Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From NY

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Amskeptic
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Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From NY

Post by Amskeptic » Tue Feb 25, 2014 8:23 am

I remember the last time I visited Herrnkind . . . .

viewtopic.php?f=46&t=11653#p202966

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I've been in a state of semi-dread since October that I had offered to help Herrnkind in upstate NY in FEBRUARY?? to get his engine running well, as a VW engine not only should, but must run, if it is to last. I miserably tried to cheer myself up,
"At least it won't be FLOODED in that dungeon damp garage . . . not if it is frozen solid."

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Well, it warmed up to 42* so the snow could melt and saturate the ground with run-off.
Then it rained and rained so we could enjoy another sloshy garage floor with water coursing in the door.
Then it switched to snow.
My boots then allowed the garage flood waters to saturate my socks. The bus was in no mood to start.

We:
*cleaned and gapped the breaker points and timed it statically to 7.5* BTDC.
*tried to squeegie the flood waters out the door.
*ran the fuel pump after straightening out some wiring to provide voltage to the double relay.

I was outside grabbing handfuls of snow to make a dike across the doorway to redirect the run-off to the parking lot, when I thought to myself, "this is exactly as bad as I feared." I thought, "if this is now as bad as I feared, let's enjoy it. The view from the top of the misery index is splendid."

Then we:
*double-checked the ignition system, which turned out to be excellent.
(this could kill me, I am standing in a pool of water pulling off spark plug wires)
*tried a prime of raw gas that did not offer even the slightest hint of combustion (which led me to believe that perhaps we had too much gas).

So we:
*pulled all the plugs and found them all wet with two of them oily (a heart-sinker).
*did a compression test that was uneven but serviceable (125/140/115/150, IIRC)
*reinstalled the plugs and still no start
*pulled the plugs again and cleaned them again, pulled a hose off the decel valve and pumped compressed air into the intake plenum while rotating the engine with an adjustable wrench to clear out all cylinders on their respective intake strokes.

Then we went into the house to get plastic bags to put over our socks and a cup of coffee.

The engine then commenced coughing and shaking as the starter valiantly tried to prod then keep up then prod then catch up and prod as the cylinders slowly roused themselves to intermittent firing-clouds of acrid smoke and wretched shrieking of the starter as each cylinder struggled to contribute to the slowly increasing rpms to an eventual fast idle. I kept that engine going as Herrnkind came back to the engine compartment to breathe deep the eye-watering smoke. I was desperately trying to find the "happy spot" with the AFM wiper, and find the proper amount of throttle as the engine sorted itself out, it was at full throttle to gives us barely 1,000 rpms for the first few minutes. You're not supposed to do this to an engine that has so few miles since a rebuild.

We discovered that there were some nasty noises in the valve train and that #2 had a lousy injector plug, and that the gas was bad. With daylight failing, I got some fresh gas and suggested that Herrnkind mix it in with the bad gas by running the pump for a few minutes, then run the engine for ten or twenty minutes until the exhaust cleared.

The next morning, I awoke to a car that would not let me in:
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Eventually made it up the icy hill to Herrnkind's house. We redid the valve adjustments, started the engine, adjusted the AFM, timed it dynamically, and I GOT TO DRIVE IT! No poptop, icy, icy, roads, and it was a sweetheart! Drove beautifully on the ice with those lousy Firestone tires, too!

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Herrnkind, please follow up here. Many many people here are devoted to this adventure, this resurrection, this saga.
Colin

Herrnkind has probably the most amazing resilience and grit of any customer I have met.
(a good thing, too, because that oil leak must be chased down!)
Image
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

Jivermo
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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From NY

Post by Jivermo » Tue Feb 25, 2014 9:37 am

Right on, guys! Great news.

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energyturtle
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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From NY

Post by energyturtle » Tue Feb 25, 2014 10:53 am

Fantastic. I have been waiting to hear that it "lives". I have found, over the last 6 years that bus ownership is a labor of tough love to say the least. The best feeling is hearing the coughing, hiccuping beast struggle for air because it wants to live, then...........vrooom. I am very happy for hernnkind and his bus. stay positive my friend. That bus obviously wants to be a survivor. Good Job! Colin, I will see ya Thursday. Last weather check was sunny and clear 48F in east Tennessee.

Scottie

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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From NY

Post by Boxcar » Tue Feb 25, 2014 1:04 pm

Looks gallant. Kind of nice w/o the pop top. It takes pro resolve to go forward with wet socks.
Yeay Herrnkindmobile
1975 003 Auto Westy L90D

repair!!!!aug2015
Jan/16 Bumped mixture a few notches richer. finally developing HP.


