key words here,, beer then bentley, beer bentley. tools. hehe

-----Original Message-----
>From: Robert Fisher <refisher@MCHSI.COM>
>Sent: May 3, 2006 10:03 PM
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: 1984 Vanagon GL H2O
>
>I think you're off your Ritalin again man. : )
>
>How much of this can you do yourself? How would you rate your mechanical
>ability (including access to tools and a place to work) with one being the
>lowest and ten being the highest?
>
>Most of that stuff you should be able to do with a Bentley and a simple tool
>kit between beers.
>
>Check with the list vendors for that coolant hose, or someone might know of
>a proven alternative. There's a list of Napa hoses by number and what they
>can be substituted for in the archives
>
>The A/C and the tranny are a different matter- the tranny you can deal with
>if you're motivated (maybe 500 bucks of motivation), at least in getting it
>out and back in, and shipping it off to be rebuilt. I'm gonna take a flying
>guess and say if you've been doing the old fill-and-leak routine then the
>'hard parts' are likely already damaged. Anyway if it's gotta be opened up
>you might as well go all the way, it's not that expensive. I believe a list
>member recently paid around $600 for a rebuild.
>
>The A/C in the earlier models was a dealer option, IIRC. Hard to say what
>you have or used to have there, but you can get various setups to add it.
>
>If it's an option I'd spend my money on some decent tools and only let the
>mechanic at the things I just flat-out could not do myself. If you're gonna
>pay somebody to do all that little stuff at shop rates that van is gonna
>bankrupt you.
>
>Good luck,
>Robert
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Eric Levine" <ELevine3035@AOL.COM>
>To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>Sent: Wednesday, May 03, 2006 9:09 PM
>Subject: 1984 Vanagon GL H2O
>
>
>
>I took in my vanagon to the local  mechanic and gave him my wish list.
>He called me back with an estimate:
>1. Bottle for re-fill tank, level  sensor, hose over transmission: don't
>make
>it anymore, so needs to figure out  and make one that fits. Previous owner
>put a hose on that was too big and even  fully clamped down, leaks. Hose is
>to
>the oil cooler on the transmission. He  needs to fiddle with it until he
>finds
>the right hose: $210.00
>2. Transmission leaking everywhere,  pan, gasket, torque converter, seal
>between transmission and differential.  The transmission has to be taken out
>and
>resealed.  A new clutch will be put  in and basically needs a re-build.
>This
>has to be done before I begin doing damage to the hard parts:  $1,100.00 (he
>takes it out and brings it  to the tranny guy across the street)
>3.  Lubricated the doors and locks, now my  doors open like butter (was
>having trouble with my back door lock and passenger  side lock was not
>opening,
>sliding door has no key).  I have three keys:  ignition, door and gas  cap.
>4.  Oil Change
>5.  Clamped the filler pipe for the oil so  it doesn?t vibrate off, it was
>cracked.
>6.  As for the sliding window.  It locks but it vibrates open after
>driving.
> So I need to check if it  is locked.  I thought it was the  weather
>stripping or the guide rail on the bottom.  He said it needs a new lock for
>the
>sliding window and I can look on ebay, samba, go westy,  etc.
>7.  The starter is working.  Sometimes you have to wait for it to  start.
>He
>said the starter is full  of transmission fluid from the leak, so it may
>have
>to be replaced.  He said the starter could be okay and I  could wait to
>replace it until it fails but while he has the tranny out, there  is no
>labor cost
>for changing the starter:  $155.00 (its up to me if I want a new starter put
>on)
>8.  The rear brakes are shot that?s why I  need to pull the parking brake
>all
>the way up:  $250.00
>I plan on giving him another  list:
>1.  I gave him the original keys.  Need to check if the key copies work
>like
>the originals on the two doors he lubricated.
>2.  Show him what I know about the sliding  window lock, may or may not be
>the lock itself.
>3.  I put on a new passenger side rear view  mirror.  It did not hold its
>position, so I took it off and twisted the base to tighten the screw
>mechanism
>inside.  I put plumbing goop in  between the rubber washer and the door and
>between the mirror and the  washer.  Do I need to reapply the  glue between
>the
>washer and mirror again.  I haven?t tested it yet on the highway to see if
>it
>holds position.  Did I twist it too much?  Is it a defective mirror or did I
>loosen  it by twisting it when I was trying to figure out how to install
>it.
>4.  Blind spot mirrors for the side  mirrors.  Where to put them and how
>big
>to get?
>5.  Show him the extra parts such as fuel  filter, window roll up handles,
>belt, spark plugs, fuses, light bulbs  etc.
>6.  Is it possible to set up a hammock or  rack to hang surf boards from the
>ceiling of the vanagon.  To access the engine, I have to move my  surfboards
>to the front of the vehicle.
>7.  The van doesn?t have AC.  How much of the hardware for the AC was
>removed and a price on installing AC.
>8.  License plate holder for front  bumper.
>Eric
>1984 Vanagon GL H2O
>Asuan  Brown