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Queen_Combat
Jan 15, 2011
Apparently that vacuum hose I was holding goes to one of the vacuum nipples on top of the air cleaner. But, the rest of them are blocked off. I'm wondering if I should just put an aftermarket paper or foam filter on there with an oil breather inlet. I love oil bath cleaners (2.5 quarts in the engine, .5 in the cleaner), but the vacuum operated thermostat that's probably broken and useless in Phoenix, combined with the vacuum tube fuckery, makes me think.

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mafoose
Oct 30, 2006

volvos and dogs and volvos and dogs and volvos and dogs and volvos and dogs and vulvas and dogs and volvos and dogs and volvos and dogs and volvos and dongs and volvos and dons and volvos and dogs and volvos and cats and volvos and dogs and volvos and dogs and volvos and dogs and volvos and dogs
Are the headlights rewired with relays?
High wattage lights can burn up old car wiring if you're not careful.

INCHI DICKARI
Aug 23, 2006

by FactsAreUseless

Geirskogul posted:

Apparently that vacuum hose I was holding goes to one of the vacuum nipples on top of the air cleaner. But, the rest of them are blocked off. I'm wondering if I should just put an aftermarket paper or foam filter on there with an oil breather inlet. I love oil bath cleaners (2.5 quarts in the engine, .5 in the cleaner), but the vacuum operated thermostat that's probably broken and useless in Phoenix, combined with the vacuum tube fuckery, makes me think.

That's just for air, your car does in fact have a thermostat inside the tin on the passenger side which activates a flap inside the fan shroud. Most of them have been long removed though, but it'd be fun to see if yours is there. It's hard to see from what I remember but it should be above the tin on the cylinder barrel side if my memory serves.

Queen_Combat
Jan 15, 2011
Haven't checked yet for the thermostat, but I did spend today fixing a few things. First, I tried to replace the fuel sender, but the one I purchased has five mounting screws, and the one in the car twists in with an asterisk-shaped lock. All's well, though, because all I had to do was clean and adjust the bump stop for the one I already had: the car would only read half full when full, but after adjusting it I can get it to read full. I'm going to test it out by filling the tank tonight.


The big project, though, was putting in a new shift bushing and short-shift/quick shift kit. The old bushing was completely gone, leaving behind only the retaining ring. With a new bushing in there, and the quick shift kit, plus some new grease, it feels like a whole goddamned new car. Holy poo poo!

Question, though: on the Super Beetle there's enough room to push the shift rod all the way forward to slide a new bushing on there, but if I did need to remove the rod, how would you do it? There's no access panel in the spare tire well, and there's no access panel on the front of the subframe. I was able to slide it all the way forward, but I have no clue what to do if I needed to remove it. Remove the transmission and slide it out the back?

And, while looking for an access for the shift rod in the spare tire well, I found two 3-inch holes with covers, one in the center rear of the spare tire well covering an adjuster bolt of some kind, and another one on the driver's side rear corner just above the spare tire well, covering another style of adjuster bolt with locknut.

Queen_Combat fucked around with this message at 03:37 on Jun 4, 2014

INCHI DICKARI
Aug 23, 2006

by FactsAreUseless
I'm pretty sure that there's an access panel in the front of the vehicle, and the access panel under the rear seat. I'll ask my dad to check on his Super. Pretty sure it slides out the front.

e: just noticed the part with no panel, I'll ask him.

INCHI DICKARI
Aug 23, 2006

by FactsAreUseless
Here it is. On early supers it was this small access hole in the frame head. Much like on my dad's that I remembered.



On later supers you need to apparently remove part of a crash structure to get to it.

Queen_Combat
Jan 15, 2011
It's weird, mine's a 72 and has 112 stamped on the frame under the rear seat, but it's like your second picture in the front. I can even see the two bolts I removed thinking there was a panel, but there wasn't.

INCHI DICKARI
Aug 23, 2006

by FactsAreUseless
Wait does it say 112 or 113? Thought you said on the first page it was a 3. I pulled the numbers from The Samba, might want to double check. And do the body tags match the chassis number? It could be a '73 body on a '72 pan?

Queen_Combat
Jan 15, 2011
Yeah, they're all 112. I thought it could be 113 because the windshield tag was a bit bent up, but they're all 1122696087. Sorry, my mistake.

