They towed her to the shop yesterday afternoon.

For the first time in three months, I got together with my buddies and
played guitar and drank a whole bunch of coldbeers last night.  Felt good.
I was a bit rusty on my chord changes, though...

Still couldn't help pacing back and forth a bit.  This is the first time
I've ever had anybody else touch this Vanagon (third time in three Vanagons
that I've had a shop do work) and it's making me a bit anxious!

It was nice to get away from it for a little while though.  Sure is strange
to look in my carport and see a big void where a Vanagon was previously on
jackstands for ninety days!

Happy Friday,
Joe T.

>From: Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
>Reply-To: Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: Was Passat Steel Wheels FS, Addendum
>Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2006 08:36:49 -0700
>
>Attaboy Joe, give 'em hell!
>
>On 4/12/06, joe trussell <vanagongl@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > Hi folks,
> >
> > Sorry about the rant last night.  After another long evening of work, I
> > was
> > mentally exhausted and, instead of beating my Vanagon to death with a
> > hammer, decided to vent to the list.
> >
> > Thanks for all of your suggestions.  I wanted to make one more thing
> > clear:
> >
> > This is an awesome conversion.  From what I've seen and heard, I am the
> > exception and not the rule as far as its success rate.  If I had to do
>it
> > all over again, you bet your a$$ I'd want a Subaru motor.
> >
> > So, for anybody on the fence about taking the plunge, don't let me
> > discourage you.  I still believe in the conversion; I just think I've
>got
> > a
> > bad something somewhere (a bit vague...) but at some point, come hell or
> > high water, I'll be driving it again.
> >
> > Thanks again,
> > joe T.
> >
> >
> > >From: joe trussell <vanagongl@HOTMAIL.COM>
> > >Reply-To: joe trussell <vanagongl@HOTMAIL.COM>
> > >To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > >Subject: Was Passat Steel Wheels FS, now a big long b**ch session
> > >Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2006 03:33:32 +0000
> > >
> > >Not contagious, but physically more nauseating than three day-old
>sushi.
> > >Left on a Vanagon's dash.  In the summertime.
> > >
> > >Part of it is here: www.josephtrussell.com/Vanagon.html.
> > >
> > >What's not there is that I've had the Subie engine mount/timing
> > >cover/engine
> > >dropped in and out/ three times now.  I've had three different sets of
> > cam
> > >and crank sensors.  Three starters, two of them high-torque (to their
> > >credit, the latest high-torque starter turns the motor really
> > well.)  I've
> > >had four ECM's, four sets of plugs, two coil packs, and two mass
>airflow
> > >meters.
> > >
> > >Now I'm up to three months (four weeks of NO START,) 200 hours of
>labor,
> > >and
> > >about four hours of sleep per night.
> > >
> > >I've tested voltage as I was instructed to do.  I've taken off every
> > single
> > >connector, cleaned it, and plugged it back up.  I've taken out the
> > >injectors
> > >and tested them.
> > >
> > >I've got spark, I've got fuel, I've got air, I've got timing, but I've
> > got
> > >no running engine.
> > >
> > >I've had friends look at it.  My neighbor, a real-life professional
> > >mechanic
> > >(on Freightlineres, but still...,) is stumped.  My brother, who's been
> > >racing VW's for twenty-five years, can't figure it out.
> > >
> > >I've had the SubaruVanagon list on their ear trying to figure it out,
>and
> > >God bless them and all of the suggestions and encouragement and support
> > and
> > >general good vibes.  Warren, Brent, Jake, Tom, and Leon, and everybody
> > else
> > >that I am probably forgetting, I wasn't kidding when I said I owe you
> > Jack
> > >Daniels Single Barrel.  The SubaruVanagon list is amazing.
> > >
> > >I know what most of you will say, it's my own damned fault for going
> > >against
> > >VW and my weak, anemic, P.O.S. 1.9l wasserboxer, but I want to prove to
> > >everybody I know that time has NOT passed this vehicle by.  There is
> > >nothing
> > >better than a Vanagon.  Especially one with 140 horsepower.
> > >
> > >Thing is, I drove a Subie conversion and was so taken with it that I
>had
> > to
> > >do it.  I bit off more than I could chew.  The conversion looks
> > absolutely
> > >beautiful; I didn't skimp on anything.  Wiring harness professionally
> > done
> > >to perfection.  Top-of-the-line conversion parts from Kennedy,
>Smallcar,
> > >and
> > >H&R start to finish.  Only OEM Subaru parts.
> > >
> > >But it won't fire.
> > >
> > >I hate to lay this out there, but tonight I thought I had it dead to
> > >rights.
> > >  I was sure I'd found the key, in the form of another ECU and the
> > correct
> > >air flow meter, but still nothing.
> > >
> > >Tomorrow I'll have it towed to a shop, if I can find a shop that will
> > look
> > >at it, and take it on the chin monetarily and in the pride department.
> > >
> > >Taking it too seriously you say?  I do admit that I had an absolute
>blast
> > >putting everything together.  Accumulating parts, the installation, the
> > >education, the friendships I've developed cannot be understated.  But,
> > it's
> > >been a lot of work without the ultimate payoff, so I'm a little pissed.
> > >
> > >The whole time I was working towards finishing, I couldn't stop having
> > that
> > >creeping feeling in the back of my head, that nightmare thought, what
>if
> > it
> > >doesn't start?  The whole time I was spending money, getting parts,
> > >cleaning, prepping, assembling, it was always in the back of my head.
> > >
> > >In any case, hopefully a professional can complete the job for me.  I'm
> > out
> > >of time and almost out of money.
> > >
> > >I'm thinking maybe I can put a towtruck on retainer and have it pull me
> > up
> > >to beautiful campsites around Colorado this summer.  Maybe I'll see
>some
> > of
> > >you in the mountains!
> > >
> > >Look for the '85 Wolfsburg Westfalia.  It'll be on a flatbed, top
>popped
> > >and
> > >awning precariously swinging from the side.
> > >
> > >Sorry to waste time bellyaching, but AHHH damn I feel better already.
>If
> > >you're still reading, I apologize for the waste of time.
> > >
> > >Oh--I bought a set of Vanagon alloys.  That's why the Passat wheels are
> > for
> > >sale :).  Of course, right after I hit the Paypal button, I said to
> > myself,
> > >
> > >"what the hell are you doing???  The damned thing doesn't even
>START!!!"
> > >
> > >I've always wanted Vanagon alloys, though.  (This is a disease, folks.)
> > >
> > >Joe T.
> > >Denver, CO
> > >'85 Wolfsburg Westfalia with a starter-powered Subaru EJ22 paperweight
> > >
> > >
> > >>From: Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
> > >>Reply-To: Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
> > >>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > >>Subject: Re: Passat Steel Wheels ET37 FS in Denver
> > >>Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2006 17:31:48 -0700
> > >>
> > >>Joe has "freshly installed Subaru motor that won't fire" itis.  Very
> > >>intense
> > >>at first, then gradually disappears. Not contagious.
> > >>
> > >>On 4/11/06, Roger Sisler <rogersisler2000@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > >> >
> > >> > Hey man, whats wrong with the gon? Those wheels sound nice and the
> > >>price
> > >> > is
> > >> > more than right.Lets get a smile back on your face and maybe keep
> > those
> > >> > wheels(ear to ear then).What symptoms do you have?
> > >> >
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>--
> > >>Jake
> > >>1984 Vanagon GL
> > >>1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
> > >>www.crescentbeachguitar.com
> > >
> > >_________________________________________________________________
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>
>
>
>--
>Jake
>1984 Vanagon GL
>1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
>www.crescentbeachguitar.com

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