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Date:         Wed, 6 Oct 2004 20:37:46 +0200
Reply-To:     Robin Oomkes <roomkes@ZONNET.NL>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Robin Oomkes <roomkes@ZONNET.NL>
Subject:      Re: 400mm Lift to Flush
Comments: To: David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
              reply-type=response

---- Original Message ----- From: "David Beierl" <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Wednesday, October 06, 2004 7:59 PM Subject: Re: 400mm Lift to Flush

At 00:18 10/6/2004, Don Sturgill wrote: >Probably, I will follow the thread advice saying fill with the rear-end >raised and burp with the front raised. First, I need to get the shroud off >the left side engine (the right shroud is already missing). While I am >under there, I can see why there is such an oily buildup on the bottom of >the engine and investigate the layout a bit.

Be aware this sucker is assembled from two halves...the seam has been known to leak oil. While you're there, note that the drain plug screws into one of those halves, there's no "oil pan" as such and no easy fixes if you bugger the aluminum thread.

>After getting coolant in, I need to ask Bentley and Haynes (and probably >Rick again by this time) why it won't idle when cold without dying. Fuel >injection, so no idle screw to adjust.

The 1.9l has ECU (engine control unit) control of fuel pump and injectors; the system is essentially the Bosch L-Jetronic. Ignition drive is from a Fairchild ignition module mounted on firewall forward of the coil. Timing is by a conventional distributor with vacuum advance and retard and centrifugal advance. Distro. has a Hall-effect pulse generator that feeds the Fairchild module. In between the two is a green or black box, supposed to screw to the bulkhead but ears probably broken off. It provides a strong idle (you should be able to drive off carefully in low gear without touching the throttle) by actively adjusting the timing at idle speeds before the ignition module sees the pulse. You disable it by removing the plugs and plugging them into each other -- this will let you adjust timing, basic idle speed etc. There are *two* idle screws -- one for idle speed which is a big fat plug with screwdriver slot facing up and aft from the throttle body. This can be way off and still idle at nominal speed because of the stabilizer; but things work better when it's right. The other is the idle mixture screw, under a tamper-resistant plug in the AFM (Aluminum plug, hard steel bottom to keep in the drilling shavings, grooved outside with a springy wire pressing against the wall of the hole). Instructions for both in Bentley. Haynes of course doesn't cater for US oddities, but IIRC things they say specifically about Digijet should be right. Our engine code is DH, by the way.

About parts -- You need to know your VIN, or the interesting part of it which is the part beginning at position 7: 24-E-nnn nnn. The E means '84 model year and the rest are sequential production numbers. The two hyphens are place markers, ignore those digits (the second one is a location code). Major things that changed: Mid '83 2.0l aircooled change to 2.1l watercooled, add second grille in front. '86 shift to 2.1l engine with Digifant ECU -- many detail changes in induction, cooling, engine control, exhaust. Mid-'85 front suspension shift to cast control arm. '85 total sliding door re-design, not compatible. Mid '84 (?) front wheel bearing sizes. '86 change to single-piston calipers with thicker but smaller-diameter rotors. '8(?) springs lowered perhaps an inch? '86 shift to quad-rectangular headlights and grille.

If you ask the list for part numbers, no doubt they will be provided you. A nod is as good as a wink to a blind bat, eh? <nudge nudge wink wink>

