IAC's Itinerant Freezing His Donkey Off

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Amskeptic
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IAC's Itinerant Freezing His Donkey Off

Post by Amskeptic » Tue Jul 12, 2016 11:05 pm

But first, Livingston Montana to visit with whc03grady in his new house with his new two-car garage. This is his neighbor's truck:

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It was good to see his family again, all back together under the same roof. The Baby Who's Head Melted Snow in June 2008 is now eight and a half years old, the new baby is two and a half, and The Spouse Who Installed The Muffler At 3:30AM in 2011 is still on board, committed, solidly behind the Volkswagen adventure, and this year she gets to witness a little additional unnecessary drama, courtesy me this time.

Mitch and I drove off to the library to resurrect Ludwig. We merely needed to attach the carburetors and do a little wiring and cajole an expen$ive Go Westy starter to start. We did. The car started. The rain fell. We drove back to the house, me driving Ludwig, he driving NaranjaWesty. We parked Ludwig in his stall for the first time at the new house.

The two children were excited to see Ludwig and be an audience to the day's tasks. Look at the happy children:

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I feared that they might be a stern audience. And they were . . . . . . as I idiotically realized that I had idiotically over-LocTited the loose screws on the choke plate of the left carburetor, necessitating a full disassembly to free up the glued choke plate shaft. Why, here's the younger one asking God Himself why must she be in the presence of such a knucklehead:

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Whc03grady spouse (flatlander here on the forum) asked me pointedly exactly why was it that the recently assembled and running engine is no longer. I scarfed my spare left carburetor and disassembled it only to find that it had a broken choke actuator on the end of the shaft I desperately wanted to use, so I ended up having to ream their carburetor and bend their shaft back together and re-LocTite and re-swege the ends of the now very pissed off screws that have to hold the choke plate without ever dropping into the engine, ever, never:

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We put Mitch to work installing a drag link.
"It will release with a sound like a gunshot!" I excitedly exclaimed to help build a little suspense for the gathering.
His drag link just kapoofed off.
"Ha, well, good thing, it wasn't very tight, huh? So the new one will be . . . now."

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The day evaporated out from under us. I was itching to get to Jackson Hole WY while it was still light, just in case, you know, the fuel filter gave me any trouble. Therefore, I declined yet another offer by yet more hospitable hosts (and loyal customers!) to have dinner with the family. Mitch helpfully drilled me with "follow the 'm's, Mammoth, Madison, then Old Faithful, then West Thumb."Oh, I hate myself sometimes. So does the Universe, which gave me a traffic jam to burn off any remaining daylight:

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The traffic jam was due to a line-painting truck going 5.34 mph for 20 miles down US-89. That gave me time to take some photographs:

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Some hot-shoes in a Subaru WRX and a clapped-out Jetta passed the truck on the right shoulder at an intersection and sped away. I felt my pulse quicken. "I can do that." Mr. and Mrs. Huge Wandering RV + towed Jeep, disabused me of that notion, as did a little rain shower, as did a guardrail, as did a sickening little lurch from, of course, the fuel filter. Then it rained harder. Oh, that is not rain. That is a mosquito/bug swarm that coats the front of the car. Then it got colder. It began to rain just enough to make the windshield a real mess. The hills got steeper. I was praying to the fuel filter. It got dark. It got colder still. Stopped in Gardner. Car began to lurch and hesitate. Pulled into a sprinkly gas station. Gardner is having a party. Many happy people on the sidewalks. "Hey, that's a great car!" (then why am I underneath it in the rain? oh wait, it is my fault).

