Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (October 2012, week 4)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Tue, 23 Oct 2012 12:32:47 -0800
Reply-To:     Mark Tuovinen <aksyncronaut@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mark Tuovinen <aksyncronaut@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: What to keep on hand to not be stranded
In-Reply-To:  <5086C9C8.80601@flatsurface.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Ken is correct on preventative maintenance of course and many do not do any or if some not enough. We normally only use our van during the Summer as I do not want it ruined by our Winter weather and drivers. That said it gets a full once over any any needed items dealt with every Spring and again before any longer road trips, ie those over a few hundred miles or extended time away from home. last Winters trip was unusual for us as it involved shipping our van to Daryl in Duvall where it was stored until we picked it up in mid-December for a 30 tour of the Southwest before returning it to Daryl's to await Spring and the drive home. Before each journey it is inspected, fluids changed, repairs/maintenance performed as needed. The 30 day trip covered approximately 6,000 miles and the drive home another 3,500. The preventable issue was the oil cooler o'ring that failed when the transport company started the van here in November in -20F temperatures without first warming the engine up. They did have a Reddy heater but did not use it and 20W50 oil does not like the cold even if it is synthetic. The hose that ruptured may or may not have been preventable it was inspected twice prior to the trip and again at Van-Cafe on December 19th and all times deemed to be good. The Throttle Switch failed after we left Elk Grove, CA on our way to Duvall via Arcata, CA where we dropped our daughter back off at school. It did not delay us but made driving more challenging as every time I let off the gas the van acted like we hit a wall unless I slipped the clutch at the same time. The transmission also started to show a failure of the 3rd - 4th slider but it was a used one we were running of unknown history and already had a fresh rebuild waiting for installation which Daryl did before we drove home in June.

Maintenance is King but will not prevent failures from happening. Just keep a positive attitude and have your favorite credit card available.

Mark in AK - wishing to be on the road again `87 Westy Syncro


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.