:06 pm Post subject: |
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| x2 for a stop at Liard! |
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Yukon Syncro
Samba Member
Joined: June 28, 2012
Posts: 110
Location: Yukon, Canada
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| Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 12:37 pm Post subject: |
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He he, ya mile 0 is Dawson Creek, BC and the other Dawson is Dawson City, Yukon and they are about 1,200 miles apart. Funny thing is when I lived in Dawson City the Post Office even mixed it up sometimes! 
Hey kbeefy, I just checked out your blog and I think I had spotted your rig when you passed through Whitehorse, sweet rig you got, I was doing some serious drooling!
_________________
1987 1.6 TD (JX) 1.9 TD (AAZ) Syncro Transporter Tintop with front and back lockers - Escorial Green. Got a North American High Top buried in snow waiting for a spring, summer when-oh-when-lord install. |
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kbeefy
Samba Member
Joined: March 10, 2006
Posts: 600
Location: Central Oregon
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| Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 9:36 pm Post subject: |
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| Yukon Syncro wrote: |
He he, ya mile 0 is Dawson Creek, BC and the other Dawson is Dawson City, Yukon and they are about 1,200 miles apart. Funny thing is when I lived in Dawson City the Post Office even mixed it up sometimes!
Hey kbeefy, I just checked out your blog and I think I had spotted your rig when you passed through Whitehorse, sweet rig you got, I was doing some serious drooling! |
Thanks!
I camped out past Takhini Hot Springs on a little trail off a forest road. It rained all night antd the dry rutted road turned to slop overnight. If I was in a 2x we would've had to wasit for it to dry out. When I came into Whitehorse the wife was still sleeping on the lower bed, she didn't even know I was 4 wheeling for 5 miles in sloppy spring muddy roads before driving through town and finally waking up when I stopped at a grocery store. She really loves the van.
_________________
86 syncro CHC, NorthWesty subbie 2.5, decoupler, locker, custom interior, 225/75r16 Duratrack's on CLK's, Toyo cabin heater, ARB fridge, 300w Zamp Solar, Gowesty bumpers/skid/rails, Fiama awning
'86 Syncro Westy. Stock for now.
2000 F350 7.3 CC LB 11' Northland Cabover
2006 Subbie OBXT
2002 Tacoma DoubleCab 4x4
1969 Mustang Basket Case 351c/FMX/9
http://kbeefy.blogspot.com/ |
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Yukon Syncro
Samba Member
Joined: June 28, 2012
Posts: 110
Location: Yukon, Canada
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| Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2014 7:39 am Post subject: |
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Too funny you camped a couple miles from my place!
_________________
1987 1.6 TD (JX) 1.9 TD (AAZ) Syncro Transporter Tintop with front and back lockers - Escorial Green. Got a North American High Top buried in snow waiting for a spring, summer when-oh-when-lord install. |
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