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repair

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Cleaning Your Pop Top

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Tools Needed:Tarp or Painters sheetScrubbing brushWirehead tooth brushBleach sprayOld rags (will get bleach stains)Spray bottles x2Bucket of waterHeavy-duty cleaner (try Organic CD – the product we used for awesome results)Difficulty –   1.5/5Time Needed –   2-4 HoursWhen we bought our Westfalia she was definitely showing her years, especially on her pop top ceiling. We discovered that it was a common problem among all these aging vehicles. Nearly everyone we’ve seen has a mould-covered canvas and ceiling. If you are going to spend any amount of time in your van you are going to want to remedy this issue. Mould can have serious negative effects on your health.First, we covered the entire floor and kitchen area with a tarp (or painter’s sheet) to ensure nothing dripped onto our carpets.The ceiling will have a natural “fuzzy” feel to it. Volkswagen added flocking on to help insulate the bus – you’re going…

How To Remove and Replace Your Volkswagen Westfalia Pop Top Canvas

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Tools Needed: Screwdriver (Phillips) New screws (we didn’t want to use 40-year-old screws) Wire snips New canvas 🙂 ($700 ish) A drill (possibly) Difficulty –   4/5 Time Needed –   6-8 Hours So you just bought, or are looking to buy, a Westy and it’s canvas pop top need to be replaced. If you budget for a shop to replace it you could be facing upwards of hundreds of dollars just in labour. But you are an able-bodied, even handy person, looking to save money so you think you can replace it yourself. We thought the same. Here’s how we did it. Before you start you’re going to want to see if you have a staple-in or screw-in top. Do this before you order your new one!! We had a screw in one. With this setup, there are going to be metal rails that hold the top of the…

How To Change Your Volkswagen Westfalia Van’s Starter

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When we found Gurt she was a wee bit eager to start. We found her with a dead battery, so we replaced it. But as soon as we connected the battery, much to our surprise, she would start to turn over without the keys even close to the ignition. When we would put the keys in the ignition, turn it to the “on” position and give her some gas she would turn on. We found her after not being on the road for 8 years, so her even turning over was a good sign for us.After seeking help on forums, calls to automotive repair shops we decided to start by change the starter. This is not the hardest job, but there are a few tricks that will definitely slow you down if you know them.Tools Needed:16 mm Wrench8 mm Allen keyGlovesA jack or twoWD40New starterDifficulty –   3.5/5Time Needed -…

How To Change A Volkswagen Westfalia’s Fuel Pump

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So your van is making a loud humming noise and you’re wondering what it is. She’s also having trouble (more than usual) accelerating up hills. It might be time to check your fuel pump and filter.Tools Needed:Flat head screwdriverAutomotive jacksFuel filterBucketFuel pumpLots of ragsFuel line clampsDifficulty –   3/5Time Needed –   20 minutesIt goes without saying this is going to be a messy job. No matter how you spin it you are going to get fuel on you, at least from my experience. Wear clothes that you are willing to never wear again. You are going to want to start by gathering all of the equipment you’re going to need. Obviously, once you start you are not going to be able to drive anywhere.As you may know, we have a 1984 Volkswagen Vanagon. Our particular model has a metal shroud protecting the engine (essentially a metal plate). It’s held…

Van Repair

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All vehicles break down and eventually need repair. This is especially true when you drive a 33 year old Volkswagen van. When you add that most mechanics in Canada and the USA haven’t ever worked on these vehicles, let alone have metric tools, you start to become self-reliant. Even small jobs like oil changes are unique when the technician goes to open the hood only to find no engine. Larger jobs like changing fuel pumps or electrical issues become more of a challenge and require you to know even more. Rest assured the learning curve is steep but diagnosing, and fixing your car is one of the most rewarding feelings. We’re not mechanics. Neither of us have any formal automotive training, but what we lack in knowledge we make up with a frugal mindset (read: Cheap), willingness to learn, and we don’t go anywhere if we don’t fix it.