Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Texas Y'All

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Amskeptic
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Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Texas Y'All

Post by Amskeptic » Mon Sep 19, 2016 8:33 am

Once upon a time, I was an Ugly American driving through El Paso and looking over the border to Juarez, Mexico with a mixture of pity and smugness. Shanties, I tell ya, couldn't even see evidence of electrical service, why Juarez looked like the aftermath of a tornado, compared to El Paso.

Then, in 2010? 2014? I drove through El Paso in the night, and Juarez opened up to me, a huge sprawling metropolis of 1.7 million souls with electric lights all right, for as far as you could see, and I counted out 91 miles of Interstate 10 before the lights fell from view. This year's visit was amazing too, but my camera didn't think so:

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That spine of mountains is the lower edge of the Rockies, the edge of the continental plate, the edge of the border between Mexico and the Estados Unidos. Juarez kicks up a pretty big envelope of smog because we moved all of our manufacturing there to better exploit their workers and lax emissions laws:

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Did not know I was driving into a serious weather "event". I just photographed clouds:

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This was quite remarkable. It looked like a huge ice cream scoop melting through the bottom of a delicate crystal saucer:

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I tried to stay ahead of the advancing clouds, but they were too quick. That puff on the right looked like a North Korean experiment:

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Texas sure does manage to pin-prick Mother Earth:

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Briefly visited the planet of two suns ... ... ... :

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... ... ... but had to get to Austin:

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My life is, after all is distilled, devoted solely to Beauty:

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But Existence is devoted to getting my candyass fluffy idiocy better grounded. A raging wind and constant lightening enveloped me in Odessa. Even my lazy slow stupid EZ Share Kodak Z612 camera couldn't avoid the lightening:

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Pulled off the road and smelled a pretty urgent aroma of fuel (wth?) as the hail clattered down. PM'd Kirk and told him that Dallas was now out of the question. Put a towel around my head to blot out the continual lightening flashes. Fell asleep tired from the past 400+ miles of beautiful driving. Was awakened by You Know Who, One Of Texas' Finest Officers at 2:45AM.

"What are you doing here?"
"Sleeping."
"Why here? There is a truck stop just down the road."
"I don't like the bustle or the electric lights."
"But there isn't anything here."
"Exactly."
After running my license plate (and missing the fact that I have a warrant for my arrest in the State of Texas for failing to pay a 2007 speeding ticket), we talked for a good hour. He told me that seeing my car was "eerie." Then he shared his horrific story of being a little seven year-old boy on his way to school with his older brother and dad in 1970. A Cadillac t-boned their 1966 Microbus on the left. He was jettisoned through the side doors, the bus tipped over and spilled fuel all over him which then caught on fire as it struck the curb. He was burned over 70% of his body.
At about 3:30AM, he shook my hand and told me he better get back to work. Sure, Officer, like I can sleep now?

Texas went flat the next morning as I looked for a place to find my fuel leak. I love Texas flat country as much as Texas hill country:

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With my quiet new door seals in the 65 mph breeze, I discovered a new irritant, the creaking of the radio face plate. That demanded immediate attention:

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Then I noted that there was dust! lint! in the dial area, and what looked like Michigan road salt on the left retainer:

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Clean and ready for installation:

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I deleted the larger dash opening plate and installed a rear metal bracket down to the ash tray to keep the stress off the face plastic. I don't know that this is "correct":

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Today, I drop the engine, remove the fuel tank bulkhead, and look for a fuel leak, and drive 300 miles to Austin Veedub in search of a rear bumper bracket:
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

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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Texas Y'All

Post by Jivermo » Mon Sep 19, 2016 8:42 am

Oh, man-a fuel leak, after hearing that cop's '66 bus story. Well, we can't pin texting on that particular accident. 70%! He was fortunate to have survived. My, my, you sure run across the most magnificent skies out there. Jeese, the engine drop again...at least that gas tank is clean!

