and...
would you feel right paying $ 180 labor for the job yourself ?

rust is a special case of course..
the original poster didn't say anything about rust ..
but then, many vanagons have horrible rust on them that people never treat
or address ...or in some cases, even know about, evidently.
and surface rust is SO easy to treat and deal with ...such a shame that so
much of it goes untreated. I can treat and stop a rust  spot on the side of
a vanagon  'forever'............in about 30 seconds.

a lift is not 'better' really .....in my opinion.
for one thing ..you need to remember to do everything 'up there' ..like
topside stuff, first, before you raise it.
then you are working with your arms above your head ..not that much fun to
me.
then if you need to do anything 'up there' ....it's either get a ladder, or
lower the van back down.

it's really easier to work on it with it a couple feet off the ground ..
where you can reach things on top and underneath ..
and you work on it laying comfortably on your back with your arms in front
of you ..

----- Original Message -----
From: "craig cowan" <phishman068@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, March 26, 2011 4:39 AM
Subject: Re: Starter Replacment

> It can take 2hours. Particularly if there's some rust. The access isn't
> that
> great, and it is a rather tricky operation (though there are plenty of
> tricks). Your average mechanic, not well versed in replacing vanagon
> starters, could absolutely take two hours. I'm sure there are plenty of
> people on this list that can do it in 30 minutes, but that's not the norm.
>
> I've done it plenty of times, and I think 2hours is about what I'd
> estimate
> the job at. That of course is without a lift and me working at my pace.
>
> On a Syncro, I think 2 days is a fair estimate (48hours). : )
>
> -Craig
>
>
> On Sat, Mar 26, 2011 at 1:38 AM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <
> scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
>
>> you're right.
>> a little more if you change the starter bushing in the bell housing..
>> that's for a 2WD  waterboxer vanagon ..
>>
>> since you don't say what kind of vanagon ...
>> if it's a syncro .........that's pretty right actually.
>>
>> On a diesel is a little tiny bit more work since the starter is partly
>> captured by the clutch slave cylinder bracket.
>>
>> it always helps if people say WHAT KIND of vanagon ..
>> what model, version,  and year and which transmission.
>>
>> there are  4 basic types of vanagons  ..
>> ............air-cooleds, diesels, waterboxers, and syncro's.
>> members on this list own all types.
>> all have variations on something like a starter replacement job.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "C Snyder " <titantic01@AOL.COM>
>> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>> Sent: Friday, March 25, 2011 9:09 PM
>> Subject: Starter Replacment
>>
>>
>> I am wondering what th shop time manuals say it is surpose take to
>> replace
>> the starter on a 1987. When I had it done last week, I was charged over 2
>> hours and I know that was way more time then it takes. Their is only 2
>> bolts
>> lol. My guesss is 30 min maybe.
>>
>> Chris
>>