Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 13:53:54 -0800
Reply-To: Keith Ovregaard <kovregaard@COMCAST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Keith Ovregaard <kovregaard@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Re: Roadside Troubles while on Vacationing
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I've had a few "events" that forced changes in past trips in my 84
Westy and 90 Westy Syncro. More in my diesel PU, but those stories are
for another time. Here are a few:
84 Westy:
Head gasket leak- blowing coolant out the overflow bottle onto the
windshields of all who followed me on I-5 north coming into Portland.
Temp gauge was spiking intermittently, managed to limp into Beaverton's
VW dealer for a new gasket. Cost: $0 (BBB recall)
Tranny pilot bearing fried. Again, visiting family in Oregon when
shifting became impossible. AAA towed to the Rabbit Hutch in Tualatin
for tranny rebuild. Cost: about $1200! ouch
Vanagon Syndrome. Sporadic loss of power on various weekend trips.
Managed to keep it going until I got it to Kuhn Automotive in Fairfax,
CA where they install new AFM, plugs, wires, cap, rotor and tank seals
(leaked after filling). Cost: a lot!
Fuel pump died. While climbing that steep road before Jackson Hole the
engine died. Fuel pump way noisy. Old couple pulled over to help. I was
amazed because the guy couldn't even get out of the truck (he was on
oxygen). His wife gets out to see if I needed any advice from the
hubby! How cool is that? Let the pump cool and fired it back up. Going
down the long steep incline to Jackson the engine was redlined most of
the way in 2nd gear and the brakes where getting toasty, I'm sure. At
the bottom, I stepped on the gas and a huge smoke-screen of blue smoke
was blowing from the exhaust. Oil sucked in thru the valve guide seals.
Engine dies again outside of Aspen. Could have waited to cool, but let
AAA tow us in. Local FLAPS wanted about $380! Fedexed new one from
Europarts for $168
Misc roadside failures:
rotor/cap fouled (twice), rear shocks blown, crack exhaust manifold and
broken bracket, windshield leak, right rear body damage (twice in same
spot!), forgot to torque CV shaft bolts and the shaft dropped inside
the "cave" on the Golden Gate Bridge!. Pushed by CHP. Cost: fined by
the toll both sensors (yes, you still have to pay even though being
pushed by CHP!)
90 Westy
Vanagon Sydrome (again!) Capacitor fix to the AFM, new Oxy sensor, new
temp ll sensor, repositioned AFM wiper, check all FI parts with digi
meter, test fuel pressure, test idle control parts, pull throttle
body/idle switch and the switch tested OK (most of the time!) so
replaced with new. Fixed! Cost: $68
Drive shaft vibration. Replaced with new slip-yoke shaft. Cost: $495
Looking forward (sort of) to the next Vanagon adventure! I must be
sick, but I'm in good company here!
Keith O.
90 Westy Syncro "VikingWagen"
Past VeeDubs in the family
1984 Westy "Brownie"
1980 PU diesel
1979 Rabbit
1963? 23 window Splitty
1965 Bus
1969 Bus
1959 Bug