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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Texas Y'All

Post by sgkent » Mon Sep 19, 2016 10:02 am

how can you have a fuel leak? You glued everything together you could find instead of clamps. The tank was pressure tested, Are you sure it is inside the bulkhead?
TBone208 wrote: "You ppl are such windbags. Go use your crystal ball to get rich & predict something meaningful. Nobody knows what's going to happen. How are we supposed to take ppl who don't know the definition of a recession & "woman" seriously?"

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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Texas Y'All

Post by SlowLane » Mon Sep 19, 2016 10:35 am

Ahem ahem, Have you checked that much-abused OG 12mm filter-to-pump hose?
'81 Canadian Westfalia (2.0L, manual), now Californiated

"They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance."
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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Texas Y'All

Post by sgkent » Mon Sep 19, 2016 11:23 am

SlowLane wrote:Ahem ahem, Have you checked that much-abused OG 12mm filter-to-pump hose?
I offered new hose, elbow etc wherever he needed it but he wanted to stretch out the older Og hoses as far as he could. Sounds like a breather hose or sender leaking. We put a new o-ring into the sender. Usually those last until the sender is removed again or 10 - 15 years when they crack into 20 pieces.

Hope it is nothing serious from the accident.
TBone208 wrote: "You ppl are such windbags. Go use your crystal ball to get rich & predict something meaningful. Nobody knows what's going to happen. How are we supposed to take ppl who don't know the definition of a recession & "woman" seriously?"

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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Texas Y'All

Post by SlowLane » Mon Sep 19, 2016 3:34 pm

sgkent wrote:
SlowLane wrote:Ahem ahem, Have you checked that much-abused OG 12mm filter-to-pump hose?
I offered new hose, elbow etc wherever he needed it but he wanted to stretch out the older Og hoses as far as he could.
I only ahem-ed because I managed to burden him with about a foot of 11.5 mm I.D. Cohline 2240 low-permeation hose before he left my place, along with a handful of Oetiker ear clamps of the correct size for the hose, pointing out its eminent suitability for replacing the OG hose which he had been "stretching" (and being ethanol-resistant to boot).

His response upon seeing the ear clamps was "I don't use 'em. I like the old-style worm clamps, 'cause they really get a bite into the hose."
...or sumpin' like that. :rolleyes:
'81 Canadian Westfalia (2.0L, manual), now Californiated

"They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance."
- Terry Pratchett

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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Texas Y'All

Post by Ronin10 » Mon Sep 19, 2016 3:47 pm

SlowLane wrote:His response upon seeing the ear clamps was "I don't use 'em. I like the old-style worm clamps, 'cause they really get a bite into the hose."
...or sumpin' like that. :rolleyes:
He's given me the same spiel, as well. I never made a stink about it, but do respectfully disagree, believing that maintaining the integrity of the hose is improved by not "biting" into the hose material itself and instead providing as close as possible to a uniform, radial clamping force all along the width and around circumference of the of the clamp and hose.

The likely reality is that we're debating a difference that is minor enough to not be apparent over the life of a given hose. Hence, I don't often challenge people on their preferred clamping style. In the end, if it works, good enough.
Oscar: 1976 Sage Green Bus, Stock Motor, Solid Lifters, Manual Transaxle

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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Texas Y'All

Post by Amskeptic » Tue Sep 20, 2016 1:19 pm

Ronin10 wrote:
SlowLane wrote:His response upon seeing the ear clamps was "I don't use 'em. I like the old-style worm clamps, 'cause they really get a bite into the hose."
...or sumpin' like that. :rolleyes:
He's given me the same spiel, as well. I never made a stink about it, but do respectfully disagree, believing that maintaining the integrity of the hose is improved by not "biting" into the hose material itself and instead providing as close as possible to a uniform, radial clamping force all along the width and around circumference of the of the clamp and hose.

