"10 common things that result in death and destruction.

Post by **david58** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 11:32 am

"10 common things that result in death and destruction In a Volkswagen"
Let's see your list.

bugman742002 · Post by **bugman742002** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 11:46 am

rust, fuel leaks, broken alt/gen belt, oil leaks, over revving, running without all of the cooling tins in place, fender benders, improper maintaince, that is all i can think of at the moment

Post by **Piledriver** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 2:03 pm

.Repost..In no particular order, with some links.
(These are design issues or very common maintenance failures, debateable for the battery cover)

1) Ignition fuse, or lack thereof
Fix?: http://www.shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=125588
2) Fuel line feedthrough front engine tin, (or lack thereof)
(This had a 20 cent grommet from the factory that requires regular replacement, which no one ever did, out of sight...)
Fix: http://www.shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=946611
3) Fuel line fitting pulls out of Solex carbs. (LJet obviously cured that)
Fix?: http://www.shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=946611 (yes, keep reading)
4) Rear seat springs short out on battery.
(Fat Chick Syndrome)
Like those wimpy covers ever actually fit or stay in place...
Ray Greenwood indicated that this can be an ..."exciting" problem for the DRIVER if you have a 411/412, as that is where the battery lives. Fix:?
5) Metallic junk end up on voltage regulator under back seat, resulting in flamage. (Example:Skoal can lid, loose seatbelt end can probably do it too)
Not a problem on late alternator equipped cars, generator equipped cars have exposed connections there...
I PERSONALLY lost a perfect baby blue 74 T1 std this way due to a inconsiderate passenger losing a skoal can lid, shorted out on the voltage regulator.

6) Rear impact: pre-73 seat front rails fail, you become human projectile into rear window or luggage shelf, breaking neck. I have seen early seats rip out in "spirited driving" and off road without actually hitting anything.
(VW redesigned this in `73, a hint that it was serious, EDIT Google for "ejection seat defect"
7)(EDIT) Modern fuel blends can destroy the rubber fuel lines (even the "great" OG braided nylon stuff) in under 1 year.
It should be inspected//replaced regularly.
Replacing it with EFI line AND EFI CLAMPS is strongly suggested, costs a little more but should last many, many years.
8 )
9)
10)

Ideas:
The fuel line under the tank needs to be ~12 inches long, in case of serious frontal impact, the car+tank is designed to fold up/back. If the fuel line is too short to allow this, instant fuel leak. IIRC they came long from the factory for this reason.

fortyeye · Post by **fortyeye** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 2:20 pm

Rear axle nut "torqued" with an impact wrench and expecting the cotter pin (or rusty nail) to keep the drum on. If you're lucky, the axle splines will hog the center of the drum and you'll (after a lot of revs) coast to a stop. If Murphy is onboard, the drum will part company with your vehicle during a high speed turn (along with the wheel and tire). Never a good thing.

Post by **Piledriver** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 2:48 pm

fortyeye wrote:Rear axle nut "torqued" with an impact wrench and expecting the cotter pin (or rusty nail) to keep the drum on. If you're lucky, the axle splines will hog the center of the drum and you'll (after a lot of revs) coast to a stop. If Murphy is onboard, the drum will part company with your vehicle during a high speed turn (along with the wheel and tire). Never a good thing.

Come on, you haven't LIVED until you have been passed by your own back tire on the highway...

jrandy · Post by **jrandy** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 4:36 pm

- hairpin clip on rocker shaft for performance cam
- no cam lobe to lifter clearance
- no air cleaner
- non-clicker torque wrench (I hate those things)
- collapsed oil control ring spreaders
- valve keepers that touch
- bearing dowel pin in the oil port
- 88mm slip-ins
- angry girlfriend behind wheel (don't ask)
- .22 caliber rifle shell for fuse
- 12 volt starter on 6 volt flywheel or vice versa
- cable turning brakes
- late model pressure plate on early TOB
- worn out shifter plate
- forgetting to remove the bottom cam stud nut when splitting the case
- leaving the car in gear when flat towing

jrandy · Post by **jrandy** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 4:38 pm

Oh yeah, I have been passed by my own tire on the freeway.
I wondered what all that shiny stuff behind the axle nut was.

