Vanagon EuroVan
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Date:         Sat, 10 Feb 2001 09:34:48 -0800
Reply-To:     Brian Cochran <rangerbrian@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Brian Cochran <rangerbrian@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: G-R-I-P-E-S ....conversions instead
Comments: To: hdeboer@BSSD.NET
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

Thanks, I'm working my way to figure out if teaching is my future as well. I'm going to check out some conversion setup. I am interested in the tiico, but i'm going to gather info on the Eurospec and the subaru. I just got a good insight on the subaru working well with the AT I have. THe inlines seeem to like their high RPMs, so I'm not sure that's for me...... I would like to switch to a 4 spd, but as previously stated, I'm not a big fan of adding projects to the situation. I think a different powerplant is the answer if I keep this thing. Brian Cochran 84 troubled westy

>From: HERMANN DE BOER <hdeboer@BSSD.NET> >To: 'Brian Cochran ' <rangerbrian@HOTMAIL.COM> >Subject: RE: G-R-I-P-E-S part 5 oil pres woes and more woes and .... >Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2001 10:02:37 -0600 > > Brian, > >I don't know if you even want to read another response, but let me tell you >that we all have been there. I am a "poor" high school teacher, single >income, married with two kids.The Westy is my daily driver and our family >minivan. We have done almost all the repairs you have listed and then some. >I have cursed the Westy and threatened to sell it, until I went with the >inline 4 conversion 50 000 miles ago. >Here's what I recommend: >Find a good vanagon shop and let them do all the work for you. Life is too >short to live underneath the van. Go inline 4 Eurospec(that's what I have) >or Tiico. >When I get really frustrated I add up all the repair costs, insurance, >property taxes etc. and then compare the sum to monthly payments of a new >comparable vehicle. The Westy is always cheaper! And there isn't a better >camper out there. We spend our entire summer vacation on the road and the >Westy has never let us down. >As far as the list traffic is concerned just delete. About 80% of the mail >is junk, some guys know their stuff but the majority doesn't know more than >you and I. > >Cheers, >Hermann de Boer > >-----Original Message----- >From: Brian Cochran >To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM >Sent: 2/9/01 10:11 PM >Subject: G-R-I-P-E-S part 5 oil pres woes and more woes and .... > >vanagon addicts and notajeep: >THanks for the info......and no I'm not checking the oil while it's >running. > I was pointing out the breathing/idle situation that happens when I >pull >the dipstick or unscrew the oil cap while it's running. I've done that >plenty on many other run-of-mill vehicles without issue. You know, I'm >pretty sick of all these weird issues without cut-and-dry answers. I >own >this vehicle only for the live-out of it comfort/camping factor. Why >anyone >would want to drive a passenger vanagon is beyond me, since it's not a >reliable transporter and......AND 17 mpg!!!!! That's horrible. I owned >a >Ford Ranger for 150,000miles, lots of power, better gas mileage, one set >of >brakes (at 90k), one water pump (at 137k), regular maintenance as needed >such as hoses (once) and belts (x2) that's it. No rebuilds, no head >gaskets, none of this daily dose of a web site to keep it alive- >DEPENDABLE!!!!!. This friggin' van came with three pages of parts and >work >performed from the last two owners, and in the course of a year I've >added >three more, found that I'm the seventh owner, in the fourth state, and >you >name, it NEEDS it: windshield, speedo (damn noisy thing), better-safe >lights, as I'm hearing- engine(!!!!), still needs tranny work--there's a >grand or more, my steering boot is torn on one side of the arms and that >isn't even close to a priorty, rear hatch struts, brake drums and >rotors(and >depot's havin' a sale --whooptie I get sacked for another $80 bucks), of >course even after that there still is something wrong with the brake >system, >probably the servo, but either way$$$, moving on- body damage the the >thing >was purchased with, seam rust(??I dunno and I'm not going to ask), wiper >motor is weak, seat hole needs repaired, exhaust has a crack somewhere, >and >if I don't get a new engine, well, I don't think my hotmail account will >allow that big of a list....... > >My point is these are okay, even fun repairs if they are a few at a >time, >but they are ongoing and ever-appearing. Here I am looking at this >stupid >(but needed) list of info that appears in my inbox at least twice a day >in >digest form. I have to sort through all the stupid bullcr*p of lawyers >sueing their moms and jesus rugs and other folks who spend more time in >front of there computers than in their own vanagons (I actually hope >that's >not true) in order to find a inexpensive way of making my vanagon that >is >not reliable in to a vanagon that IS reliable. I want to be out camping >and >hiking and seeing this INCREDIBLE world that do live in before we >destroy it >and I'm too old. I don't want to sit and shuffle through all the >different >responses to find a suitable guess as to what to do. I should just slap >new >heads on it and sell it. I'll buy a pickup and an old campertop. It >will >get better mileage and go forever. I'll burn my computer and tie myself >in >a towel.......okay I'm getting out of control here. > >THis is what I got: I have an oil pressure prob. >Responses: >The synthetic oil response isn't what i'm going with. I don't remember >who >told me that, but I'm guessing they own stocks in something related to >it) > >The oil pressure relief valve isn't what I'm going with (it's newer >anyway---newer than a 70,000 mile engine which I have. Jeez 70,000 is >still >new in today's world.( Do you know what folks want for a vehicle with >70k >on it!!!! ) > >Dennis says oil cooler, which is probably greatly related and I'll >consider >the Tiico with that vote, since the controversy isn't worth it, and I >don't >think the wasserboozer will go much farther with one anyway > >Most everyone (2-3 folks) says bearings.... bearings are not too spendy, >although rods probably are.. I'll think about the parts, info, etc. >I'm >living in disease-covered puget sound land. Too many folks with SUV"s >and >cell phones going to and from starbucks clogging bridges and building >more >ugly house developments. It is waaaaay too spendy here. Obviously, I'm >not >from here, and as soon as I can escape I will. What I'm getting at is I >have to do the work myself, since I can't afford the yuppie mark-up cost >of >a VW place. (yes the vanagon is a SUV, i know) > >You, notajeep, tell me the blow-by info related to my problem. That >actually makes sense and I think I will just consider the rebuilt engine >with that. STill I want to check it out. I have a compression tester kit >(new, I thought if I was to go buy another car, I should get one to test >before I buy). That will answer this theory? Yes? > >I'm sorry for the rants, but these mail lists are ridicuous at times. >They >are a nightmare for trying to go back and search through with all the >repeats and jokes and continuing threads. I wish the website would >expand >the Info section with cold hard facts. I do, myself, spend too much time >with vanagon.com. I need to spend more time elsewhere. I do love the >vanagon >when it's sitting. I find it very comfortable. I would love to invest >in >lots of interior perks but I keep spending the money on the motion part >of >the beast. It is, after all, just an automobile. If you don't feel like >answering after all this, I don't blame you. >Thanks, I'll quit talking now. >Brian Cochran >on a 2.1 step program to recovery (anyone want to buy a westy?) > > > > >_________________________________________________________________ >Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com

_________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com


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