Date: Sat, 8 May 2004 22:50:23 -0700
Reply-To: Mark Seifert <theburnvictims@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mark Seifert <theburnvictims@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: State of the List... State your ages!!!!!!! :<)
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed
I have had my 86 Vanagon since December of 2003. I bought it from the
manager of the shop I used to work for, 2 weeks before I left. He was a
surfer, and he used it for weekend trips to the beach for I think 14 years.
He took pretty good care of it, and I always thought it was a cool van, but
never thought about buying one until he decided to get rid of it.
One Saturday he asked the mechanics to take a look at it and check a
coolant leak that he thought was a head gasket. We confirmed it, and he left
the van there for the weekend. On the following Monday, he showed up for
work with a brand new Honda Element (disgusting, I know...) While he was
transferring all his stickers and cabinets, etc from the van to his new
Honda, I asked what he planned to do with the VW. He said he was just going
to donate it, and said if I wanted it, he would take $1000. See, I'm a
26-year-old mechanic (NOT a "Volkswagen mechanic"), who's also in a band, so
it sounded like a van that could get my band to our gigs, that only needed a
head gasket, for 1 grand was a great deal!
I talked it over with my bass player, and he came down to take a look at
it. We both agreed that the van was the coolest thing we had ever seen, so
we bought it. Since I was changing jobs, I didn't plan to fix the leak
anytime soon, so I put some Bar's Leaks in it. That actually worked. Of
course, I didn't consider it fixed, just driveable for now. I drove it to
work and around town for a while, and I absolutely loved it. I had never
owned a VW before. I have owned about 12 cars since my first when I was 17
years old. 3 of those cars were late 60's BMW 2002's, so I have some
familiarity with German cars. Speaking of those '02s, I put alot of work,
time, and money into them, and I only had success with one, the other two
had serious engine trouble that was too much for me to afford at the time.
Still one of the best cars in the world, though. Anyway, the only experience
I had with VW's was a girlfriend years ago who had a 68 bug, which I drove
most of the time, and had many problems with. One time the clutch pedal fell
off while I was driving. Another time the pressure plate broke, and the
starter burned up because I tried to restart it when it died. We ripped the
back fender in half when she caught my Datsun truck's front bumper at a stop
sign. We replaced fuel filters every 2 weeks due to the crap in the gas
tank. There were strange puffs of smoke inside the car from time to time.
She had at least 3 stereos stolen, and one time the entire speaker board
behind the back seat. etc....
So I made new curtains for it first, because I didn't like the ones it
came with. I removed all the surfer stickers that remained, and I drove the
van around until February, when we had an out of town gig coming up in
Chico, CA. We live in Sacramento, so that's about a 2 hr drive. We discussed
taking the van on such a trip with its imminent leak. Being a mechanic, I
tend to make stupid decisions about cars from time to time. I think because
I know how to fix them, there should be no problems if anything should go
wrong on the road. So we loaded up the van and got on the 99 north. The
first hour of the trip was fine. The van was cruising along, and I was
watching the temp gauge. Later on, the temp gauge seemed like it was going
up, but again I was sure everything would be fine. Just about 10 miles from
Chico, the gauge went all the way up, and the light started blinking. I
pulled over and saw coolant literally pouring out of the right side head. I
guess the Bars leak finally gave out. So we waited for it to cool down a bit
while I convinced the other guys everything would be fine. When it was cool
enough to add water (which we brought 6 gallons of, just in case), I watched
it pour out while I poured it in. The head gasket was literally broken! I
filled it up and jumped in. We drove into Chico, and found the gig, with the
temp light blinking and the engine steaming. We played and then thought
about ways to get back.
I knew the only way we could get that van home was to seal the leak. So we
went to a gas station and bought some more leak seal. They didn't have Bars
leak, so I bought the Gunk. I figured it was worth a shot. We were quite
amazed when we saw that the Gunk actually worked. We drove home without
leaking a drop.
