Date: Thu, 4 May 2006 00:09:37 EDT
Reply-To: ELevine3035@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Eric Levine <ELevine3035@AOL.COM>
Subject: 1984 Vanagon GL H2O
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
I took in my vanagon to the local mechanic and gave him my wish list.
He called me back with an estimate:
1. Bottle for re-fill tank, level sensor, hose over transmission: don't make
it anymore, so needs to figure out and make one that fits. Previous owner
put a hose on that was too big and even fully clamped down, leaks. Hose is to
the oil cooler on the transmission. He needs to fiddle with it until he finds
the right hose: $210.00
2. Transmission leaking everywhere, pan, gasket, torque converter, seal
between transmission and differential. The transmission has to be taken out and
resealed. A new clutch will be put in and basically needs a re-build. This
has to be done before I begin doing damage to the hard parts: $1,100.00 (he
takes it out and brings it to the tranny guy across the street)
3. Lubricated the doors and locks, now my doors open like butter (was
having trouble with my back door lock and passenger side lock was not opening,
sliding door has no key). I have three keys: ignition, door and gas cap.
4. Oil Change
5. Clamped the filler pipe for the oil so it doesn’t vibrate off, it was
cracked.
6. As for the sliding window. It locks but it vibrates open after driving.
So I need to check if it is locked. I thought it was the weather
stripping or the guide rail on the bottom. He said it needs a new lock for the
sliding window and I can look on ebay, samba, go westy, etc.
7. The starter is working. Sometimes you have to wait for it to start. He
said the starter is full of transmission fluid from the leak, so it may have
to be replaced. He said the starter could be okay and I could wait to
replace it until it fails but while he has the tranny out, there is no labor cost
for changing the starter: $155.00 (its up to me if I want a new starter put
on)
8. The rear brakes are shot that’s why I need to pull the parking brake all
the way up: $250.00
I plan on giving him another list:
1. I gave him the original keys. Need to check if the key copies work like
the originals on the two doors he lubricated.
2. Show him what I know about the sliding window lock, may or may not be
the lock itself.
3. I put on a new passenger side rear view mirror. It did not hold its
position, so I took it off and twisted the base to tighten the screw mechanism
inside. I put plumbing goop in between the rubber washer and the door and
between the mirror and the washer. Do I need to reapply the glue between the
washer and mirror again. I haven’t tested it yet on the highway to see if it
holds position. Did I twist it too much? Is it a defective mirror or did I
loosen it by twisting it when I was trying to figure out how to install it.
4. Blind spot mirrors for the side mirrors. Where to put them and how big
to get?
5. Show him the extra parts such as fuel filter, window roll up handles,
belt, spark plugs, fuses, light bulbs etc.
6. Is it possible to set up a hammock or rack to hang surf boards from the
ceiling of the vanagon. To access the engine, I have to move my surfboards
to the front of the vehicle.
7. The van doesn’t have AC. How much of the hardware for the AC was
removed and a price on installing AC.
8. License plate holder for front bumper.
Eric
1984 Vanagon GL H2O
Asuan Brown
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