Road Trip! Tucson, to Laredo, TX

[AS350driver]

This is probably a bad idea, but I can't resist a good adventure. I'm going to see if my recently revived 65 Westy can do an 1,800 mile road trip without a tow truck being involved somewhere. Plans are to utilize I-10 to around Ft Stockton, Texas, then hit 2 lane roads along the border/Rio Grande the rest of the way.

The motor was rebuilt in 2000, but sat 17 years. It runs and sounds nice though, never smokes, and doesn't seem to be consuming large amounts of oil. On a hot day, 90+, after being on the freeway, the green light flickers at idle. On a cool day it doesn't. According to the receipts, the motor has about 3,000 miles on it.

The tranny leaks here and there, but no gushers, and had some whininess in 3rd and especially 4th gear. I added some Lucas oil treatment, and to my surprise it quieted right down.

The tranny is my biggest concern, but of course there are a zillion other things that could flare up.

If you see a VG Westy broke down on the side, do stop and visit

[BarryL]

Have a fun trip. Post up anytime. The bus wants its legs stretched and you're the guy to do it.

[oakman]

Right on! Have a good trip!
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Brandon

[Z]

Cool trip! If you have trouble, you can find answers here.

Do you think the guys at Wolfsburg ever thought that the best tool in the VW maintenance tool box would be the internet?

[AS350driver]

The guys from back at Wolfsburg would still be in shock theses buses are still going, not to mention the miracle of the internet.

Made to Las Cruces. Gonna crash here tonight. Bus scared me a little in Texas canyon back during the heat of the day. Climbing steeper grades, over 1/2 throttle the motor was pinging and making a sound out of the muffler like plastic straps flapping in the wind. It was also skipping Letting off the gas instantly smoothed it all out, but then you're even slower. It seemed like the vacuum distributor was advancing too much. I only statically timed it to 7.5 btdc when installing it. A quick roadside timing adjustment, backing off the timing helped a lot. Once the temperature started coming down the bus ran like a freight train.

[pondoras box]

These are my favorite threads! Keep the updates coming so we can all live vicariously through you while we are at work.

Remember to always keep safety in mind but we all love to see pictures like that last one.
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Looking for anything from Hal Casey Motors out of Hamburg New York, from license plate surrounds to matchbooks.

1961 23 Window (Bobo)
1965 11 Window (Zelda)
1965 13 Window (Lucas)
1957 Oval ragtop
1988 Cabriolet VR6 conversion
Plus a lot of other rusty junk

[Manfred58sc]

Great picture, brings back many a road trip memory. Keep em' coming. "Franz and Klaus" on the assembly line would have never imagined their grand children still using these machines on the other side of the world.
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Fat chick owner/operator

[rennie]

Exciting adventure - best of luck as you roll on. Are you running stock power with a FF or all stock and going 50-55mph?

[AS350driver]

57 mph seems to be its favorite speed.

[AS350driver]

Del Rio TX 1:06 AM. Lots of bugs at night in Texas

Almost called tow truck about 200 miles back, but the gremlin went away after dark. This bus only travels good at night I've discovered.

[AS350driver]

It made it. The brakes are acting up, the muffler blew out, and the motor is idling weird and rough. But smooth as glass at 55 If the temperature hits 80+ sometimes the engine cuts out on long steady grades. Sometimes not. Letting it cool a while seems to help. I have a laser thermometer I've been monitoring engine temps with. The motor isn't running super hot when these misfires under load are occurring. Highest temp I've found in the oil sump /block area is 225 at the oil pump. Rest of the sump is more like 195-200.

But driving at night or the cool of the morning , runs like a freight train. Hopefully there's a Vw shop here in laredo and I can get an electronic ignition and a new coil. My guess is something's getting hot in the ignition system or the vac advance is sticking.

[SamboSamba22]

Yourself and your adventure, solidifies that I'm a wimp and should just go for it!
I want to do some road tripping in the bus badly.
Hope your issues are a simple fix. Happy cruising.
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The Bus Barn Ltd. Co.

Oct. ’67 Double Cab (’68 Crew Cab)
[url=http://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate-44412.png]Click to view image[/URL]
March '69 Delivery (Panel Bus)
[url=http://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate-44414.png]Click to view image[/URL]

[plane_ben]

Sounds like you are still a tad advanced on the timing Mitch. Get a cheap timing light and set it properly at full advance, ie, engine at cruise rpm's. Sometimes the advance curve is off and the timing at idle will be to advanced at cruise.
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I'm at the age were "fuck off", "fuck you", and "fuck it" answer most questions.

[rennie]

[Cuñado Wear]

Love these types of trips. please keep pictures coming. Have fun and be safe.
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[joefriday]

Awesome. Cool bus and safe travels. It sounds like you are traveling at night. Riding with a rear reflector sign?

[tasb]

[tasb]

[quote="AS350driver"]The guys from back at Wolfsburg would still be in shock theses buses are still going, not to mention the miracle of the internet.

Made to Las Cruces. Gonna crash here tonight. Bus scared me a little in Texas canyon back during the heat of the day. Climbing steeper grades, over 1/2 throttle the motor was pinging and making a sound out of the muffler like plastic straps flapping in the wind. It was also skipping Letting off the gas instantly smoothed it all out, but then you're even slower. It seemed like the vacuum distributor was advancing too much. I only statically timed it to 7.5 btdc when installing it. A quick roadside timing adjustment, backing off the timing helped a lot. Once the temperature started coming down the bus ran like a freight train.



A vacuum only distributor will not over advance. If it's too far advanced the static timing is the culprit. It depends upon what vacuum canister you have installed. It's not unusual for the wrong canister to be in use.

I love road trippin too, best of luck on the journey/glad you made it with little more than lessons learned.
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Roads Scholar &
1957 Kombi low mileage 36 hp governor equipped M 178 Slow Drag Winner 2014, 2015, 2018

1965 hardtop Deluxe Microbus owned since 1990 M 620 factory 12 v 1500cc

1961 (October)Single Cab- Road Trip Workhorse

[plane_ben]

^^^^
Yep. That's what I'm saying. Two degrees is enough to cause hot running in hot weather. I always time my engines at full advance to the mark on the pulley. That way, I know I'm not over advanced timing wise.
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I'm at the age were "fuck off", "fuck you", and "fuck it" answer most questions.

[AS350driver]

Speaking of that mark on the pulley, I may spring for a degreed pulley!

I two weeks when I head back it will be even warmer. Being restricted to only driving at night down here is pretty hazardous as there are about an average of 3 suicidal deer per mile, waiting to jump out and ruin the nose of your bus.