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| Early morning fill-up of B100 Bio-Diesel |
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Sunday, May 5, 2013
Filling Up With Bio-Diesel
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Oh, Crap! I Broke The Screen On My Kindle!
I always carry a Kindle Keyboard when I'm traveling with Westly. In addition to my choice of several books to read, I have some reference materiels stored on it. And anywhere there is wi-fi or a 3G signal I can get online if I need to. Yes, it's a very cumbersome online experience but it works in a pinch. But a couple of months ago I dropped it and broke the screen. Here's the text of the Amazon review I posted for the purchase of the replacement screen. If you have a Kindle around with a cracked screen, you might want to try this. It was really pretty easy to replace.
This review is from: Original New 100% Amazon Kindle 3 3rd generation K3 Kindle keyboard D00901 ebook ereader Screen repair Replacement part E-ink LCD display panel ED060SC7 (LF) (Electronics)
So I dropped my Kindle Keyboard on the bus and I was like, "oh crap!" cause it was the third time I had dropped it so the screen already had a few bad spots that I could still read around, but this time half the screen had vertical lines and another quarter section had horizontal lines so it was toast. I'm not really a total klutz, I was just balancing it on the steering wheel (did I mention I'm a bus driver?) while eating a wrap (on my break, not while driving! so chill...) and it usually worked, except for those few times when it evidently felt some compunction to obey the immutable law of gravity. And I was on the final chapter of a great read so then I had to wait until I got home to finish it on Cloud Reader.
Anyway it was out of warranty and I didn't want to just pitch it so I checked out options and found some YouTube videos about fixing the problem which led me to this replacement screen. I've taken apart a few personal electronic devices before, but usually just to see how they work, without any real intention of ever getting the things back together again. I had some misgivings, directly related to comments in the videos such as "If you put any pressure on the corner of the screen while you are replacing it, it will shatter into a thousand pieces". So, I added it to my Wish List and waited a few days. Then one morning I needed to order some new ear rings and thought to myself " Ahh, what the heck!", added it to my cart in a burst of over-confidence, and checked out before I could change my mind.
It took a few weeks to arrive as it ships from China. I set the compact little package on the mantle of my imitation (but amazingly realistic) flame fireplace and there it sat gathering dust. It was somewhat useful though, because I propped it up to shade my lucky bamboo from getting too much direct sun. Anyway after a few weeks I was beginning to get annoyed with carrying around several bound books (I often read a few titles concurrently) and realized how much I missed my Kindle so I gathered my courage and dove in.
I pried open the case (I had seen how that works already because it popped off all on it's own one time when I dropped it) and began removing the first of about 100 (mild exaggeration) tiny screws with a tiny screwdriver. A good pair of tweezers, like what you might use to pluck your unibrow also comes in handy. A couple of the screws have little washer like things underneath also, so I noted where these went. I laid the screws out on my desk in a pattern like where they came out of the circuit board. They are all pretty much the same size. I took out the battery first, then another little black box thing, then the remaining screws from various positions around the circuit board, some cleverly hidden from view. You have to pry off a miniscule ribbon connecter - careful here! Once the circuit board was loose, I lifted it on one end and pushed gently up from the front of the screen (on the outside) to release it from a strip of sticky tape that holds it into place. When it was out, I could look at the back and see just how much damage I had inflicted. There were actually three "daises" from which multiple cracks radiated in all directions over most of the screen.
I carefully removed the new screen from yards of bubble wrap, removed the protective film, compared the two to insure it was an identical replacement and VERY CAREFULLY placed the new screen into the frame. I reattached the miniscule ribbon connecter, seated the circuit board (making sure all the little switches around the outside were in place and not binding) then returned all the screws. Once the battery was back in, but before replacing the back cover, I turned it on and was pleasantly surprised to find that it worked almost perfectly! Almost, because while the screen image was faultless, the page up/down buttons on the right side were no longer working. I poked around and discovered another micro ribbon connecter that was slightly dislodged. I gingerly pushed it into place using the unibrow pluckers, and then all was well. I snapped the back case in place and it was done! The entire operation took about one hour (your mileage may vary).
In the meantime, I had also ordered a sturdy leather case and a sheet of screen protecter film so I put these in place and now hopefully won't have to go through this trial again.
Here's the concise version of the review - I felt the price was reasonable. The shipper clearly communicated the time frame in which it would be shipped and likely arrive and it did arrive right on schedule. It was packaged very well and arrived in perfect condition. It was the exact replacement, and it works beautifully. I'm glad I tried it, and am elated to have my Kindle working again.
