Date:         Wed, 28 Aug 2002 09:47:30 -0500
Reply-To:     Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Spare Parts List - Input
Comments: To: gull@CYBERSPACE.ORG
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Why not just do the dummy things:
1) Fuel Filter
2) Alternator Belt
3) Additive to remove moisture from the fuel tank.
4) Couple of quarts of oil.
5) Gallon of Water to drink or put in the van.
6) Few hose clamps.
7) Tire Gauge
8) Fix a flat.
9) FIRE EXTINGUISHER.
10) One foot of fuel line and 4 hose clamps.

Stan

On Wed, 28 Aug 2002 10:35:39 -0400 David Brodbeck <gull@CYBERSPACE.ORG>
writes:
> On Wed, 28 Aug 2002, Larry Chase wrote:
>
> > Current plan is to replace existing parts that seem to be fine
> with new and
> > use the originals for spares.
>
> I personally wouldn't do this, unless you have time to drive the
> van
> around for a couple weeks before taking it out.  You know the
> current
> parts are good, because the van's running on them -- why take a
> chance on
> a bunch of replacements you can't be sure about?
>
> My rule of thumb is to avoid doing major maintenance at the last
> minute
> before a long trip, if at all possible.  Give it at *least* a week
> of
> driving in between so you know your repair hasn't broken something
> else,
> and the new parts are good.  Parts replacements are disruptive --
> bolts
> get loosened, hoses get shoved around, electrical connectors get
> disturbed.  All of these can cause problems of their own that won't
> crop
> up until after a few hours of vibration.  And new parts sometimes
> suffer
> 'infant mortality.'
>
> I think an alternator may be over-cautious.  They don't fail *that*
> often,
> you can get quite a ways with a bad one by getting battery charges
> at auto
> parts stores, and most places can probably get one in a day at most.
>  The
> ECU also strikes me as overkill -- yes, it's important, but how
> often do
> they actually fail?  That's a pretty expensive part to buy 'just in
> case',
> especially when there are a few vendors that you can get one
> overnighted
> from.  If it makes you sleep better, though, it may be worth the
> money.
>
> You may want to carry a few sizes of coolant hose patch kits, just
> in case
> -- the little barbed connectors and clamps they sell in auto parts
> stores.
>
>              _ _
>   __ _ _   _| | |  | David M. Brodbeck (N8SRE)
> Ypsilanti, MI
>  / _` | | | | | |
> +-----------------------------------------------------
> | (_| | |_| | | | @ cyberspace.org
>  \__, |\__,_|_|_| "The VW camper is a brilliant invention -- it's
> like a
>  |___/             Swiss army knife for the road... It's the stealth
> RV."
>                                                         -- Wayne
> Curtis
>

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