Date:         Sun, 10 Jun 2007 15:06:34 -0400
Reply-To:     "Randy C. Nunes" <randycnunes@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Randy C. Nunes" <randycnunes@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      My new 1984 Westfalia
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Hi Everyone!



We had to sell our 1984 Westy in 2003 :-) when we moved from Idaho to
Virginia, but have finally found a suitable replacement.  I wanted to share
my "Holy Smokes She Started Story" and seek some advice.



She was filthy with 5 years of grim covering her last paint job, four flat
tires, extra pieces, and an extra Vanagon beside her for parts, but she was
priced right, and she was from a friend who told me her sad sad story.  He
had been driving it since 1999 and sold it in 2001 to a lady who promised to
make payments, she didn't make the payments the van was repossessed and then
parked for 5 years in front of his house.  There was apparently a
transmission problem (2nd time) and she didn't want to pay for something
that didn't work (why would she buy a Westy).  It has a new GTX engine less
than 25k, the tranny was also rebuilt and according to previous owner
broken, but first I had to cut the grass down around it to get at her.



I cut down the weeds, vacuumed the inside and basically cleaned her out.
(Mouse poop filled many holes and didn't want to be breathing that junk in),
filled the battery with distilled water and put it on a trickle charger for
4 days.  Changed the oil, oil filter, poured mystery oil inside the spark
plug holes, added some fuel additive to her, made sure there was coolant,
and checked the transmission fluid, added some Prolong Engine stuff.
Replaced one tire, stripped a couple bolts on the other (still looking for
something to take them off), and today I pulled the battery off the charger,
pulled my Jeep over and jump started her.  With a whine and a whirl she
started up and I was amazed to see white smoke coming from the exhaust as
she sputtered to life.  I am sure she burned through 4 quarts of oil, and I
have the stinky shirt to prove it, but after running for 10 mins she settled
down and she ran but the idle was fast slow fast slow.



I didn't run her long because I figured I should probably do another oil
change to get the crude out and wanted to add some more gas because the
needle showed empty.  The Westy moved in reverse but would not engage in a
forward gear so I backed her up a bit and let her roll forward again.  It
was great to be driving a Westy again!



The next steps are where I need some advice.  I plan on backing her up (only
thing I can do )on to a few ramps so that I can get some space underneath
her and check out the transmission (was rebuilt only 10k miles ago so not
sure what happened) and see if there is anything noticeable (anyone have any
thoughts about this)?  It is an automatic!



I would also like to flush the coolant but the manual didn't specify where I
should drain it from, I was reaching for the hose to undo it but thought I'd
ask first.  Its been awhile and I think this is how I flushed the coolant
from our last Westy.



I am near Charlottesville, VA and need a mechanic to work on it, can anyone
provide some suggestions?



Randy