So should YOU try it? While there are some risks involved (cracking the new screen, shorting or otherwise damaging the circuit board or other tiny components in the case) the screen is much less expensive than buying a new device. And replacing it yourself saves you a hundred or so dollars over having some repair shop do it. If you are comfortable working with this kind of repair, try it because it's really not that complicated. But, if you've never done anything like this before, you might not want this to be your first attempt.
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| This is how the screen looked after dropping the Kindle Strange how the image stays there even long after it's been removed from the device |
This review is from: Original New 100% Amazon Kindle 3 3rd generation K3 Kindle keyboard D00901 ebook ereader Screen repair Replacement part E-ink LCD display panel ED060SC7 (LF) (Electronics)
So I dropped my Kindle Keyboard on the bus and I was like, "oh crap!" cause it was the third time I had dropped it so the screen already had a few bad spots that I could still read around, but this time half the screen had vertical lines and another quarter section had horizontal lines so it was toast. I'm not really a total klutz, I was just balancing it on the steering wheel (did I mention I'm a bus driver?) while eating a wrap (on my break, not while driving! so chill...) and it usually worked, except for those few times when it evidently felt some compunction to obey the immutable law of gravity. And I was on the final chapter of a great read so then I had to wait until I got home to finish it on Cloud Reader.
Anyway it was out of warranty and I didn't want to just pitch it so I checked out options and found some YouTube videos about fixing the problem which led me to this replacement screen. I've taken apart a few personal electronic devices before, but usually just to see how they work, without any real intention of ever getting the things back together again. I had some misgivings, directly related to comments in the videos such as "If you put any pressure on the corner of the screen while you are replacing it, it will shatter into a thousand pieces". So, I added it to my Wish List and waited a few days. Then one morning I needed to order some new ear rings and thought to myself " Ahh, what the heck!", added it to my cart in a burst of over-confidence, and checked out before I could change my mind.
It took a few weeks to arrive as it ships from China. I set the compact little package on the mantle of my imitation (but amazingly realistic) flame fireplace and there it sat gathering dust. It was somewhat useful though, because I propped it up to shade my lucky bamboo from getting too much direct sun. Anyway after a few weeks I was beginning to get annoyed with carrying around several bound books (I often read a few titles concurrently) and realized how much I missed my Kindle so I gathered my courage and dove in.
I pried open the case (I had seen how that works already because it popped off all on it's own one time when I dropped it) and began removing the first of about 100 (mild exaggeration) tiny screws with a tiny screwdriver. A good pair of tweezers, like what you might use to pluck your unibrow also comes in handy. A couple of the screws have little washer like things underneath also, so I noted where these went. I laid the screws out on my desk in a pattern like where they came out of the circuit board. They are all pretty much the same size. I took out the battery first, then another little black box thing, then the remaining screws from various positions around the circuit board, some cleverly hidden from view. You have to pry off a miniscule ribbon connecter - careful here! Once the circuit board was loose, I lifted it on one end and pushed gently up from the front of the screen (on the outside) to release it from a strip of sticky tape that holds it into place. When it was out, I could look at the back and see just how much damage I had inflicted. There were actually three "daises" from which multiple cracks radiated in all directions over most of the screen.
I carefully removed the new screen from yards of bubble wrap, removed the protective film, compared the two to insure it was an identical replacement and VERY CAREFULLY placed the new screen into the frame. I reattached the miniscule ribbon connecter, seated the circuit board (making sure all the little switches around the outside were in place and not binding) then returned all the screws. Once the battery was back in, but before replacing the back cover, I turned it on and was pleasantly surprised to find that it worked almost perfectly! Almost, because while the screen image was faultless, the page up/down buttons on the right side were no longer working. I poked around and discovered another micro ribbon connecter that was slightly dislodged. I gingerly pushed it into place using the unibrow pluckers, and then all was well. I snapped the back case in place and it was done! The entire operation took about one hour (your mileage may vary).
In the meantime, I had also ordered a sturdy leather case and a sheet of screen protecter film so I put these in place and now hopefully won't have to go through this trial again.
Here's the concise version of the review - I felt the price was reasonable. The shipper clearly communicated the time frame in which it would be shipped and likely arrive and it did arrive right on schedule. It was packaged very well and arrived in perfect condition. It was the exact replacement, and it works beautifully. I'm glad I tried it, and am elated to have my Kindle working again.
