Kind readers,

I want to thank all of you who offered me advice on whether
a one owner Syncro Westfalia sans AC sans diff lock but in good
shape was a good deal at 11.5K.  Responses were mixed.

I decided to have the car looked at and the owner waited for
the VW Dealership to make an appt at my expense to have a pre
sale checkout.  The owner was never called.  The owner sold
the car to a guy who flew in from Tahoe and plunked down 11K.
The VW place said "sorry, we forgot."  Ah me.  These things
happen...

So.  I'm back lookin at my own 86 gl syncro.  Here's the
current problem.  It vibrates at 50 mph but not under strong
load.  Feels like driveline or something major in drivetrain.
Yesterday I tried a new trick.  I put the car in low on a
steep hill and slowly let the clutch out and slowly crept up
the hill.  Bang, bang, bang, bang went the driveline and jerk
jerk, jerk, up the hill.

Now I had also jacked the car up and put the torque wrench on
the front wheel and at about 20ft-lbs I can turn the wheel in
about four seconds 360 degrees.  Is that about right?

I also jacked up the whole rear, right off the ground, and
checked the diff lock operation in the rear and it works like
it's supposed to.  There is no diff lock in front.

Finally, I have noticed that when I jack the car up at any
jack point, something moans and groans in the rear, either
suspension/shocks or maybe the CVs.

That's it.  Anybody got a diagnosis?  Is it my front diff?  If
so, I'm gonna need psychiatric counseling!

John

P.S.  Just saw a full length rack on an 83 Vanagon.  It was rusty
but beautiful.  It had a windbreak piece of sheet metal on the
front.  Do you know where I get one of these and for how much?

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 John Mates, Intel Corp.

 RA2-364
 5200 NE Elam Young Parkway
 Hillsboro, OR 97124-6497

 jmates@ichips.intel.com
 (503) 613-5830
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