INCHI DICKARI
Aug 23, 2006

by FactsAreUseless
Those fenders are still driving me nuts then. That chassis number puts it square in '72 like you said, but the fenders look original. Is there evidence of a respray? A '72 should have these lights, which I personally prefer to the larger rounds.



I'm gonna see if I can locate which chassis number the rounds started with just because I've thought all along that those only came on '73s and I *need* to know if I've been wrong this entire time.

Queen_Combat
Jan 15, 2011
No evidence of an external respray at all, but there are a couple of areas inside where it looks like the orange paint ran, and it's a very slightly different shade. I wish there was a conversion for the old style arch lights, because I like the look of them, too, and I have two brand new lenses ready to go (purchased back when I thought I was getting a 67 standard). The place I bought them from, So Cal Imports/So Cal Auto Parts, sucks balls and won't take them back even if I pay to ship them, despite their return policy.

Holdbrooks
Jan 1, 2005

NEAI 2015
RIDE ETERNAL SHINY AND CHROME
ONWARD TO THE HALLS OF RUSTHALLA
Spotted in tucson???

Queen_Combat
Jan 15, 2011
I wish, but I don't have popout windows.

Seat Safety Switch
May 27, 2008

MY RELIGION IS THE SMALL BLOCK V8 AND COMMANDMENTS ONE THROUGH TEN ARE NEVER LIFT.

Pillbug

Geirskogul posted:

In reality, it's to save on running wattage. I've put a voltmeter on while running and I'm noticing a low dip around town at night with the headlights on (PO did a higher-wattage headlight conversion, I think it has silverstar ultras in there now, they're awesome). Of course, when I put the 55 Amp alternator on there, maybe this is all for naught. I do like how the turn signals "snap" into view instead of fading on like an incandescent bulb, though. That's got to grab more attention, and is the primary reason I did the conversions on both of my motorcycles.

The bulbs there now for the turn signals are some 1156 LED garbage bulbs I had laying around. If I stick with this I'll put some 3 or 5 watt Cree LEDs in there for more brightness.

I was actually thinking about this exact same thing the other day. LED headlights/turn signals should save massively on wattage, but what car would exist where a headlight puts a noticeable strain on its electrical system?

Now I have the answer. I like it, though. Too bad the Peterson "sealed beam replacement" LED headlights are still so expensive ($182 US a side from RockAuto).

Seat Safety Switch fucked around with this message at 16:54 on Jun 4, 2014

Queen_Combat
Jan 15, 2011
Elektrischer Scheibenspüler!

Queen_Combat
Jan 15, 2011
Old and busted:


Like, two hours of work:


New hotness:


Also, I had to get an oil pump gasket today. Why, you ask? :allears:

INCHI DICKARI
Aug 23, 2006

by FactsAreUseless
Did somebody over tighten the base plate and warp it?

Queen_Combat
Jan 15, 2011

13 INCH DICK posted:

Did somebody over tighten the base plate and warp it?

Negative, good sir.




I replaced both pulleys:


Clearance was pretty tight on this:


New front bumper (reused the rubber bumper piece, as it was still intact):


Another view:


New rear bumper (no rubber piece, had to use tape):


Scoping out the mounting area for...:


My new Elektrischer Scheibenspüler!


It even came with a nice red button (because the original pull-back switch is destroyed, along with the associated wiring)

(I use the mount nut, then coat the backside with some RTV. When it dries I peel the excess off of the front. It keeps things from rattling)


Used the carpet from the trunk to lay on the ground with:


Because I don't think I'm going to be using it anymore

(It's moldy and is cut to the wrong shape - it doesn't fit properly anywhere. I think it was cut using an OG Beetle template from the Internet or something)

Here's the front data plate:

Queen_Combat
Jan 15, 2011
Oh, and you were asking for evidence of a respray? Welp, there it is.

INCHI DICKARI
Aug 23, 2006

by FactsAreUseless
I misread oil pump as oil pan hence my question. So you got some '73 fenders, looks like it might gotten tapped maybe. Not a big deal, but at least that solves my Beetle OCD :v:

Queen_Combat
Jan 15, 2011
Today, I installed a fused cigarette lighter socket, left myself some fused switched 12v wire so I can put a second socket inside the rear of the glovebox, and put one of those fuses that lights up when it blows on the stereo.


