Date:         Thu, 9 Dec 1999 19:47:25 -0500
Reply-To:     Bulley <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Bulley <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
Subject:      Re: Portland, OR to the Everglades in a '71 Westy - advice, please
Comments: To: "Penberthy, Thomas" <TPenberthy@CREATIVEPRO.COM>

Thomas-

While a tool kit may be a nice gift, he (and you) might be better advised
to do a thorough diagnostic/preventive maintenance of the current
situation.

Since the 1971 bus has the old (bug) motor, the motor is under more load
per horsepower, and has less useful life. IF the motor has just been
rebuilt, a trip cross-country in the winter is not a big deal. If the motor
has some miles on it, he (you) would be best served by ascertaining the
motor's condition. Further, the tranny in the 1971 is (to my recollection)
not the 091, and thus is a prone to failure faster than the newer bus
(1972-1983.5).

To check both, have your brother do the following before the trip. Buy a
Bentley manual, and reference ALL of the following against specs, and ask
this list about results you receive from testing.
1) Have a compression check on the motor
2) Have an oil pressure check
3) Have the oil analyzed by a lab (after 3000+ miles in the motor)
4) Have a competent VW garage check the steering, suspension, and brake
systems, stem to stern.
5) Closely consider ALL evidence of other problems after a month on the
road: i.e. rattles, squeaks, hesitancy, cold start, smoke at starting,
acceleration under load, panic stopping, etc.
6) There aren't (to my knowledge) many ways to check a transmission,
however, changing the fluid and adding a half-pint of SLICK 50 manual
Transmission additive will ensure a "longer" life, however long that might
be.

While there are lots of tools you *COULD* buy your brother, the real
comfort would be in knowing that tools on this trip would be un-needed.

Cheers,

G. Matthew Bulley
Bulley-Hewlett
Corporate Communications Counselors
www.bulley-hewlett.com
Cary, NC USA
888.468.4880 tollfree

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