Itinerant Air-Cooled

Set up, and awaiting Colin's arrival. We are going to tackle the rust welded exhaust system. I've got Colin for two days, and hope to get a lot accomplished.

(must have a .JPG suffix to work with our IMG brackets-ed)

What we had to deal with: Rusty nuts and bolts throughout the system. We used a Dremel with 1/2 dollar sized metal cutting bits, cold chisels and a ball peen hammer where we had space to tap, and also a 4" grinder to cut the old bolts away. Real grunt work.

Squeezed in between cutting off the rusted nuts, Colin had me do a valve adjustment, and explained how I was going to follow through with "Forensic" observation of my heads during the next two valve adjustments. He was displeased to find that my valve covers had been assembled the last time using red RTV, and likened such usage as a blood clot circulating through a body looking for the main chance to cause some major trouble, like a stroke. I got the message. Here he is using that old reliable Indian Head Shellac and Permatex #2 on the valve covers prior to reassembly.

The flanges on my "U" tubes were badly rusted, so we used my ancient Craftsman belt sander to get them true. One was so bad we had to weld a steel bead around the convex flange, and then grind it flat. It was laborious, but it work perfectly.

https://plus.google.com/photos/10136620 ... 1LHHjZmXLQ

This heat exchange box had some 1/4" rust through holes in it, so my son in law David brazed them up. He patched up any holes we had, as well as building up the flange on the "U" tube.

https://plus.google.com/photos/10136620 ... 1LHHjZmXLQ

Another piece given new life by brazing.

Got a new heat flapper from the http://www.kingoscaraircooledsmalltinparts.com company. One of mine was shot. Had to eat the sardines before cutting up the lid. It's a good thickness for this.

Time to put it back together: Colin is happy; he has had his coffee, the day is fresh and not too hot, and the mosquitoes are not out...yet. Wife beaters are required for this type of work-no other garb will do. One of my son's friends came by and checked out the work. Later he asked my son, "Hey, who's the guy with the "Daisy Dukes"! My son told him that is the "itinerant air cooled guy", which really got him confused.

https://plus.google.com/photos/10136620 ... 1LHHjZmXLQ



New project: Shift rod front bushing and rear coupling. After cleaning up and lubing the gas pedal, we pulled the front rubber floor mat up and removed the gear shifter, installed a new bushing, and greased the heck out of the entire affair. Here David and Colin struggle with trying to fit a new repro bolt and rolled pin into the new coupling. The new bolt just would not "bite" into the pin, so we ended up using the old one. It's just one example of how the replacement stuff we have to deal with is not up to par with the specifications that VW insisted upon. The new coupler itself we had to fool with in a vise to tighten up the slop between the rubber (plastic) inserts and the frame.

https://plus.google.com/photos/10136620 ... 1LHHjZmXLQ



All wrapped up! After two days, we had: adjusted hydraulic preload 1-1/2 turns, removed, repaired and replaced entire exhaust system including fabricating new holding straps, shift and coupler replacement on shift rod, lubricated gas pedal and shifter stop place (adjusted), set timing to 28 degrees at 3200 rpm, vacuum advance to 40 degrees BTDC, found leak in EEC valve and blocked it off, adjusted air flow meter and set track on new pathway. During this work, much VW theory and fact was discussed, and I learned a tremendous amount about my bus. We went over the details of the sliding door mechanism, and I have some parts I need to get to fix that up. Also, many under the bus points of lubrication and, even more important, places that must be able to drain freely to counter the rust demons. When Colin throws you under the bus, it is literally. Also, a test drive, where I learned Colin's double -clutching technique, as well as the negative effects of down shifting, which I promise not to do anymore as I come up to that stop sign. "Brakes are cheap, clutches and transmissions not." My granddaughter Annabella took to Colin right away. She found him to be a funny guy.

Night falls, and Colin departs down the driveway. I think a good time was had by all.

Off in Chloe, with one more Miami workday, and then some time to work on his book, which is a work of art. I am eager to have a printed copy of this marvelous creation. Colin had the manuscript with him, and showed us his color illustrations. He must complete this labor of love, and get it in print! Go for it, man!

looks like a great visit- nice garage

After 2 days of bus work. Sunburned, bug-bitten, grease stained and fatigued, but with a great sense of accomplishment. Another chapter in the continuing saga of the Itinerant Air Cooled Sensei.

Colin, shifting is good-no trouble getting it in 3-4th. I did order up a hockey stick ball and nose cone gasket, though. You sounded pretty confident that mine was shot. The bus is running and sounding better than it ever has-real nice stuff. I'm very pleased with our work.

Thanks for the tip on posting the photos, Colin. I was having a heck of a time figuring that out. Sort of like an Air Flow Meter.