Date: Sat, 18 Jul 1998 05:04:15 -0400
Reply-To: "Robert A. Alexander" <satcong@VOL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: "Robert A. Alexander" <satcong@VOL.COM>
Subject: '85 VANAGON W/89 ENGINE
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
All right, I assume I passed the initiation test MARCUS had told me I
had to go through before I would be allowed to participate in a serious
fashion on this site - the initial 10 days of posting inane/insane notes
to see if the web-masters ask me to leave.
At approximately 1700UTC, Saturday, 18 July 98, my veterinary office
will be closed for a 72 hour marathon session with VSWR (with vowels -
ViSWaR), my beloved '85 GL w/its 89 emgine, to install the myriad of
parts that RON sent me this week in preparation of picking up my five
daughters from my ex-beloved "EX" next Friday for a two-week trip down
to Florida. Number one priority is the air-conditioning, which I can
live without, but the girls insist is a necessity for a trip to
Florida. Trying to explain to them that the stress placed on a <95hp
engine trying to propel a 5,000# vehicle down the road, with the
additional stress of A/C, in 95degree weather, is asking too much, just
falls on deaf ears! Sort of like placing a '71 Pinto engine in in a '68
Fleetwod Cadillac.
After spending beau coup hours scouring this site & the archives, I've
got some questions:
1- Got the new (cheap) compressor from Ron. VW wanted $595, the locals
wanted $300 (rebuilt) and Ron sent me one (new) for $180. It looks just
like the one in the van. I got a dryer for $20 from a local. Was
advised, locally, to go ahead and use R-134a with it's associated oil,
replacing all o-rings and go for it. My drier is located on the
driver's side wheel-well and looks like Mr. Rust raped it several years
ago. Is there anything else I need to buy tomorrow, before I dive into
continuing? Two clients of mine are equipped with gauges, R-134,
corresponding oil, vacuum pump and the determination to get me off their
backs to get this job done. I haven't had the guts to drop the panels
from the overhead unit yet. As I understand it, spiders & bugs love to
invade any open tubular objects that are not in regular use. The fan
doesn't seem to blow as much air as my old '72 Mercedes 220D, but, that
may just be the nature of the beast?
2- Cooling/heating system. I must have a two-inch thick pile of notes
I've downloaded pertaining to flushing, filling and care of the cooling
system. Jeez, there must be 6 different ways of flushing the system! I
need some concrete answers for this. The '89 engine was put in about
three years ago and I have not had to add more than two quarts of
coolant. The stuff still looks like normal antifreeze in the
reservoir. Is there any real reason to run a "flush" in the system for
a period of time and then flushing out the entire system and refilling?
If I do need to, WHAT does one do that really flushes the entire
system???
I have the little heater core under the back seat and really have no
idea which position of the manual valve cuts the heater out of the
circuit. The damn thing seems to be hot regardless of the position of
the valve arm.
Anyone have any experience in replacing the cables of the control panel
on the dash? Three of my cables are broken.
3- Why a 15 degree difference in the timing of the '85 (5 atdc) and the
'89 (10 btdc)?
Borrowed a digital camera and am willing to email pics tpo anyone
willing to help me through the finer points. Gosh, I miss my '74!!!
Bob
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