Now it was time to seriously think about fixing the van. I took it to the
shop and yanked the engine out. I figured that would be the best place to
start. Then I started reading online about the 2.1s and their poor design,
spun rod bearings after 150000 miles, stretch bolts, and other things. I
read about engine conversions, but after checking prices of parts, I decided
that would not fit my budget. I knew what I had to do was tear it apart and
overhaul it. This was an experience I'll never forget. Don't think I did
this without help. I got help from many different people, including some of
you on the list. I needed it. I was able to get by without using any of the
"special tools." You dont need those. They might make things easier, but
there's no need to buy them. I got some help from Wally at Vanagonparts.com,
which is right here in Sacramento. He rebuilt my heads, and helped me get
the endplay set correctly. After chasing down the parts, using photocopied
pages from the Bentley, which I never bought for myself, and asking
countless questions, I got it back together, and it's running again with no
problems. I did the JB Weld treatment on the heads, becase I've heard mostly
good things about it. I re-used a lot of the parts that I took out,
including the oil rings, because the new ones in the set looked like a
crappy design compared to the original. I had to re-use on main bearing,
because I crushed it the first time I put the case together. It was the one
behind the two gears on the front of the crankshaft - fun. I put the case
together and took it apart 3 times, due to various probelms and screw ups. I
put one of the heads on and took it off once, because I over-extended my
pushrod tubes, and they went in crooked. The other head I did the same
thing, because I forgot to put the lifters in. I had to hunt all over town
for piston snap-rings, because I broke two of them when I took the pistons
out after putting them in once already. It took 6 weeks to complete.
I've learned so much in the past 5 months, and I've really started to love
my Vanagon. I will never sell it. And if I do decide to get rid of it one
day, it will be replaced by another VW. Working with cars for a living,
driving and working on pretty much everything that's out there, I've never
seen anything better than a VW. Out of all the vehicles I've owned and
driven, I have to say that the Vanagon is the greatest one ever made.
-Mark
>From: Damon Campbell <damoncampbellvw@YAHOO.COM>
>Reply-To: Damon Campbell <damoncampbellvw@YAHOO.COM>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: State of the List... State your ages!!!!!!! :<)
>Date: Sat, 8 May 2004 21:05:17 -0700
>
>--- JordanVw@AOL.COM wrote:
> > i think it would be a cool thread to see the average
> > ages of people on the
> > list...and why you like vw vans, or why you bought
> > your van..and if you used it
> > for your your family, or just yourself..
>
>
>I guess i'll engage in this bit of collective
>narcissism as well (even though i am not one of the
>big-time posters).
>
>I’m 27 and despite having grown up around VWs, have
>only technically owned one car – the ’84 westy my dad
>bought in that same year. My first ride was a ’73
>super beetle, chopped and lowered by my father, but
>still underpowered (a good thing in those Alaskan
>winters – I got into enough automotive trouble as it
>was). The real fun, however, was growing up and
>taking long summer trips in the westy, and all the
>memories I’ve had surrounding that thing (like when I
>was 13, and took my mom’s jetta for a joy ride that
>ended in the rear quarter panel of my dad’s van… not
>good!). Sparky has probably driven the Al-Can
>somewhere around 25 times…
>
>So, when my parents passed the van on to me about 3
>years ago with the provision I could have it as long
>as they could use it any time they wanted, I was
>pretty stoked. Since then, I have been trying to
>restore it and make it a vehicle I’ll hang on to for a
>loooong time. Some things have been good (new brakes,
>SA wheels, e-code headlights, sound system, etc.), and
>some things haven’t gone as well (don’t have your
>first engine rebuild be an unusual hot-rodding of an
>unusual engine!). Fortunately, my wife is (mostly)
>supportive, and hopefully Boston Bob’s repair of my
>engine will be the last thing it needs for quite a
>while.
>
>I’m not the hardest core VW nut (wouldn’t even call
>myself one), but I do like my van, like the van
>community, and like the freedom of taking the most
>elegantly designed house on wheels wherever I feel
>like going.
>
>I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend,
>
>-Damon
>
>
>=====
>'84 Westy (Sparky) w/2.3L WBX (well... it was worth a shot. And now it
>is.)
>
>
>
>
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