Date: Wed, 7 Sep 94 13:20:15 PDT
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Steve Johnson <sjohnson@pcocd2.intel.com>
Subject: 83-85 (and later) survey
Joel espewed:
>
> 1988 GL
> 75,000 miles
> 4. occassional valve lifter ticking when cold or parked overnight
> on incline.
I've experienced this while on a level surface occasionally. Is this
a big concern?
> 5. air conditioning housing fell down and hit me in the head. :(
> repaired (self-done). later, vw had a dealer-service recall on
> this.
I got bonked by my AC only the bonk was to my wallet for $300 for a
resistor pack. :(
> 6. front brake pads wear out in about 15,000 miles. replaced
> must about every year. $70 per set from dealer.
> used one set of non-vw pads and they scarred up the rotors. had to
> get rotors turned and resurfaced.
Really? I have 55K on my '91 and have not replaced the pads yet. You
must do more drag racing in yours than I do. ;)
> 7. * melted wiring harness around engine/fuel injectors: air cleaner
> box had pinched one of the injector wires and shorted the mess to
> ground (chassis). $1200 to repair (non-dealer). cable-tied the
> wires out of the way next time! <note: 91 model came from factory
> with cable-ties on those wires!!>
> i now have an 88 bus with an 87 brain, idle stabilizer, relays,
> wiring harnes, etc.
You sure are unlucky Joel....
> 8. replaced oxygen sensor at 50,000 miles (paranoia)
I'll do mine at 60K per the manual unless it has problems before.
> 9. replaced distributor cap and rotor every 25,000 miles (burned
> rather badly. might not 'need' replacing, but i do it anyway)
> 10. * replaced coolant temp sensor twice. seems like every 25,000 miles.
> 11. replaced fuel filter every 25,000 miles (paranoia)
> 12. replaced coolant temp sensor (for dash gauge) once. gauge just
> quite working.
> 13. replaced coolant expansion tank (not overflow/fill tank), coolant
> level sensor, cap, and gasket at 40,000 miles.
> 14. replaced transmission fluid, coolant, power steering fluid, and
> brake fluid every two years. am overdue for the next 'enema'.
> 15. * replaced ALL fuel hoses at about five years (after two leaks in
> one month).
>
I do the rest at the required interval except I haven't changed the coolant
or the fuel filter yet. Fingers crossed.
Steven