Date: Sun, 26 Jul 2009 21:51:41 -0400
Reply-To: Ken Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Ken Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Re: Trip Report: Westywoman has risen again!
In-Reply-To: <8088FD55-865A-42C1-9633-DC39538760E0@mac.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Melissa,
Glad you are back. One thing I want to warn you about and that is DO
NOT use your AC with the freon low in your van. The early Vanagons (up
to 86) have no low freon cut off switch for the compressor. That means
if you turn on the AC just to use the fan the compressor will also come
on. This can cause the compressor to lock up, throw the belt and take
the water pump belt along with it. I know this from personal experience
and it almost cost us a motor when a lady did this to keep her dog cool
while renting one of my sister's Westies. Just FYI. Now if you had an
87-91 Vanagon these do have the pressure switch in the refrigerant line
which will not allow the compressor to come on when the freon is low.
It is idiot proof in that way and probably because they got complaints
like the problem we had with our 86 Westy. I hope you enjoy the van and
if you need any help or parts please consider us.
Good to have you back!
Ken Wilford
John 3:16
www.vanagain.com
Melissa Mourkas wrote:
> 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)
>
| 