So should YOU try it? While there are some risks involved (cracking the new screen, shorting or otherwise damaging the circuit board or other tiny components in the case) the screen is much less expensive than buying a new device. And replacing it yourself saves you a hundred or so dollars over having some repair shop do it. If you are comfortable working with this kind of repair, try it because it's really not that complicated. But, if you've never done anything like this before, you might not want this to be your first attempt.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Volkswagen South Africa Video
Volkswagen South Africa
Produced to celebrate their 60th anniversary (1946 - 2006)
Four minutes of vintage pics, ads, soul-stirring brand loyalty and patriotism
Thanks to The Vanagon Blog for the link
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
The Camp Car
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| 1955 Volkswagen Bus - Camp Car I love this scene! |
But with their unusual shape and air-cooled 40 horsepower engine (in the back, no less) they must have seemed strange indeed to the average US consumer. They could be special ordered, but it seems most in that era were purchased in Europe by tourists or military personell and brought over.
Look at that magazine cover - who could resist this idyllic scene? Three buds, probably on the same bowling team get together for a weekend of fishing and bonding. Or maybe it's a dad (resting with his book) and his sons out for a weekend of quality time.
The Popular Mechanics article, in which the Volkswagen is described as "... a disease, and a contagious one at that!" also optimistically states that the engine will "normally go 100,000 miles without an overhaul" with a fan belt as the only spare part needed. My actual experience has differed slightly from that, but nevertheless I would happily own and drive one of these, if only the current purchase price (originally around $2,500) had less in common with the average 3 bedroom, 2 bath suburban home.
View the original article here. Scroll down about a third of the way if you don't want to see all the adds, but they are fun to read also.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Monday, November 12, 2012
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Diesel Vanagon Battery and Charging System
Ok, I know I haven't produced any new blog posts all summer. Not that Westly and I haven't been spending a lot of time together though - quite the contrary. It's just that life as I knew it took a rather dramatic turn when Van Spouse and I separated (for reasons beyond the scope of this blog). Following a tearful goodbye, Westly and I headed off under a stunning sunset that seemed especially suited for the occasion.
The intrepid van became my full-time home for a time, inhabiting rest areas and parking garages until I was offered a comfortable basement room in the home of some very kind and gracious friends. Westly no longer has quiet, secure off street parking and was even egged a few nights ago (really - people still do that??) but he's adapting well.
One of the worst aspects of the situation is that Van Kid is no longer "allowed" to go camping with me. Hopefully we can work that out in the future but camping without him is kind of dull and now that school has started weekends are the only time I see him, so outings have been greatly curtailed. One of the more memorable though was a day hike to Talapus and Olallie lakes. Van Kid traversed the entire eight miles with no complaining, carrying his own pack. Way to go Kid!
So what else did we do all summer? My friend Redwood and I took a trip to Seven Bays on Lake Roosevelt in North Eastern Washington. Redwood's dad lives there in a unusual combination of house and airplane hanger. With the temperature hovering around 100 degrees F, we did a lot of swimming and exploring the lake in a rented skiff. This is a large reservoir lake, about 150 miles long with 600 miles of shoreline, so we didn't get to see it all (understatement alert!). You can rent a really nice houseboat here for $1,000 a day or so depending on the size and season. The largest boat sleeps 13 (but with only 10 pillows so somebody will have to bring their own) and sports a hot tub. Our skiff didn't have a hot tub, but did feature a lovely swirling pool of bilge water.
Along the way, we stopped at the Reptile Zoo near Monroe, WA. At this serpentarium (real word - I googled it) we were awe-struck beholding such sights as a two-headed turtle (they claim the heads have individual personalities), albino alligator (looking forlorn in it's concrete tub), the Worlds 10 Deadliest Snakes(!), a Goliath Bird-eater Tarantula (name not so representative of the actual product) and my favorite, Blaberus Giganteus - the giant Brazilian Cockroach with prime specimens approaching 3.5 inches long (sometimes kept as pets & tethered by tiny leashes).
By the way, I was reading recently that incorporating too many parenthetical statements was a sign of poor writing. Well ok...guilty!
Other shorter trips took us hiking, fishing and sightseeing but plans to journey to Yellowstone and make more campouts with the WetWesties had to be postponed for a future summer.
Westly performed flawlessly, if ponderously most of the summer except for a period where he petulantly refused to start, particularly after sitting alone all night. Some mornings he would start right up with vim and vigor, other mornings just an abject clicking or worse - no response at all.
The diesel engine is an utter power hog during starting. First the glow plug circuit is activated - essentially four heating elements that glow red hot to get the combustion party started. Then, the starter motor which must overcome 22.5:1 compression (some 2 to 3 times that of a standard gas engine) to turn the engine over. Once it's going though, because a diesel has no coil or spark plugs (and in one of this vintage, no computerized anything) it has virtually no electrical load - just a small fuel solenoid that could operate on a 9-volt battery if necessary. In fact, here is a keen trick I learned. You can wire up a 9-volt battery (we used to call them transistor radio batteries back in the day) to a pigtail that connects to ground and the solenoid wire. Then if the van battery it totally dead, you can attach this small battery to open the fuel solenoid and push start the van.
