Itinerant stop in the Lower Hudson Valley

Moderators: Sluggo, Amskeptic

Post Reply
User avatar
highlandmurf
I'm New!
Location: Poughquag, NY
Status: Offline

Itinerant stop in the Lower Hudson Valley

Post by highlandmurf » Wed Sep 19, 2012 9:35 am

Ok, so I managed to sneak onto the tail end of the Itinerant schedule, as a Spring refresher just wasn't in the cards this year.
Our traveling wrench arrives at a respectable time after battling some NYC area traffic and a county road numbering system designed by a schizophrenic.

Image

On to coffee and my history of repairs since his last visit. Colin comments that I have become much more of a mechanic since his last visit. (yes! he used the word mechanic :cyclopsani: ) Next was a short list of the days tasks and some general information questions that would get me on the right track with some other items after the clack of Cloe's valves have faded down the driveway.

The main task for the day was AFM adjustment, as despite my best efforts the Bus was still running uneven and sputtering a little.
after a review of my tuneup proceedures, and valves, we fixed some unhappy heater tubes that I had bought parts for, but had not gotten around to yet.

I should mention that I am just getting over a broken ankle, and have not had much bus time behind the wheel, or in the engine compartment since June. So I spent the day limping around on one crutch trying to soak up as much type 4 wisdom as I could.

After we got the tune up and heater tubes together we took a look at my timing scale and shimmed it out with some washers, so it would sit in place a little more acurately and not get rubbed by the fan bolts.

Compression test was next with the Bus coming in ast 125lbs on all four. I guess my top end rebuild payed off event though I was informed that I followed some bad advice and did not dress the cylinders while I was in there.

Finally with half the day gone we finally were about to fire it up when I was asked "what should I expext upon turning the key"
Reply- "should start fine, but it will stall untill it is warmed up." with this introduction we were off on another detour, as the AAR came out for adjustment.
The bus started and idled right off the bat, but did not settle in after warm up. Out came the AAR again for a bench test with the volt/ohm meter. This proved faulty and I was starting to get discouraged, when our traveling wrench asked to take a look at my old one. Clearly broken, with a loose housing and plug, it did read ok on the meter. After a few minutes with some JBWeld and a hose clamp we had a working unit. The duct tape didn't even come out of the box.

2:30 and we now have a running bus whew! time is flying. On to the AFM. 2:30 and we are finally getting to the first thing on my list, but have buttoned up a dozen details that I had not considered. A day with Colin has a way of taking on its own form regardless of your plans.

The AFM was lean lean lean. This was a rebuilt unit purchased and installed bythe last old German VW mechanics in the area, and aparently he had the adjustment screw as rich as it could go and the result was still lean. This adjustment was not as complicated as I thought it would be, but I think I still would rather have a knowledgeble eye on me if I had to do it again.

3:00- Our first test drive. Much smoother engine operation. The clutch could use a small adjustment. Transaxle sounds like it is feeling its age, better start saving up.

Back at the house we jack up the front to review a few front end items, and fill up the dripping steering box, which is not loose. I am informed that my center pin swing arm thingy is loose. A job for another day.

Then we jacked up ther rear wheels to asses the transaxle noise, except the rear drivers side brake is engaged, not frozen but rubbing.
another hour to free it and assess the brakes all around. What a freakishly convenient thing for that to happen while Colin was here. I can now add front pads and a rear brake cylinder to my to do list.

Which concludes our day. We got a lot done, and I've got a lot to do.

The engine starts immediately, nicely even when cold and accelerates smoothly. In the AM I thought I might have a small exhaust leak. It now sounds like it just came out of the factory.

After a quick bite to eat ( we didn't even squeeze lunch in) our hero was off to battle more NYC traffic.

See ya next year!

My homework:
Front Break pads
Rear brake cylinder
Listen for changes in the transmission
oil the windshield washer spindles
tighten the clutch cable slightly
Center pin replacement
more frequent rear brake adjustments
adjust my driving style (my clutch ankle is still not 100%)
Grease ball joint at cracked boot

Man, I thought I had a big list before he showed up...... Ah, the Bus lifestyle
Attachments
itinerant pic 9,17,12  .jpg
'76 Westy Marino Yellow

User avatar
retro1302
I'm New!
Location: Long Valley, New Jersey
Status: Offline

Re: Itinerant stop in the Lower Hudson Valley

Post by retro1302 » Wed Sep 19, 2012 3:06 pm

Thanks for the detailed summary. I'm anxiously awaiting the pitter-patter of Cloe coming up my driveway tomorrow morning. This will be my initial vist from Colin. I find these summaries very helpful as a guide to what the day will bring. I will try to rest well tonight in anticipation of a good workout tomorrow!

Stan in New Jersey
____________________

1965 Split Camper
1971 Super Beetle Convert
1980 Triumph Spitfire

User avatar
airkooledchris
IAC Addict!
Location: Eureka, California
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Itinerant stop in the Lower Hudson Valley

Post by airkooledchris » Wed Sep 19, 2012 5:07 pm

highlandmurf wrote:we took a look at my timing scale and shimmed it out with some washers, so it would sit in place a little more acurately and not get rubbed by the fan bolts.
Thanks for sharing the whole story. Im especially glad to read these kinds of things so I can say "yay, im not the only one who does that then!" (in regards to shimming out the scale to reduce rubbing)
highlandmurf wrote:Out came the AAR again for a bench test with the volt/ohm meter. This proved faulty and I was starting to get discouraged, when our traveling wrench asked to take a look at my old one. Clearly broken, with a loose housing and plug, it did read ok on the meter. After a few minutes with some JBWeld and a hose clamp we had a working unit.