Left Gardner with as full of of a tank as I could get, with a cleaned filter, with a wet towel thrown in the back, with the stench of gasoline on my wet sweatshirt's sleeves and the smell of bugs in the fresh air vents that must remain open to help defog the windshield. I need to get through Yellowstone in the dark so I won't have to pay the $30.00 park fee. A sympathetic young woman offered that I wouldn't have a problem, "watch out for elk though." Climb the first big hill. NaranjaWesty is smooth and quiet and the heat works. Evidence of human settlement disappears from the rear view mirrors. Damn it is getting colder, what, is it supposed to SNOW or something? Another big hill-climb, a sign for "Snow Pass" somewhere around 7, 450 feet, car is bucking and lurching, but is it due to filter or elevation effects? I am feeling like a fool. Gas gauge is plummeting. I need a full tank to provide sufficient head pressure for the poor howling pump. Car drops dead on a hard right-hander at about 11:00PM. Coast to a turn-out that is already occupied by traffic cones and a portable light trailer. Clean the filter. Hit the road damn good and chilly. Tank dropping. Car is stumbling, pump is whining, and I am trying to conserve fuel to keep up the head pressure. Calculating how many miles at elevation I can do with the gas in the plastic container in the back. Beautiful shots of the moon through the clouds. A high-lift pick-up truck comes up on my bumper on another hill at around midnight. He will never know that it was just another obstruction in the filter. How could he assume anything but that that New York hippyvan slowed deliberately to 12 mph to punish him? He tore around me in a hail of gravel from the other shoulder. I dive into a parking area. I can't do this. It is dangerous at night. I will pay the damn $30.00 when I get busted in the daylight. Burrow into my cheap sleeping bag that sort of matches the plaid interior of the Westy. Rain comes down in buckets. Lightening. Wind. Sharp patters. Cold. Much much pre-emptive girding of my tolerance level for tomorrow morning's filter clean. "It is going to suck, you know . . . "

Woke up at dawn, hoping the weather system has cleared. Ahhhhhhhh no. My infrared thermometer reads 41*. My morning bladder demands an immediate accounting in a new round of cold rain. The sign next to the car says in so many pictures, "this is what a bear looks like." Crawl under the car in the tree-debris'd wet muck and cursedly remove the filter. Some nice chunks of varnish gravel come out. Back on the road with barely a half tank and a mosquitoey-whining pump, I am wet, cold, and it is beautiful:

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Old Faithful is 30 miles to go. There best be gas there. NaranjaWesty's engine really likes the cold. Runs smoothly and quietly, more quietly than the suffering fuel pump. I arrive at Old Faithful and gas up. "Snow today," says the counter-person. "I love this weather." My face freezes in a grimace of fascinated horror, "is your coffee strong?" Left the gas pumps and the engine dies in the bus parking lot. A new batch of rain and wind. I can't do this. I have a wet interior now, wet socks, wet sweatshirt, wet pants, a full tank of gas, but the filter demands its cleaning. Planning my future to not include automobiles. How can you write a book about your travels if whiny bitchy moaning is all you can muster?

Arrive at an occupied gate. Welcome to Grand Teton Park. Have your Pre-Paid Pass Ready.
Guy says, "may I see your pass?"
"Don't have one."
"Came in late?"
"Yes, my fue . . . "
"$80.00 for an annual pa . . . "
"No! I am just trying to get to Jackson, I am passing THROUGH, my fuel pump, hear my fuel pump? My fuel pump fai . . ."
"You can pay a $50.00 entr. . . "
"What do you MEAN $50.00, I thought it was . . . "
"You just left Yellowstone and now you are entering the Grand Teton Park which is $50.00 for both."
"$50.00 to look at soggy trees in the pouring rain?"
"Yeah, weather's not too good, huh?"

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Cleaned the filter one more time outside of Jackson.

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Two-day beard, tatty sweatshirt, soaked jeans, I know damn well this car is running FINE, it will not strand me, I just have to clean the filter every 40 miles, I am going to lurch into Jackson and smear the wealthy tourists with bleary-eyed homeless person piteousness, "can you spare a wix filter?" as I cough tubercular gasoline breath . . .

There's more, folks, had a lovely but difficult day with Mountain Prana and his Headflow Masters engine saga. Next post.


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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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the miz
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Re: IAC's Itinerant Freezing His Donkey Off

Post by the miz » Wed Jul 13, 2016 7:19 am

Wow, simply EPIC! Lovely photos, Colin...reminds me of my time in Wyoming!

miz
1982 Westy- Vana White

MonoCone
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Re: IAC's Itinerant Freezing His Donkey Off

Post by MonoCone » Wed Jul 13, 2016 9:12 am

Lovely pictures and write up as always.
I am completely ignorant about T4 engine issues and I have no desire to learn. However, for someone who can be anal to the extreme about details such as touching up the dots on the headliner and repainting the back sides of bumpers is there no way you can fix the pump issue.
Please excuse me if this qualifies as for the stupid question thread..
To Really Live You Must Go Back to the Mountains.
The Mountains are Where I Am and What I Am.
69 Westfalia 1600 DP; 2002 Eurovan Camper
When you elect a clown, expect a circus.