1.8L/LJet/Pertron DVDA+PertronixCompufire 42/36Ham Heads/AA 93mm pistons/barrels.Porsc.Swiv.Adjusters/CromoSteel pushrds/ Web 9550Cam/55cc chmbr.,035 squish,8.6:1CR/German Supply VWCanadaReman Rods/Schadek 26mmPump/vdo dualOP8/10#low sender/Quart Deep Sump
Backdate Htr bxs,reflanged 914 4into1. Two and three eighths inch collector,magniflow*muffler

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Sylvester
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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From NY

Post by Sylvester » Wed Feb 26, 2014 4:27 am

Quite an interesting Bus of many colors there! I like the bumper sticker that says "This is your brain on hugs". It is roughy to start with a Bus that needs so much. I look at it like I have years to finish it, one thing at a time.
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue, I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace. Where never lark, or even eagle flew. And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod, The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From NY

Post by Boxcar » Wed Feb 26, 2014 6:49 am

even with wet sox Colin's triage is PRO..the "snow dike" was a particular
tasty aside.
1975 003 Auto Westy L90D

repair!!!!aug2015
Jan/16 Bumped mixture a few notches richer. finally developing HP.


1.8L/LJet/Pertron DVDA+PertronixCompufire 42/36Ham Heads/AA 93mm pistons/barrels.Porsc.Swiv.Adjusters/CromoSteel pushrds/ Web 9550Cam/55cc chmbr.,035 squish,8.6:1CR/German Supply VWCanadaReman Rods/Schadek 26mmPump/vdo dualOP8/10#low sender/Quart Deep Sump
Backdate Htr bxs,reflanged 914 4into1. Two and three eighths inch collector,magniflow*muffler

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herrnkind
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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From NY

Post by herrnkind » Wed Feb 26, 2014 7:01 pm

It has been a long road but It has been worth it. The bus is running great it looks like the oil leak is coming from the oil cooler not that hard of a fix. at least its not from the main seals I don't have to pull the whole motor again. Colin has been great without him this bus would never have run again or if it had not for long. I have a lot of work to do yet in order to be on the road by the end of may but with a little push from Colin I dove in and commenced to fix learn and understand my bus. I am no expert but I have a much better understanding of how it works and what to look for when driving. Now the bus has a better chance surviving the journey ahead. this will be my home indefinitely. May 20th I am leaving NY to live on the road everything I own will be in this bus I can't wait. Thank you Colin.

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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From NY

Post by Jivermo » Thu Feb 27, 2014 3:24 am

Great report. Best of luck, Herrnkind!

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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From NY

Post by Boxcar » Thu Feb 27, 2014 5:18 am

Yes Herrnkind Great to see your resolve slide into gear! :-)
its no Don Quixote dream when "gently steered" to the right stuff..
hats off!! drive that sucker
1975 003 Auto Westy L90D

repair!!!!aug2015
Jan/16 Bumped mixture a few notches richer. finally developing HP.


1.8L/LJet/Pertron DVDA+PertronixCompufire 42/36Ham Heads/AA 93mm pistons/barrels.Porsc.Swiv.Adjusters/CromoSteel pushrds/ Web 9550Cam/55cc chmbr.,035 squish,8.6:1CR/German Supply VWCanadaReman Rods/Schadek 26mmPump/vdo dualOP8/10#low sender/Quart Deep Sump
Backdate Htr bxs,reflanged 914 4into1. Two and three eighths inch collector,magniflow*muffler

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khargis
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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From NY

Post by khargis » Thu Feb 27, 2014 7:14 pm

Good work y'all! Long live the open road...
'slow n' steady'

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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From NY

Post by Lanval » Sat Mar 01, 2014 6:33 pm

Herrnkind,

Don't forget us...

1. if you have a hard time getting some parts (I notice you lack lamp lenses) let us know. I for one, have access to far more than you guys would believe (don't ask about the time I found a 78 camper complete, pristine interior, no rust, no body damage... in a junkyard) and can get stuff that's hard to find.

2. Keep us updated on your trip. More than a few people might be willing to share a cup (or bottle ~ hey, whatever swings your swing) of something warm, a plate of something delicious, and a few hours of something interesting with you.

Live the dream.

ML

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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From NY

Post by Jivermo » Sun Apr 06, 2014 3:54 pm

Hey! How are you making out these days?

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Amskeptic
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Re: Itinerant Air-Cooled Greetings From NY

Post by Amskeptic » Mon Apr 07, 2014 9:03 am

Jivermo wrote:Hey! How are you making out these days?
Try email/PM buttons to rouse his reportage . . .
ColinJustRememberingTheCold
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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