The likely reality is that we're debating a difference that is minor enough to not be apparent over the life of a given hose. Hence, I don't often challenge people on their preferred clamping style. In the end, if it works, good enough.
HEY! I am in Austin now. Fuel leak was stupid. R/S evap hose was not quite centered between the copper pipe and the tank nipple.

I like worm clamps. A lot. They have more range. They only damage the hose if you reef on the clamp. Don't reef on the clamp. End of story . . .

. . . except that it is not the end of the story. I have met several customers recently who insist on using American hoses from the local store and they do NOT fit correctly and if you reef on the hose clamp to stop the LEAK,
(YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE . . . )
you will cut the bejeezus out of the hose. Even a nice FI band clamp is going to be stressed-out.

Use the exact hose for your application and snug the clamp lightly, YER DONE.
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

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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Texas Y'All

Post by sgkent » Tue Sep 20, 2016 2:50 pm

yep. I had some new Conti cloth hose of various sizes from Scott in those boxes. But sounds like all is fixed again. Twas not I who attached those evap lines :sunny:

I like to use these style clamps on those evap lines. We have a local hardware store with many different sizes / colors. BTW - San Bernardino Hazmat is looking into the mess you came across near Baker.

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TBone208 wrote: "You ppl are such windbags. Go use your crystal ball to get rich & predict something meaningful. Nobody knows what's going to happen. How are we supposed to take ppl who don't know the definition of a recession & "woman" seriously?"

Merlin The Wrench

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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Texas Y'All

Post by asiab3 » Tue Sep 20, 2016 2:56 pm

sgkent wrote:yep. I had some new Conti cloth hose of various sizes from Scott in those boxes. But sounds like all is fixed again. Twas not I who attached those evap lines :sunny:

I like to use these style clamps on those evap lines. We have a local hardware store with many different sizes / colors. BTW - San Bernardino Hazmat is looking into the mess you came across near Baker.
Those clamps are all over my Jetta 2.5L, I don't know why I never considered them for vintage applications… Good idea.

Thanks for the work into the cleanup site. Our lovely home state has its own problems without people dumping garbage toxins everywhere.

Robbie
1969 bus, "Buddy."
145k miles with me.
322k miles on Earth.

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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Texas Y'All

Post by bradleygt » Thu Sep 22, 2016 3:50 am

i was napping (woke up at 4 that day) when i heard the familiar clunk of a bay bus door- by the time i got outside where two westies were now sitting in my driveway, there was no one around! just a funny start to the day in the driveway. we rewound the previous visit in March 08 when my engine was new and like today was making disagreeable noise. that session concluded rather quickly with the unfixing of a zero clearance/shimming arrangement the engine builder had chosen to use on the rocker arms/lifters. our journey of discovery began, starting with a valve adjustment (nothing too far out of whack there), concluding with a steering wheel free play adjustment. along the way an oil change (worrisome grit in taco plate, taken off to search for particles, clues that might reveal the cause of the clanking motor) timing adjustment (leaky advance vacuum discovered there) and re-marking the timing marks of the fan/pulley, change of spark plugs (no's 3 and 4 mysteriously dangerously loose) old plugs showing a leeean running engine (which explained the high running temperatures and 20+mpg i was getting) and a lot of dirt/grime/oil on the porcelain body of the plugs- gentlemen, clean your engines! other tweaks involved pipe wrenching the driver side diagonal arm to move some positive camber towards the negative and putting some richness into my fuel mixture, and taking some away as well- although the exact nature of the noise was never determined, the tweaking that was done seemed to alleviate some of the noise and diagnostics performed indicate that it's not life threatening- wishing i had filmed the entire process, the information, tips, advice and general knowledge that comes forth during the process of discovery is amazing. like i always say nothing exceeds like experience and with Colin you have it in droves, yet it is delivered with a humility that is grounded in his own admission that he, too, is always learning more.
an ounce of prevention is waaay more than a pound of cure

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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Texas Y'All

Post by Amskeptic » Fri Sep 23, 2016 8:53 am

bradleygt wrote:always learning more.
Enjoyed our visit with the Multi-Colored Westy, a true Volkswagen that drives like a true Volkswagen. It will be even better when the clutch system is lubricated thoroughly from front to back and back. Every double-clutch on our test drive was announced with groaning. Enjoyed especially our far-ranging discussion (I will get to my homework . . . ).
Did not accept a very hospitable invitation to camp on the premises, so anxious was I to get out of town.