Formerly posted as OB Bus on this forum - many years ago....

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airkooledchris
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Re: IAC's Itinerant Freezing His Donkey Off

Post by airkooledchris » Wed Jul 13, 2016 5:26 pm

ok people, what would need to be arranged ahead of time in order to do a full fuel tank removal/cleaning/reinstall and have it happen within a 48 hour window?

is it possible to pull off with the same tank, or do you pretty much have to change the tank to the correct style/year one from another source?

somewhere between oregon and leaving California we should be able to make this happen. I can make some local calls to see who's got what available to pull this off.
1979 California Transporter

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dingo
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Re: IAC's Itinerant Freezing His Donkey Off

Post by dingo » Wed Jul 13, 2016 6:46 pm

great pics of the high country...superb !
'71 Kombi, 1600 dp

';78 Tranzporter 2L

" Fill what's empty, empty what's full, and scratch where it itches."

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wcfvw69
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Re: IAC's Itinerant Freezing His Donkey Off

Post by wcfvw69 » Wed Jul 13, 2016 9:22 pm

airkooledchris wrote:ok people, what would need to be arranged ahead of time in order to do a full fuel tank removal/cleaning/reinstall and have it happen within a 48 hour window?

is it possible to pull off with the same tank, or do you pretty much have to change the tank to the correct style/year one from another source?

somewhere between oregon and leaving California we should be able to make this happen. I can make some local calls to see who's got what available to pull this off.
Yea, clearly an "intervention" needs to take place for Colin to address his ($#@($@*($&@*(#$& fuel tank issues.. I think you're on point in having someone step up, source a good used, clean fuel tank and then do an intervention while Colin's in the NW area with several bus drivers in attendance. Grab the jacks, jack stands, tools and remove that nasty tank and install a refreshed one. Really, with a few experienced VW techs, it couldn't take more than say 1/2 a day, start to finish?

I recognize i'm being selfish here in saying this but here goes cuz, it HAS to be about MY needs occasionally. :)
I want to go back to the good ole days of Colin's roadside posts and updates. I want to enjoy Colin's use of the english language. I want to admire the beautiful scenery that he's enjoying and sharing with his readers.

I don't want any further talk of clogged filters this or irritated fuel pump that or the bus died here, blah, blah, blah.. Talk about a buzz kill. My clogged fuel pump bucket is full! :shaking:
1970 Westfalia bus. Stock 1776 dual port type 1 engine. Restored German Solex 34-3. Restored 205Q distributor, restored to factory appearance engine.

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Re: IAC's Itinerant Freezing His Donkey Off

Post by Jivermo » Thu Jul 14, 2016 5:01 am

I agree with these fellows about the fuel tank. This itinerary has turned into a masochist's delight, with all of the under the bus tortures. How did the pebbles and gravel get in the tank? Vandalism, or did I miss a post?

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airkooledchris
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Re: IAC's Itinerant Freezing His Donkey Off

Post by airkooledchris » Thu Jul 14, 2016 7:03 am

Are these any good?

http://www.busdepot.com/211201075l



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it's likely better to source a good used one locally and have it cleaned at a radiator shop instead.
1979 California Transporter

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the miz
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Re: IAC's Itinerant Freezing His Donkey Off

Post by the miz » Thu Jul 14, 2016 7:42 am

Amskeptic wrote: I just have to clean the filter every 40 miles,
I'd agree with the sentiments of the others on the fuel tank...this is crazy and has to be detrimental to the Itinerant Health:
-the psychological impact of having to do a repair, regardless of how "simple", every 40 miles?!?? Every 40 miles??? ...please let this be gasoline induced Itinerant Hyperbole...
-lying (sometimes) in the "middle of the road" to accomplish said repair...
-the potential perils of smoking with "gasoline vapor breath" :angryfire:
-...just having "gasoline vapor breath" in the first place?? :drunken:

I can't imagine what one of my family road trips would be like if I had to stop to make a repair every 40 miles! ...we'd never get anywhere...I'd be divorced...having to make a repair every 250-500 miles is bad enough!

