Date:         02 Jun 97 13:56:04 PDT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         CARVER_JEFFREY@aphub.aerojetpd.com (Jeff Carver)
Subject:      Weekend of VW Work (long)

Well, here's to report that last weekend's worth of work went well.  
I just have to counter the horror stories one usually reads about.

My '80 Westi was in need of several things.  A speedo cable broke 16 
miles from home.  The oil temp guage that was held in place by 
string, fell and needed a better mounting.  The right head, recently 
welded up by AVP, needed to be re-torqued.  Fuel pump beginning to 
make noises, replacement needed.

I spent Friday evening fabricating a housing fro the oil tem out of 
2" black ABS plumbing tubing.  Perfect fit for the VDO guage.  I cut 
the tube at a real shallow angle so that while the bottom of the tube 
(cut edge) sits on the main dash surface where the now removed ash 
tray once was.  The guage faces me and the bottom of the tube rest 
on the angle of the dash goin to the rear.  Weird to describe.

Made three of these, screwed them together, painted them black.  
Almost covers the entire ash tray hole!  All wired up and works 
great.  Now I still have to figure out how to hold the trio to the 
dash.  Looks good to me.  Rest of activity took place on Sunday.

Removed the upper speedo cable from parts bus, cleaned and lubicated 
with grease in a spray can.  Installed it, no change.  Oops, lower 
speedo cable is bad, not upper.  Oh well, I now have a lubricated 
upper.  Removed the lower speedo cable, definitely bad.  Did the same 
trick with the parts bus cable. 

For the people that have a problem with the end of the cable pushing 
agains the hubcap.  Pull the cable from the inside wheel area.  The 
cable is simple held in by a rubber bushing.  I musta fed 5 inches of 
cable PAST the proper location.  Fit the grease cup and pushed pulled 
it back so the spring clip was flush with grease cup.  Viola, speedo 
works again.  Pull slowly but firmly.

Removed intake stuff, FI stuff, etc to re-torque right head.  Managed 
to do this without removing alternator.  Two were slightly loose, 
tightened them all up.  Adjusted valve lash, as rocker assemlies had 
to get removed for two of the head bolts.  Adjusted other side too.
While doing this, I noticed two push rods felt mushy.  Are these the 
ones that are making all the clacking sounds?

Removed the fuel pump on the parts bus, and drained about 12 gallons 
of fuel into a 2 gallon container and thusly into my truck.  Forgot 
only once and let it overflow for a few seconds.  Original hoses 
looked fine ('80) but larger one had been replaced, looked cracked.
Was gonna install it, but didn't have another fuel filter, nor proper 
large dia hose.  Will buy today and then replace.  Hopefully it'll 
work without whining.

Original hose on daily drive bus near fuel pump also looked good, but 
will replace them anyway.

Things went well.  

- Jeff '80 Westi