Known weak points: Heater fan overloads switch (and entire circuit) on high speed, cure by adding a separate circuit and relay for that speed. Heater blower seizes, have to remove dash to fix. Heater box contains two free-swinging flaps that fall off -- without them blower has little effect but ram air works fine. Rear wipers prone to seize and burn up. Transmission 3-4 synchro slider fails, symptom is difficult to shift out of those gears. Engine control system is notorious for finicky and difficult behavior arising from less-than-pristine grounding. AFM wears out and gets noisy which can send the ECU into panic mode, search for capacitor fix. Hand brake needs strong arm -- '86-up has a longer handle which can be retrofitted. Stiff shifting -- '84 have exposed bushings under vehicle that need greasing way too often. If it shifts beautifully in rainy weather that's the problem. Tires are critical and difficult, very little selection with stock 14" rims. Michelin Agilis 4x4 is the "correct" choice, take six aspirin and search the archives... Notice the specified pressure front and rear!! (Speaking of which, note the crankcase oil specs too, most people don't expect them.) Getting tires wrong turns the van into a wallowing pig and may cause blowouts. Stabilizer bar (anti-roll bar) linkages tend to break where they bolt to the lower control arm. Horn contact ring is either worn out or already replaced. Headlight switch is marginal, carry spare and/or add relays to circuit. Ignition switch probably pretty tired, carry spare. Starter solenoid gets sticky, clean it or swap starter. All high-current wiring marginal -- inspect carefully for signs of melting at contact crimps and replace as necessary. Ground connections tend to deteriorate, check them. Voltage regulator brushes wear down, inspect. Charging voltage marginal because of long undersize wire run to battery, be aware. Alternator ground to engine may contribute to problem; I've seen a half-volt drop there. Shift lever tends to break off near bottom where it's drilled through (under shifter boot). Rear brake adjusters freeze up. Body seams rust. Steel coolant pipes rust through -- they were replaced by plastic ones. Fitting plastic ones requires reworking the openings underneath where they pass through, a pain. Plastic ones fail at the end fittings instead. Plastic H-shaped manifold near coolant expansion tank is on its last legs and is NLA from dealer -- beware. See archives. Water pump when it fails will cock sideways and eat into the the case well before it seizes. Check for side play and replace if there is any. Alternator mounting bolt will break if it's too loose, check Bentley -- I think they re-spec'ed the bolt and torque requirements. *WATCH OUT* for excessive torque on engine fastenings -- read and heed the specs. Unless you really enjoy putting in Helicoils... Most fasteners are 8mm coarse thread, take a 13mm wrench. Small ones 6mm, take a 10mm wrench. Don't overfill oil: down a half is normal running full. Full mark is Never-Exceed level, if it's above that take some out. Check all rubber/fabric hoses around engine; vacuum leaks abound and the hoses fatigue and split very unobtrusively at the ends. Any aftermarket oil filter that uses the same p/n for Vanagon as for Golf or anything else is Not Suitable. Vanagon has specific requirements. Mann and Mahle and dealer are safe. OEM coolant hoses are amazingly durable (and expensive), but 20 years is probably about enough, eh? Don't be fooled by cheesy appearance, they really are superior. Fuel pump whine is probably from plugged fuel filter (small square one ahead of pump), change it now on GP unless you have good records showing recent change. Tie rod end boots are probably perished, but they seem to hold up pretty well anyway. *REPLACE ALL FUEL-CIRCUIT HOSE STARTING AT THE TRANSITION FROM PLASTIC PIPE TO HOSE FORWARD OF THE FIREWALL, AND REPLACE OR BYPASS THE PLASTIC BULKHEAD FITTING AT THE FIREWALL. DON'T SCREW AROUND WITH THIS. EXAMINE THE PLASTIC FUEL RAILS OUTBOARD OF EACH PAIR OF INJECTORS AND REPAIR OR REPLACE IF THE METAL RETAINING RING IS CORRODED. Use 7mm fuel-injection hose and matching clamps -- www.vanagain.com and www.busdepot.com both have the necessary. Yes, the hose is expensive and so are the clamps. Do it anyway. This system runs at 35 psi and can potentially generate over 100 psi if the pressure regulator fails -- engine fires are far too common, and far too commonly destroy the entire van. When you do, take maximum precautions to keep the inside of the system pristine, just like a hydraulic system. Doesn't take much to clog an injector. While you're there, injector seals are probably dried up, two seals on each injector. Ok, that's all the free-association I have time for...

> Then, I need to figure out how to replace the muffler, which has a >small hole it and is probably the source of the exhaust leak I hear. I >sprayed some de-rust lubricant on the bolts and prayed a bit for a miracle >later.

I have two types of miracle for exhaust bolts. PB-Blaster (or better yet, Kroil) is of course the all-purpose miracle for everything. If saving a stud is important I use removal sockets from Irwin that hammer onto the nut and bite into it. The 13-mm hardware will be rusted down to where the 1/2" Irwin socket works perfectly. Otherwise if they're inclined to be difficult I don't mess with them, just cut them off with oxy-acetylene. Far faster than grinding and much easier not to damage the flanges.

This is a rigid exhaust system; it has seven (?) struts to support it and you need them all. The support for the muffler is byzantine and $$$ (and rusts); and depends on a strap that's $$ and rusts and is NLA from dealer. Bus Depot has them. Don't touch the muffler before you know what condition that stuff is in and what you'll need to do with it. Victor makes a superior exhaust putty that can slather over small holes temporarily, comes in an orange tube.

> Oh, yeah, I really need to figure out where the water is going > from >the expansion jug. I can't see any water dripping from the engine, but the >expansion chamber must be filled daily. I just don't like continued >driving >without any antifreeze.

Worst case, it's going into the cylinders. An exhaust sniffer finding hydrocarbons in the refill tank headspace will nail that diagnosis. Likewise a sniffer for antifreeze products in the exhaust. VW specifies 50/50 antifreeze mix for all running conditions.

> As to the jacking situation: > >Assuming I use the lowest front cross-brace to jack under.. It is about >10.5 >inches off the ground. I must take the vehicle up another 16 inches. I

Radiator to rear wheels is about 135 inches. Rear wheels to front wheels is about 100 inches. 12" lift at front wheels will give you 16" at radiator. Try for 16" at front wheels and you'll probably drop it, just like I did (they're strong vehicles for sure, but it's not at all good for your wife's heart rate...trust me.

>"Coram Deo".. That is a phrase that I love and I use it to identify my

Real "in your face" deal, eh? <g>

cheers and welcome. david "God provided Toyotas so that we could (also) have Vanagons, and naughty high-maintenance children so we could learn how to love said Vanagons"

-- David Beierl - Providence RI USA -- http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/ '84 Westy "Dutiful Passage," '85 GL "Poor Relation"

David:

just a note to say how much I enjoy the techie prose and the savoir faire in your posts. Hacker is a word that comes to mind... (What makes it even better is knowing the Joker's not affected by most of the woes you describe - I've got a stock turbodiesel - the German word is Schadenfreude).

Your recent post on battery charging and offshore life on 12V made me make an informed choice on getting a cheap 72 Ah lead-acid starter battery with a 2 year warranty as a 2nd battery install - will see how long it lasts and then get an Optima. (The Eberspächer diesel heaters that come with most European Westies are notoriously current-hungry).


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