Anyway, the voltmeter during the less active starts would show only 8 or 9 volts, not nearly enough to accomplish the formidable task before it. It would jump start easily, or after having a battery charger on for a short time. And it would push start readily so in addition to the portable jumper battery, I took to parking on hills whenever possible (not too difficult around Seattle) so I could coast a few feet and pop the clutch in 1st gear. Works, but I imagine this procedure is a little taxing on the equipment. I cleaned and tightened the battery cables to the engine block, the starter and the braided ground strap between the transaxle and the frame. This helped, but not enough.
Even though the battery was not quite three years old, I suspected a weak cell or two and brought it to the local Interstate Battery Center for testing. They pronounced it adequate. I countered that it certainly would be with a gas engine, but was sorely lacking in getting the diesel motivated. After some deliberation, they agreed to replace it. The battery has a 72 month warranty but reading the fine print reveals that if installed in a diesel engine vehicle, the warranty period is halved. With the pro-rated warranty I ended up paying $60 instead of the original price of $135.
This effectively solved the starting problem but then a couple of months later the charge indicator light stubbornly refused to go out. The voltmeter showed no charging action at all and the drive belt was tight so I called my favorite local parts store and ordered an alternator which arrived within the hour. I had trouble removing the alternator from the mounting bracket, so unbolted the entire assembly and brought it in. The helpful folk at Auto Sports Imports in Seatac, WA got them separated and swapped the pulley from the core to the new alternator for me at no additional cost. I love you guys - if you had a website, I would include a link to it here!
Back home, I installed the alternator and bracket along with a new belt. Success - now charging at 13.8 volts! I noticed that a little over 5,000 miles had accumulated since the last full service so Westly also received an oil and filter change, air filter cleaning, new fuel filter, tire rotation and heaps of positive affirmation.
On another day I replaced the bushing that supports the sliding door handle as mine was missing, allowing water and dust in and making the outside handle all floppy feeling. The little knob that locks and unlocks the door from the inside had fallen off and gotten lost on some bumpy dirt road so I made a replacement from an extra front door lock knob I had scavenged from a parts van. While the inside door panel was off I tightened and lubed the lock and connections.
Now Westly's charging system, engine, tires, and doors are all operating smoothly.
Hoping my life will smooth out as well...
The intrepid van became my full-time home for a time, inhabiting rest areas and parking garages until I was offered a comfortable basement room in the home of some very kind and gracious friends. Westly no longer has quiet, secure off street parking and was even egged a few nights ago (really - people still do that??) but he's adapting well.
One of the worst aspects of the situation is that Van Kid is no longer "allowed" to go camping with me. Hopefully we can work that out in the future but camping without him is kind of dull and now that school has started weekends are the only time I see him, so outings have been greatly curtailed. One of the more memorable though was a day hike to Talapus and Olallie lakes. Van Kid traversed the entire eight miles with no complaining, carrying his own pack. Way to go Kid!
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| Van Kid at Talapus Lake Too cold to swim but we had fun watching crayfish along the shore |
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| Taking a break along the trail Photo by Van Kid Gawd I'm looking old! |
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| Redwood's dad - the Pilot Poet Physically grounded but mentally soaring |
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| View from inside the cool dark hanger to 100 deg f bright sunshine outside That's one serious garage door! The grassy area beyond is a runway |
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| Piloting the skiff on Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake |
By the way, I was reading recently that incorporating too many parenthetical statements was a sign of poor writing. Well ok...guilty!
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| Green Mamba- bite 90% fatal, can slither up to 15 mph (yikes!) Or maybe it was the African Bush Viper, but the Mamba is just way more interesting |
Westly performed flawlessly, if ponderously most of the summer except for a period where he petulantly refused to start, particularly after sitting alone all night. Some mornings he would start right up with vim and vigor, other mornings just an abject clicking or worse - no response at all.
The diesel engine is an utter power hog during starting. First the glow plug circuit is activated - essentially four heating elements that glow red hot to get the combustion party started. Then, the starter motor which must overcome 22.5:1 compression (some 2 to 3 times that of a standard gas engine) to turn the engine over. Once it's going though, because a diesel has no coil or spark plugs (and in one of this vintage, no computerized anything) it has virtually no electrical load - just a small fuel solenoid that could operate on a 9-volt battery if necessary. In fact, here is a keen trick I learned. You can wire up a 9-volt battery (we used to call them transistor radio batteries back in the day) to a pigtail that connects to ground and the solenoid wire. Then if the van battery it totally dead, you can attach this small battery to open the fuel solenoid and push start the van.
