got a new travelling, camping, all around have fun with vehicle / 85 VW vanagon

[N8URE2]

I finally found a Vanagon, here she is.
This is last weekend when I brought her home, had been sitting for a few years.
So far she's been washed and waxed, oil and filter changed, air filter changed, coolant topped off and driven about 130 miles.
I have new plugs, wires, rotor, cap, belts, fuel filter and raingutter/windshield gutter molding waiting to go on/in this weekend if all goes well. If anyone is in the Nashville area with experiance with these vans, please let me know. This is a huge learning project for me as I have limited mechanical experiance.

 

[Desert Dan]

Good find

I'm sure you will get some mechanical experience now.

 

[AeroNautiCal]

I'm sure there are websites, forums, blogs etc, which will have a wealth of experienced people contributing info about these van's, especially mechanical issues, upgrades, improvements and techniques.

I've found Google Images and You Tube to be very useful sources for info which Google web searches didn't produce.

Great van, good luck and happy learning.

 

[Van_Homan]

Nice find. I'm in Nashville, but sorry to say I know nothing about the mechanics of those vans.

 

[N8URE2]

out with the old

All three looked that "good". Got them changed and running fine. Then I changed the rotor, cap, plugs, only to find that they sent me the wrong wires. I tried to reuse the existing wires, but may have damaged one because it's not hitting right. Waitng on correct wires. Ideas?

 

[rfoubi]

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewforum.php?f=20

the answer to all your questions. ( i have an 87)

 

[VanIsle_Greg]

Always buy VW parts for a VW I always say.

There are a ton of places online with info on those, parts etc. Cleaned up really nice by the looks of the second photo! The best part about them, they can be services nearly anywhere and they sold like a billion of them, so parts are available even though it is going on 30 years old.

I always wanted a westy.

 

[Iltis85]

I finally found a Vanagon, here she is.
This is last weekend when I brought her home, had been sitting for a few years.
So far she's been washed and waxed, oil and filter changed, air filter changed, coolant topped off and driven about 130 miles.
I have new plugs, wires, rotor, cap, belts, fuel filter and raingutter/windshield gutter molding waiting to go on/in this weekend if all goes well. If anyone is in the Nashville area with experiance with these vans, please let me know. This is a huge learning project for me as I have limited mechanical experiance.

The VW Vanagon are known for engine issues such as leaks in the heads related to coolant. You will see in the groups that the recommendation is to flush and change coolant on a regular basis. As this vehicle has been sitting for a while, I would flush and change the collant. You should also do the same for the brake system. Time to loosen up all the brake cylinder bleeders and drain. Put in all new brake fluid. You next best friend will be the "Volkswagen Vanagon Official Factory Repair Manuual" by Robert Bentlley.

Cheers!
Stuart
1986 Bombardier Iltis 1/4 ton
1986 VW Vanagon GL