Date:         Tue, 17 Oct 95 14:52:17 PDT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Gary Nichols <garyn@gslxsrv3.rose.hp.com>
Subject:      '82 air-cooled parts sources?


Hi folks!

I haven't written much so here's a brief situation intro:

I bought an '82 Vanagon L in pretty good shape for $450.  Yeah, I had to tow
it home, but with only 78K and a pretty good interior I figured I couldn't
lose.....  I did hear the engine run before I bought it.  So did everyone else
within a three mile radius.  Dropped valve seat I figured...

I dropped the engine, cleaned it up and opened it this last week.  It was
missing a few screws on the sheet metal so I figured this may have been done
before.  I pulled the right head (and managed to crack a fin, dang it!  It was
REALLY stuck to one cylinder).  I pulled cylinder #2 to get at the wrist pin
and was a bit surpised at how loose it was....  but then it wasn't slippery
rings, it was free play!  There was about 3/8" of free play!  I got the
cylinder out further and could look inside and see the loose rod bolts!  I
loosened the rod bolts with my fingers!  What a sight!  The molten bearing
material had oozed around the outside of the rod and hardened on the body of
the rod.  One rod bolt had stretched to the point where it had necked down in
diameter to 75% of original.  Apparently, someone had rebuilt this thing
before and FORGOT TO TORQUE ALL THE ROD BOLTS!!!!!!  AAAAUUUUGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!

It looks like one came loose and then the other rod bolt stretched as it took
all of the load. This bent the rod bolt hole and the cap on the bottom of the
rod opened up. The slamming around that this created cracked the cylinder. 

Anyway, as I have dismantled this thing, the list has been getting longer and
longer.....  Man this is gonna cost me!  I am looking for part shops, and
finding tons of 'em that carry bug stuff, but hardly any that carry vanagon
stuff!  The ones that do charge double or triple for the vanagon parts. The
worst place to buy parts is certainly the dealer. ($245 EACH for pistons and
cylinders, HAH!!!)

Anyway, has anybody dealt with SIR in Santa Ana?  They are the only place I
have called that even come close to being reasonable.

Please post your favorite parts house that also sells parts for '82 vanagons!
I need to start ordering and rounding up parts.

Gary Nichols 
'82 Vanagon L (currently in pieces in little boxes, big boxes, 
                  bags, empty Hershey's cocoa cans....)