Date:         Wed, 6 Sep 2000 00:09:08 EDT
Reply-To:     Oxroad@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jeffrey R <Oxroad@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: '84 Vanagon and Midas Mufflers
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

In a message dated 9/5/2000 10:36:33 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
thewestyman@MINDSPRING.COM writes:

> Avoid the Midas Monkeys, I have seen several Vanagons done there, they slap
>  on a poorly constructed m

Sorry, it's not the fun answer, but I would second this. The DPO of my bus
said he had a brand new exhaust system from Midas. Now whether they were
responsible for either mounting the exhaust manifold or supplying it I have
no way of knowing. But the exhaust manifold was poorly mounted with cross
threaded bolts into the heads. Where the "Y" is, if you can call it that on
the driver's side (USA), it was also poorly mounted. Within 200 miles of
buying the bus what I thought was a normal engine "ticking" became full blown
exhaust leaks at both the "Y" and where the exhaust manifold meets the heads.
And the muffler was clearly new and proudly diplayed the MIDAS insignia.

Now like I said I have no way of knowing exactly what the exhaust system was
like when it was brought to them and what they monkeyed with exactly. But
it's fair to say they let the thing leave the shop with more than a few
problems--even if only impending problems.

That's my 2 cents.

Jeff
83.5 Westy
CO