Austin was an almost overwhelming beehive compared to my spectacular rural drive across Texas Big Sky Country ( now with bigger clouds! ), and I was feeling the pinch of civilization crowd me.

Went to the Progressive Service Center in Austin and received an "appraisal" for the damage to NaranjaWesty.
$1,906.00.
Yeah, right. The appraiser was pretty sure that the left rear corner could be worked out. His appraisal suggested that just one aftermarket taillight lens would be sufficient. I suggested that the color disparity and quality disparity would be too noticeable. He suggested that a nice cheap aftermarket bumper would be more efficient than working the original German steel straight. I suggested otherwise, etc.

Went to AustinVeedub.

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Looking pretty bare. Could not find a left rear bumper bracket in their slim pickings. Looked at the row of bays rusting away in the weeds and found a left rear bumper bracket still on the car. 99* and humid. Lush weeds and stickers. Found the reason for the bracket still being on the car. It was trapped by some trailer hitch thing. Utterly dizzy, scratchy, sunny, humid, sweaty, rusty, hot, access-less (why don't people put wheels on cars any more?), but eventually got the damn thing removed. I could not find Paul the used parts guy when I made it back to the welcome shade of the building. Found out that he had taken pity on me and was trying to find me out in the yard to help me get the bracket off. Drove out of the scrum of Austin and found a lovely hot dirt road to clean and paint the new bracket :

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Could not believe that the old bracket was so distorted when the welds looked fine and the metal looked fine, but it was distorted all right:

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What the heck, let's clean and paint the right bracket, too:

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Was able to now straighten the bumper a bit more now that the brackets lined up more successfully:

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The Improvement Through Adversity program continues . . .

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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

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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Texas Y'All

Post by luftvagon » Fri Sep 23, 2016 1:02 pm

Surprising Progressive is being stingy on their assessments... seeing how my insurance was $1200/6 months with all their discounts, and paying full premium in advance. Same insurance was $550 with GEICO, and while I don't really like GEICO, $650 saving was probably worth switching. Hopefully they get it straight, no pun intended.
1981 Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia - air-cooled Type4 1970cc CV (hydraulic lifters, 42x36 valves, stock cam, microSquirt FI with wasted spark ignition)
1993 Ford F-250 XL LWB Extended Cab 7.3L IDI

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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Texas Y'All

Post by bradleygt » Fri Sep 23, 2016 3:29 pm

leaking vacuum advance canister on your 78 vw bus? keep searching because there's a very good chance i found the last one from air head parts californ i a...
an ounce of prevention is waaay more than a pound of cure

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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From Texas Y'All

Post by sgkent » Fri Sep 23, 2016 5:10 pm

I didn't know you were looking for a bumper and brackets. If you had come back here you could have taken that straight spare one I have for the $75 I paid for it. I have plans to use it but for you I would have given it to you in exchange for a couple hours help. Oh well. Hope they get figured out how to fix that. I posted a link to a whole new quarter panel (NOS) on Samba kinda hoping an adjuster would see it and figure it in. If not some folks have offered to help fund bringing it here if you can find someone to assist with the sheet metal. Bus Depot mayhave genuine (Mexican Hella?) VW assemblies for buses http://www.busdepot.com/211945241rk
TBone208 wrote: "You ppl are such windbags. Go use your crystal ball to get rich & predict something meaningful. Nobody knows what's going to happen. How are we supposed to take ppl who don't know the definition of a recession & "woman" seriously?"

Merlin The Wrench

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