Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1998 07:58:20 EDT
Reply-To: TStone8359@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Tom Stone <TStone8359@AOL.COM>
Subject: Maiden Voyage
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
I completed the swap of the 2.1 engine from my '87GL into my '85 Westy and
installed a rebuilt transmission from German Transaxle in Oregon. Ran out of
time to do a 100 mile test run and had to go to Ohio (400 miles) over the
weekend for wife's class reunion. Decided to take the Westy. We are leaving
for San Diego on Wed. so had to get a good feel for how the Westy would run
and id all the bugs and get them fixed before then.
The first problem was the idle. It would stall and cough until the engine was
warm and then run OK. Suspect a vacuum leak and will test with brake cleaning
fluid tonite.
The next problem was that the car boiled over a few times. Try finding a hill
to drive the van up so that you can bleed the cooling system along I74 and I70
in Illiois and Indiana. Had the water tank full so only took a lttle time to
get it back on the road. Found that the fan was not coming on. Took off the
lower grill and pulled the plug off the temp switch and jumpered on the low
speed fan with a paper clip and just left it on while we were driving. Worked
great til we stopped at a junk yard along I74 near Crawfordsville on the way
home. It boiled over again. Probaby needed the high speed fan after stopping
after a high speed run. Will take a thermo switch from the '87.
Third problem was that we ran out of gas. The gauge said we still had some,
but didn't. Wife was driving while I tried to sleep. It was 2AM Sat. Hoofed
it down the highway to an exit and was picked up by a jazz drummer returning
from a gig. Nice guy. Took me 7 miles to find a station that was open and
then back on the freeway right to my car. Temp was in the low 50s so it was
great to have a ride. Seems that at some point in its life, someone tried to
lift the van with one of those four point lifts and placed the front two
points on the rails that hold in the gas tank. The tank is mashed in a bit,
which affects the volume of the tank and may also affect the fuel sender
operation.
The fourth problem was that the alternator and OXS lights glowed during most
of the trip. Haven't a clue for the cause of that problem. There was some
talk on the list the past week or two about this but I didn't read the posts.
Now wish I had. The OXS light came on full tilt on the way home. Wife was
startled and pulled off the road. Simple reset and we were on our way. Just
installed a new O2 sensor before the trip (and muffler and CAT too - thanks
Bus Depot).
The fifth problem is that there is a heavy metallic rattle when the van is
moving at speed. Gets worst the faster you go. No clue yet, but expect the
shifter or some other heavy metal thing is vibrating against the floor or
frame and transmitting the sound. The '87 had a similar sound to it when we
drove it in the past so was not too alarmed, just annoyed.
As I was driving, I made a list of the things I need to work on before Wed.
Ranges from the map lite not working to the more serious stuff like leaking
rear shocks and finding that rattle. 18 items on the list. Will be a busy
two days.
Went nearly a thousand miles over the weekend. I wasn't worth much at the
reunion because of the lack of sleep but the van made it and with a few tweeks
should be able to make the trip to San Diego. Going by way of Colorado and
the Grand Canyon to HPWorld and then taking a week afterward to see Tiajuana
and some of the upper Baja, cruise up the coast to Oregon and Wash, then head
back by way of Yellowstone to Illinois. Taking the wife and two kids, 13 and
14. I asked once when we were pulled over doing repairs if they wanted to
take the Westy or the "Crapsler" minivan to Calif. Even with the problems,
the vote was unanimous for the Westy. Look for a savana beige Westy with
Illinois tags "BUG INN 2" on them. Will have tools, the Bentley, and 30 years
VW experience along with the Lord's provision. See you on the road.
Tom
Bloomington, IL
'85 Westy
'87 GL