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| Portable jumper battery under the back seat, wired through an Anderson Power Pole connector directly to the starter and ground. Makes jump-starting sooo much easier and quickly detaches for other uses |
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| Interstate MT-41 650 cold cranking amps This is the battery you want for the Vanagon diesel |
This effectively solved the starting problem but then a couple of months later the charge indicator light stubbornly refused to go out. The voltmeter showed no charging action at all and the drive belt was tight so I called my favorite local parts store and ordered an alternator which arrived within the hour. I had trouble removing the alternator from the mounting bracket, so unbolted the entire assembly and brought it in. The helpful folk at Auto Sports Imports in Seatac, WA got them separated and swapped the pulley from the core to the new alternator for me at no additional cost. I love you guys - if you had a website, I would include a link to it here!
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| Rear view of the Bosch AL33X alternator with "W' terminal that sends the signal to the tachometer |
On another day I replaced the bushing that supports the sliding door handle as mine was missing, allowing water and dust in and making the outside handle all floppy feeling. The little knob that locks and unlocks the door from the inside had fallen off and gotten lost on some bumpy dirt road so I made a replacement from an extra front door lock knob I had scavenged from a parts van. While the inside door panel was off I tightened and lubed the lock and connections.
Now Westly's charging system, engine, tires, and doors are all operating smoothly.
Hoping my life will smooth out as well...
Monday, June 25, 2012
Vanagon Transaxle Oil Change & More
Westly's transaxle has a leak. A very occasional drop on the driveway and when I'm crawling around underneath (which I do periodically to check things out) I wipe the shiny spot off the bottom of the case. It's not the flange seals as I replaced those when renewing the CV joints. It's coming from somewhere deeper - maybe the seal/o-ring on the adjusting ring - but lacking a puller to remove that part, I just roll with it.
But after enough drips, I knew the oil level had to be getting a little low and there was no record of when the oil was last changed. Ideally, it should be done every couple of years, so one spring morning when the dew adorned the daffodils like sparkling baubles, I set about the task.
The fill plug can be difficult to remove. It's a good idea to make sure you can break it loose before draining the oil - otherwise you would be stuck in your driveway, friends driveway, parts store parking lot, etc until you are able to extract it and refill the box. As gear oil is highly viscous, I let it drain for a day or so, raising the front of the van to coax it all out. The DZ transaxle capacity is a little over four quarts. Only around three drained out. Guess it had been leaking a long time! The oil had a few tiny yellow metal flakes suspended in it, the magnetic rod on the drain plug was mostly clean.
I put in four quarts of Royal Purple Gear Max Synthetic 75W90 oil. This wonder of modern technology is API rated at GL-4 and GL-5, is non-corrosive to "soft yellow metals" which are evidently found in abundance inside the transaxle, and possesses "proprietary Synerlec additive technology". This is some way pricey gear oil, but I figured a transmission rebuild isn't cheap, so why not be protected by the best I could get? Subsequent research online has me thinking that most any gear oil with the proper rating would suffice - the key is to change it on a regular schedule.
Synthetic oil does pour much more readily than honey-like dino oil (which requires a pump that usually breaks when you're about half-way through filling). I set up a funnel with a clear pvc tube on the end to poke into the fill hole and the bottles dumped quickly. With the van level, you keep filling until oil dribbles back out of the fill plug hole, then close it up.
I put it all back together, and determined a shorter belt would be needed. With that in hand, it all fell into place and has performed well now for 6,000 miles. I always check it over carefully whenever the engine cover is off.
Mud Flap Mend
Vanagons with the Westfalia conversion are equipped with a single stout mud flap behind the left front tire. It's purpose is to stop debris kicked up by the tire from damaging the propane tank that hangs under the van directly behind it. I noticed Westly's flap was starting to tear and had some vague idea about reinforcing it before it separated, but didn't get around to it. Then, on a particularly rough road near the Wild Horse Wind Farm, it let go. Luckily, we were turning around at the time because the road was quickly becoming impassable, and Van Brother, who was outside directing me so I wouldn't get stuck in a ditch, found the detached part. I later used some galvanized straps and a handful of brass bolts to re-unite the two pieces.
I had inquired about getting "Slopoke" for Westly's license plate, but found it was not available. We discovered it on this supercharged Saleen Mustang at a Father's Day car show. In fact, in Washington state every variation of the word 'slow' is already in use, likely all on vehicles with exponentially greater horsepower than Westly. Such irony.
