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Date:         Tue, 30 Aug 2011 09:51:23 -0500
Reply-To:     Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Minimum spares kit. Was: Alternator Brushes Wore Out Pretty
              Darn Quick
Comments: To: Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <4E5CF0D8.5060907@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Dear Squirrel PI;

Quit packing and start packing! I mean, packing in boxes. I have some things I might need as spares already packed for shipment on a shelf in my garage. If I need it, I can call call on a family member (it's great to have those if you need something shipped) to send it to me. The choices of what is available are now greatly expanded as I do not need to decide what to take with me. I do have the tools to change stuff out, I have the Bentley on board and I keep some information on my phone if it's not in the Bentley.

Jim

On Tue, Aug 30, 2011 at 9:16 AM, Rocket J Squirrel < camping.elliott@gmail.com> wrote:

> "Starter is heavy ........and with manual trans you can always push or > tow start if you have to, so I never carry a spare starter, usually > anyway." > > Sigh. Here I am with an auto trans. No push starting this thing. Just > got a spare alternator to pack. How much heavier is a starter? Is it a > major job to swap one on the road? > > (Note to my reader: I am not worrying, I am investigating.) > > > -- > Jack "Rocket j Squirrel" Elliott > Bend, Ore. > 1984 Westfalia. A poor but proud people. > 1971 "Ladybug"-brand utility trailer ca. 1972 from a defunct company in > San Clemente, Calif., now repurposed as The Westrailia. > > Sent from my kitchen. > > On 08/29/2011 07:34 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote: > >> I agree not necessary to carry a spare throttle body. >> the worst that is likely to happen is an idle problem .. >> >> 'anything that can prevent you from moving' is what I go by. >> >> Starter is heavy ........and with manual trans you can always push or tow >> start if you have to, so I never carry a spare starter, usually anyway. >> >> yes on the water pump unless it's pretty new. >> >> absolutely on the ecu .. >> they are generally quite good ... >> I can think of 3 that were genuinely bad in the last 2 or 3 years...among >> maybe 70 EFI vanagons. >> One was just a couple of months ago. >> I seriously carry a known-good spare ECU .. >> if that thing takes a dump on ya.....you ain't goin' nowhere. >> >> mandatory I'd say. >> Temp Sensor II for sure. >> distributor for sure. >> Igniter if it's not inside the ecu. >> a spare good plug wire or two .. >> left over tune up parts that are still good. >> oxygen sensor .. >> real like scenario.... >> I just had a hose blow out ...spewing coolant all over the engine. >> That lead to a so-so used distributor cap crapping out .. >> and a didn't-look-bad-at-all oxygen sensor crapping out as well. .. >> though you can always keep moving with the 02 connected if you need to. >> Not >> as smooth, burns more gas....but still runs all right. >> Air intake boot ..if I have one of those ...I carry that. >> and a box of misc hoses, hose junctions, and hose clamps. >> >> Scott >> www.turbovans.com >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "neil n" <musomuso@GMAIL.COM> >> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> >> Sent: Monday, August 29, 2011 5:18 PM >> Subject: Re: Minimum spares kit. Was: Alternator Brushes Wore Out Pretty >> Darn Quick >> >> >> I had a real tendency to carry way too many spares. >> >> Here's a before and after of paring down: >> >> https://picasaweb.google.com/**musomuso/MiscVanagonWestyPics#** >> 5387387355555099026<https://picasaweb.google.com/musomuso/MiscVanagonWestyPics#5387387355555099026> >> >> >> Like I really didn't need the extra throttle body. ;) I still >> tend to carry too much stuff, but there are times when I add something >> to my rig or fiddle with things. Nice to have the extra stuff for >> that. If I had an SO and/or kids, I wouldn't have time for that kind >> of thing while on the road! >> >> What one carries depends on the engine too. In terms of a minimum, I >> carry spares for parts that when failed, would cause a no start >> situation: >> >> Ones shared with WBX: >> >> starter (this one could be debatable but it would depend on the situation) >> ign. switch >> Distributor, cap/rotor, tension lead to/from coil. >> fuel pump >> alt/water pump belt >> coil >> wires/tape/various connectors etc. >> gasket material >> >> I suspect I really should carry a water pump and ECU too. There's >> probably things I've forgotten >> >> >> >> Neil. >> >> >> >> >> On Tue, Aug 23, 2011 at 1:31 PM, Poppie Jagersand >> <poppie.jagersand@yahoo.ca> wrote: >> >> >> I also ask: How many spares should one really carry? Wife drives Toyota >>> with no clue what to do if it stops... So do 99% of others whether they >>> drive a car or RV. >>> >>> I used to have spares and tools filling the whole storage under the >>> bench, >>> but with a growing family there's need for the wife and kid's stuff too! >>> >>> >> >> >> -- >> Neil n >> >> 65 kb image Myford Ready For Assembly http://tinyurl.com/64sx4rp >> >> '81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco" http://tubaneil.googlepages.**com/<http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/> >> >> Vanagon VAG Gas I4/VR Swap Google Group: >> >> http://groups.google.com/**group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-** >> 4-cylinder-gas-engines<http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines> >> >>


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