Date: Mon, 1 Nov 2010 19:17:14 -0700
Reply-To: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Fun with fixing up stuff...(long post)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Fall in the Northwest US brings 'indoor projects' time and I have been
having lots of fun lately.
First I swapped out my older 1.8liter VW inline four block for a newer 2.0
liter Jetta inline. That was pretty ambitious, but I seemed to have pulled
it off pretty well. I posted about that in other posts. Been tying up
loose ends and refining that swap.
New exhaust system, new mounts for that exhaust system and a revision of my
motor mounts have resulted in a super smooth inline...I thought it was
pretty good before, but after my latest change to my cross-engine brace,
the harmonic vibrations aren't even there anymore. I drove around for
almost 3yrs with my muffler system hanging from the frame of the
van...putting sound into the chassis. Now, after some careful fabrication
and some trial and error, I have eliminated that, and it really makes a huge
difference.
Then I installed some gauges...Oil temp and Oil pressure. That's
something I've been wanting since I first got this van about 3yrs ago. I
used some of that trailer wiring "tape"...wire that is flat and contains 4
wires, color-coded and insulated separately. A 20' roll cost me $20-some
but now I have two more unused wires for future transmission of electrons
from back to front...
Replaced my old style KC sealed beam Daylighters with the newer style
replaceable bulb ones...since one of mine was burned out. Re-aimed those
and cleaned up all the headlight switches, grounds, relays (I have Hella H-4
headlights)..Then I got to the brake and running lights...brighter bulbs and
cleaned all the connections and made sure everything was properly done
there.
I took out my can of SA Besto spray lube and went for it, everywhere. My
speedo cable was 'whirring' on cold mornings...no more. My suspension
bushings were sometimes a bit squeaky...no more. My accelerator cable was
getting a bit 'quirky'...hard to go smoothly from foot-off to just a tiny
bit of throttle without a big lurch....no more. Slider is now smooth, etc
etc etc. New wiper blade refills, blew out the washer nozzles for a better
squirt pattern. New-ish snow tires all around and freshly balanced.. New
hatch struts coming in the mail.
It is really fun and rewarding to be able to spend some "quality time"
with 'one of the family'...Dunno what it is about a Volkswagen Van...of
almost any type...They always seem to insinuate themselves into my life like
no other vehicle...When everything is working just right..they are such a
pleasure...And it's fun when you can take the time to make everything just
right..
Don Hanson