Home away from Home, on wheels.

[ObnoxiousBlue]

Spoke to Tony a few min ago. He got the bus in today, and started working on it. They found that the bus didn't even crank when the key was turned. They charged the battery up and tried again. After finding that the starter didn't even engage when they put power to the terminal manually they pulled it out. A new one was ordered, but the supplier didn't have one for a bus in stock, so mine is going out tomorrow to get re-re-built (if you recall, this rebuilt one was put in when I was in Daytona) Be that as it may, the consensus is that somthing in the starter/igition system seems to be shorting out the engine. Perhaps the cause of my stalls, perhaps not. I suspected somthing of this nature, seeing as after I shut the bus off during yesterday's events ::somthing:: kept running, it sounds like it may have been the starter motor.

Guess Peabody won't be making show and shine. Let's see if the confidence is back for Blanda's...

[Spongebob]

Well so much for the clogged fuel filter theory.... I should stick to fixing software...

Let's hope that's all there is to it then, a bad starter.

[ObnoxiousBlue]

Got my bus back from Tony's today, went down this morning, after they had to chase down my stall/no start troubles. Turned out to be that the starter shorted out internally, and when it stopped working, it also stopped providing power back to the fuel injection system. So, after they had my starter re-wound, and reinstalled, they prepared to replace the electrical portion of the ignition switch, but in a last ditch attempt at starting the bus (to avoid pushing the bus) it started up and ran great. There was a bit of a misfire issue when I arrived today, quickly diagnosed by Tony as a break in the wire, and in no more than a twiddle of his finger Peabody and I took it back to the pavement.
This was pretty big to have my bus back, with my parents now sharing a car, the Fusion really has been more of a runner for when my mom needs a car, and Ive really been in my bus more and more.
Once again, thanks Tony

[AoT]

Glad to hear you are back on the road together!

[dubstar]

How much was the repair bill?

[ObnoxiousBlue]

SO. My fucking POS bus died again tonight. While coming home from Commack, it began to hesitate badly, I noticed that the engine sounded abnormally quiet, almost stall-esque, the radio began to lose power intermittently, and I pulled to the side of the road, where I again heard the engine struggling. It sounded again as if it were running a cylinder down. I felt the engine, and it didnt feel that hot, not so bad as I couldnt stand to touch it at least. I shut the engine down so I could check the plug wires. When it came time to start the engine again, it just cranked, I heard the starter engage, it turned the engine a time or two, and gave out. The sound was very tired, a 'weering' sound like that of a dying battery. I put my volt meter across the battery terminals and found 11.72V, I did the same down at the starter, and even had a friend try to start it while I was underneath to see if it was a starter/power issue again. I called Haggerty, only to find my towing only covers 10 miles (of which GT is 18 miles away) After hearing the towing bill I decided to put the tow on hold, and try to prod some more. I tried once more to start the van, but again got the tired battery whine. I jumped it with a friend's Honda, and it fired up. I drove home, with one hesitation, but made it home. This battery isnt even a year old, I replaced it when my voltage regulator cooked the old one. Could I have killed the battery already?! Tony charged this one from dead when the bus was in for the starter/stall issue last week. Would the battery have anything to do with my bus sounding abnormally quiet at idle? I really need to figure this out, I need the bus running. Its really my only full bodied, enclosed, 'legal' vehicle right now. Does anyone have any ideas?

[BusBq Bill]

If it were my bus I would Change the battery, then check to make sure it is charging properly.. When a battery goes completely dead it leads to sulfation which can ruin the battery. If this happens only a few times the battery may be toast...It can cause havoc and many electrical gremlins.. My Mazda is less than 3 years old and i went to start it the other day the battery was dead i used jumper pack on it and got it running but the voltage was going nuts up and down car barely wanted to run, i know the battery is bad.... here is some info on battery sulfation, this applies not only to deep cycle batteries but starting batteries too..

[ObnoxiousBlue]

its been sitting now for about 45 min, just checked the battery voltage, 11.94V

[volksbugusa]

hi Mike
what is the voltage meter reading when the engine is running?

should be at least 13volts
at around 2000 rmps it should be closer to 14 volts

anything less is an issue

voltage regulator
alt/gen issue

[gotboost79]

what was the verdict?

[ObnoxiousBlue]

First, Glenn R, I owe you an apology for snapping at you on the phone. Its been an incredibly horrible day, let alone month, and I just cant even get my head above water to take a breath. I know your intention on talking me through was well intended, but I was at the end of my rope, and unfortunately you were the first one who crossed my path. I had tried calling back, but Sprint apparently doesnt have service on the shoulder of the NSP, and for some reason my new blackberry wouldnt/doesnt roam.

To the chase...

