Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2003 22:14:52 -0500
Reply-To: Joel Walker <jwalker17@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Joel Walker <jwalker17@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject: Re: Greetings all
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
> Just wanted to introduce myself, name's Dave and I'll soon be
the proud
> owner of a 1985 Vanagon (Westy/Weekender/Wolfsberg,) I'm a
previous owner of
> a 1978 T2 Westy, and previous T2 list member. Just wanted to
say hi, it
> bein Friday and all...
welcome to the wet side of the Farce. :)
don't forget ...
- change ALL fluids as soon as you get the bus. this includes
engine oil/filter, coolant, transmission oil, brake fluid.
anything else you can find that looks like liquid. :)
- change ALL FUEL LINES!!!! do it!!! make SURE you use
high-pressure fuel injection rated hose ...
you don't even want to know what happens if you try to use
carburetor hose! :( and it never hurts to carry good luck charms
in the bus .. like a big working fire extinguisher!! yup.
watercooled buses can burn, too. :(
- pull each fuse out of the fuse box, one at a time. clean it off
with superfine sandpaper. put it back into the fuse box. do this
three times with each fuse. you'd be surprised at how many
electrical gremlins this can prevent. :)
- clean and regrease the cv joints, and check the boots for
tears/rips/cracks. i recommend Valvoline Moly EP wheel bearing
grease, in the paper tube (for grease guns). about $2/tube. need
two (2) tubes ...use 1/2 tube per joint ... what you can't get
into the joint itself, cram it into the rubber boot! :)
- clean and regrease the three sliding points of the sliding
door. makes it work a lot quieter and easier.
- for brighter headlights, you can do two things:
1. run a 12 guage wire from the negative post (where the
braided strap from the battery bolts to the bus body, in the
battery compartment. you do know where the battery is, right?
;) ) of the battery to the headlights and connect it to the brown
wire on each headlight. cleaner/better ground and you get free
brighter lights. :)
2. spend big bucks and buy some Hella Vision Plus halogen
headlights. WAAAAY better light pattern.
but like $35 each! :( lemme know if you need a source ...i love
these things. :)
- find any rust on the bus and use some Naval Jelly to stop it.
follow the directions on the bottle. plastic bottle, pink stuff
(phosphoric/ous acid), available at most hardware stores and
wal-marts. then put primer over it and paint it later.
- check the spare tire!!! is it there? does it have air? get a
good quality bicycle pump and a good quality, easily-readable
tire guage. keep them in the bus at all times. :) and get a tood
lug wrench and see if you can take each lug nut/stud off and put
it back on and tighten it to 123 ft-lbs of torque? <don't got a
torque wrench? sears sells 'em. :) 1/2-inch drive, takes a 19mm
socket for the wheel lugs/studs, and you'll want a 2-inch
extension for the socket. a 1/2-inch breaker bar, about 30 inches
long, would be nice to have as well ... for breaking the
lugs/studs loose>.
- where's the jack? and the skimpy little toolkit? :)
- owner's manual? if doesn't have one, check these folks ...
Out-of-Print Service/Owners Manuals
Volkswagen United States if it's still available,
they'll send
1-800-544-8021 it to you. $16 each.
be sure to ask for the Camper Supplement as well ... no extra
charge, but they won't send it if you don't ask.
that's all i can think of at the moment. good luck!
unca joel