(I'm removing the heat knob. I don't even know why I still have it there - all it does is run some blower fans under the rear seat, but I still don't feel any airflow)



I also discovered that I may have either a bad needle valve, or am just unlucky. If I kill the engine during driving in traffic, it starts up immediately when I turn the key or push-start it with the clutch, but if I let it heat-soak for 15-20 minutes after parking, it's really difficult to restart unless I hold the pedal all the way down. The manual says that, when restarting at operating temp, you should hold the gas pedal all the way down anyway (which I have to do), but it still cranks for just longer than I'm comfortable with before it catches. After it catches I have to either hold at 1/4 or feather the throttle to keep it going for a minute or so before it smooths out and resumes driving strongly.

When I parked at Peter Piper Pizza on Osborn (steep uphill parking spots), the car was damned near impossible to restart and took a lot longer to catch than even the normal heat-soaked-carburetor startup, which points me to maybe a failed needle valve in the carb, as it may be leaking a little fuel past while the car's in that uphill position (gas tank higher than the entire engine) plus 8-12 inches). The manual (and The Samba) point out that this is probably normal and I have nothing to worry about, but it still eats at me for a bit.


In good news, my oil filter setup is damned tight. No leaks or burning of any oil over a 100-mile trip I just took. I mean, the bottom of the oil sump plate (with the six bolts and drain bolt) is always a little wet, but it doesn't leave puddles or anything. That's more than I can say about either the Subaru I traded for the Beetle, or both of my motorcycles. I'm pretty happy about that.

SoCalVW finally replaced the cracked lens after two weeks of threatening and email-yelling, so:










And done:


And, with the four 100' rolls of 14 gauge wires, I'm slowly replacing crimped-every-six-inches wires with single color-coordinated runs, complete with insulated spade connectors. It's a slow, arduous process :smithicide:

mafoose
Oct 30, 2006

volvos and dogs and volvos and dogs and volvos and dogs and volvos and dogs and vulvas and dogs and volvos and dogs and volvos and dogs and volvos and dongs and volvos and dons and volvos and dogs and volvos and cats and volvos and dogs and volvos and dogs and volvos and dogs and volvos and dogs
Sounds like vapor lock to me!
Welcome to AZ in an old carburated car!

(My 240z would do this in the summer)

Queen_Combat
Jan 15, 2011
I bought the stuff for a bucket swamp cooler :getin:

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

Swamp coolers are one of the few things I miss about living in El Paso.

Cheap as poo poo to get the house downright frigid, unless it'd just rained. Also had ours (rooftop unit) go up in flames once, thanks to a dirt cheap pump going up in :supaburn:. Thank gently caress for an observant neighbor with a ladder, we weren't home at the time.

(not related to a bucket cooler, just reminded me of swamp coolers....)

randomidiot fucked around with this message at 08:56 on Jun 11, 2014

Queen_Combat
Jan 15, 2011



(pictured in background: the rotisserie cooker I scavenged a few blade connectors and a solenoid and relay from)

Splizwarf
Jun 15, 2007
It's like there's a soup can in front of me!
That looks way too big to fit inside a Beetle.

mafoose
Oct 30, 2006

volvos and dogs and volvos and dogs and volvos and dogs and volvos and dogs and vulvas and dogs and volvos and dogs and volvos and dogs and volvos and dongs and volvos and dons and volvos and dogs and volvos and cats and volvos and dogs and volvos and dogs and volvos and dogs and volvos and dogs
I understand how a swamp cooler works, and I'm interested in what you have planned for this one. Are you following something specific?

I just got something on the road that needs some cooling asap!

Queen_Combat
Jan 15, 2011
I'm going to put a 200mm case fan in the lid of the bucket, pulling air through the side holes, through the constantly-wet swamp cooler mesh, and blowing out hopefully cool air. I've seen videos and instructable-type instructions that show a 98 degree air intake and a 70 degree output. That, combined with a small living space, combined with a 14w (12v at around an amp) solar panel, and hopefully I'll have a cooler car to look forward to. The way my job goes, I arrive at the office from driving the ambulance around about an hour before the shift actually ends, and I could go and start up the swamp cooler to pre-cool the car while I wash the ambulance etc etc.

Queen_Combat
Jan 15, 2011
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYBkDxao3wg&t=220s

Fender Anarchist
May 20, 2009

Fender Anarchist

Lookin' fancy! How's the cooling?

Beverly Cleavage
Jun 22, 2004

I am a pretty pretty princess, watch me do my pretty princess dance....

That YouTube channel is amazing.

Less talk, more fix.

Queen_Combat
Jan 15, 2011

Fucknag posted:

Lookin' fancy! How's the cooling?

