the oil filter is very easily removed for FOM ( facilitate other
maintenance..a working-on-aircraft  term ..for me anyway,  once upon a
time, )

oil will not empty completely out of the engine or anything.

leave some cats laying around that are cleverly solidly blocked,  but it's
not apparent.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Stephen Grisanti" <bike2vcu@YAHOO.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, October 01, 2011 12:29 PM
Subject: Remember those converter thieves?

Turns out they did not miss me after all, or else they came back after
hocking my neighbor's Honda Pilot cat. I had isolated my exhaust leak to the
collector where the front crossover pipe joins it. Began the task of
removing the old system today so I can install the new one so I can pass
inspection so I can finally go camping this year. Roof is almost done (if it
will just not rain until Monday), so I thought I'd squeeze in a little van
work late in the day. Yay!

Of course, in true Vanagon fashion I had to begin by first removing
everything in the way of removing the old system and while under the van
spraying PB Blaster and scoping out the various bits in the way of the bolts
holding the system on I noticed a nice clean cut in the J-pipe near its
junction with the cat. Guess the complexity of the Vanagon system scared
them off as it is doing to me. Glad I planned to replace this pipe or I'd be
really pissed.

Is it just me or does it really look like I should remove the oil filter in
order to reach the nuts holding the flange of the left rear head pipe near
the water pump? Nearly everything on this van has something else in its way.

Stephen