83 Vanagon bucking at 60 mph

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energyturtle
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Re: 83 Vanagon bucking at 60 mph

Post by energyturtle » Mon Mar 28, 2016 11:24 am

asiab3 wrote:I've seen those aftermarket s-boots in person and they're actually quite well-made. It's important to balance our stubborn "reuse forever" attitudes with occasional purchases that keep our GOOD aftermarket vendors in business. (VWG, or Ventura Warehouse Group, is the parts manufacturing subsidiary of Airhead Parts, and most of their products have lifetime garnets, no questions asked. I don't know about the s-boots, but every part I've installed of theirs fits and functions just like a VW part should.)

Robbie
I've just had that mentality for so long, and have been let down more often than not from aftermarket products. I will always try a trusted vendor recommendation from knowledgeable hobbyist. Good looking out Robbie, but I will never be convinced that a serviceable original part should lay dormant to put an aftermarket in its place. Personal preference, I suppose.
Scottie

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Amskeptic
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Re: 83 Vanagon bucking at 60 mph

Post by Amskeptic » Mon Mar 28, 2016 6:47 pm

asiab3 wrote:I've seen those aftermarket s-boots in person and they're actually quite well-made. It's important to balance our stubborn "reuse forever" attitudes with occasional purchases that keep our GOOD aftermarket vendors in business. (VWG, or Ventura Warehouse Group, is the parts manufacturing subsidiary of Airhead Parts, and most of their products have lifetime garnets, no questions asked. I don't know about the s-boots, but every part I've installed of theirs fits and functions just like a VW part should.)

Robbie
Damn, this conversation is going too fast for me. I was lost at:
"lifetime garnets"
Garnet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
All species of garnets possess similar physical properties and crystal forms, but differ in chemical composition. The different species are pyrope, almandine, spessartine, grossular (varieties of which are hessonite or cinnamon-stone and tsavorite), uvarovite and andradite.
ColinDon'tMindMe :rabbit:
(your point is well taken, but remember that Rocky Mountain Motor Works had a lifetime guarantee that they trumpeted at every opportunity. It was not because they had faith in those parts. It was because they calculated more business would cover the higher return expenses. Guess what? The returns buried them in bankruptcy)
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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asiab3
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Re: 83 Vanagon bucking at 60 mph

Post by asiab3 » Mon Mar 28, 2016 7:19 pm

The other definite of garnets is found when my new confinled iDevices autocorrect my poor spelling of guarantee. I will still vouch for VWG's service, as the parts have always been of high quality. They only offer the warranty on parts they make, usually in the USA, and they don't make very many.
1969 bus, "Buddy."
145k miles with me.
322k miles on Earth.

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Amskeptic
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Re: 83 Vanagon bucking at 60 mph

Post by Amskeptic » Mon Mar 28, 2016 7:24 pm

asiab3 wrote:The other definite of garnets is found when my new confinled iDevices autocorrect my poor spelling of guarantee. I will still vouch for VWG's service, as the parts have always been of high quality. They only offer the warranty on parts they make, usually in the USA, and they don't make very many.
I'd like to check them out. As you know, I am in deep trouble with the driving I do, trying to stay ahead of the quality calamity.
Colin

(good ol' auto-correct, it has devastated many families and relationships)
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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SlowLane
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Re: 83 Vanagon bucking at 60 mph

Post by SlowLane » Tue Mar 29, 2016 10:22 am

I'll ditto Robbie's recommendation of Airhead Parts' reproduction rubber parts. They often will make them out of Viton to ensure even better than OEM performance/longevity.
'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

83AC
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Re: 83 Vanagon bucking at 60 mph

Post by 83AC » Fri Apr 01, 2016 9:29 am

Alright, update on progress:
Replaced sleeves from intake manifold to runners, cut new ends for vacuum line that looked a bit rough from fuel pressure to intake manifold, replaced cracked s-boot, and inflated tires to 40 front and 45 rear. It still sounds to me like there is a hiss somewhere, but I can't discern where and so may need to get in there and use some carb cleaner. I took a drive around town and on the highway. On the first effort up past 60mph I got some bucking and had to back off a bit, but within a few minutes she seemed to even out. For about 15 minutes of highway driving, maybe more, she ran great, 65 steady on flats and even up some grades! I'm pumped and totally grateful for all the pointers and encouragement. The air leak seems to have been a major contributor to the issues I was having. We are headed out on a brief weekend overnighter tonight that will put a good couple of hours on the van, so I will report back on how things go when we return!

