Date: Thu, 5 Apr 2001 15:39:38 -0400
Reply-To: David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject: Re: 1985 Vanagon
In-Reply-To: <F267vzoxJ6sJ9amqkhq000021b2@hotmail.com>
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At 02:44 PM 4/5/2001, Patricia Ann Reeves wrote:
>Help. Please! I own a 1985 Volkswagon Vanagon Mark III. I am having
>trouble finding parts for her. Seems 85 Vanagons aren't suppose to be in
>the States.
Sure they are, not to worry. All years from '79/80 to '91 were sold
here. Almost all parts are available through VW dealers, though many are
very expensive and you may have to struggle with the Parts Department a
little so they'll get off their dead behinds. Brake parts and many others
are available from Bus Depot http://www.busdepot.com/ usually a lot cheaper
than dealer, and he gives a small discount to list members. Ken Wilford
http://www.vanagain.com supplies many parts with particular attention to
cooling and fuel systems, and shift linkages, often supplying dealer parts
for much less than regular dealer prices. Rocky Mountain Motorworks sells
parts -- I think that Bus Depot will sell you anything in their catalog for
less than they do. There is a dealer Camelback VW (haven't got contact
info here) who will ship parts to listmembers for I believe 20% less than
dealer list (which btw is set individually by the dealer). There is a
vendor page at http://www.vanagon.com/ that should be helpful as
well. Also instructions on how the heater controls work, and lots of other
good stuff.
FYI, you have a 1.9l (liter) engine with Digi*JET* (not DigiFant) control
system which is essentially the Bosch L-Jetronic system. Proper oil
filters are important -- get from Vanagain or Bus Depot, or dealer if you
must. Filters from Mann, Mahle, probably Bosch are ok, "normal" brands are
definitely not. Contrary to aftermarket opinion, the Vanagon filter is
*not* the same as the Rabbit/Golf filter. Likewise make sure you're using
the proper oil for your temperatures -- 10W30 is much too light for most
conditions. Get a copy of the Haynes manual ($25 from Bus Depot, sole
source) and if possible the Bentley manual (about $75 from Bus Depot, a lot
more from dealer or direct from Bentley. Be prepared to become somewhat
expert or find someone bound to you by chains of love who is so prepared --
most of these vans are on the two coasts and even there it's hard to find
anyone who actually understands them.
*Replace your fuel system hoses -- kit available $50 from Vanagain.* Don't
mess around with this, I promise they need it, and having your van burn to
the ground is a bad way to find out.
Take a look at the big steel cooling pipes that run from engine to radiator
-- if they're rotten at the rear you can cut off a section and replace with
hose. Drop the fuse panel and look for overheated connections -- they'll
need new crimp connectors. Ditto at the alternator.
Don't mess with the rear axle nuts without a very good reason -- Bentley
says you need to remove them to do brake work, but it's not true for
ordinary work. They are extremely difficult to remove and must be replaced
to insanely high torque levels to avoid hub damage. Likewise the little M8
bolts that hold the brake drums on are completely unnecessary, they keep
the drums from falling off at the factory. *Do* do your rear brakes by
the book, including disassembling and cleaning the adjusters etc. Do them
one at a time so you can refer to the other one for parts placement. Don't
worry if the backplate is pretty shaky-looking, they don't do anything
structural. If it's truly swiss-cheese it will need replacing, in which
case the axle nuts *will* have to come off. When you're looking for junk
backing plates, remember that you have to get the one for the proper side.
Remember that none of us here actually know as much as we think we do,
especially me. <g>
Welcome aboard
david
ps - be sure to mention that it's an '85 whenever you ask the list
something...all Vanagons have much in common, but there are noticeable
differences too.
David Beierl - Providence, RI
http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'84 Westy "Dutiful Passage"
'85 GL "Poor Relation"
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