Date: Thu, 29 Apr 2010 22:45:00 -0700
Reply-To: Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Cleaning engine compartment/Grounding Points - 91 Westfalia
In-Reply-To: <4BDA5616.30706@celineandsteve.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
I use WD-40 as an engine compartment cleaner - I don't like the idea of
using water.
You might want to remove and clean that ground and the ground strap from the
nose of the transaxle to the body.
When I did my Subaru installation I doubled up both the engine and the
transaxle grounds and my wipers are faster and my headlights brighter. I
think the Subie alternator is rated at less amps than the Vanagon's 90 so
I've attributed the increased power to the better connections.
YMMV
On Thu, Apr 29, 2010 at 9:01 PM, Steve Williams <steve@celineandsteve.com>wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I am doing some cleaning of the engine compartment in conjunction with
> general maintenance (plugs/wires/fuel lines, etc).
>
> I read a thread a while back about NOT using a pressure washer on the
> engine compartment (which I have always done, but never on a vehicle of
> this vintage). So I am using a squirt bottle of Simple Green
> (environmentally friendly power washer cleaning fluid from Canadian
> Tire), wiping and rinsing with water. It's significantly slower than
> the pressure washer, but it is working and I can accept the trade off of
> longer vs. ripping something off the engine or unwanted water
> penetration. Does anyone see anything wrong with this approach?
> Anything faster?
>
> There is a flat braided grounding strap (presumably) running from the
> block over to the body on the (lookers) left of the engine compartment.
> It is quite corroded and I was thinking to clean it up, as well as the
> points where it attaches to the block and body.
>
> I have read on the list about a grounding point behind the fuse block
> under the steering wheel, and got to thinking about other grounding
> points that could use similar treatment. I have scanned through the
> Bentley, but I can't seem to find a comprehensive list of grounding
> points. Does anyone have any pointers on all the grounding points for a
> 91 Westfalia?
>
> Thanks so much. I thought I had learned so much from being a voyeur on
> this list for a year now, but it seems to make me question things more
> than I have ever before working on a vehicle! lol.
>
> Cheers,
> Steve
>
--
Jake
1984 Vanagon GL 1.9 WBX 'The Grey Van'
1986 Westy Weekender/2.5 SOHC Suby 'Dixie'
Crescent Beach, BC
www.thebassspa.com
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27
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