|
|
Post by zoona on Apr 24, 2020 9:25:11 GMT
New tank and gubbins were delivered at 11am yesterday, and it was all fitted by 4pm. I am quite pleased with myself - it needed undersealing as well. prarrie canoe load easier than a 5... just slung underneath with two straps. It has a very complicated expansion tank setup which makes it a bit fiddly to refit - but nowhere near as difficult as dropping a subframe!  I used dinitrol 447 which was super fast drying. I left it baking in the sun before painting, and it only took 20mins to be dry enough to do the other side. I found it was too difficult to get to most of the pipes without it on a lift, so I just changed the 5.5mm flexible hose in the engine bay rather than all the way from thr tank. Found that somebody had used 8mm hose in some of it and just gone FT on the house clamps. Not ideal. Took the top off the carb to check the filter as well. That was clear, but it was very dirty. I have been informed that this is not normal, so will have to clean that up.  |
|
|
|
Post by Zed. on Apr 24, 2020 9:35:04 GMT
bad fuel pipework is the death of vw's flat aircooled engines, plenty of enginebay fires  suprising how many flexi-pipes are old & damaged then theres the diy mecanic 'have-a-go-hero' repairs with whatever is around  the waterboxers fare better but can still go up in flames  as to the carb, check the breather system & has the airfilter element been removed at some point (as a temp measure?) Rich. |
|
|
|
Post by zoona on Oct 26, 2020 15:59:24 GMT
Haven't updated this for some time... Have done quite a few jobs since my last update: - Rebuilt carb
- Fitted electric fuel pump as the new tank didn't make a difference. This solved the vapour lock problems, and it now reliably stars. Still not entirely sure it is allowed here... But we will find out soon.
- Replaced fuel lines
- Took it to a garage (found a reliable place who own a dokka as well) to get carb tuned properly
- Found out it is supposed to be emission checked every year, and it was late. Apparently big fines...
- Fitted a new rear window rubber
- Rebuilt gear change mechanism at the front, tried to adjust it so second gear isn't a bastard. Failed. Garage failed as well. It turns out that the original "vw specialist" garage I took it to Canoeed it up.
- Had garage replace rear wheel bearings as one side was knackered
- Replaced rear drums and shoes to solve a brake pulsing problem. Didn't solve it.
- Arranged for it to go back to the UK to get the roof taken off and the rust sorted before putting it back on - fell through because if bastard covid
- Replaced the leaking skylights, and added some lights to the interior at the same time
- Went camping a few times: Gadmen, Lauterbrunnen, Flims, Lugano, Kandersteg, Fliesch
- Got a puppy - who is cute, but a complete twat
Some pics of stuff I did to the van:       Some pics of places we went: Lauterbrunnen   Aletschgletscher   Lugano   Pics of the twat. Fortunately he likes both the camper van, and the snow   |
|
|
|
Post by wannabe on Oct 26, 2020 17:32:57 GMT
Switzerland sounds/looks lovely but I'm not sure I'd fancy the ball-ache of endless bureaucracy on the vehicle front! The puppy looks like trouble  lol |
|
|
|
Post by Zed. on Oct 26, 2020 17:53:51 GMT
^^This. every year inspect OR replace the rubber fuel pipework on a rear-engine'd vw as they like to convert themselves into wheeled barbecue's  obviously they designed the '25 like this with the rear / engine vents on the pillars as chimney's  Rich. |
|
|
|
Post by zoona on Oct 26, 2020 19:02:41 GMT
Switzerland sounds/looks lovely but I'm not sure I'd fancy the ball-ache of endless bureaucracy on the vehicle front! The puppy looks like trouble lol It is bloody amazing. Every single time I go out, I am stunned by the scenery. I was worried I would get used to it, but now more than two years in. Still incredible. The Aletsch Glacier was dumbfounding. If you ever have the chance to visit, do it. You will need to save up first though! He is a twat... ^^This. every year inspect OR replace the rubber fuel pipework on a rear-engine'd vw as they like to convert themselves into wheeled barbecue's obviously they designed the '25 like this with the rear / engine vents on the pillars as chimney's Rich. Yep. I replaced most of it when I swapped the fuel tank, but then finished it off when I changed the fuel pump to electric. By that time I had some ramps to get it off the ground a bit. It's way more fun than I ever thought it would be... But we are currently at the "do we keep ploughing money into it, or buy a new one" stage. I am keen to keep it, but my wife keeps reminding me that the (lack of) power really pisses me off sometimes. It's more about the embarrassment of a high queue behind us on every mountain than anything else. And the gradually slowing down on any sort of incline in the motorway. Other than that, it is quite relaxing... |
|
|
|
Post by zoona on Mar 3, 2021 8:51:02 GMT
So i just wrote a long post of all the things i had had to do to the van, and it seems i had already posted most of it.
Here is the new stuff:
Rear bearing -> brakes
======================
I noticed what i thought was a buggered rear bearing and found a garage near my daughter's school that had a dokka as their works van.
They fixed that, but also noticed a pulsing in the brakes. Seems to be quite common, so i replaced the rear drums/shoes. Didn't fix it.
Went on a many month rabbit hole replacing random parts on the rear suspension/hub costing a bloody fortune.
First thing i did was replace drums/shoes, so then i got the garage to do it to make sure i hadn't cocked it up. Didn't fix it.
Turns out it was two sets of bad drums. After lots of other work we got a very expensive set of drums/shows machined to be perfect, and it is all all sorted.
MFK (Swiss MOT)
===============
Was very worried about this. They are strict. and My canton is the most strict.