Another intriguing ride at the show, the 1958 BMW Isetta. The 13 horsepower single cylinder motorcycle engine propelled the car via chain drive to a top speed of 53 miles per hour. The only way into the car is through the front door which includes the wind screen, the instrument panel (speedometer, light switch and ignition key), and the steering wheel (the shaft is hinged so it moves aside as the door opens). This one had two wheels in the rear with a narrow track so no differential is needed. Earlier models had only one rear wheel and were subject to tipping. I assume the third brake light is original, as the rest of the car seemed so. Looking at the size of the license plate relative to the body of the car gives an idea of the proportions of this micro-machine - like a Smart Car ancestor.
I have a foggy memory of my cousins and me playing with a toy model of this car while visiting my grandmother in Santa Ana.
But after enough drips, I knew the oil level had to be getting a little low and there was no record of when the oil was last changed. Ideally, it should be done every couple of years, so one spring morning when the dew adorned the daffodils like sparkling baubles, I set about the task.
The fill plug can be difficult to remove. It's a good idea to make sure you can break it loose before draining the oil - otherwise you would be stuck in your driveway, friends driveway, parts store parking lot, etc until you are able to extract it and refill the box. As gear oil is highly viscous, I let it drain for a day or so, raising the front of the van to coax it all out. The DZ transaxle capacity is a little over four quarts. Only around three drained out. Guess it had been leaking a long time! The oil had a few tiny yellow metal flakes suspended in it, the magnetic rod on the drain plug was mostly clean.
I put in four quarts of Royal Purple Gear Max Synthetic 75W90 oil. This wonder of modern technology is API rated at GL-4 and GL-5, is non-corrosive to "soft yellow metals" which are evidently found in abundance inside the transaxle, and possesses "proprietary Synerlec additive technology". This is some way pricey gear oil, but I figured a transmission rebuild isn't cheap, so why not be protected by the best I could get? Subsequent research online has me thinking that most any gear oil with the proper rating would suffice - the key is to change it on a regular schedule.
Synthetic oil does pour much more readily than honey-like dino oil (which requires a pump that usually breaks when you're about half-way through filling). I set up a funnel with a clear pvc tube on the end to poke into the fill hole and the bottles dumped quickly. With the van level, you keep filling until oil dribbles back out of the fill plug hole, then close it up.
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| Fill plug on the left. Drain plug on the right with a magnetic rod to keep any metal bits from circulating in the oil. |
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| There's not enough room to get a 17mm allen wrench on the fill plug. This adapter tool makes getting the plugs in and out easy. You could also use a double-nutted 17mm head bolt and wrench. |
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| Removing the right rear wheel allows better access to the fill plug. |
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| The fill plug is on the right rear of the box. The white blobs next to it are lithium grease on the shift rod coupling. |
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| The bottle just fits in the funnel. Avoid contaminating your new oil by washing loose dirt and debris away from the area ahead of time. |
Prior to the oil change, I would hear and feel a little "snick" when shifting from 1st to 2nd gear (particularly after having not driven for a few hours) unless I did so very slowly and deliberately. I don't know if it was because the oil level had been low before, or it was due to switching to synthetic oil, or maybe the "proprietary Synerlec additive technology", but after the change that "snick" is history.
Air Filter
When Westly's engine was replaced, the original air filter box was discarded and a funky ABS drain pipe fitting was constructed with a K&N filter on the end. It attaches to the intake manifold with a flexible rubber "hub-less" connector. It has apparently performed it's task well for 30,000 miles or so, but over time heat from the nearby exhaust manifold caused the ABS to shrink and crack. The best part about this is that all the parts are readily available at most any hardware or home improvement store. I glued up a new unit with an additional piece to situate the filter in a more protected area - it formerly hung down low beside the engine where it was subject to all manner of road grime. After washing and re-oiling the filter it all went back in place with the addition of a support loop of heavy gauge wire to keep it from bouncing around so much.
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| Westly's custom low restriction air intake system |
I've seen online where some Vanagon owners with non-stock engines have adapted the air filter box from from a '90s Chrysler mini-van. The filters are easy to find, inexpensive and it all fits very well in the space to the left of the engine. And you can attach the original snorkel hose that runs up to the left side air scoop (left over from when the Vanagon was air-cooled) so the air intake is situated high, out of the trail of dust and water spray kicked up under the van. Next time I'm at the Pick and Pull, I'll check one out.
