Date:         Wed, 19 Jul 2006 14:26:12 -0700
Reply-To:     Evan Mac Donald <macdonald1987@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Evan Mac Donald <macdonald1987@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: What should be replaced?
In-Reply-To:  <c803c1a70607191353l7f2d190ayba1b95f476dedc17@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

Most list members will agree to the fluids. ALL the fluids. Brake, coolant, engine oil, transmission/final drive - even the blinker fluid. ;-P

  Seriously, alot can be told about the mechanical health of your vans innards by "reading" the drained fluids.

  Brake fluid (which may also be your clutch fluid, if you have a manual trans), should be mostly clear, with just the slighted hint of tan. It should be a bit thicker than water. There should be no noticable smell, either. If the color is dark, or there is a smell, or worst of all, LUMPS, you are in for trouble. A seal is dying, and is letting water in as it decays. Soon, lines and bores will also start to rust. Lots of ugly work to replace.

  Coolant is relatively easy to read - as long as you know what color it started out as! Again, clean and clear of lumps or other unidentified matter. Straight water would be a sign that there was neglect of heads in the recent past. Maybe a head gasket job in your future!

  Engine oil will be ugly, even if it is less than 1000 miles old. Waterboxers are dirty engines. Just change it, keep it changed, and use the CORRECT filter!

  Transmission and final drive are messy. If you have a manual, the fluid (80/85/90W gear oil) is all the same, and in one place. It can be hard to drain, with the trans in the vehicle. A small hose, with a pump is often the only way. But there are other tricks, too. An automatic trans is very easy to drain. Remove the compression nut on the side of the pan, where the filler tube goes in. The final drive on an automagic trans also has a sheet steel bottom cover. Remove that, and all the 90W gear oil will join you in the driveway. None of these oils should smell burnt, or be opaque. If they are opaque, it can be just dirt, or bearing and/or wear surface material. Bright, shiny flecks are bad news all around. The color of the flecks can tell you alot, too. Silver is usually bearings, or gear faces, while copper or bronze colors are wear surfaces or sychros.

  Blinker fluid is a joke...  ...until you run out...!

  Good luck with your "new-to-you" van. Don't be afraid to ask. Somebody here probably knows the answer...

Jeff Lincoln <magikvw@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
  I know this has been addressed before and I searched the Archives but didn't
find what I wanted. So my apologies for the re-hash.

That 86' I mentioned before is "new" to me. I hadn't even seen it run or
driven it until this past Sunday. I cannot with any certanty attest to the
condition of anything in it except the fuel pump, fuel filter, and come
Friday the Brake pads, shoes, and wheel cylinders. So my question is this -
for someone with very limited mechanical ability what exactly should I be
looking at replacing?

--
Thanks,

Jeff