Date:         Tue, 20 Aug 2002 20:59:56 -0400
Reply-To:     John Tomljenovic <zadar72@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Tomljenovic <zadar72@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      when your vanagon preempts preventive maintainence (aborted trip
              story)

Hey listers,

Let me let you in on my panic turned comedy.....


We were suposed to leave for our west coast trip today,  well "Elsa"
decided to have a fit, or at least scare the jesus out of me.   Last night
I finished up packing and cleaning at my parents house and drove back home
when the brakes started feeling funny,  Peridically she would lose brake
pressure and make my heart jump.  Thinking this cannot be good, I fretted
what it could be.  Wheel cylinder?  Master?  Whatever the case it seemed
like we were screwed,  We had a wedding to be for in california and thats
hightailing it from chicago.   I lost all confidence in driving though the
mountains though.  I checked everything I could and found no leaks,  I
originally assumed the rear wheel cylinders since the were original and
untouched but the backing plates were dry.  The master had to be, but that
was recently replaced by the PO and had no sign of leaking.  Now at a loss
I resorted to putting my tail between the legs and going for some
professional help.  And the clock is ticking....

Rolf is some wacked German guy who is the owner of a shop that bears his
name and always has a few stripper vanagons in the parking lot.  I am
actually afraid to meet with him tommorrow for fear he might talk my ear
off about vanagons.

So I call Rolf auto care and ask for Rolf,  "he is gone for the day"  says
one of his people,  well I describe my problem and he says "bring it in and
we'll see what we can do"  I go there and plead my dire situation and get
the indifferent attitude.  "we'll try"  but at this point I have not much
choice.

I walk home and mull over strategy.  If Rolf's people don't get at it
tonight I will just have to scrounge for parts this afternoon and just pull
an all nighter and replace everthing myself,  because if we don't get Elsa
rolling by tommorow at noon we will never make the Wedding.   I make some
calls and find a new master cylinder and I already have wheel cylinders and
thats all I had to go on,  I would gamble the fact these might be the
problem and wing it.  If it doesn't become the fix, then attending this
beutiful outdoor sonoma valley wedding (that I was eager to photograph)
was never meant to be.  We had everyting else against us,  scheduling
conflicts at work.  One of our cats needing medical treatment and possible
surgery days before.   This was another hurdle I guess,  this trip better
be phenomenal....

It comes close to zero hour and the call placed to Rolfs to see whats up, I
was about to just go over there and pick 'er up and call my brother to get
the parts.  It was going to be a long night.  Or so I thought.  "well we
were able to look at it today"  says rolf's people.   "In fact Rolf came
back to the shop and looked at it personally when we told him about it",
Great,  I get the guru to check out "elsa" but that means I will probably
get I lecture from him too.  "It turns out it was one of the rear wheel
cylinders after all"  the minion continues.  I am somewhat releved but at
the sametime embarassed that I myself did not catch this,  but apparently
it was only visable until the wheels and drums were pulled off.  He
continues about probably not having parts until later the next day,  but I
countered that response with a demand to look in the rear cabinet.  I had
complete rear brakes, cylinders shoes and hardware in a box.  I bought all
of it to rebuild the rear end,  but was waiting until I had more parts.
I was planning to work over the brakes eventually.  "Elsa" beat me to the
punch.

Well this story may have happy ending after all as Rolf is going to work on
my van first thing tomorrow morning so we can still make our trip,  that is
if Rolf will let me go at least.  Did I say he loves vanagons?  It sure is
going to hurt me feelings watching someone else feel up Elsa,  but the
lesson is learned...

DON'T PUT OFF THAT MAINTENCE PROJECT YOU PLANNED!!!

Later................Johnny t