Vacuum Pump
Vehicles use vacuum for various accessories such as cruise control, heating & A/C controls, door locks. The Vanagon's primary use of vacuum is the power brake booster. Diesel engines do not produce vacuum as gas engines do (during the combustion process), instead they have a mechanically driven vacuum pump. While doing some poking around Westly's engine I noticed the hose connected to his vacuum pump was cracked. Bearing in mind that plastics become increasingly brittle with age, I slit the hose where it attached to the pump fitting and pulled. The fitting brashly responded to my careful preparations by separating into two pieces, shamelessly exposing it's inner parts. After an unsuccessfully attempt at gluing, I made a plea to the online Vanagon community for help.
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| The broken fitting. (white with a little red thing poking up the middle) |
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| The new fitting, hose, and check valve in place |
It seemed the preferred method of repair was to remove the cover and the original fitting (which was pressed in), cut threads into the hole and insert a brass hose barb. The threads of the barb must be shortened and ground flush so they don't interfere with the pump vanes which spin directly below the cover. I accomplished all this quite handily, and put it back together with new hose and a check valve from a BMW (keeps some vacuum stored in the hose and booster so you get a couple of assisted brake applications with the engine off). It works perfectly and should last a good long time.
Alternator Bracket
All relationships come with some baggage. When Westly rolled into my life, he had this un-orthodox alternator bracket cobbled together from an old Ford part and some scrap metal. The drive belt was impossible to fully tighten which led to incessant squealing. This was highly embarrassing - I just couldn't take him anywhere.
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| M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E |
Because of the engine cover directly above, and the battery directly to the right, the space allotted for a bracket was very limited. I had an idea of what the ideal bracket should look like, and searched around wrecking yards but came up with nothing. I tried to contact a friend who has metal fabricating skills and equipment, but he pretended he never got my message so I knew I was on my own.
Looking around in my pile of Stuff That Is Pretty Much Useless But Too Good To Toss, I came upon a bracket left over from when an old garage door opener motor failed and it was cheaper to buy a whole new opener package than just replace the motor. This is the bracket that attaches the chain drive mechanism to the door. It's fairly thick steel, though not all that hard. The curve looked just right, and I figured it was worth a try so cut out a notch to clear a protrusion on the alternator body, and a slot for adjusting belt tension. The lower mounting hole needed to be opened up slightly for the bolt to fit.
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| Original door opener bracket below. Modified bracket above. |
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| The bracket in place and looking just slightly less M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E. |
Mud Flap Mend
Vanagons with the Westfalia conversion are equipped with a single stout mud flap behind the left front tire. It's purpose is to stop debris kicked up by the tire from damaging the propane tank that hangs under the van directly behind it. I noticed Westly's flap was starting to tear and had some vague idea about reinforcing it before it separated, but didn't get around to it. Then, on a particularly rough road near the Wild Horse Wind Farm, it let go. Luckily, we were turning around at the time because the road was quickly becoming impassable, and Van Brother, who was outside directing me so I wouldn't get stuck in a ditch, found the detached part. I later used some galvanized straps and a handful of brass bolts to re-unite the two pieces.
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| Yeah, it's ugly but it will do until I can get a full set of mud-flaps from Van Cafe |
I had inquired about getting "Slopoke" for Westly's license plate, but found it was not available. We discovered it on this supercharged Saleen Mustang at a Father's Day car show. In fact, in Washington state every variation of the word 'slow' is already in use, likely all on vehicles with exponentially greater horsepower than Westly. Such irony.
Another intriguing ride at the show, the 1958 BMW Isetta. The 13 horsepower single cylinder motorcycle engine propelled the car via chain drive to a top speed of 53 miles per hour. The only way into the car is through the front door which includes the wind screen, the instrument panel (speedometer, light switch and ignition key), and the steering wheel (the shaft is hinged so it moves aside as the door opens). This one had two wheels in the rear with a narrow track so no differential is needed. Earlier models had only one rear wheel and were subject to tipping. I assume the third brake light is original, as the rest of the car seemed so. Looking at the size of the license plate relative to the body of the car gives an idea of the proportions of this micro-machine - like a Smart Car ancestor.
I have a foggy memory of my cousins and me playing with a toy model of this car while visiting my grandmother in Santa Ana.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Wild Horse Wind Farm and Other Destinations
Van Brother was home from college for a few months and wanted to do some camping before starting a summer job. The Western Washington forecast of overcast skies and showers had us longing for a healthy dose of vitamin D, so after a day (which turned out surprisingly sunny) at the Seattle Folk-Life Festival, we packed a few essentials and directed Westly to Eastern Washington.