You basically take your car to a garage and pay then hundreds of pounds to prep it. Including cleaning the engine and the entire underside. It is mental.
THen you take it to an MOT station on steroids run by the canton - absolutely none of the UK 'nudge nudge, wink win - it's pass won't it dave?' stuff. My appointment time was 13:04 and I could be no more than ten minutes early for it.
Anyway, it passed with flying colours. then on the way home, just a few hundred meters out of the test centre...
Engine kaboom
=============
...the engine died with a few very loud metal on metal kerchunks.
A very long story short... valve seat broke up, seized the engine.
The engine is the 1.9 petrol. Called a DG everywhere in the world. Except in Switzerland. It is an SP here (very slight difference because Swiss). I could get a refurbed DG for £3000 shipped here.
But no, i am not allowed to engine swap (IT'S THE SAME CanoeING ENGINE!). So I have a few options:
1) Rebuild the engine here £10k
2) Get a DG and 'modify' the engine code on the block.
3) Find a second hand SP engine. FOund one, ~£1500 for a 190k km engine off a shelf that had been sat there for ages. THey can charge these prices because special engine...
4) Chuck the whole thing in a skip and run away
1 - no Canoeing way.
2 - not very comfiotable with that. they don't like rule breakers here...
4 - Was very close...
3 - it nearly killed me handing over that much money, but that's what we did
I later found out there was another option of sending my SP back to the UK to be rebuilt for 3k... but I didn't think it could be done at the time.
Anyway, this engine is now fitted and working. It cost a Canoeing fortune to get it fitted (it is a high roof thing and I don't have the space to do it and we wanted it done quickly)
In all, we have spent nearly half as much as the van cost on garage bills and parts. And it was ridiculously expensive in the first place.
However, the entire time it was off the road (Pretty much Nov - Feb) I couldn't wait to get back in it. It is such a laugh driving it around.
We went to Lugano last weekend and it was lovely.
The end. (of the story, not the garage bills I am sure)
|
|
|
|
Post by Zed. on Mar 3, 2021 9:19:13 GMT
I later found out there was another option of sending my SP back to the UK to be rebuilt for 3k... but I didn't think it could be done at the time. I know it's not much help but..... these engines are one step up from Squaddie-proof so simple to work on & rebuild, the origonal (1930's) design was to be fixed in a field with a few tools and a hammer..... vw's Waterboxers (Wasserboxer?) has a few foibles but shouldn't cause stress  - except with the reliability / noise / leaks and economy BUT they're from a previous lifetime when such were 'normal' with new & cheaper vehicles...... Anyway, this engine is now fitted and working. It cost a Canoeing fortune to get it fitted (it is a high roof thing and I don't have the space to do it and we wanted it done quickly) reverse van onto a pair of ramps, few spanners on a few bolts & trolley-jack under sump then 'wiggle' (thud it's out  ) - surely after all you've done on the 5 this would have been diy'able? or do ze swiss have laws against saving money by working on your own cars  Rich. |
|
|
|
Post by zoona on Mar 3, 2021 10:37:11 GMT
vw's Waterboxers (Wasserboxer?) has a few foibles but shouldn't cause stress - except with the reliability / noise / leaks and economy BUT they're from a previous lifetime when such were 'normal' with new & cheaper vehicles...... Ja, Wasserboxer ist richtig. Sehr gut! reverse van onto a pair of ramps, few spanners on a few bolts & trolley-jack under sump then 'wiggle' (thud it's out ) - surely after all you've done on the 5 this would have been diy'able? or do ze swiss have laws against saving money by working on your own cars Rich. I think it is very frowned upon to work on a car in the open. Very few people have driveways here. When I have done bits and pieces on the drive I do get funny looks - but Canoe 'em. It is a very odd set up. Most people rent, most people live in flats. Almost all buildings have underground parking, so nobody parks on the street and very few people have a drive and a normal garage like we would expect in the uk (but we fortunately do) If i had a slightly more secluded drive, i may have given it a go. Also, don't forget that it can be a little chilly here in the winter... I have found it really difficult to find places to buy parts from. There are few places that sell parts and tools. and what exist cost a fortune. I have been buying parts from the UK and Germany. e.g. clutch kit from uk t3 specialist £170. Clutch kit here that the garage fitted was £500. I am sure they are not by the same manufacturers, but how good does a Canoeing clutch have to be to cope with the ~3.5 hp these bastards produce? The less expensive options just don't exist here. Getting the engine fitted (and all the other work) has cost an arm and a leg, but we were nervous about MFK, we wanted it back on the road as soon as possible, and it all feels a built more agricultural than the 5 (without a perfectly flat driveway...) Basically, i wimped out. I think next time, I will do more of it myself. |
|
|
|
Post by Zed. on Mar 3, 2021 11:14:13 GMT
I think it is very frowned upon to work on a car in the open. Very few people have driveways here. When I have done bits and pieces on the drive I do get funny looks - but Canoe 'em. It is a very odd set up. thought as such, Spaß ist verbotten.. Most people rent, most people live in flats. Almost all buildings have underground parking, so nobody parks on the street and very few people have a drive and a normal garage like we would expect in the uk (but we fortunately do) renting is a european affliction, they've less problems @ devorce hearings though we (me & mrs) wouldn't entertain no 'work' space so wouldn't handle european existance or prices Also, don't forget that it can be a little chilly here in the winter... Wuss anyway, it's fixed now so shouldn't need doing again for a while  Rich. |
|
lol
- except with the reliability / noise / leaks and economy BUT they're from a previous lifetime when such were 'normal' with new & cheaper vehicles......
) - surely after all you've done on the 5 this would have been diy'able?
le sigh