In a message dated 10/9/2006 9:33:32 AM Pacific Standard Time,
jfarrugi@UMICH.EDU writes:
>if only one version is stocked by vw does etka tell you
>all the other additional parts you need to make it work in an earlier van?

Jonathan--

Your question is an interesting one. I see Jim posted that the dealer may
have a separate notebook or parts service bullitens and such which has the
conversion information.

I had a long arduous issue a few years back "upgrading" my early and No
Longer Available  83.5 cooling hose configuration to that of a later 83.5 or 84 or
85.

On the real early 83.5 water cooled 1.9L the large rubber cooling hoses off
the engine (upper and lower thermostat housing) that wrap around the engine
compartment to attach to the pipes running to the radiator are very different.
The difference is the "bleeder H" 025 121 082 does NOT exist on the early 83.5.
Instead the early 83.5 has a rubber T built into the the large hoses and that
T  hooks up to a much smaller and fragile plastic bleeder valve that is No
Longer Available (025 121 421A). That early 83.5 large hose is also not available
in its original configuration.

Not to worry in that the later 83.5 - 85 large cooling hoses and the
accompanying "bleeder H" 025 121 082 will easily retro fit onto the early 83.5. But
figuring that out for me was a bit of a process and the VW dealer when I was
looking for the parts just shrugged alot and offered no help in fingding a
solution for replacing my early 83.5's coolant hoses. I will say all the information
I needed as far as part numbers was in ETKA, but not grouped in any way that
would help the reader understand that to replace the No Longer Available part
"A&B" you will need "C, D, E, F, G, Q, X, another X, and 4 of LMNOP." It was
kind of a hit and miss of campairing part numbers to see what would eventually
solve the problem.

FWIW: The early 83.5 also has a different coolant expansion tank than the
later 83.5-85. And  with the way the upper coolant hose runs off the expansion
tank on the early 83.5 it is virtually impossible NOT to interfere with the A/C
belt. If you can believe it the later 83.5 coolant tank with the other NLA "H"
(025 121 438) actually offers *much* more clearance for the A/C belt.

I suppose the point of my story is that in my understanding ETKA does not
group the replacement parts you'll need to do an upgrade or work around a NLA
part. I guess the coolant hose dilema would fall under "more complicated" and be
covered in a parts bulliten Jim talks about. It would be nice to get hands on
the VW dealer parts tech bulliten when you run into such a snag--or if the VW
staff had any interest in problem solving. Although I guess that service is
the price you pay their "mechanic" to do the work poorly. I guess a friend on
the inside would be helpful in such a case--or in any case.

Best,
Jeff
83.5 Westy
LA,CA