Dear Vanagon List,

I wrote an earlier post about tires and at the end mentioned my trip to MD
yesterday to pick up a Westy.  I got interrupted while writing and when I
went back to the keyboard I forgot to mention a few things.

I was very impressed with Karl Mullendore and his shop.  Karl obviously has
as much Vanagon experience as anyone I have ever seen.  I am thinking about
moving to Asheville NC in 2 or 3 years.  Karl told me he is thinking about
the same move.  I would sure like to see him make it, because I would sure
use him for Vanagon service.  I think he would make a great friend too.

I drove the 86 Westy all the way from MD to Pittsburgh and it ran like a
top.

Walt Spak
Pittsburgh, PA.
wnsopc3@3rdm.net

----- Original Message -----
From: Tom and Dana Cates <dcates1@HOME.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, June 20, 2001 7:33 PM
Subject: Re: New Engine Oil Leak

> Peter,
>
> If you are lucky, Karl Mullendore (thewestyman@mindspring.com) will accept
> your case. You can trust him implicitly.
>
> I have an AVP air-cooled rebuild in mine, 20K so far and no leaks. But, I
> did send them my flexplate along with the core and they did the
> installation. Any scoring on the seal area of the flywheel will cause
almost
> immediate failure of the seal.
>
> I think that you might find the answer to your question within the text of
> your email.
>
> Tom and Dana Cates
> Asheville, NC
> 83 Air-Cooled Westfalia, 'Hammurabi'
> Member: http://www.fullmoonbusclub.com/ "Home of the World Famous
Breakfast
> Burritos"
> http://www.type2.com/rescue/
> http://members.home.net/fullmooninjoon/index.htm
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Peter Krogh" <VW85Westy@AOL.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Wednesday, June 20, 2001 11:51 AM
> Subject: New Engine Oil Leak
>
>
> > Hey List,
> >   Please cc any response to Kroghphoto@aol.com, as I don't get to this
> email address too often.
> >
> >   I have replaced Zippy's old engine (at 190,000) with a new AVP
rebuild.
> I
> >   had the 2.1 crank installed, and I have to say I like the power
> increase.
> >   It's not a Ferrarri, just a slightly faster Vanagon.
> >
> >   I have a problem, however, and I seem to be in the middle here.  I
> noticed
> >  an oil leak from the area between the tranny and the engine at less
than
> 300
> >   miles.  The shop that did the work said that it was a leaky front
engine
> >   seal, certainly caused by defective parts or work by AVP.  AVP says
that
> it
> >   is most likely from poor flywheel installation.
> >
> >   The shop charged me $95 for the flywheel, and I thought they said
> something
> >   about having gotten a deal on it somewhere.  After the leak, they told
> me
> >   more specifically that it had come from a VW reman that was ordered
for
> a
> >   customer, and that the flywheel was removed when he switched from
Manual
> to
> >   Auto trans.
> >
> >   AVP will only honor warrantee if the seal is not scored or "burned
> looking"
> >   as this would indicate improper flywheel installation. Additionally,
> they
> >   said that they will pay for 3.5 hours labor for the work, and my
garage
> said
> >   that is a 5 hour job.  AVP will only pay $40 an hour (which I knew
when
> I
> >   bought the engine).  So that's $140 on a $280 repair.
> >
> >
> >   The installer is a shop in Maryland that does a *lot* of Vanagon work.
> >   Judging by the parking lot that may be half their business.  They
seemed
> to
> >   know all the little quirkiness of a Vanagon, and said that they had
done
> >   hundreds of engine replacements.
> >
> >   They did a pretty nice job overall, although slow.  I put no pressure
on
> >  them to do it quickly, just friendly weekly calls on the status.  There
> were
> >  two
> >   problems with the installation besides the leak.
> >
> >   The first was that the motor quit within the first 12 miles of
driving.
> >  They said that turned out to be a loose wire on some FI control that
was
> >  flooding
> >   it out.  The odometer indicated that they had test driven it for about
> 36
> >   miles.  Fixed for free.
> >
> >   The second is a temperture fluctuation that was greater than my old
> engine.
> >   Idling quickly raises the temperture until the fan clicks on,
whereupon
> it
> >   stabilises at slightly warm.  At 1000 miles I asked that to bleed the
> >  system, which they said they did.  Within a few miles the heat problem
> >  returned.
> >   Upon inspection, I saw a missing hose clamp on the hose from the
> expansion
> >   tank to the fill tank.  Also, the bleeder valve in the engine
> compartment
> >  was left open.  This made me nervous about rushed/shoddy work.
> >
> >   Questions:
> >   1.  Any insight on what is most likely to have caused the seal to
fail?
> >
> >   2.  Does the "book" indicate that dropping the tranny and replacing
the
> seal
> >   is only a 3.5 hour job? AVP stated at time of purchase that the
> >  reimbursement was based on a published time schedule for repairs.
> >
> >   3.  Should I try to be there when they do the work to check out what
> caused
> >   it (they have said that I can wait)
> >
> >   4.  Does temperture fluctuation indicate air in the cooling system?
> Should I
> >   insist on a full Bently-style bleed?
> >
> >   Thanks for all your help.
> >   Peter & Zippy (now Zippier!)