Does anyone have a rear shift rod coupler that they can spare for now. My bus is once again hung up, and Im shocked I made it home tonight after having to had missed my first class for the semester. Its my only car for the interm, as the Ford is still here, but for how long who knows. If you have the part, and can spare it untill I can get you a replacement please, PLEASE drop me a line.

[Glenn]

Mike... don't worry about me. I just figured you were having a bad day.

Friends understand.

[Glenn]

I just checked my local vendor and they don't have any at the local warehouse. But i spoke to Audrey and her old one might be usable.

[AoT]

Got it for you. No need to return



Save the square screw you have to see if that catches with this one.

[mannys66]

Got it for you. No need to return



Save the square screw you have to see if that catches with this one.

that's not gonna work on a bus.
I'll try to see if I can find one for you tomorrow

[Glenn]

that's not gonna work on a bus.
I'll try to see if I can find one for you tomorrow

http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp ... 711-245-GR

VWC-311-711-245-GR - OE QUALITY - SHIFT ROD COUPLER - BEETLE 65-79 - GHIA 65-74 - BUS 68-79 - TYPE 3 64-74 - THING 73-74

[mannys66]

that's not gonna work on a bus.
I'll try to see if I can find one for you tomorrow

http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp ... 711-245-GR

VWC-311-711-245-GR - OE QUALITY - SHIFT ROD COUPLER - BEETLE 65-79 - GHIA 65-74 - BUS 68-79 - TYPE 3 64-74 - THING 73-74

I stand corrected, I guess I only know early buses after all.

[Glenn]

I stand corrected, I guess I only know early buses after all.

It's OK Manny I still like you.

[ObnoxiousBlue]

So here's my predicament. Was driving the bus yesterday on Old Country Road when I shifted into third, it felt a little 'crunchy' but I caught the gear, and continued motoring. As I came up on Post rd to cut down to my school, I pulled it into neutral, and braked to a stop. I went to find 1st, and it seemed 'lost' I caught the gear after a little fuss and noticed that while continuing on to school it occasionally was difficult to locate 1st and 3rd.

I took the bus down to Bills BusBq so he could look at the bus with me, and while 3rd was still occasionally hard to find I made it there without any major problems. The bus drove, and he agreed that somthing seemed out of place especially related to the shifter throw for 3rd gear$

On my way back to school, I came off the meadowbrook and grabbed 2nd gear onto Lindburg Blvd. But 2nd was missing. I couldn't grab the gear. Then the bus slowed to where I needed 1st, and again, I couldn't grab the gear.

I pulled off the road, and went to the coupler in the back. And pulled it twords the nose of the bus. Assuming that the issue were a worn bushing, maybe the road had to much play for the shifter to grab it and throw it. I got in and was able to catch 1st, and 3rd but not 2 or 4. Which in my head sounds like the shift rod isn't getting enought travel twords the ass end of the bus to engage the gear.

Some guys on TS said its possible to change out the shift rod bushings without removing the engine and trans, I think I should just start with the coupler. Someone also mentioned a rubber boot on the nose cone, and another the 'hockey stick' What is all this stuff? Do I need to worry about my trans?

Where do I start?

[Glenn A]

Mike take a look where the shiftrod comes out of the shiftrod tube. This would be just in front of the shiftrod coupling. See if the shiftrod is rubing the bottom of the shiftrod tube. You may recall I was convinced I had a bad tranny a couple of weeks back. It turned out to be a bad front tranny mount.
The front of the tranny was being held up by the shiftrod. I put a jack under the tranny and centered the rod in the tube. It shifted fine.

[ObnoxiousBlue]

#SAVEPEABODY Looking DESPERATELY for a useable 091 tailshift transaxle for my 1977 Bus. http://bit.ly/9ykSh3 #dvg #punchdub #fb 1 minutes ago via ÜberTwitter

[AoT]

#SAVEPEABODY Looking DESPERATELY for a useable 091 tailshift transaxle for my 1977 Bus.

Sorry to read that this is still an issue!

[gotboost79]

shit, when I got the Thing there was a 1978 or so Transporter too...I'll get the # for you, maybe she still has it, and can probably have the whole bus for a song. I'll dig it up tommorow after work.

[Big_kid]

You're looking for a 6 rib, IIRC. If you get desperate, I have a 3 rib in the shed. I never actually saw it run, but it felt smooth shifting & turning by hand. I pulled it from a 71 (or was it a 73?) a few years ago.

[ObnoxiousBlue]

Managed to find the build plate on my bus today, entirely by accident. It wasnt anywhere that I thought it would have been, and wasnt near where everyone said it should have been. But definitely isnt in a spot someone would have taken the time to move it to, and appears to have been painted when the car was painted. I guess on the campers they didnt put it on the dogleg with the other badges?

In any case, I hobbled over to http://www.vw-mplate.com and decoded it, it was pretty cool to get a little glimpse back into my buses history. Now Im a bit inspired to call the previous owners, Brett and Martha McKillop in Colorado!