On Fri, 19 Sep 1997 17:30:31 EDT you said:
>is there a place other than the dealer where i can find a new pair of the
>hydraulic cylinders that keep the rear hatch open ?  what type would you
>recommend; original or aftermarket ?

Marin Motorsports            rear hatch shocks for vanagons:
63 Industrial Way            $67 US for pair, includes tax and shipping
Greenbrae, CA 94904          MC/Visa/Discover/COD
(415) 927-7090

Teutonix Automotive               rear hatch struts for vanagons
(803) 689-5431                    part # 251-829-332 Hydrolift (Boge)
(803) 689-6352 fax                price $43 ea.(u.s. shipping included)
<Teutonix1@aol.com>               Visa/MC/Discover/AMEX, money orders,
                                  cashier's check, travelor's checks.
                                  personal checks require a wait.

                                  suggests beware of Suspander Brand of
                                  hatch struts (substandard quality)

Imparts, Inc.                        some neat stuff; also sell the
8041 Hanley Industrial Court         Wheelskins Leather steering wheel
St. Louis, MO 63144                  covers; also rear hatch struts.
(800) 325-9043
(800) 525-9043

Vantastics
A Division of Liggett Ent.   <800-826-2466> NC only
829 Norwalk Street
Greensboro, NC 27407         "Your source for factory parts, accessories
(800) 826-2466               custom mods and service for your VW van or
(910) 547-0144               camper"

Courtesy Auto Service        They stock all sorts of bus
Madison,WI.                  and vanagon parts
(608)244-8088                and really know their german cars.
                             <zipperer@facstaff.wisc.edu(Dave Zipperer)>

>also, the front windshield whiper fluid reservoir has a major leak.  i may
>need to replace/reconnect the hose or the reservoir, or both.   what's the
>best way to access it ?

well ... it MIGHT not be a "leak". if you fill up the reservoir, all the
way up to where you can see the fluid, then you hear fluid running out onto
the ground ... BUT, when you try the washers, they work ok, it's probably
normal. what happens is that there is a gasket/grommet at the bottom of the
filler neck, where it goes into the reservoir ... and that gasket shrinks
and pulls away from the neck. so when you fill up the neck higher than the
reservoir, it all "leaks" out until the level is at the top of the
reservoir ... you still have a "full" tank, but nothing in the filler neck.

every vanagon i've ever seen does this after the first two years since new.

if you fill it up, and the washers do NOT work, then you might indeed have
a leaking tank. but this is pretty unusual, as the tank is pretty well
protected by the frame.

now, one thing that did happen to me on one bus was that somehow the plastic
tubing got shifted and crimped up behind the dash. one squirter nozzle was
working and the other one wasn't. i had to follow the tubing up from the
reservoir until i found where it was crimped, and moved it (secured it with
a cable tie). no problems after that.

joel