Date: Sat, 18 Apr 1998 18:09:47 EDT
Reply-To: Sean Bartnik <sbart7kb@WWW.MWC.EDU>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Sean Bartnik <sbart7kb@WWW.MWC.EDU>
Subject: Saturday adventure
Hey all,
Today I headed up to Steve Dolan's place in Alexandria VA to help
Charlie Ford out with some work on his Bus. We had originally planned
to pull his fan housing to replace the oil cooler seals as that was
where his leak was suspected to be coming from. Then we were going to
bleed my brakes.
Anyway I showed up and we (Charlie, Steve, and I) BS'ed for a while,
then got out to Charlie's Bus. We checked around it it turned out that
his oil pressure sensor was leaking oil badly, and we suspected this to
be the real source of his oil leak. The spare he had got was apparently
the wrong part so we replaced his with a good non-leaking spare I had
left over from when I installed the VDO gauge oil pressure sensor in my
van. That took care of that problem.
Then we went out to a local FLAPS to get some vacuum hose for Charlie's
brake booster hose, where it connects to the intake air distributor.
Gus came along as we rode in my '81 -- I think he liked it :-) -- the
only problem is that there's no bed right under the side window for him
to lay on like there is in Charlie's '79.
Anyway we got that taken care of and then went to bleed my brakes. I
was shocked when I looked at the brake fluid reservoir and found it to
be down near the min line! I had just checked it in the past couple
days and it was at the max line, and had been since I had last bled the
brakes months ago.
Well we bled the brakes and I found no source of leakage, so I decided
to check the clutch slave cylinder. Sure enough, fluid was leaking out
of it and down onto the ground. Apparently this was a rather sudden
event, but probably related to when I replaced the clutch master
cylinder in December or January. I figured I would be OK since it
hadn't blown yet but I guess today was the day.
So we made an emergency trip in the Mothership to Olympic Auto Parts,
cruising to the sounds of the Doors on the local classic rock station --
got to Olympic, picked up the part (FAG German-made), $55.60 in all,
drove back, and then set to putting it in.
This was an unexpected turn of events but thankfully I was able to get
the part and with Charlie's help we put the new slave cylinder in. This
is a three-hand job, so a helper is needed unless you're a mutant freak.
Anyway we got the old one off and the new one on, then got it bled. Now
the clutch feels firmer than I have ever felt it. Even better than when
I put in the new master cylinder. I am favorably impressed. It feels
so much firmer and better that I am actually finding myself having to
re-learn where the clutch hooks up. Amazing.
So I guess all those who say to replace the clutch master and slave
cylinders together have a point. Usually after the replacement of one,
the failure of the other follows. I will write up a procedure for my
tech page and let everyone know when I post it.
Saw some nice VWs around, including a '98 Beetle, a really really SWEET
late breadloaf Bus, white over yellow with a full-length roof rack(!)
and on the ride home I saw a stunningly beautiful mid-to-late '60s
Karmann Ghia convertible in a light green color. Beautiful.
A pretty productive day, though I'm not too happy about the slave
cylinder failing like that. Oh well.....
--
Sean Bartnik
Fredericksburg, Virginia
1981 Volkswagen Vanagon L Westfalia
1974 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia convertible
http://www.type2.com/bartnik/myvan.htm
http://www.mwc.edu/~sbart7kb/vwbooks.htm
