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!

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!