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Date:   Wed, 6 Sep 1995 09:27:50 -0500 (CDT)
Sender:   Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:   jbrill@unlinfo.unl.edu (James Brill)
Subject:   '71 bus runs!

Yes, it is true. Last night we had to make an emergency trip to Sears for a new battery. I bought the biggest mother they had that would fit in there. That is one big battery. I ran through a tuneup one more time. Checked the timing, gap, valves and all the wires once more. After turning the engine over a few times with the coil unplugged the oil light went out. I still don't have an operational throttle cable so I had to have Heather hit the starter while I ran the throttle. It started first hit! I ran it for a couple of minutes and shut it down. It smelled real wierd. All that paint and gaskets and stuff. Also, oil was just about pouring out of the right hand valve cover. I thought that bail seemed a little soft. I robbed a good one from the old motor. Also, about one minute into the run it started putting out a little white smoke. Very little. I am not going to worry about it right now. I assume it was the thin oil burning off. Somebody tell me if I should be nervous about this. The engine had trace amounts of break-in fluid or something in there. It was kind of clear red. It turned the oil a funny brown color. I only found the tinest of metal flake in the oil I drained. Again, I think this is normal. I had the ears on full alert when it roared to life and it sounded very solid. It sounded beautiful. I didn't know a vw engine could sound so good. Not a knock or rattle or ping anywhere. Tonight I am running in the new throttle cable and then it is off for the first drive. It seems strange. I was coming to think of my bus as something that sat in my garage and grew spider webs. Jim -- James A. Brill Jr. \\ // jbrill@unlinfo.unl.edu \\ \\// // If you're not outraged University of Nebraska \\//\\// you're not paying attention. free-lance homo sapien \/ \/


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