Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (August 1999, week 3)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Sun, 15 Aug 1999 01:31:25 -0500
Reply-To:     Jim Fritz <jfritz@DECORAH.K12.IA.US>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jim Fritz <jfritz@DECORAH.K12.IA.US>
Subject:      post trip questios
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-Ascii"

Listees,

Just completed our first major trip and a couple small things happened that I'd like to have your opinion about:

Question #1: After running perfectly for 3500 miles the Westy suddenly went from 3700 rpm to 0 rpm in the blink of an eye...total dead stick. Tried to start it again in mid coast but no go. Rolled to a stop and tried again and it started right up. This proceeded to happen 4 times in less than 250 miles. I vaguely remembered the list talking about strange things that happen to the ECU if things are packed in around it and I surmised by the failure/reset action that occurred that this might be an electrical/computer/relay problem so I took everything out of that compartment area. Worked perfectly from then on. Does this seem like it might be caused by this or is some other quirky thing need to be looked at?? The strange thing about this is it happened on a cool day near Edmonton and not when it was 100 degrees at Devil's Tower!

Question 2: One night at an altitude of approx. 7500 feet night an ominous drip from the radiator ocurred. It was somewhere above the lower radiator hose on the passenger side and just below the bleeder valve. I took things apart but couldn't really see where it was coming from...it seemed to come from in between the two halves of the coils. Releasing the pressure at the cap stopped the flow and the overflow tank had been emptied. I filled it and promised to keep a close eye on it. Long story short: it never took any fluid from the overflow tank again, it only leaked on one or two occassions, and it never overheated! Is it possible to have more potential for leaks at high altitudes? Is there something else I should look for?

Question 3: The top bunk shifts forward during daytime travel and has rubbed two nasty spots on the poptop roof. I'm afraid it'll rub through eventually. I push it back every morning but those sudden stops to avoid pedestrians/stopped cars/big horn sheep must cause it to shift forward so it rubs. Have any of you experienced it and do you have any good ideas how to avoid it getting any worse?

Question 4: I was washing the Westy and realized that both of the high beam headlights were flopping around in their sockets. Closer inspection revealed that the plastic clip for the adjustment screws on the upper/outer corner of each headlamp had broken. I took the grill off and this plastic just crumbled in my hand. Is this failure normal for a 1989? Any idea if any of the vendors carries this item or do I have to go to VOA?

As always, TIA....

Jim in Iowa 91 Passat Wagon GL 89 Westy 66 Beetle


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.