Would love to know/see more about this AAR repair. I have two that read OK on the meter, and have adjusted both to open as wide as possible when cold, but have a feeling there's still issues there.
highlandmurf wrote:2:30 and we now have a running bus whew! time is flying. On to the AFM. 2:30 and we are finally getting to the first thing on my list, but have buttoned up a dozen details that I had not considered. A day with Colin has a way of taking on its own form regardless of your plans.


It's amazing how late into the day you seem to get before *you* think your making progress. And then you look back and realize you addressed 12 things that would have given you poor results on your next task - had you not addressed those first.


highlandmurf wrote: My homework:
Front Break pads
Rear brake cylinder
Listen for changes in the transmission
oil the windshield washer spindles
tighten the clutch cable slightly
Center pin replacement
more frequent rear brake adjustments
adjust my driving style (my clutch ankle is still not 100%)
Grease ball joint at cracked boot

Man, I thought I had a big list before he showed up...... Ah, the Bus lifestyle
You could really compile these 'to do' lists post-IAC visit and make one big "check this stuff yearly" list for people to follow. It's so easy to dismiss simple things as bigger issues that you don't want to deal with. (like the wiper spindles?)


Thanks again for sharing. I love reading these summaries.
1979 California Transporter

User avatar
skip
Getting Hooked!
Location: Englewood, NJ
Status: Offline

Re: Itinerant stop in the Lower Hudson Valley

Post by skip » Thu Sep 20, 2012 12:38 pm

Hi All, had my first visit with Colin yesterday...what a guy, he doesn't beat you over the head,
but makes sure you understand what the problem and fix is. I am so thankful he could fit me in
as my 76 yellow westy had problems I did not know of. During our coffee school started as I am
new to FI. He drew pictures for me to understand as I'm an ex muscle car guy. Engine would turn
over, but would not start, fresh battery & fuel. Had bad connections at battery, fuel pump, and
FI supply wire, double relay ground relocated, idiot light light issues. Once it was running Colin
found timing was too advanced and the AFM too lean. He painted the timing marks on the pully so
I could find my way around next time as I did not trust the scale, looked bent.The whole learning
experience was university in a day, in my case 1/2 day due to his tight schedule. The best part aside
from just talking with Colin was we drove the bus, a first since May while I was doing the rust repair,
body work, pop top restore & canvas change. Thank you Colin I'm signing up next year.

Regards,
Harper
Complexity is the enemy of reliability.

76 Westfalia
74 Type 181

RinTinTin in Waldorf Astoria 1956

User avatar
Amskeptic
IAC "Help Desk"
IAC "Help Desk"
Status: Offline

Re: Itinerant stop in the Lower Hudson Valley

Post by Amskeptic » Fri Sep 21, 2012 9:07 am

skip wrote:,
but
The best part was to drive the bus,


Sure Harper,
tell them about the nifty Automatic Driver's Cold Shower System you got rigged up there, triggered by the brake pedal.
And the new Nifty-Quik windshield seal, shall I tell them or shall you?
(I liked the blue color you selected, the blue windshield seal formerly known as "painter's masking tape")
You have a worthy Volkswagen there, the bug too! Pictures? Did we get any in?

Excellent to meet you and chat it up. I even found my way back to Rt 4 and made it to Brooklyn and loaded up all of may art stuff and made it back to pizza in Englewood with some friends and drove to Long Valley, all by midnight.
Colin :bounce:
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

User avatar
highlandmurf
I'm New!
Location: Poughquag, NY
Status: Offline

Re: Itinerant stop in the Lower Hudson Valley

Post by highlandmurf » Sun Sep 23, 2012 7:53 am

Hey,
Just a followup for aircooledchris. I tried ti take a quick snapshot of the AAR, but there it is pretty cluttered in that area.
Here is a shot of one out of the engine compartment:

Image

Basically on mine the plug was loose in the neck of the AAR, not that it was coming out, it was in there permanently, but could spin. if the plug turns it has a direct effect on the size opening in the valve. We placed a hose clamp around the neck if the unit, so that the plug could not spin freely.

The other thing that was wrong, was that the two halves of on the valve end were loose and spinning freely, this rotated the opening on the intake side out of alignment with the opening in the valve. We aligned the two halves and "caulked them up with some JBWeld to keep them aligned and prevent a vacuum leak.
I hope this is of some help. I will get a clear pic when I can.

Joe
'76 Westy Marino Yellow

User avatar
Amskeptic
IAC "Help Desk"
IAC "Help Desk"
Status: Offline

Re: Itinerant stop in the Lower Hudson Valley

Post by Amskeptic » Sun Sep 23, 2012 5:42 pm

highlandmurf wrote: plug was loose in the neck of the AAR,
the two halves of on the valve end were loose and spinning freely,
How is it functioning? Are we ready to open our AAR reconditioning manufacturing plant?
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

Post Reply