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Date:         Wed, 24 Jan 2007 11:41:25 -0600
Reply-To:     Jim Felder <felder@KNOLOGY.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jim Felder <felder@KNOLOGY.NET>
Subject:      Roadside engine swaps was death valley... but that would be death
              valley
In-Reply-To:  <45B78F55.2070603@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed

I carry almost enough tools in my diesel to do an engine swap, but that's really very few tools. I do carry enough tools to deal with a head replacement, but that's pretty easy. They all go in a small plastic case about the size of a hardbound novel. I don't carry a torque wrench, and I would need to add a sawhorse, a comealong and a set of ramps to take everything really needed, but sawhorses at least are are universally available.

When it comes to the waterboxer, everything changes. I've never pulled the engine from my car in its 212,000 miles, but I have done the heads, and I can tell you that I probably used every tool I owned for that task. Every drift, punch, cutter, C-clamp, trouble light, extension, everything. I'm talking furniture clamps to squeeze the exhaust tubes into alignment for reassembly, and an angle grinder and hack saw to get them apart. I think if you took everything you needed to swap out a WBX you'd fill the van and wouldn't have room for anything else.

I'd much rather break down in the diesel.

Jim

On Jan 24, 2007, at 10:54 AM, Michael Elliott wrote:

> Yeah but that's near your house and presumably within easy walking and > driving distance of tools and parts. > > Setting aside the ATV jack that we'd all be wishing we'd packed before > we headed out into the desert, I reckon that a fellow would need to be > packing a pretty extensive list of tools -- and probably plenty of > good > beer for afterwards -- to pull off a WBX swap on the roadside out > in the > middle of nowhere. I don't want to start a "here's my tool list" > thread > because that's been done a gazillion times, but is there such a list > published online? Coolant . . . and how about cleaning up spills so as > not to leave a mess behind? > > -- > Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott > 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus > 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana") > 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano > KG6RCR > > > > > Jeff Stewart typed: >> <But if you >> could do that with a WBX engine, my hat is off to you. Your skillset, >> the collection of tools you pack, and your confidence far exceed >> mine> >> >> >> I just did an R&R on a WBX engine in my '84 not too long ago, and >> on the >> gravel portion of my driveway, so similiar to being on the side of >> the >> road. Luckily, though, with the late arrival of winter here in the >> mid-Atlantic area (Virginia, anyway) it wasn't too bad. I keep >> hearing how >> much worse it is to R&R a WBX over an aircooled (72-79), but >> having done >> both, I really don't think the WBX is THAT much more difficult. >> The one >> thing I would miss roadside is the ATV jack I bought (and should have >> bought years ago) to do the WBX swap-it makes it so much easier >> than trying >> to balance the engine on a standard floor jack, but it's just too >> big to >> take along on a road trip! Jeff >> >> Jeff Stewart >> fonman4277@earthlink.net >> http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/vwcampersmidatlantic/ >> >> >


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