I'll keep working away at some things (I guess that goes without saying) - may replace TSII (Randy-sponsored, huh, Colin?), will clean up the disgusting grounds, check spark plugs again in the future once I've done some driving with this repair, and a valve adjustment to try to figure out that ticking.

I'm going to work on getting some photos posted here or a link to some of the "crimped" line to the EGR that I was mentioning before, as well as pictures of the engine firewall that is bent back in the front - I'd love to know how to get it properly sealing without having to take out the engine or something crazy . . . but I'm worried I may have a slow rear main seal leak, so it could have to come out at some point this summer anyway . . . ai ai ai!
Say what you mean; do what you say.
1983 AC Vanagon camper - Penny Lane

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SlowLane
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Re: 83 Vanagon bucking at 60 mph

Post by SlowLane » Fri Apr 01, 2016 9:34 am

83AC wrote:It still sounds to me like there is a hiss somewhere, but I can't discern where and so may need to get in there and use some carb cleaner
A hiss from somewhere around the throttle body at idle is normal.
'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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Randy in Maine
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Re: 83 Vanagon bucking at 60 mph

Post by Randy in Maine » Fri Apr 01, 2016 9:53 am

Please try 2 more things as you try to narrow down the possibles....

If you have a small vacuum line going to the air cleaner EEC valve (for drawing in fuel vapors from the charcoal canister to the air intake for combustion), shove a golf T in that small vacuum line to allow for some testing. I am thinking that if your EEC valve is leaking ported vacuum, that could cause the stuttering at that speed.

Also try sealing off the vacuum line to the power brake booster using some duct tape (as we try to eliminate the entire power brake system for any big vacuum leak).

If neither of those change anything that will also tell us that those systems are OK.
79 VW Bus

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SlowLane
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Re: 83 Vanagon bucking at 60 mph

Post by SlowLane » Fri Apr 01, 2016 11:33 am

Randy in Maine wrote:If you have a small vacuum line going to the air cleaner EEC valve (for drawing in fuel vapors from the charcoal canister to the air intake for combustion), shove a golf T in that small vacuum line to allow for some testing. I am thinking that if your EEC valve is leaking ported vacuum, that could cause the stuttering at that speed.
Air-cooled Vanagons don't have an EEC valve.
Water-cooled Vanagons do have such a valve, but it isn't integral with the air cleaner as it was on the late '70s Bay Windows. It's a separate piece (which can be retro-fitted to an air-cooled Vanagon if one wishes to prevent fuel vapours from being ingested at idle).

There should only be one vacuum hose from the ported vacuum fitting on the throttle body to the vacuum advance side of the can on the distributor. On CA-emissions engines, there should also be a second vacuum hose running from the non-ported throttle body fitting to the vacuum retard side of the can.

The ported fitting is on the front of the throttle body (front being towards the front of the van, ie. closest to the firewall). The non-ported fitting is on the back side of the throttle body (back being the opposite of front).

I have found that the non-ported vacuum nipple tends to be loose in the throttle bodies that I've examined (hence another potential source of vacuum leak). It can frequently be pulled out just with fingers. Some sleeve-retaining LocTite can help fix that, or even red Threadlocker.
'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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Amskeptic
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Re: 83 Vanagon bucking at 60 mph

Post by Amskeptic » Fri Apr 01, 2016 10:41 pm

83AC wrote:Alright, update on progress:
I will report back on how things go when we return!

I may have a slow rear main seal leak,
July 20th, we, you and I, will have a chance to get the engine sorted.
Colin

(p.s. rear seal or front seal? front is front of car, rear is rear of car,
front seal is flywheel seal, fan hub seal is rear main seal)
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: 83 Vanagon bucking at 60 mph

Post by 83AC » Sun Apr 03, 2016 10:49 am

Amskeptic wrote:
83AC wrote:Alright, update on progress:
I will report back on how things go when we return!

