Date:         Sun, 18 Jun 2000 19:36:58 EDT
Reply-To:     Chgolynch@aol.com
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Sean Lynch <Chgolynch@aol.com>
Subject:      Questions about Diesels
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

    Since the wasserboxer's been spending more time with a mechanic than me,
I finally put it into the shop getting a complete drivetrain overhaul (no
surprise there). In the interim, I've been relying exclusively on my '82 GL
diesel. A wonderful beast, resplendent in its cloth interior, brown two-tone
paint, and whitewalls. This thing refuses to break under the rigors of daily
driving, and backed up the "Vanagon vs. Volvo" page by mashing up the rear of
a 2000 Grand Marquis, while only receiving a broken front blinker, a torn
bumper endcap, and a small dent in trade.
    My first question lies in the fact that it will run flat-out all day,
doing 65-67mph, and averaging 26-27 mpg. The motor's out of an '85 Jetta, and
I think it has the 5350rpm-governed fuel pump. It had the old vaccum pump
until last week, when I upgraded to the newer, more reliable rotary unit. Is
it really damaging to the motor to run it this hard? I've put about 27K on it
since I bought it, and the odometer's showing 192K. The motor was refurbished
and installed about 4K before I bought it, as the guy who bought it the first
time I tried to get it couldn't stand the high rpm at 55, and felt it was too
slow. Since I bought it, I've only cleaned the injectors, run diesel injector
cleaner through it, replaced the fuel filter, oil, and oil filter regularly,
and replaced the air cleaner every 10K miles. The darn thing soulnd perfect,
and shows no signs of hard service (no metal in the oil, doesn't run hot,
etc.) So, is it safe to keep running this way? I don't mind replacing
engines, and I'd love to put a later 1.6L hydraulic motor in, with a
balancing.
    Second, it there a better oil filtration system for the motor? Though I
change the oil every 1500 miles, and the filter every 3K, I worry about the
sludginess of the oil. I know this characteristic is common with diesels, but
I'd like to run AmsOil in it, but the stuff's a bit expensive to replace
constantly to avoid the sludgies.
    Thirdly, anybody have a passenger-side blinker for a Vanagon? I've tried
to order new blinkers for it, as water gets in 'em, and that one assembly is
trashed, but they're back-ordered from VW. So is the shifter boot and clip,
and the air deflector panel which fits between the dash and floor vent. I'd
like to fix the old girl up, but parts are hard to come by, even after
trolling the junkyards in north Alabama. I'd love a set, preferably new,  a
good rear bumper assembly, and a driver's seat with the zigzag pattern on it.
    Thanks of any/all help.

                                    Sean L.

                                          '82 Vanagon GL Diesel - oddly
reliable
                                          '86 Vanagon GL Weekender - money pit
                                          '88 Fox GL wagon (2) - under
repair, soon for sale
                                          '75 Scirocco - project, maybe for
sale
                                          '77 Dasher wagon - project, a keeper
                              '80 SportTruck - runs, drives, beat to hell

                                               QED, Way Too Many 'Dubs   :)