Date: Sat, 28 Mar 1998 20:26:31 +0000
Reply-To: Harry Yates <hyates@BERT.CR.BCIT.BC.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Harry Yates <hyates@BERT.CR.BCIT.BC.CA>
Subject: Spring service completed (long)
Hi Folks. Well, after all the work I've done on the van prior to the
servcice, and the dealer finishing off what I couldn't/didn't do, the
van is ready for the road... once I get her loaded with camping gear.
I thought I'd share with the list how I have prepared our van for
our travels this year with the hope that nothing else will be needed
other than oil changes until fall.
To recap: This spring, I've done the following to our '90 Syncro
Westy with 145000 km (90000 miles)
service battery (it was out of van over winter, and charged monthly)
rotate tires
bleed brakes (Autobahn fluid)
bleed clutch circuit (Autobahn fluid)
electrical contacts and engine grounds - cleaned & greased
(dielectric grease)
coolant changed last November before storage (G11 coolant)
removed and cleaned rear heater/plenum, oiled motor shaft
cleaned engine air intake system/air box / filter is OK
inspected all wiring for chaffing, put some wiring in conduits
inspected all hoses for cracks/vacuum leaks, put some hoses in
conduits
new ignition wires (Autobahn)
new Bosch Platinums (WR7CP) spark plugs
new distributor cap & rotor (Bosch)
ECU - resoldered some joints, and replaced 1 resistor
engine oil & filter changed (Castrol 20W-50 & VW filter)
dealer did the following:
installed new Bosch oxygen sensor (I supplied part) (30 min. labour)
inspected belts (tightened a/c belt)
new fuel filter (Bosch)
checked brakes (70% remaining on all original brakes)
checked engine compression (155/155/155/155)
topped up transmission/front diff fuids
checked steering/suspension
inspected exhaust (all original)
adjusted ignition timing
checked ECU fault codes
checked emissions control systems
tested catalytic converter efficiency
adjusted engine basics
The result is an extremely smooth running van. I'm very pleased.
The dealer service cost me $260 CDN at $81/hour labour ... yes, this
is Canada, and that price includes all taxes. My dealer is
expensive, but I'm very pleased with their work, and consider their
cost as reasonable as Ford dealers are charging $89/hour labour.
The engine compression of 155 straight across is consistent with
other compression checks I've had done in the past. In 1996,
compression was 150 across, in 1993 it was 135/140/155/135.
This is the first year I haven't had the air conditioning checked as
I have an R-12 system, and R-12 is no longer available. VW has a
conversion kit for the Vanagon to go to R-134A, but I didn't bother
to find out costs, etc at this time.
With a little luck, I shouldn't have to see my dealer until fall.
Bets, anyone? ;)
Harry.
---------------------------------------------------------
Harry Yates, Langley, BC, Canada
'90 Syncro Westfalia www: http://syncro.bcit.bc.ca/hyates
'87 Golf Diesel email: hyates@bert.cr.bcit.bc.ca
'91 Miata (Millie)
