| back to Ludwig studio vanagon page back to vanagon photo gallery next to differential and viscous coupling FAQ |
|
Volkswagen syncro 1991 -- more info and links to newer photos:
The 91 vanagon had the original engine & transmission with no major/entire rebuilds, except for the covers and seals on the engine and the engine heads & seals being replaced, that I have listed on my webpage, (I am not terribly mechanically astute, I let the dealerships do all the work. One of the seals jobs was for leaking radiator fluid and the other was for leaking oil. It currently runs fine.)
At any rate I have every repair bill that you can decipher for yourself, or I can read on the phone to you (not every one!) I listed every large & medium repair on my webpage, copying from the bills.
I just now (Jan 08) had one clogged fuel injector replaced, & the spark plug wire also. This was when I took it in for its PA State inspection in December. It was kind of unsettling because my other dealer/long-time-mechanic (Kings, New Castle, PA) had just called to cancel my appointment because they were going out of business!! (aww). So I had to take it to the next closest VW place which was 2 counties further away(Mikan’s, Butler, PA). And they had never even seen a syncro (sigh!). (From 91 to 99 it went Boyd’s , Lebanon, PA)(Bought new at Horrigan’s, Shillington, PA)
Many other inquiring souls had requested I test its VC (Viscous coupling) to make sure it still had 4WD --- the couple tests I found online said they were dangerous so I let the garage do it. They said they took it on an icy ramp & all 4 wheels drove so they say the 4WD is fine.
This same inspection station also found 2 rust holes which we put it in the body shop for-- I have photos up online for you to see; 1 was under the drivers's step, under the matt; & the other was on the right back, just in front of the tire. They welded metal & some kind of "metal fiberglass?", and repainted, although they don't make that exact colour of white any more....so it’s just a bright white.
So to make that long story short -- those 4 things were repaired and it has its PA Inspection sticker and is good to go until December 2008, safe and roadworthy.
You can see pictures of over & underneath the engine at 2 different places online [see links below]--- and also the 3 rust spots (and also the little tears in the vinyl covering of the walls --- different people wanted to see photos of different things. I don't want anyone to show up & have a horrible surprise!) [The tears happened in the period where I was hauling wooden crates & metal beams home from the chocolate factory where I worked.]
Miscellaneous Answers:
2)Yes, it is drive-able as it just passed its state inspection.
4) I took it in for the scheduled every 15,000 mile maintenance work up until about 200,000 miles, so whatever VW recommended, I assume the dealership service dept did.
5) There are no issues with shifting gears/into gears.
6) Nothing is leaking.
7) There are no squeaking sounds when it is driven, either from suspension or anywhere.
8) It has not been in any accidents excepting when I accidentally–in the dark--ran over the edge of a flower pot made out of a tire in our yard and it got “sucked” into the wheel well and left that dent scrape there below the driver’s door) -- so the frame is straight and all.
9) tires have only 9,000 miles on them (radial "Guardsman III brand, all-season TE P205/70 R14 -- 935 -- M+S)
There are also 2 extra tires that are worn but useable as interims (spare spares).
10) F.Y.I. I can’t find any more money to put into future upkeep/rebuilding of the vanagon so if it doesn’t sell for “something”, we are putting in the backyard up on blocks to sleep and write in.
http://dianaludwig.com/Gallery/van NEW photos of undercarriage, under motor, suspension, the nicks in the vinyl wall coverings, rust spots, work done January 2008, and the differential knob [click smalls to enlarge (this is a newer page)]
ThinkFree.com (you don't have to sign-in, photos are large)
http://www.thinkfree.com/view.tfo?file=3ZYNH+Ub2uM=tfo floor under matt
http://www.thinkfree.com/view.tfo?file=gK1zmH4gXk4=tfo above engine
http://www.thinkfree.com/view.tfo?file=zUZCcgaqQNA=tfo also
http://www.thinkfree.com/view.tfo?file=hU8iyk8gvS8=tfo too
http://www.thinkfree.com/view.tfo?file=cQ5h85mfeog=tfo and engine
http://www.thinkfree.com/view.tfo?file=vLT9ftcHIXw=tfo new exhaust system January 07
http://dianaludwig.com/vw/index.html
http://dianaludwig.com/vw/vw.html
Vanagon.comVisit the Syncro Yahoo Group on the web at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Syncro/