Engine Compartment Seal

So, with these aircooleds it is imperative to get the engine compartment as air tight as possible. This is because cool air is being blown into the engine to keep both the oil and engine cool. If hot air comes up through the various gaps and holes in the engine tin/compartment it becomes very difficult for the cool air to stay cool. So, by sealing the engine compartment you keep your engine and oil cool and avoid overheating your engine.

Here is the thread from the Samba that got me started, and here is the thread that explains how it all works. My Westy had an old foam type of seal that was falling apart and missing in many places.  This is what it looked like before:

I know this is not the best image but notice the HUGE gap at the front of the engine compartment. It was like this the majority of the way around.  The first thing I did was find the part. I had to call the BusDepot to find the part number because I had no idea what it is called, or what section its under. They call it an engine weather strip and the part number is 251813226A. They cost a pretty penny at $130.00US, but you have to have it, so do it.  

Once you have the part and all of the old one out, you just have to push it onto the edge of the engine tin. It can be difficult, but it will go on. I found the best way was to start at the back (closest to you) and have the ends meet at the front (farthest from you). Here are some pics of the completed "weather strip".

Obviously there are still a couple of gaps. I am going to fill them in with something, although I'm not sure what yet. Also the parts that are missing were removed to get better access to the tin. Much Much Better.. I still have to put in a thermostat and get the exhaust figured out, but She's getting closer. 

Master Cylinder and Brake Bleed

So this is the story of a Master Cylinder replacement and subsequent brake bleed on my 1980 Volkswagon Westfalia.

Basically, the brakes didn't work at all. You could press the brake pedal down all the way without the least bit of stopping power. There was absolutely no pressure behind the pedal. My internet research, while admittedly amateur left me believing that the MC was the cause behind my problem.

I watched YouTube videos about replacing the MC from various people but the BTDT Master Cylinder Instructional really helped.

I ordered the MC from the Bus Depot for a meager $40.00 US. I had read conflicting reviews about these on The Samba, but decided to go for it because of the low price and hey, how bad can it be? This is not a complicated piece of machinery.

So I got the thing, and it matched perfectly. I had removed the bad MC before I had gotten the new one because I was antsy and I needed something to do. I will say that I did not buy any special wrenches to remove the brake likes from the MC as many instructions suggest. I used a basic 11mm wrench. So now came the task of bench bleeding the MC before installation. This is an extremely important part of the job because if there is air in the MC before install it won't work properly and you're boned.

My neighbor owns an auto shop. Larry's Auto is the place to go for any auto repair in the South Kansas City area. Larry is a super nice guy and agrees to help me bench bleed this thing. This helps a lot. We got it bled and I only got brake fluid sprayed in my eye once! But it was done, and I got it in the Westy immediately. I put some grease where the parts interface and bolted her down. So far so good. Now to get the brakes bled.

I have read many times over in my "research" (I quote only b/c it was actually the reading and mental cataloging of a bunch of different articles, Samba forums, blogs, etc..) that there is a good way to bleed your brakes with by yourself. The "one person" method they called it. Larry told me the same thing, and even gave me instructions on how to do so (he didn't want to help). These did not work for me. I had to get a buddy.

Anyway, the first thing to do is to find the bleeders on each wheel. They look like little nipples. They may have rubber caps on them, but chances are if your vehicle is old, the cap will have fallen off. Once you have identified the bleeders, I would SOAK them in lube. I used silicone spray. My neighbor Larry instructed me to hit them with a hammer (on the end) to break them loose. I tapped them at most, but soaked them in lube. The reasoning here is that, if they are corroded into their threads they can break off rendering them useless. You then have to replace the whole brake cylinder. All of mine broke loose turning them gently with a ratchet (after being soaked in lube). It's a 7mm wrench.

Use this method to bleed the brakes. It will work and it is fairly easy. So far so good. My brakes work again!! Yay!! It was relatively painless and yadayada!! Oh how I love working on my Vanagon! At least thats what I tell myself!

Garage Sale Haul

My buddy picked these up for me at a garage sale the other day. They are going to be immensely helpful.

I also picked up the official Vanagon Bentley repair manual, however that book is extremely technical and does not give you the practical step by step info that a novice needs.

I am waiting on my Master Cylinder and Cooling components which should arrive today!! Getting excited!

Cheers, Matt

Shout-outs, Help, and What's Next

I need to pay tribute to a few people/books/websites etc. who have helped me out and showed me the way. First of all I would like to thank my cousin Brian who was a big help in learning about Westies in general, for supporting my decision to get one (despite the amount of work I knew I was getting into), and generally getting me pumped up.

Also to my girlfriend Julie, who supported my decision despite my lack of VW knowledge, and more importantly, dollars. Anther great help was one of Brian's friends, a Westy Pro, who sent me an email outlining several things to do including fuel hoses, thermostat, engine tin seal, and cooling flaps, among others.

Also to The Samba, The Bus Depot, and Been There Done That, among many other great websites that are very helpful for the noob VW owner.

