Tires are round.

Tranny Mount is only 2 yrs old. Still look good.

 From what you and Uncajoel wrote I thinks the CV, joints based on
everyones description, I was noticing on some turns and going up hills
where the van had to work pretty hard to get up.

It sounded like a thump, low not high. It was would start like a slow
thump and as I went faster it was go away.

I already have the Valvoline Extended Life Power steering fluid in the
resevior wtihout any issues so far, I will take it a mechanic and have
them drain and then put my Dexron III in? Does it need to be flushed?

Thanks to UncaJoel for the detailed description on how to do this. I
am going to print it out and take it to my local Brooklyn Shop to take
care of it. Can I drive on it for another 2 hrs of highway driving or
No?

TIA
Robert

On Apr 20, 2008, at 5:15 PM, uncajoel wrote:
>> It sounds like something hitting the frame and vibrating up to the
>> front, and appears to be coming from the passenger side to me. It
>> comes and goes and sounds at times likes it tied to the rotation of
>> tire as the timing of the banging seems to coinside with speed ratio.
>
> if it sounds like a woodpecker with a ballpeen hammer, it's most
> likely the cv joints gone dry of grease. often, you can't see
> anything (unless the gone-dry is because the rubber boots are torn
> and the grease has slung out) at all.
>
> another way to clinch it is to find a big empty parking lot and
> drive in very tight circles ... first one way and then the other.
> the cv joints will make noises when they are under a lot of
> stress ... like accelerating, going up a hill, going around a
> corner, and so on.
>
> it's not a 'difficult' job, but very dirty and greasy. best
> description of what to do is found in the Muir book "How to keep
> your volkswagen alive (a guide for the compleat idiot" ..about $25
> in most big bookstores. or order from www.motorbooks.com or
> busdepot.com and other booksellers. or search the archives.;)
>
> i recommend using Valvoline Moly EP wheel bearing grease to slop in
> there and regrease the joints. it comes in those paper round tubes
> (for grease guns) at about $3/tube, i think. cut the tube in half
> and put one half-tube into each joint (so  you'll need two tubes).
> what won't go into the cv joint itself, smush into the rubber boot
> up close to where it fits onto the joint. make sure the tube sez
> "for cars with disc brakes" on the side ... it'll handle higher temps.
>
> and on an automatic, do one axle at a time ... cause the axles are
> different lengths and you don't want to get them mixed up.
>
> and when you clean them (before regreasing), use generic carb/brake
> cleaner in spray cans in a VERY well ventilated area! like have a
> fan blowing on you!! and if you see more than two gallings (looks
> like spot welding) per joint, start saving to buy new cv joints. but
> regreasing will still get you by for another year or so.
>
> now .. if it's NOT sounding like a woodpecker with a ballpeen
> hammer, it could be other things ... some serious, some not so
> serious. really loud low-pitched banging could be a crankshaft
> bearing gone bad. :( but it could also be a broken motor mount,
> which is often really hard to see, even on a lift ... you have to
> watch the engine while someone else revs the throttle and see if the
> twisting/torquing of the engine corresponds to the noise.
>
>> Also one other question What Power steering Fluid should I be
>> using? I
>> was really low yesterday and NAPA said I could use Valvoline long
>> life
>> (for extended older vehicles).
>
> that's a good one. but all it requires is dextron II (or III?)
> automatic transmission fluid. that's what the manual sez. you can
> also use that special audi stuff that they sell by the gallon (for
> like $40/gallon!) ;)
>
> good luck!  hope it's the cv joints.
> joel
>

On Apr 20, 2008, at 1:49 PM, neil N wrote:

> Tires are round?
>
> Tranny mount?
>
> Can you describe the sound? Is it really metallic sounding, or
> "whump" or?
>
> A second set of ears would really help to nail down which side it's
> coming from.
>
> Although not the most comfortable thing to do, and I"m NOT sure if it
> is adviseable, (list?) IF the Vanagon was *safely* up on stands, maybe
> you could take it through the gears and watch listen.
>
> Neil.
>
>
>
> On Sun, Apr 20, 2008 at 10:25 AM, Robert Stewart <robertmstewart@mac.com
> > wrote:
>> Hey Everyone,
>>
>> Strange Noise started to occur from the bottom of the van, having a
>> hard time figuring out where it is coming from and when it occurs.
>>
>> This past friday driving from Brooklyn to upstate NY I started to
>> hear
>> this loud banging under the van at higher speeds, at first I thought
>> it was coming from the front wheels, then later it sounded like it
>> was
>> coming from the rear. I was driving me nuts and still is.
>>
>> I pulled off the road, got under the van and could see nothing
>> caught,
>> loose, dangling or otherwise improper in appearance. The noise went
>> away when the van was idling and would sometimes stop all together
>> for
>> no reason.
>>
>> A couple of times I thought it was due to accelerating, then I
>> thought
>> it was due to turning to the right, but it then stops while doing
>> these things. Ultimately very confusing with now leads on how to
>> diagnose the issue.
>>
>> I took the Van to my local mechanic, we put it on the lift, checked
>> all the tires, wheels, the front and back wheels to see if we heard
>> any noise, NOTHING, Quiet as a mouse.
>>
>> Checked the exhaust, we saw the new S&S exhaust system I put on 6
>> months ago had a piece of metal bre spinned ak off where it was
>> connected to the muffler, it was a simple 2 inch piece, he welded it
>> on in 5 minutes. Good as new.
>>
>> Checked for anything loose under the carriage could not find
>> anything!
>>
>> We looked at the steering, sway bar, briefly looked at the disc
>> brakes
>> and everything seemed ok.
>>
>> I drove away and it sounded fine. 20 minutes later it started making
>> the noise again!! I got out checked the Muffler again to be sure it
>> was attached and it was! So it was not a rattling muffler, this
>> morning I got under the van an again checked for all the pipes to
>> solid with no wiggle, they are all rock solid!
>>
>> What is going on!
>>
>> It sounds like something hitting the frame and vibrating up to the
>> front, and appears to be coming from the passenger side to me. It
>> comes and goes and sounds at times likes it tied to the rotation of
>> tire as the timing of the banging seems to coinside with speed ratio.
>>
>> Has anyone ever heard of anything like this? Any leads?
>>
>> Also one other question What Power steering Fluid should I be
>> using? I
>> was really low yesterday and NAPA said I could use Valvoline long
>> life
>> (for extended older vehicles).
>>
>> Thanks in advance for any insight you might be able to share.
>>
>> --
>> Rob
>> NYC/Bloomingburg NY
>> 88 Wolfsburg, Silver
>> 234,000 miles - automatic
>> AIM: rmstewart@mac.com
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Neil Nicholson. 1981 Air Cooled Westfalia - "Jaco"
>
> http://web.mac.com/tubaneil
> http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/