msinabottle
Samba Member
Joined: September 20, 2005
Posts: 3492
Location: Denver Area, Colorado
|
 Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2015 4:08 pm Post subject: Winston Gets Exhausted, as Does Rob (RMW SS Exhaust) |
 |
|
The Brothers LaBate and Rocky Mountain Westy continue to treat me and Winston very well. My last visit to Ft. Collins for something besides the lovely campouts, for which, see HERE:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=478360
was to get a lock-box and a very nice front bumper for Winston, my 1984 Vanagon Westfalia. For THAT install, see HERE:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6657461
At any rate, for no other reason than friendship, I'd say, Mike and his mechanics had told me that they would let me know the next time someone decided that the Wasserboxer, even with the Chris/10centlife performance exhaust wasn't enough and pulled one I could have used.
The call came about the week after I'd put Winston away for the Winter. I offered to put down a deposit, they said they'd just hold it for me, and did. With VWs on the Green coming up and the storms coming further apart, I made an appointment with Joe, Mike's shop manager, to bring Winston in last Tuesday, the 7th. RMW's garage business, 'Mr. Mechanic' would do the install.
Having had dreadful experiences with Denver traffic headed northbound, I heeded a friend's advice and hit the road at 5:50 in the morning...
which proved to be wise. There was a LOT of traffic out there, that early, but fortunately none of it had smacked into other parts of it before I got through the problematic stretches of road. I had done an exceptionally good job of snugging Winston into the side of the garage last November, so I got to worry about getting him out (no problem, these things turn well!) and about the new Castrol Edge with Syntec Technology 5W-50 oil I'd put into him... Would he start? Would the
RED OIL LIGHT!
come on, as it had the LAST time I'd tried Winston with a new oil?
No. He loved the stuff, started easily and ran without protest right up to Fort Collins, leaving me time for slightly melancholy thoughts about how much I actually liked his old classic muttering sound, but this was about more performance and my existing exhaust wasn't in the best of shape anyway. I arrived in Fort Collins at 7:30, Mike and Joe were already in burning the morning oil.
Josh, the new-to-me order writer had some sad news that they were out of the new push-rod shields I'd hoped to have them install, we'll or I'll do that when they're in and I have the coinage. He took Winston in for the ministrations of Alex, a superb mechanic who'd done many of the installs. Alex soon got to work.
I love to hover and watch while people work on Winston, although I am quite aware that not all mechanics have the leisure to answer the questions or explain their actions to a customer, not to mention the liability issues of having me in the garage.
Mike, however, was very nice to you all and me about letting me in from time to time to snap shots when I wouldn't get in Alex's way while Winston was getting the rack:
My main goal was not to be a pest, a job made somewhat more easy by not feeling particularly well digestive-wise from gluttonizing on Easter. I started the day's wait by reading Pilgrim's Progress on my smart phone and chatting a bit with Mike and Joe and Josh when they had time. They were not there to entertain me, and had lots to do, but we did chat a bit and got caught up on what had happened since the camp-out. The company and its employees seem to be, I rejoice to say, doing well. Mike proudly showed off their new company service van, and it deserved showing off!
Having read, and written, as much of the Samba as I had, I was not particularly surprised when Alex talked to Mike, Mike talked to Alex, and mike came over to talk to me. I hadn't noticed it, despite obsessive checking, but coolant was leaking out of the 'weep hole' on Winston's water pump, and oil was bulging out from around the seams of Winston's oil pump. I had and have no idea of how old either was, they may well have been original. <edit: Found a note in Nick's, Winston's last owner's expense book, that he'd replaced the water pump in 2005, not long before... hmmm... he sold Winston to me!>
The time to replace them, obviously, was in the gap between the removal of the old exhaust and the installation of the new one, and so I gave my quite informed consent to Mike and Alex to go ahead with both. Mike, I should note, very generously allowed me a 5% 'Samba' discount on the parts, which, as the costs mounted, added up to a nice savings.
I knew I was going to be there a while, while they waited for parts--A Graf water pump and a Schadek oil pump. Alex got the water pump on, and while he was having lunch--do you know that mechanics need to eat and rest?
Then you are atypical! I took advantage of his absence to scurry out and take rather extensive photos of Winston's underside while I had the chance--pretty much the entire thing, suspension, mud flaps, the engine:
and other shots I'll probably bring out when some question or other arises about what goes on beneath our vans.
The nylon fuel line looked brand new. I asked Alex, and Mike, who went out there at times to let me know if they saw anything unsettling, which, I think, they didn't. The Agilis tires are getting on in years, but I didn't see any signs of serious wear there:
When I felt well enough I walked around and photographed things around the shop or in the environs, including THIS:
which... made an impression. Mike gave me a 'what is wrong with this picture' quiz about a van on the lot, I will pass this on to you:
I was a bit boggled when I realized what it was, Mike has plans for the sheet metal, if not the balance of the poor old soldier. Then there was THIS glorious acquisition, a German import by way of Sweden:
Note the headlight washers! That'll get the work it needs.
I also paused to photograph some rather interesting views of what a donor van looks like when the outer panel is gone:
And the hours wore on... Mike has free Wi-Fi, so when I finished Pilgrim's Progress and had walked around and taken pictures for a bit, I watched a truly fascinating video a friend had recommended about the last of the Appalachian Moonshiners:
Link
Truly worth a look. I think I could get Winston over every road Popcorn Sutton got his old Model A.
There were reasons for how long it took--replacing the water pump? Fill and burp the cooling system! Replace the oil pump? New oil! IT WAS STILL SO YOUNG! But, at least Josh and Alex were careful to put in more of that Castrol Edge 5W-50. I think I'll stay with that, from now on, Winston really did run well with it.
At about 4:30 I heard a strange sound from the garage, and while Alex scurried about on his other projects, snapped this film footage, which I have also just shared elsewhere.
Link
And then there was the matter of payment and the sad fact that I was out of battery in my camera, so I couldn't get you all a good photo of the finished installation.
And then I drove him home, with the new exhaust... and I admit that I rather liked it. My impressions? I am assured by two automotive experts that mine are COMPLETELY ERRONEOUS. It felt as if he was getting more speed at slower revs. I am told that is impossible.
Well, I was passing people. I hadn't done THAT very often with the old exhaust! With Chris's creation, I learned, you sort of drive it by SOUND. It rowr-rowr-rowrs at normal speeds, like you can hear in the video, but at higher speeds... at JUST the right spot on the throttle... the rowr-rowr-rowr changes to a long sort of howling hum, and the van starts moving really well. I could hold 72 to 74 at 4200 RPM uphill and back down into Denver when the traffic allowed it.
Well, further bulletins as events warrant, but I couldn't have been better treated up in Fort Collins, the exhaust truly did seem to be an improvement, and I hope and believe it will be a long time before Winston needs a new oil or water pump!
And I was very tired. More rested, now.
Best!
_________________
'Winston,' '84 1.9 WBX Westy
Vanagon Poet Laureate: "I have suffered in
many ways, but never, never, never in silence."
Last edited by msinabottle on Sun Apr 12, 2015 8:38 pm; edited 3 times in total |
|
, 16" wheels