I may have a slow rear main seal leak,
July 20th, we, you and I, will have a chance to get the engine sorted.
Colin

(p.s. rear seal or front seal? front is front of car, rear is rear of car,
front seal is flywheel seal, fan hub seal is rear main seal)
Does this mean I should send you a deposit and mark July 20 on my calendar as the day of answers?!

Anderson
Say what you mean; do what you say.
1983 AC Vanagon camper - Penny Lane

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Amskeptic
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Re: 83 Vanagon bucking at 60 mph

Post by Amskeptic » Mon Apr 04, 2016 7:53 am

83AC wrote:
Amskeptic wrote:
83AC wrote:Alright, update on progress:
I will report back on how things go when we return!

I may have a slow rear main seal leak,
July 20th, we, you and I, will have a chance to get the engine sorted.
Colin

(p.s. rear seal or front seal? front is front of car, rear is rear of car,
front seal is flywheel seal, fan hub seal is rear main seal)
Does this mean I should send you a deposit and mark July 20 on my calendar as the day of answers?!

Anderson
Why yes, it does.
Please feel free to plough on ahead in your voyage of discovery, however.
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

83AC
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Re: 83 Vanagon bucking at 60 mph

Post by 83AC » Tue Apr 05, 2016 9:54 am

Amskeptic wrote:
83AC wrote:
Amskeptic wrote:
83AC wrote:Alright, update on progress:
I will report back on how things go when we return!

I may have a slow rear main seal leak,
July 20th, we, you and I, will have a chance to get the engine sorted.
Colin

(p.s. rear seal or front seal? front is front of car, rear is rear of car,
front seal is flywheel seal, fan hub seal is rear main seal)
Does this mean I should send you a deposit and mark July 20 on my calendar as the day of answers?!

Anderson
Why yes, it does.
Please feel free to plough on ahead in your voyage of discovery, however.
Colin
Most excellently satisfactory. Ah, and to answer your previous question about my oil leak, if I am correct about what type of leak I believe this to be, it is the flywheel seal that I believe to be leaking. It looks like I can repair this without removing the engine and by lowering the tranny. Now, I don't have a bunch of jack stands, bottle stand, etc. . . so I'm debating about connecting with some friends and having them help vs. taking it to a shop in Portland. I'd rather do it myself and prove I can, but definitely nervous about it since this would be far beyond anything I've done before! The first thing I'll have to do is see if I am right about where the leak is coming from.

I've been trying to post pictures, but it seems they are too big and I'm not sure how I compress them so they will post.
Say what you mean; do what you say.
1983 AC Vanagon camper - Penny Lane

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the miz
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Re: 83 Vanagon bucking at 60 mph

Post by the miz » Tue Apr 05, 2016 6:39 pm

83AC wrote:I've been trying to post pictures, but it seems they are too big and I'm not sure how I compress them so they will post.
Try opening a photobucket.com account, dump your photos into there. Once you have that set up it is easy to use the image function on this forum...if I recall correctly, you click the "direct" function on the photobucket page that contains your photo and it copies the link to your clipboard...just hit img on your forum post and then paste in the link.
...at least that's how I do it... :sunny:
Miz
1982 Westy- Vana White

83AC
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Re: 83 Vanagon bucking at 60 mph

Post by 83AC » Sun Apr 10, 2016 11:28 pm

Quick update - we've done two weekend trips since I fixed the S Boot and updated some vacuum hoses. Trip #1 to Panther Creek Falls scored us gas mileage in the 13 mpg range. Trip #2 to Leavenworth scored us 15 and 16, almost 17, mpg, which I am feeling pretty happy about given the climbs we had to make several times to 2500 to 4100 feet, plus some pretty good headwinds on Saturday. All in all, things are looking up!

The next issues I need to tackle are what I believe to be flywheel and possibly also fan wheel seal leaks. I also still get a constant loud tick from at least one of the cylinders, maybe 2. I'm really not excited about the prospect of tackling the two main seals on my own. What to do? I'll plan to do a valve adjustment soon also.
Say what you mean; do what you say.
1983 AC Vanagon camper - Penny Lane

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