Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From California

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Amskeptic
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Post by Amskeptic » Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:19 am

Oregon72 wrote:
Amskeptic wrote: It was $4.69 for regular yesterday $31.96 for 6.8 gallons o' garbage.
Fuel pump is fine today. Temps are still HOOOOOOTTTTTTTT and I am cruising 70-75, tempting fate. . . but I have a $42.00 facet fuel pump sitting on the floor next to me as back up.
Colin
Colin - I just paid $4.19 today for 87 octane... now you mean to tell me it's only $.50 more per gallon to received genuine bonafide horse-piss? Where do I sign up??
I advise that people be alert to possible causes of poor running outside of their vehicles. . . I was so close to pulling my fuel pump as it was rattling to death in the heat, yet I now think that I had "winter blend" of cheapo 86 octane gas. The very next day, the temperatures were hotter and my driving was easily as hard on the car and it behaved fine with the usual 87 octane Shell. The fuel pump is on probation for a while, I got a spare here :colors:
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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static
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Post by static » Tue Jul 15, 2008 10:33 am

I wonder if it might be prudent to keep a can of "Octane Boost" in our bag of tricks for road trips. This sort of nonsense always seems to happen when one is way out on the highway after filling up in a one-horse-town.

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Amskeptic
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Post by Amskeptic » Wed Jul 16, 2008 10:15 am

static wrote:I wonder if it might be prudent to keep a can of "Octane Boost" in our bag of tricks for road trips. This sort of nonsense always seems to happen when one is way out on the highway after filling up in a one-horse-town.
If you should hear pinging under full-throttle, octane booster might help you to your next fill-up, but these engines should be fine with lousy octane gas with our laughably low compression ratios. I do not know the recipe changes between winter and summer blends, but volatility specifications have to do with vaporization versus octane which has to do with combustibility. Fuel needs to vaporize more easily in winter, but it needs to be less vaporizable in summer. Thinks me got the EZ-Vap inadvertantly.
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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amishman
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Location: Grass Valley, California
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Post by amishman » Wed Jul 16, 2008 10:35 am

Amskeptic wrote:
static wrote:I wonder if it might be prudent to keep a can of "Octane Boost" in our bag of tricks for road trips. This sort of nonsense always seems to happen when one is way out on the highway after filling up in a one-horse-town.
If you should hear pinging under full-throttle, octane booster might help you to your next fill-up, but these engines should be fine with lousy octane gas with our laughably low compression ratios. I do not know the recipe changes between winter and summer blends, but volatility specifications have to do with vaporization versus octane which has to do with combustibility. Fuel needs to vaporize more easily in winter, but it needs to be less vaporizable in summer. Thinks me got the EZ-Vap inadvertantly.
Colin
So, where in Cali are you now Colin??

tj
--------------------------------------------------
"As smart as I can be, the dumber I can become."

tj (the amishman)

Visit my web site if you can.
http://www.vwhippie.com

Come see more pictures and videos of my rides at!
http://www.flixya.com/user/amishman

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Amskeptic
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Post by Amskeptic » Fri Jul 18, 2008 9:28 am

amishman wrote:So, where in Cali are you now Colin??
Whelp. . . just finished Ritter last night at 10:30PM and drove through San Francisco at 48* in the moonlight and am now driving with great back pain down the I-5 southbound corridor waiting for some nice 110* relief. I will be playing the Dad Steinway in Pahrump NV for a week, this gives me great joy. For fun, I will take out my engine and try to reset the endplay.
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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Ritter
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Location: Sonoma County, CA
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Post by Ritter » Fri Jul 18, 2008 10:04 am

Amskeptic wrote:For fun, I will take out my engine and try to reset the endplay.
Colin
You want me to scrape off some crust from my undercarriage and send it to you so you can sprinkle it in your eyes while r/r your engine? You know, for old time's sake.
1978 Westfalia 2.0 FI

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Amskeptic
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Post by Amskeptic » Fri Jul 18, 2008 8:52 pm

Ritter wrote:
Amskeptic wrote:For fun, I will take out my engine and try to reset the endplay.
Colin
You want me to scrape off some crust from my undercarriage and send it to you so you can sprinkle it in your eyes while r/r your engine? You know, for old time's sake.
NuwooOOOO, thankyouverymuchthanxforaskin.

How's the power and exhaust system holding up? Just driving the late-model bus with hydraulics and easy steering and good torque and taller ratios makes me . . . want to drive the BobD Bus, BUT. Can't. Nowhere's near Chicago.
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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chitwnvw
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Location: Chicago.
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Post by chitwnvw » Fri Jul 18, 2008 9:30 pm

Amskeptic wrote:How's the power and exhaust system holding up? Just driving the late-model bus with hydraulics and easy steering and good torque and taller ratios makes me . . . want to drive the BobD Bus, BUT. Can't. Nowhere's near Chicago.
Colin
I called Bob and told him I was your proxy. Dang this bus is fun to drive. Whooo hooo! :drunken:

Uh ohhh!............................................................................................................................ Oh, it's fine.

You better stop by when you pick that bus up! Or if you pick me up on the way I will photo document it for the forum. Does that appeal to you? You lucky B**tard!

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Ritter
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Post by Ritter » Mon Jul 21, 2008 7:54 am

Amskeptic wrote: How's the power and exhaust system holding up?
So far, so good. I've got a taco plate o-ring coming in the mail today or tomorrow so I can swap it out. Then the true test of our oil leak prevention efforts will be undertaken!
1978 Westfalia 2.0 FI

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Amskeptic
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Post by Amskeptic » Mon Jul 21, 2008 5:54 pm

Ritter wrote:I've got a taco plate o-ring coming in the mail today or tomorrow so I can swap it out. Then the true test of our oil leak prevention efforts will be undertaken!
You also have the key coming in the mail, in case you'd like to drive your bus after the leak is cleared up. When installing the taco plate, flip the copper washers under the 10mm bolts and observe carefully how the red ring is compressing along the perimeter. If you see deviations, reset. Sort of tricky looking, but a very effective method.
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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