When in an 80 degree, 20% humidity house, the air coming out felt pretty darn cool. When outside today in 105 degree heat, 10% humidity, the air coming out felt around 80-90 degrees, which is much better than 105 (and that was when I had just started it up, I moved it into the house a few minutes later). Tomorrow I'll use it in the car and see what's up.

A mockup using an extra ashtray body that had a broken faceplate:

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

I think the biggest issue you're going to run into is the water getting hot while the car is parked. It won't cool very well with :supaburn: water, and it'll probably take a bit to cool the water off once it's going.

Think you can take it to work empty, and maybe get some cool(er) water to fill it with when you start the cooler? Maybe leave a gallon jug sitting in a break room cooler or something? Even room temp water will be miles better than ~110F water that's been baking in the sun all day.

Fender Anarchist
May 20, 2009

Fender Anarchist

UHHHH i'll have you know that hot water evaporates easier good day sir

Queen_Combat
Jan 15, 2011
Absolutely. It uses around a gallon an hour, by my estimate, so I can start the day with a half gallon or so for the 30-40 minute drive to work, then end with the supply room's icewater for the drive home. There's a 50-gallon cooler full of ice and water bottles they leave for us EMTs and medics, and I'm sure draining the last icewater dregs before the morning shift (I work 9p to 9a) would be just fine, because they refill it at 10. But it works just dandy with pretty warm water, too. It's less efficient (because it takes less energy to evaporate it), but it still cools a bit. Or is it more efficient because more water evaporates per cubic foot of air that goes through a given area of padding, because it's closer to evap temp?


Splizwarf posted:

That looks way too big to fit inside a Beetle.


And okay, poo poo. You may have been joking, but to get it to fit in the backseat footwell I had to pull the passenger seat all thew way forward. Holy hell this thing is small. I think I'll maybe leave it on the passenger front footwell instead.

Queen_Combat fucked around with this message at 10:47 on Jun 14, 2014

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

That ice water is perfect. Yeah, it'll take more energy to evaporate the cold water, but the cold water will cool the air by both evaporation and convection. (is convection even the word I'm looking for?)

Fucknag posted:

UHHHH i'll have you know that hot water evaporates easier good day sir

It does. It turns into humidity, particularly in a confined space (like a parked car with the windows up). I thought you Florida types were familiar with humidity - it sort of makes things feel a bit warmer than they actually are. :v:

please don't kill me

Splizwarf
Jun 15, 2007
It's like there's a soup can in front of me!

Geirskogul posted:

And okay, poo poo. You may have been joking, but to get it to fit in the backseat footwell I had to pull the passenger seat all thew way forward. Holy hell this thing is small. I think I'll maybe leave it on the passenger front footwell instead.

I was 100% serious, and if I were an unsympathetic dick I'd be all :agesilaus:. However, I just feel bad about it instead. You will probably find a good custom shape though.

IronCastKnight
Jul 27, 2013
This thread is hilarious and perfect, particularly to a former resident of Tucson. Carry on wayward son, and may your magnesium engine never catch flame.

Queen_Combat
Jan 15, 2011
Update: tomorrow I do track arm bushings. I get horrible shudder when braking from high speeds to low, around 20 mph. No shudder on acceleration at all, but I have a new set of split bushings ready. Can I do it under the car with jack stands and patience? I'm thinking of finding some sockets that nest, a long bolt and nut to push the outer ring out.

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Queen_Combat
Jan 15, 2011
Track/control arm bushings!

The stage is set


The autofocus is broken


The enemies are in sight


It looks like dipshit PO jacked the car up with the track arm mounts

(also, they are fuckbroken)

Better of the two:


Chillin' out, listening to NPR


You may notice in this next picture that the sun is high in the sky (I started around 0600 this morning). That's because it took me more than four hours of loving around before the outer bearing sleeve could be extracted. Hacksaws, torches, etc etc. I kept going in circles of "it would be faster to just remove the whole arm at this point," and "I'm so close, that's just another 30 minutes of wasted time." Listen: if your instincts are telling you that maybe doing a little more work now will save much more work later, maybe you should give them the benefit of the doubt. There's got to be a reason you developed that instinct, right?


Awwww yiss


<four hours of missing pictures because I rushed through the second one once I figured it out>

Also, spent so much time under the car with my legs sticking out that I got a gnarly burn from the knee down (NSFW I pulled my shorts up)

(need to sweep the entry way gently caress)

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