Date:         Sat, 5 Feb 2000 12:07:54 -0800
Reply-To:     Doktor Tim <doktortim@ROCKISLAND.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Doktor Tim <doktortim@ROCKISLAND.COM>
Subject:      DM is dead! Long live DM!!!
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

(Note: Newbies or anyone who knows not the DM, search the archives for
"Deutsches Methode" for the specified definition given in a number of posts
last year. You will be up to speed quickly.)


I Did a lubrication inspection on a 98 Eurovan chassis Winnabago built
Rialta yesterday, VR-6 engine, 5000k miles. Oil was BLACK under factory
maintenance interval. Filter is a cartridge type and was out of stock at my
regular supplier. Ordered from VW Dealer at $14.95 a pop. Even the massive
Mercedes diesel cartridge Knects shielded 2/3 in perforated steel I sell
for 20% less than that, and the similarly sized Mahle cartridge for the
356/912 is some $5.

The cartridge is removed on the VR-6 by unscrewing the PLASTIC bottom of
the cartridge canister. The correctly sized 36mm DIN standard open end
wrench will not loosen this without rounding off the corners. A 36mm 6
point socket works perfectly. I expect to see in the future many of these
items chewed to bits with Channel-lock slip joint pliers.

OEM filter is Hengst manufacture in VW-Audi box and comes with new large
o-ring seal. It is founded on a PLASTIC fiber matrix, no metal apparent,
although I did not go on to that proof by confirmation mit der magnet.

Deutsche Methode (DM) is less present on this vehicle than anything I have
yet seen on a German product. Serviceability apparently is no longer on the
list of design criteria. A protective metal under pan requires the removal
of four bolts and tweeking of the plastic bumper for clearance so it will
drop to access the oil filter. Mine Got!!!

Consider also, the protective metal underpan is specifically relieved and
shaped to provide access to the oil drain plug so removal of the underpan
is not necessary to drain the oil. Very DM. However, why bother with that
added complexity/expence without adding another $10 to the production cost
to provide a simple access door for the filter service than would be held
by a simple positive finger operated latch (not at all unlike the one that
holds the underpan up when the bolts are out, in fact, JUST like that) to
save the extra 5 minutes to R&R the pan many dozens of times in this
repeating necessary ongoing service.

Or is the idea to not change the filter during one or more repeating lube
intervals????

Several speculations on vos ist a happenin'. Underthal Technicians (UTs)
are performing poorly the detail design decisions better left to the
Neanderthal Engineers (NEs) who are too busy interfacing with the Bean
Counters (BCs) to be bothered with insuring the UTs know the big picture.
The  ChiefBigMukkyMuk (CBMM) NE delivers the project criteria to the
project manager (PM) and his team to design motor mounts up through all the
ancilliaries in the motor compartment. Did he forget to add the
servicability criteria section????

At some point, the PM hands the assignment of protective underpan design to
a UT who in fact notes the issue of the oil filter access and sends a memo
on the item up to the PM. His reply says, "Don't bother me with items that
will add one Deutsche Mark ($s) to a budget you know is fixed!!!!!"

Question in my mind, is the PM a nuerotic psychotic Neandereer because he
knows and loves DM but is required to do what he knows is wrong or have
they all been driven from that position by the nature of this hipocrasy to
be replaced by a UT who will follow instruction and not question orders,
even when they make no rational sence?? Is there some historical
perspective here??

So, from one maintenance procedure, the following data falls out.

Provision for draining oil without dropping the underpan. DM except, if the
underpan has to be dropped anyway to service the filter, you wasted $s
providing for the drain plug 'cause it wasn't necessary by an element of
design that requires removal of the pan anyway. So that's 1 in the Non DM
column (NDM) re: 1 NDM.

Plastic filter canister end vs metal casting says 2 NDM.

Cause it isn't a good spin on type make than 3 NDM

Having to R&R four bolts for regular service is 4 NDM added = 7 NDM.

Plastic filter structure makes 8 NDM.

As well, changing plugs on this sucker would appear to be worse than a 72
Type II with Type IV motor, the ones without the upper access hatch. At
least 4 of them will be worse so that's 4 NDM added = 12 NDM.

Oil was BLACK during specified service interval. 13 NDM

So that's 0 DM, 13 NDM. A shut out with regard to one basic maintenance
concern, arguably the MOST important one, and determined from observations
during this 30 minute procedure.

Regardless how it has occured, the DM is dead, at least in the case of the
simple and rational design considerations so lacking in 98 Eurovan VR-6
serviceability criteria.

But the DM lives on in the 4 decades of German production prior to the
90's. You know, the ones WE got, and with continued DM they will outlive
the compromises in current manufacture.

I can see a day several years from now when a VR-6 Eurovan comes in for
it's 100,000 mile spark plug replacement and two of six plugs bring the
threads out with them. Let's see, R&R plugs every 100,000 miles, includes
R&R heads, $2500 to do it right, maybe half that to jurusrigus. Then the
owner will ask, "Do you know where I can get a Vanagon in good condition??"
I'll say, "Definately maybe, if you'll pay half of half as much as you paid
for this one!"

The DM is Dead. Long live DM.

T.P. Stephens aka Doktor Tim
San Juan Island, WA