Date: Sun, 2 Jun 2013 23:34:10 -0400
Reply-To: David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject: Reformatted Re: Lola's first test trip:
In-Reply-To: <1370229182.23577.YahooMailNeo@web120202.mail.ne1.yahoo.com >
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Hi all! Not my first time posting here, but still somewhat of a
newbie. Bought Lola ('87 Westy) last summer, but only had one small
trip to a campsite outside Olympia, WA (from Federal Way). The
family are planning on taking a big trip in Lola down to San Diego in
July. But due to a project my 10yr old has on the history of Spokane
(a whole different story), we decided to make an impromptu trip to
Spokane for a night. Someone on the group also recommended I take a
test trip over the pass.
The Good: We packed up and left about 8:30AM and with one stop in
Ellensburg for gas and a stop in Moses Lake for lunch, we got there
by 3:30. I kept Lola at about 60 when I could. I took well advantage
of those "slow truck lanes" when they popped up. The kids enjoyed
the sites, the Columbia river at Vantage and the Wind farms on the
way. Although I would have preferred a campground or RV park, we
visited my wife's uncle and "camped out" parked in front of his
house. This time my wife and I got to sleep up top and the kids on
the bottom. I thought it was neat. My wife slept ok, but noted that
neither the top nor bottom were designed for someone 6' tall. I
noticed that as cool as the ladder I got from Go Westy was, it was a
pain with shoeless feet. I was nervous about the uncle's neighbors
having issue with us setting up camp, but one of them came out and
told us that she had one "many moons ago" and thought they were so fun.
The next day, packed up just before the downpour, phew. Had breakfast
and a little more visit and headed back out West. Soon after leaving
Spokane county, the rain broke and the sun came out. Feeling a bit
braver with Lola, I got her to 65-70mph for a good part of the way.
Made it all the way to Ellensburg for gas and lunch at a nice little
family restaurant called Bar 14 Ranchhouse. Weather held, but was
really windy. I did not expect Lola to be pushed all over the
road. One highlight on the way back was passing a ford F250 (pulling
a boat) on a hill. Kids behaved, and enjoyed the trip. Best of all,
we did not kill each other.
The Bad: Of course the trip was not without its foibles. I wanted to
list some of them as it was my first encounters and ask if these are
normals and/or solutions to the trouble.
1. The side view mirrors. I doubt they are original, but they are
solid arm, on a swivel ball base. Never had a problem before and not
on the way over, but on the way back, not sure if it was the rain,
the wind, or the increased speed, but about a third of the way in,
they were pushed in. Tried to fix them, but they just pushed back in.
Can something be done? Are they just worn and need to be replaced? If
so, where do you recommend?
2. The sliding door: Worked fine, but not sure if it rust or dirt,
but when you are closing the last 10in, it is the loudest screeching
sound. Is this par for the course? Will WD-40 do the trick? (pretty
sure it is the bottom)
3. Water Temp: I am sure it is ok, but wanted to run this by you.
(before I left I had a place check out the cooling system to just
make sure it is ok.) On the way, I had the cabin controls to the
coolest, with outside air coming in and the temp gauge maxed at just
under the light. On the way back, it was raining and cold when we
left so it was fogging up so I turned the fans on and set the
controls warmer in the cabin and defogging. About half way, I noticed
it had gone right over the light. (not above, just pointing at it.)
Not a big increase, but wondering if there is anything to be
concerned with, or was it just par for the course? Maybe the change
in temp controls, higher speed, fighting the winds??
4. Cruise Control: did not work. Not a new issue, but before ripping
the steering wheel apart, where would you recommend I start in diagnostics.
5. Stereo: Now it is most likely not an van issue, but it was weird
so I wanted to share it and see if anything could have affected it.
The stereo that is in there is a JVC cassette stereo that pulls out.
Never had a problem with it before. On the way over to Spokane, I did
not think I had any issue. Every so often the radio would cut out for
a second, but it seemed more like it was losing the signal. When we
got to Spokane and turned it off and left it off. As we were hitting
the highway on the way back the next day, weirdness happened. I turn
it on and I can see the light that tells you where the cassette goes,
but the screen is black. Nothing. We turn it off. In a little bit we
turn it on, and nothing still, then the display lights up, and it is
working, for about 35 seconds and then goes off and the display is
black. In another 30 sec, back on. (Why we are leaving it like this I
have no idea),
In a little while listening to this, I notice, during the "silence" a
whistle starts (tuning sound) starts high, goes low, then back high,
then the radio turns on again. If that is not weird enough, we also
discovered, during the "silence", we turn up the volume and there is
actually something that can be heard which sounds like talk
radio. This is going on all the way to Ellensburg when we stop for
lunch. We get back in and the radio seems to be working fine now,
except the display will dim in the same intervals as had before.
Question, pretty sure the radio is just going, but could something
else be at work? A loose wire, heat from when we had the heat cranked
up, moisture?
The Ugly: Here are some of the bigger issues that arose.
6. One of the first things we did when we got the van last summer was
replace the tent as it was ripped and had mold, We also replaced the
soft lining of the roof and the skylight because of mold. We were
very concerned with mold. When we do not use Lola, we have two
desicants in there to get excess moisture. Last night we put up the
tent (first time this year) and I see plastic siding of the fold-over
piece is spotted with mildew or mold and there is some but not as
much on the ceiling fabric. I know they did check and patch some
leaks before they but the new fabric on. Could this be a leak again?
What do you use to clean the fabric that will get rid of the mildew/mold?
7. THE AUX BATTERY!! Just when I think I have this figured out, I
have no idea. There were some modifications originally made when I
got it and I did add a Yandina combiner last summer. When I first got
it, I was going to change the battery, thinking it is bad, but then
thought it was another problem.
Here are the issues. I know the original fridge is a piece of crap
and one trick I learned was to plug it in and turn it on the night
before to get it cool, then switch it to battery on route. I have a
fridge thermometer in there to check. It is working. Also the night
before I use my multimeter and check the aux battery and it clocks in
at 12v. I switch the battery check and it is green. Sat, I unplug,
start up the engine and switch it to battery (maybe not in that order).
We stop in Ellensburg, I check the fridge and it does not seem to be
keeping cool at all. We start her up again and continue on our way.
In transit, we check the battery check and it is red. I look at the
Yandina and it is green, which means it is doing what it should
be. There is nothing perishable in the fridge so I do not worry
about it. When we stop the van, the battery check is green again. We
get home and I use the multimeter on the battery and it is 12V. (note
the combiner should prevent the reading from the other battery).
The only thing I can think of that is also running on the aux is the
radio (it was "re-wired" from the fuse box to run off the aux battery
directly) and possibly the fan (there was a 12V socket I found under
the sink. I am not 100% sure where it is tapped into, but think it is
the aux). Also, on the way back I had my wife check the Yandina
while driving and there was no light on. I am not sure if that means
it is not working or it shut off because it thinks it is charged. ANY
IDEAS?? This has left me baffled and stupid.
Sorry for the long email. I look for any response you can give!!
Jeremy, Lola ('87 Westy) and the family!
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