I hope Colin lets his West Coast contingent help him with this...it seems to be getting worse.

concernedmiz
1982 Westy- Vana White

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poptop tom
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Re: IAC's Itinerant Freezing His Donkey Off

Post by poptop tom » Thu Jul 14, 2016 8:21 am

Personally, I think Colin enjoys the fuel tank saga! :bom:
Mr. Blotto wrote, "Boy - thanks for the offer, but a month in poptop tom's world means 5 years"

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SlowLane
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Re: IAC's Itinerant Freezing His Donkey Off

Post by SlowLane » Thu Jul 14, 2016 8:24 am

airkooledchris wrote:Are these any good?

http://www.busdepot.com/211201075l



Image

it's likely better to source a good used one locally and have it cleaned at a radiator shop instead.
I'll offer the contrary opinion that getting that new one from Bus Depot (or elsewhere) would be preferable to refurbishing an old one, assuming the new one is of adequate quality.
Problem with refurbishing an old one, aside from the question of how bad it is to begin with, is the time and resources necessary to get it back to usable condition. Ratwell and Bob Hoover had separate articles on the topic here and here. Both of them said it can take several days to do it right.

Perhaps we could crowd-fund a new tank for Colin. I'll be happy to pitch in for that.

Oh, found this alternate source of a tank for $215: http://www.eisparts.com/211201075G/Gas+ ... EW%7E.html I have no idea of how reputable a vendor EIS Parts is. Just throwing it out there.

In addition to the tank, Colin will undoubtedly wish to replace the tank vent hoses, possibly the filler neck, carnuba-wax the interior of the tank holding bay and polish the tank holding straps.
'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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whc03grady
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Re: IAC's Itinerant Freezing His Donkey Off

Post by whc03grady » Thu Jul 14, 2016 8:36 am

If you guys really think Colin's gonna replace a 55,000-mile OG fuel tank that's still getting him place to place with some likely-to-be ill-fitting garbage--no matter how shiny--from Bus Depot, you're crazy. I'd say he's more likely to run fuel in/out of a jug first.
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Ludwig--1974 Westfalia, 2.0L (GD035193), Solex 34PDSIT-2/3 carburetors.
Gertie--1971 Squareback, 1600cc with Bosch D-Jetronic fuel injection from a '72 (E brain).
Read about their adventures:
http://www.ludwigandgertie.blogspot.com

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the miz
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Re: IAC's Itinerant Freezing His Donkey Off

Post by the miz » Thu Jul 14, 2016 8:43 am

whc03grady wrote:If you guys really think Colin's gonna replace a 55,000-mile OG fuel tank that's still getting him place to place with some likely-to-be ill-fitting garbage--no matter how shiny--from Bus Depot, you're crazy. I'd say he's more likely to run fuel in/out of a jug first.
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I know...I know... I just think he should run a new fuel tank until he has the opportunity to have the OG tank cleaned...at which point he could reinstall it.
miz
1982 Westy- Vana White

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SlowLane
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Re: IAC's Itinerant Freezing His Donkey Off

Post by SlowLane » Thu Jul 14, 2016 9:30 am

whc03grady wrote:If you guys really think Colin's gonna replace a 55,000-mile OG fuel tank that's still getting him place to place with some likely-to-be ill-fitting garbage--no matter how shiny--from Bus Depot, you're crazy.
Yeah, right. Sitting comfortably at our keyboards in our homes or offices, we're the crazy ones here... :rolleyes: (actually, maybe we are).
'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: IAC's Itinerant Freezing His Donkey Off

Post by Jivermo » Thu Jul 14, 2016 1:30 pm

I'm here with a hundred bucks, to help fund a new tank and an Itinerant workday for Colin, with Colin. I'd love to pitch in physically to help, but I'm down here in Miami. But, getting the $$$ in play is easy. Main difficulty to this entire scheme, as I see it, is getting our guru to accept.

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