Date: Sun, 26 Jul 2009 17:02:54 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: Trip Report: Westywoman has risen again!
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hey .........what a fun report !
and having to endure only 8 weeks of non-vanagon ownership .....not bad !
I'm sure you're not running the AC ........but if you do find a case where
cold air output is weak, but the compressor clutch still engages, it's
better not to run the system at all.
Newer AC systems have a pressure switch so it can't run , if there isn't a
sufficient charge in the system.
I can't say for sure than an 84 vanagon lacks such a pressure switch, but I
have for sure seen a damaged compressor from running it with a low charge.
what color is he/she ?
is there even a gender ?
I name my cars for sure, such as Inga the turbo Volvo sedan, and Ursula my
older Mercedes Benz....
but oddly, vanagon names don't come to me that often.
Had an old Splittie named MottoBus once though.
congrats on your new Westy !
scott
www.turbovans.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Melissa Mourkas" <westywoman@MAC.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, July 26, 2009 4:36 PM
Subject: Trip Report: Westywoman has risen again!
> Hello all:
>
> Saturday morning, I caught an early flight from Sacramento to Orange
> County. I was picked up at the airport by a lovely young couple in a
> creme-colored 1984 Vanagon Westfalia camper. By 11:00 a.m. I was
> merging onto the jammed I-5 freeway in my newly purchased 1984 Westy.
> Getting through LA traffic gave me plenty of time to get used to a
> new clutch & tranny. On and off, on and off. Stop and go. Ugh.
>
> I cleared the LA slog and headed for the Grapevine, to make a frontal
> assault on the 4000' Tejon Pass at a blistering 100-degrees at 2:00
> pm! What was I thinking? Oh, wait, this is a water-cooled engine - no
> problem. Up and up we went and the temp gauge barely moved. Shrugged
> it off. I only had to gear down into 3rd a few times. Remarkable!
>
> I drove on by the Los Padres National Forest campsites and continued
> down to the great Central Valley. I decided to avoid the twisty
> mountain roads because my brakes were feeling a little squishy, so I
> thought I'd stay on flat land where I could coast to stop if necessary.
>
> The Valley greeted me with a blast of dry heat. I would have been
> happier if the a/c worked but I knew it was not blowing cold when I
> bought it. But the compressor and fan both come on, so hopefully it's
> just in need of a recharge. I sweated my way up to Visalia, where I
> decided to quit driving for the day. The store at the KOA campground
> had wine, a corkscrew and a paper coffee cup, so I was in business. I
> pulled out of my suitcase some sheets and a small pillow. Having no
> other camping supplies and it being so bloody hot, I just hung out
> and read a magazine until the sun went down, had a shower and crashed
> in my new bunk.
>
> By 5:40 a.m. Sunday, I was on the road again and pulled into my
> driveway in Sacramento at 9:30 am, just as happy as a pig in mud!
> Other than the squishy brakes, I had just driven 410 trouble-free
> miles in my new VW camper! And cruised along at 65-70 mph! The bus
> doesn't have a name yet, though I am sure one will come to me as our
> adventures continue. I hope to keep this one for many years.
>
> Melissa (grinning!)
> 1984 Westy
>
> (sold my '81 eight weeks ago)
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