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Date:         Mon, 9 Dec 2013 18:57:04 -0800
Reply-To:     Scott Daniel <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Scott Daniel <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Organization: Cosmic Reminders
Subject:      Re: More questions pertaining to my 88 model Bluestar project
Comments: To: Steve Cotsford <cotsford@AOL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <16A9A00C-D452-4740-A623-6FE9BE12CCAE@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

See my comments. On 12/9/2013 6:10 PM, Steve Cotsford wrote: > I have just run the 2.1 engine for just a few seconds at a time as I don't yet have the antifreeze in it. My questions are as follows: I know antifreeze is a tricky subject in these vans. Can I ask what common brand antifreeze I can use in this van. I live in an area where I have Autozone, O'Reilly, Napa and Walmart. The closest VW dealer is more than 1 1/2 hours drive away. My instinct is to use Prestone long life from Walmart mixed with my top of the mountain well water. Other than its 25 years old and the engine is perhaps 3 years more, I dont really know what I've got. By the time I have fixed leaks, probably replaced the water pump etc I will have to replace the antifreeze again. Any tips? Conventional green long life a-frz is fine. 50/50 gives freezing protection to 34 below zero, more than you likely need. If you read the side of a bottle of Water Wetter ..they tell a less intense mixture of a-frz cools better. ...I might run 55 a-frz, 45 good clean water, plus water wetter in the Summer. you want it running fully up to temp, especially in winter. Usually wbxr t-stats fail in the running-too-cool mode. Up to temp...180F at least is very important. No one else will tell you this - I have been putting in a small cupful of machinist's cutting oil as a water pump lube and rust inhibitor. I read of this trick somewhere 25 + years ago ..and have done it to littrally thousands of cars and many vanagon ..it works !

> > My noises are basically coming from the exhaust system. I got second hand parts off a syncro I think. I had to drive almost 3 hours to Raleigh to get these fairly expensive parts as I could find them no where else.. Vanagons don't seem to be easy to find parts for and there are none in this area that i know of. > The muffler shroud is about 2 inches longer than it should be. I drilled new holes in it when I installed it and now I need to cut off the excess length that is hanging down below the crankcase. The tail pipe rattles against the body work close to it so its probably not the right one either. I plan on rotating or adapting it until it clears stuff around it. The threaded port on the exhaust pipe is missing its cap and I am probably going to plug it with something, maybe weld it shut or drill and tap it and use a bolt and washer. I also got cooling system parts, which I found on The Samba but these all seem to fit correctly. I am trying to use original VW parts as much as possible but I am not well up on changes over the years. Are there any other pitfalls I am going to run into :-) ?? Does anyone know Vanagon parts sources and gurus, here in the southeast? Yep..you got a syncro engine or parts. The muffler heat shield sticks down further than you need. They are easily cut and shaped by hand as needed. No part where you are ...I have at least 8 spare ones here in So. Oregon. That's why your tail pipe hits the body too..or muffler. Synce the syncro engine sits two inches lower in the syncro body ..the exhaust is tucked up more. You really need 2WD 86 and later 2.1 wbxr muffler holder brackets..the two 'cradle' things the muffler sits in . No easy way around that that's not hacked in some way. You can buy them brand new easily enough ..Van Cafe , likely.

'threaded port.........sure that's not for the Oxygen sensor ? It'll run all right with one.. burn more fuel..you really want a working 02 sensor on it.

2.1 waterboxer engines are all nearly identical ..86 to 91. The only variations are 2WD and Syncro. < some cooling hose differences..the hose on the bottom of the coolant pressuer bottle for examply ..the syncro one is a little different in length , not much though, > I just found out for example......that with a syncro forward exhaust pipe on the engine in a 2WD vanagon .. the side splash guards don't fit quite right ..especially the left side. Easily modified to work though.

There's always pitfalls ! Scott southern Oregon

> This has been a wonderfully helpful group and I thank you all in advance!! Steve


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