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CaveVan Stuff / Re: Lift Kit effect on other components

« on: February 21, 2018, 11:34:59 pm »

Cole installed a lift, new Bilsteins, and 16" wheels on my van a few years ago now.  Afterwards, I had an alignment done and the shop set my van at a bit nose down as well.

Cool.  How has it been?  Any need for accelerated service on shafts, shocks, alignment, etc? 

Thanks. 

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CaveVan Stuff / Re: Lift Kit effect on other components

« on: February 16, 2018, 11:10:52 pm »

Nobody?  Cole? 

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CaveVan Stuff / Re: Seat swivel 2001 Eurovan weekender

« on: February 16, 2018, 11:10:26 pm »

Do their passenger swivels have the attachment to install the extra rear facing seat?  I am looking for a base that is already lowered but still has that attachment pin.

I think that with a little bending of the rear facing seat bracket and a few holes drilled into the swivel base you could fit the rear facing seat.  I have not done mine yet but I may down the road. 

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CaveVan Stuff / Re: Seat swivel 2001 Eurovan weekender

« on: February 13, 2018, 12:47:56 am »

I recently purchased a passenger seat swivel for our '02 weekender from CMC in the UK.  Decent price and well-made but very high shipping ($100) to MD.  No issues with the heated seats.

http://www.c-m-c.org.uk/t4-swivel-seat-cmc.php

Take care, --jb

I was given one of these swivel safes from a friend who decided not to use it.  I love it.  Except for the rattle of the handle.  I need to figure out a way to get rid of that.  Not sure if they come with a bushing on the handle from the factory but I'll look into it.  Having a secure location in the EV helps a lot when surfing, biking, etc when you're away from the van for hours on end. 

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VR6 Engine tech / Re: Need a new engine

« on: February 10, 2018, 11:57:10 pm »

Well, I got a full rebuild.  It ran great (notice past tense). . . . For 20 miles.  Then died.  Towed back to the shop.  Engine back out and at the rebuild shop.  Maybe a broken chain?  I'll find out soon.

So what was it?  Hopefully nothing serious. 

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CaveVan Stuff / Lift Kit effect on other components

« on: February 10, 2018, 08:42:20 pm »

Checking in with Cole mostly to see if I can expect any adverse effects from the 1.5" kit I installed today.  I'm leveling out the van tomorrow to a bit nose down.   I feel like this could pull on the axles a bit.   I have fairly new Bilsteins that I think should be OK.

Thoughts? 

Thanks! 

7

Westfalia / Re: Seized torsion bar nut

« on: October 03, 2017, 09:04:13 am »

This happened to me too. The nut was seized and as I tried to loosen the bolt rotated out of its mount. Ended up cutting the bolt in two with an angle grinder and replacing both the nut and bolt; very easy to do. The parts were ordered from my local dealer without issue.


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Thanks.  I think this is my route.  GW has a good used one for me for $40 plus I need a new nut.  Not bad.  Plus it will allow me to do the rest of the front end work I need to do before I get the van aligned. 

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VR6 Engine tech / Re: 2003 EV Rough Idle on Startup

« on: October 03, 2017, 08:19:11 am »

Occasionally, at cold startup, the motor tends to idle rough. It only does this when the engine is cold, and only does this for about 30 seconds at the most, then everything goes back to normal and it runs smooth.
It does it regardless to whether the AC is on or off, and doesn't do I at every cold start.
It also doesn't do it with warm starts.
Spark plugs were replaced recently. Coolant temp sensor was also replaced recently.
There is also no CEL or stored DTCs.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to what it may be?

Here's a video of the Choo Choo exhaust, as my kids put it...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWJGu5RiW-4

This is exactly what I have.  30-60 seconds and it's over.  Do we think that this will cause problems in general driving too not just when cold?  Also, I had a bunch of oil in my intake a while back.  Are these related?  If the combi is bad will I definitely have a code? 

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VR6 Engine tech / Re: Oil in tube near MAF sensor

« on: October 03, 2017, 08:12:24 am »

I discovered a lot of oil in the air intake recently.  I cleaned it out and cleaned the MAF sensor also.  I had a lean running bank 1 code as well that I later discovered was caused by a leak at the junction where the PCV meets the air intake.  I had to replace the intake pipe.  No more codes but now I am trying to diagnose a serious loss in fuel economy.  Down to 13 from 18.  Nothing else with respect to my driving habits has changed. 

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CaveVan Stuff / Re: Gasoline Fumes

« on: October 01, 2017, 10:26:46 pm »

I have this occasionally in my 03.  A mechanic suggested a bad/clogged line to the charcoal cannister that deals with fuel vapors from the tank.  It's at the firewall so if it's bad it is possible vapors would head up to the fresh air intake. 

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Westfalia / Seized torsion bar nut

« on: September 26, 2017, 07:56:44 pm »

Hoping Cole can weigh in on this.  Right side nut on the torsion bar is seized.  Tried PB Blaster, a torch, air impact wrench.  Noting moving.  Left side is fine.  Jacked van up on stands and gave it 2 hours of my life.  Trying to level the van.  Front is 2" lower than the front.  Want to raise the front a little over an inch. 

Has anyone had to remove and replace the torsion bar bolt?  I suspect I can get a new one in OK but I'm not sure I'll have enough room in there to get a new one into the torsion bar and into place in it's notch in the frame. 

Thanks for your help on this.