Date:         Sun, 3 May 2009 19:11:34 -0400
Reply-To:     Mike Collum <collum@MYFAIRPOINT.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mike Collum <collum@MYFAIRPOINT.NET>
Subject:      Re: Leaving Virginia for Maine .. Update
In-Reply-To:  <49F663A5.5080206@myfairpoint.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Mike Collum wrote:
> Some of you may remember that my 4 speed transmission started making
> noise, when under even the slightest load, and I found it to be exactly
> one quart low.  After refilling it to the proper level, the noise abated
> only slightly but doesn't seem to be getting worse.


Well, we made it back to Maine arriving around noon on Friday as
planned.  The transmission noise stayed the same during the trip and it
performed well.  However ... I did experience two minor problems.

1.  After about 200 miles my aux battery or its associated circuitry
failed.  All had worked fine for about 4 years or so.  I haven't done
any trouble shooting just yet.  My first realization that there was a
problem is when my Equus 9000-B cruise control would no longer set.
Then I noticed that when I hit my brakes, my digital clock's LCD would
fade out.  When the brakes were released, the display would slowly
return to normal.  Mine is an '85 Westy and I had run a fused wire from
the aux battery up to the fuse panel where I removed fuses #8 and #9 and
supplied aux power to the "Load" side of the fuse holders.  Anyway, my
clock, cigar lighter, and brake lights (among other things) were powered
by the aux battery.  I pulled into the next rest stop, pulled the inline
fuse from the wire going from the aux battery to the fuse panel (so that
line would be dead) and took the cables off the aux battery.  I then
replaced fuses 8 and 9 which essentially restored the wiring back to
normal.  After that, my clock and brake lights were normal so I got
underway.  The cruise control was again operational.

2.  In Pennsylvania, about a mile and a half before getting to Port
Jervis, NY, (I still had about 600 miles to go) I blew one of the big
hoses that goes from the plastic manifold on the forward firewall around
the engine to the upper waterpump connection.  I noticed steam from
where the coolant was spraying on the exhaust pipe and pulled over
immediately.  I hadn't overheated and the coolant level wasn't low
enough to light the low coolant warning lamp so there was no harm to the
engine.  I could see coolant all over that corner of the engine bay and
when I wiggled and tugged on hoses, the bad one tore just about off
dumping some coolant on the ground.  My Westy is air conditioned and I
had to remove the compressor from its bracket to get to where I needed
to work.  The rest was easy.  The hose tore right next to the hose clamp
so after removing it I used my nippers and trued up the end so that I
could re-clamp it though about two inches shorter.  Looking at the end
that had been under the clamp ... it was obvious that this had been done
before.  The hose end looked a bit hacked up.  Anyway, that hose is now
so short that another such repair is not an option.  After all was back
together, I needed less than a gallon of coolant to refill the system
and that was with revving the engine and adding coolant to the expansion
tank.  In less than an hour (I had to partially unload and reload my
trailer just to get to my toolbox), I was back on the road with no leaks
and normal temperatures.

Now that I'm home, un-winterizing (summerizing?) the house has been
taking all my time.  That's a whole 'nuther long story.

Mike
Houlton, ME/Glade Spring, VA