Date: Sun, 15 Sep 2002 09:58:22 -0500
Reply-To: John Rodgers <j_rodgers@CHARTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <j_rodgers@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Maintenance History
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
There has been a good bit of discussion about how much repair and
maintenance our vans require. I thought I would share a summary of the
repair/maintenance history of my two V-gons and other transport.
1985 GL - Purchased from the PO at 105,000 miles. All major components
were still original. Only routine maintenance -- oil, filters, etc. --
had ever been done. Power steering rack leaking slightly.
Maintenance:
During my ownership: Routine servincing
110,000 miles - replaced hydraulic pump (pwr steering), overhauled
power steering rack.
200,000 miles - replaced header pipe
202,000 miles - replaced water pump
205,000 miles - overhauled the manual tranny. replaced clutch,
resurfaced flywheel.
205,000 + miles - sold. Running strong but using some oil.
1988 GL - Purchased off a dealer lot at 86,000 miles. No history from
PO. All components and accessories seemingly worked well.
87,000 miles : Tranny failure - minor component, but required removal,
and complete teardown to repair. Cost nearly price of an overhaul.
89,000 miles: Major engine overhaul resulting from a piston that burned
through. New clutch plus disc, re-surfaced flywheel., new rear seal.
Replaced all hoses, fuel lines in the engine compartment.
105,000 miles: Slipping clutch due to leaking oil seal. Removed tranny,
replaced rear seal and installed new clutch disc.
115,000 miles: Replaced brake master cylinder, bled brake lines and
hydraulic clutch slave cylinder.
117,000 miles: Replaced front blower switch, low beam headlight bulbs.
New CVs (Lobros)
1939 model Deluxe Male Body - Still fully operational. All major
components still fully functional , never a major component failure or
repair, some minor cosmetic issues, creak in the lower left extremity.
As you can see, my 88 GL has been more problematic for maintenance
than the 85 GL was. Yet I prefer the later van. Of course I now have
all the major things fixed and it should go for a very long time without
much major to do to it.
88 GL - Immediate Future plans: replace rear heater valve, replace power
steering rack, replace rear brakes. New windshield seal, new front door
window seals.
1939 Deluxe Male Body- Immediate future plans: Minor cosmetics are not
to distracting and will be left to nature. Creaky lower left extremity
is being given generous applications of Viamin E, glucosomine, Cod Liver
Oil and Acetominophen. Seems to work.
Given that my posesions here are aging, there are going to be ongoing
maintenance and repair issues, which are probably to numerous to go
into.
The only reason I see to ever replace my van is that the '39 Deluxe
creaky lower left extremity is beginning to demand some relief from the
clutching that must be done with a manual tranny on the 88 GL. . It may
well be that at some point I have to opt for a van with an automatic
tranny.
But I will sure hate to give this one up.
John Rodgers
88 GL Driver
| 
