Itinerant Air-Cooled

I'm too broke to go anywhere, but my order from BD came (FINALLY after waiting almost two weeks for IT TO BE SHIPPED!!!!!) with my exhaust gaskets, front shifter bushing, and oh, look. . . They backordered the coupler and quick shift kit (I wanted to play with one and see if it would be worth it to invest in a good one). They didn't let me know it was backordered, even though I was in communication with their sales dept since the day after I placed the order (the online form defaulted to overnight shipping for some retarded reason. She emailed me to see if I really wanted to pay $30 to ship a $26 order. That was cool.)

Anyway, I'm going to work on my exhaust and see if I can't tighten up that sloppy shifter.

But before that I need to clean up my garage. Bad. And build a stand to hold my engine stand so I can start working on the 79 engine that's still setting here leaking oil next to me.

What am I doing this weekend? I'm trying to track down why my brake lights are so spotty... I've got new switches and if it's not that... well... I don't know! I've checked all the grounds and it LOOKS like they should work.

DorocShark- why do you need a stand to hold the engine stand? (what I'm really asking is do I need to build a stand to hod my engine stand before I start my very first rebuild?)

77_Bus_Girl wrote:What am I doing this weekend? I'm trying to track down why my brake lights are so spotty... I've got new switches and if it's not that... well... I don't know! I've checked all the grounds and it LOOKS like they should work.

DorocShark- why do you need a stand to hold the engine stand? (what I'm really asking is do I need to build a stand to hod my engine stand before I start my very first rebuild?)

The switches should wait until you have cleaned the tail light sockets and bulbs and really really really made sure your ground path through that metal backing plate has clean and tight connections. The tail light/brake light grounds are plugged into little spades along each side of the engine compartment opening, you'll see the brown wires. Use De-Ox gel to prevent corrosion for evermore.

Engine stands are a pain if they droop and catch the flywheel while you are trying to set endplay.
I used a plastic milk crate. Worked nicely.
Colin

I have a bench-mount stand and I want it off the ground (and on wheels). And I have no bench to mount it to. ;)

Amskeptic wrote:The switches should wait until you have cleaned the tail light sockets and bulbs and really really really made sure your ground path through that metal backing plate has clean and tight connections. The tail light/brake light grounds are plugged into little spades along each side of the engine compartment opening, you'll see the brown wires. Use De-Ox gel to prevent corrosion for evermore.

I've spent a LOT (too much!) time cleaning and wiggling those wires... (althought I seem to remember mine grounding to the body on either side of the hatch... that shouldn't make any difference should it?) I'm fairly certain it's not anything with the actual lights - although it may be a bad wire somewhere else. Last time I checked I wans't getting any power back to the lights. But I'll check again.
Also, the "B" light up front is on all the time (it seems to have 2 settings, low (all the time) and high (when the e-brake is on)

77_Bus_Girl wrote:(althought I seem to remember mine grounding to the body on either side of the hatch... that shouldn't make any difference should it?)

As long as both ground straps are clean and good, no.

Nothing this weekend, but I have camped a zillion times this summer, to some crazy places. My new LT tires make a world of difference, not to mention the correct distributor.
I'll write a nice story about the summer with pics, some day when I'm not lazy...
Just heard that my friend Eric with the '74 is almost at the Oregon border. We took his bus to hell and back before he left, so it's Flight Certified without a doubt. Our last trip last weekend was up an old road called the Abbot Road, 1920s vintage dirt/boulder mix hugging the extreme side of a mountain. I pooped myself 100 times. 6 miles in 1st gear! We worked on abandoned trails in the area. Also stuck my hand in a big pile of bear poop by accident, a big black huckleberry filled blob, smelled just like rotting leaves.
Wonder how many Oregon folks are on this site? It would be an interesting survey, by state.

BugORama in Sacramento this Sunday is the plan. Might even do the show and shine with my Syncro for the heck of it. Never did a show and shine before and although I do not expect to win, I would do for the fun of it and meet others.

Anyone else here doing BOR?

tj

I'll be putting a new alternator in my bus and crossing my fingers that that fixes the charging problem. I got the old one pulled last night. Wasn't nearly as much of a PITA as I remember it being when I had to do it at BBB a few months ago. Must have been the high stress of being stranded 1200 miles away from home that made it seem tougher then. Good times.

BTW has anyone replaced the alternator cooling boot without pulling the fan shroud? How did you get the clip compressed in that tight spot?

Westy78 wrote: BTW has anyone replaced the alternator cooling boot without pulling the fan shroud? How did you get the clip compressed in that tight spot?

Right-angle needle nose pliers.

You still have to remove the fan, but that's it.

Oh, almost forgot: I need to do the CV boots too before winter. I don't want that mag chloride getting in the CV's.

I'll be shipping my faulty fuel pump back to Summit Racing. Putting on a barely used Facet (for the mean time). Pulling the tops of my carbs and replacing the needle valves. Pulling my heater boxes and muffler to drain out all the gas. Adding a loop in my fuel line above the tank level. And repeatedly flushing my engine of all the gas contamination. Hopefully at some point (maybe Monday) I'll get to drive it again!

I hope there was no damage from the gas contamination!

Hey Sluggo why go to all that trouble with th exhaust and oil. Just change the oil, pull the plugs and let the starter whiz it over for a minute or two, get that oil flowing back where it belongs before fireing it up. Put the plugs back in fire it up and go for a short ride. The whizing with no plugs will push any liquid gas out of the cylinders and exhaust, the short ride will vaporize any remaining gas before the exhaust gets hot enough to self ignite anything in there. change the oil and filter after you get back and you should be good to go.

I don't know, just saying what I would do. I used to think to much, I don't anymore, to much like paranoia!

Bill

hambone wrote:Nothing this weekend, but I have camped a zillion times this summer, to some crazy places. My new LT tires make a world of difference, not to mention the correct distributor.
I'll write a nice story about the summer with pics, some day when I'm not lazy...
Just heard that my friend Eric with the '74 is almost at the Oregon border. We took his bus to hell and back before he left, so it's Flight Certified without a doubt. Our last trip last weekend was up an old road called the Abbot Road, 1920s vintage dirt/boulder mix hugging the extreme side of a mountain. I pooped myself 100 times. 6 miles in 1st gear! We worked on abandoned trails in the area. Also stuck my hand in a big pile of bear poop by accident, a big black huckleberry filled blob, smelled just like rotting leaves.
Wonder how many Oregon folks are on this site? It would be an interesting survey, by state.

Ok Hambone besides sticking your hand in a pile of bear crap

Iam thinking you still drive the '69 single port? right? What are the tires you speak of and the "correct distributor" ? My driving choices sound much like yours and would really like to know. Here on this forum!

Thanks, Barb