Not too far over Snoqualmie Pass, the Indian John Hill rest area is a great place to stealth camp - clean restrooms, free coffee and enough parking so you can usually find a somewhat quiet spot. Following an abbreviated breakfast, we continued West leaving I-90 (decidedly un-blue) to mosey along on scenic Hwy 10. In Ellensburg, just past Central Washington University, the route continues as the Vantage Highway. We turned North at Beacon Ridge Road to visit the Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility.
The wind blows through here almost constantly with gusts up to 95 miles per hour. A total of 149 wind turbines generate enough electricity for 80,000 homes needing as little as 6 mph of wind. These windmills are impressive! The towers are 221 feet tall, anchored in bedrock up to 32 feet deep with 120 bolts that each weigh 150 pounds and are 28 feet long. The three turbine blades are 129 feet long and weigh 7 tons each. The rotations are limited to 16.5 revolutions per minute (greatly reducing bird fatalities) but even at that speed the blade tips are traveling at 150 miles per hour. Two solar arrays of 2,723 panels provide all the power needed for the entire facility including the Renewable Energy Visitor Center. We toured the facility and were only temporarily dismayed that we could not climb up in the tower, only step inside the base and look up at the very, very tall ladder.
On the Interstate again, just past George, Hwy 283 heads off to the Northeast, intersects with Hwy 28 near Ephrata, and then; next stop - one of our favorite destinations - Smokiam (Soap Lake). We settled in at Smokiam Campground on the South end of the lake. Small, clean and inexpensive, though we paid extra for an RV spot this time because they are right on the lake while the tent sites are just a chain-link fence from the road.
Following breakfast, we hiked near Lake Lenore exploring caves and an old abandoned ranch. Along the trail we were startled by a Western Rattlesnake (crotalus viridis) which (being just as startled at seeing us) hid behind a rock, but left it's rattle exposed. My friend Redwood was bitten by a rattler near here last year, so we were trying to be cautious, but the fact is that when a snake is lying there among the rocks, dirt and dry grasses, it is next to impossible to see. We named the area Rattlesnake Gulch, and then vacated expeditiously.
First, a few scenes from the Folk Life Festival
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| Sunrise at Indian John Hill rest area |
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| We picked up this spare wind turbine to keep Westly's battery charged |
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| Van Kid is ready for the tour |
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| One of three Elk herds we saw along the road |
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| Inspecting a carcass |
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| Looking East toward the Columbia River Gorge The road became so rough, we had to turn back |
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| And it mostly was... |
While there, we signed up for a permit (yet another pass to add to our collection) to drive through the 10,000 acre property which covers rolling hills, valleys and piney woods. The wind turbines occupy a relatively small part of it with the remainder being open for recreation - mostly atv trail riding and hunting in season.
After leaving the wind farm, we continued on the Vantage Highway to the Ginkgo Petrified Forest. The forest, discovered in the 1920's during road construction, is considered one of the most unusual in the world. More than 50 species of trees have been found here, dating from 15.5 million years (give or take a few) ago. It's hard to imagine such a lush forest while standing there in the sand and sagebrush, but I suppose you should expect a few changes over that passage of time. The park construction was originally done in the charming manner of '30's era Civilian Conservation Corps. A small museum has a stunning display of petrified wood (the official Washington State gem) and petroglyphs made by the Wanapum tribe. Crossing the Columbia River requires returning to I-90 as the Vantage Highway just ends right in the river. There was an old bridge here that was disassembled in 1968 and used to cross the Snake River near Starbuck, Washington.
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| Van Kid receives first aid after a mishap on the trail The cage we're sitting on covers a partially buried petrified Horse Chestnut log Did I mention it was sunny and hot? Just what we were looking for! |
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| Grandfather Cuts Loose The Ponies No trip to Eastern Washington on I-90 would be complete without stopping here |
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| Radiant in the late afternoon sun |
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| Van kid hangs out at Smokiam Park... |
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| and does the jungle gym |
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| Breakfast is ready! |
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| Here's what we saw of the snake |
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| The very pleasant Westy Family |
At one trail head, we parked next to a blue Westy, then later met it's people. Before their son was born, they spent most of a year visiting 41 states and 5 provinces, traveling over 26,000 miles in the van. They blogged extensively about the adventure here.
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| Lake Lenore in the distance |
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| Unusual rock formation on the shore of Lake Lenore |
Now thoroughly hot and dusty, we intended to take a swim in Lake Lenore, but the afternoon winds had freshened and the water was feeling rather cold. We waded knee-deep, then dried off on the warm rocks and ate clam chowder. Way too soon it was time to go West, back to Seattle to prepare for work, school, and get the garbage and recycle cans out to the curb.
As usual, the rain started in around Hyak.
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