Date:         Thu, 22 Oct 1998 17:51:28 -0300
Reply-To:     Tim Smith <smitht@UNB.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Tim Smith <smitht@UNB.CA>
Subject:      emerg. repairs/solutions
Comments: To: vanagon@vanagon.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Hi All,

How about posting some 'bailing wire and string' fixes we've used to get us
home when something craps out. I'm not talking urban legends here, but
practical vanagon fixes that have worked long enough at least to qualify as
a 'repair'

With my aging rusting motor I'm getting leery of spontaneous failures, so I
carry odd's 'n sod's along with few parts under the bench.


steel water pipe fixes:  length of 1" ID heater hose, tube of hi-temp
silicone goop, 4 or more band clamps, sharp knife.  so for I've used the
hose cut open and gooped, in short length 2"-3" to cover rust outs.  Last
leak occurred when a rock hit that fat pipe on drivers side of engine. Find
the drip/jet of water, let it cool/drop pressure, then goop up a bit of
sliced open hose and use one or two clamps to hold on the patch.

rotting electrical connections:  usual selection of crimp on terminals,
mostly female spade lugs, but enough to splice in whatever is needed (plus
a couple of coils of wire 6-10' each), small sharp knife to strip
insulation, and pliers to crimp them one.  Terminals with boots work best,
nothing like having the fuel pump ground out due to salt slush on the bare
connectors.

fuel hose: not really a patch, more like a legit. repair item. about 4' of
high pressure hose and 4+ little clamps.

misc collection of duct tape, electrical tape, steel wire, coathangers (hey
it's a Westy OK) length of 2" diam flex pipe for muffler/exhaust rigging,
large band clamps, 2 alum. pie-plates/tomato paste tins (and metal snips)
plus muffler cement for patching same.

Yup folks, Sandford and Son lives on.  Bottom line on this is my stubborn
refusal to put one more cent than absolutely neccessary into my wasserboxer
engine.  I also have some confidence in being able to get out of a problem
when in the middle of nowhere.

any other fixes that have helped?


bye, Tim

whose spare parts include fuses, belts, a fuel pump, bulbs, extra jack and
an inner tube. Not to mention a sample of most vanagon fluids (in
containers please, not on a blue dress!)