Date: Sun, 20 Nov 94 7:43:36 EST
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: dcarment@ccs.carleton.ca (David Carment)
Subject: Re: '81 Westfalia camper questions
Alice C. Gibb writes:
>
> I have just gone from being a wannabus person to a vanagon person! My
> husband and I just bought an '81 vanagon camper with about 130,000 miles on
> it. I would love to get some info from those of you in the know. Please
> post the answers if you know them or email directly to me!
>
> 1) The odometer is apparently "sticking" - it still rolls over, but not
> incredibly accuartely. Has anyone had this probem? Does anyone know a
> soloution?
>
There are several possibilities: on ours when this happened, the previous
owner had pushed the reset knob in far enough that it snapped the plastic
housing of the dash - best bet, get the Hayne's manual and pull off the
dash cover (it pries off); check for sound odometer connections to the
cable and that nothing is broken (if you wish the dash can be completely
removed with four screws). When we bought our 82 last spring we dismantled
the entire dash area a) to clean everything (lots of dust) and b) to check
that all heater cables and heater connections are sound. You would be
surprised how much things get of whack over the course of 14 years.
> 2) The fuel level sensor isn't working (in combination with the odometer
> this is a real problem). Again, does anyone know how to fix it?
They rarely work well. If it is a problem with the sensor in the tank my
advice is forget it; I have dropped the tank and it is not fun. You will
find like some of us that the needle reads half full at 90miles but this will
get you between 200-230 miles at the red mark......
>
> 3) Where can you order replacement parts for the camping stuff? We need a
> replacement front table and back window screen.
depending on where you are you can find this stuff at junk yards tucked away
>
> 4) How do you fix/replace a rotting window screen in the pop-top? Can you
> buy replacement screens for the windows near the back seat?
There was a thread on this just a while back - check the gopher and use
screen as your search term.
>
> 5) The van came with the original manuals and a "Haynes" manual. Is this
> a good one to use? Can we do repairs ourselves with this manual?
Simple answer yes: the Hayne's will be good vfor everything mechanical
except perhaps the fuel injection where I believe it is wanting...
The alternatives: get the special Hayne's book on FI or get the Volkswagen
workshop manual published by Bentley...
>
> 6) We are in Orange County (Irvine) can anyone reccomend a good mechanic
> in the area? A good junkyard/salvage place where we might get spare parts
> for cheap?
>
Nope drove through irvine once ----thats about it - DC
> I guess that's enough questions for now. Thanks in advance for anyone who
> answers this post.
>
>
> Alice C. Gibb
> Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
> Univ. of California, Irvine
>
> _/////_
> _/ \ ___
> / O \_/ /
> > O // _ |
> \_ / \__\
> \_ _/
> \\\\\
>
>
>
--
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David Carment
School of International Affairs
Carleton University
Ottawa, Ontario
K1S 5B6
voice - (613) 788-2600-6662
fax - (613) 788-2889
Email address: dcarment@ccs.carleton.ca
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