So toady I ordered some parts for the Old Broad. I still havent figured out what to name her. I have some ideas, but nothing great yet. So, I ordered a new Master Cylinder, the engine tin/body seal (called 'the engine weather strip' by the Bus Depot), and a bunch of those little seals that mount to the spark plug fittings. Again, this is an air-cooled vanagon, so the cooling components are very important. From what I have read and been told, the engine weather strip (tin/body seal) is a crucial component to keeping this thing cool.

So look for posts concerning master cylinder (MC) installation (and brake adjustment) and cooling component installation and maintenance.  

Have a good one!

Fuel Hoses

Although I have already done the Fuel Hoses in my Vanagon, I thought that it would be good to devote a whole post on it. Fuel hoses are the first thing any Vanagon owner needs to address when they get a new (to them) Vanagon. The fuel hoses are made of a rubber which wears out within a few years. I have heard VW enthusiasts say to replace them every five years. I would just keep an eye on them, and check them every so often to see if they are cracking or breaking.

This is extremely important because of the fire hazard associated with cracked hoses. The fuel passes through those hoses at (i believe) 45PSI and therefore it will force itself out of even the smallest crack. That means that you van can catch on fire. Lets not do that.

Installing new hoses is not that difficult. It will require a length of 5/16th hose, I bought five feet. Some sites will tell you to buy a metric size hose. The hoses that came out of my van said 5/16 so thats what I asked for when I went to the store. The section from the fuel filter to the fuel pump is a larger size, i believe it was ****. You only need about 5 inches of this, I bought a foot just to be safe. I would also get some new hose clamps as you never know how many of yours will break when you mess with them.

Another tip: wear some nitrile or other work gloves. When you get fuel on your hands it takes for ever to clean off, and it itches. Just avoid this with some cheap gloves.

I went ahead and disconnected the ground, or negative terminal to the battery just to be safe, although I have no idea if it matters in this job. I also started by disconnecting the fuel line at the tank on the right side of the vehicle and draining the gas into a fuel tank. Luckily there was only like, two gallons of gas in there so it didn't take long. There is probably an alternative to this, but I don't know what it is. I then went piece by piece, measuring, cutting, and replacing each piece of fuel hose. It took a couple hours, and it was tough at times, but overall I would say that it was a pretty easy job.

If there are questions about more specifics I will be happy to answer them. I can also add some pictures if you would like to see them.

Backstory/Vanagon Origins

I have long wanted to get my hands on a Volkswagon Bus or Vanagon. I preferred to get a later model one, I think because those are the ones I saw the most during my younger days. I am talking about the newer, boxier version which came out I think in 1980. You can tell that I am not a Volkswagon genius, at least not yet anyway. I also began to figure out that many of the Vans on Ebay and whatnot were going anywhere from $3,000-8,000, and I didn't have that kind of money to spend.

After a long search, lots of research and patience I was super lucky to come across a 1980 Volkswagon Vanagon Camper on Craigslist for $1000.00. I immediately emailed the sellers that I was interested and to call me. They waited four days to call me, I was sweating bullets they already sold it. It turns out that I was the first to contact them and they would offer me the first chance to come look at it. It had been sitting for three years.

I went out there on a Saturday evening in January with my special lady friend Julie, and my cousin Brian, another Westy owner. I figured it would be in pretty rough shape, but if I could get it to start and find some stuff to haggle on, I could pick it up. When we got there it looked pretty good. It was the original Assuan Brown, the exterior had some rust, mainly around the windows. We got the keys and tried to start her up with a jump but she wouldn't go. We ran down to the local auto parts store and picked up a new battery, put that in, and she started right up!! That made me really exited. There was three significant fuel leaks, that was to be expected with what I had read about the fuel lines. There was(is) still a significant oil leak, a big hole in the muffler, and hornets nests all over the underbody, but otherwise she looked great!

My New-to-Me 1980 Air Cooled Westfalia Camper

1980 Volkswagon Air-Cooled Engine

Well, I was gonna have to get it towed, had to do fuel lines, etc... So SHE offered me $500 for it!! I was jacked and trying to keep my best poker face. I calmly accepted and said I would take it! Finally I had my Westy. In retrospect, I probably could have offered $250 and she woulda taken it, but I figure I was gettin a good deal anyway.

I went and got the cash, paid the lady, and called a tow truck. Now my Westy is parked in my driveway and I've got to fix her. This is a log of those repair jobs. I've been having some difficulty finding tutorials on the web of how to do these fixes, and it is my intention to pass along any knowledge I can to other novice Westy owners like myself.

Caveat: I am not an auto mechanic. I may not do some things in the same way as a certified mechanic will do them and I am not instructing anyone to do what I do. This is mainly because I will surely do something stupid. I am going to try and do the majority of these repairs myself, those I cannot do I will take to my local shop(s).

Bad News: Before I had the bright Idea to create this blog I went ahead and installed all new fuel lines, fuel filter, spark plugs, and air filter. So those will not be reported on yet, but I'm sure there will be some discussion of it from time to time, as it is such a crucial repair for the novice Vanagon owner. There is a great video on you tube for this. I did not produce this video, for the record, but it helped me.

Enjoy The Blog!