Post by **david58** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 4:39 pm

Piledriver wrote:
fortyeye wrote:Rear axle nut "torqued" with an impact wrench and expecting the cotter pin (or rusty nail) to keep the drum on. If you're lucky, the axle splines will hog the center of the drum and you'll (after a lot of revs) coast to a stop. If Murphy is onboard, the drum will part company with your vehicle during a high speed turn (along with the wheel and tire). Never a good thing.
Come on, you haven't LIVED until you have been passed by your own back tire on the highway...

Or lost a Nut.

Post by **Piledriver** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 6:08 pm

david58 wrote:
Piledriver wrote:
fortyeye wrote:Rear axle nut "torqued" with an impact wrench and expecting the cotter pin (or rusty nail) to keep the drum on. If you're lucky, the axle splines will hog the center of the drum and you'll (after a lot of revs) coast to a stop. If Murphy is onboard, the drum will part company with your vehicle during a high speed turn (along with the wheel and tire). Never a good thing.
Come on, you haven't LIVED until you have been passed by your own back tire on the highway...
Or lost a Nut.

Naaaa, that's what the hubcaps are for , they keep the nut wit the wheel

helowrench · Post by **helowrench** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 6:22 pm

Piledriver wrote:
fortyeye wrote:Rear axle nut "torqued" with an impact wrench and expecting the cotter pin (or rusty nail) to keep the drum on. If you're lucky, the axle splines will hog the center of the drum and you'll (after a lot of revs) coast to a stop. If Murphy is onboard, the drum will part company with your vehicle during a high speed turn (along with the wheel and tire). Never a good thing.
Come on, you haven't LIVED until you have been passed by your own back tire on the highway...

nope, really living is when you are in the passenger seat, you look over at the driver and say, " hey Matt, isn't that your boat passing us in the median, where did the trailer go?".

(Long, long story involving much beer, a good amount of bourbon, and a sizeable amount of high quality moonshine, a few pretty ladies, and the ignorance of youth).

Rob

Post by **david58** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 7:24 pm

I am real surprised no one has said anything about BRAKES.

Ol'fogasaurus · Post by **Ol'fogasaurus** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 9:50 pm

•Driving on old, dried out, cracked sidewall, hard rubber tires.
•Driving with pitted, cracked, fogged windshield.
•Exhaust leak in the heat exchanger that sucks exhaust into the passenger compartment.
•Letting your friends with a 'what-the-hell" or "drive it like you stole it" attitude.
•Not doing periodic checks on lug nuts, brake fluid, or other necessary items that can come loose or deteriorate.
•Giving a rash of crap to a officer that has had a bad day.

lw421 · Post by **lw421** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 9:54 pm

Ol'fogasaurus wrote:•Driving on old, dried out, cracked sidewall, hard rubber tires.

You should see the nylon spare in my car- i'd rather drive on a flat!

Joe vw · Post by **Joe vw** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 9:11 am

1 inoperative idiot lights
2 ignoring warnings of driving with no belt/gen light on
3 "using" german braided fuel hose (it's garbage)
4 not upgrading your valvetrain with dual Webbers or power adders
5 leaving out the oil strainer because you have an added oil filter
6 slanted or center mount fan shrouds
7 substituting an internal fan housing early oil cooler for an external oil cooler.
8 unsealed engine compartment or no added cooling air with upgraded engine/fan
9 no camber compensator or sway bar on early cars
10 inoperative idiot lights

NEBUGGERNATOR · Post by **NEBUGGERNATOR** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 8:22 pm

1. Driving home from friend's house at the same time that the bars close
on a saturday night in Clearwater FL. [and having your 71 ghia
demolished by a drunk driver who passes out at a major intersection]
2. Driving around with rusty floor pans.
3. Laughing at your girl friend after the floor pan breaks on the passenger
side whilst driving through a large pothole filled with rainwater causing
said water to totally drench her with black mucky stuff.
4. Driving with brakes that barely work
5. Driving a super beetle that has sat for 18 years and finding out how
bad they shake at 60 mph.
6. Doing involuntary multiple 180 degree spins in the middle of the road
after hitting a water puddle in previously mentioned super.
7. Driving to work on US 19 after installing the incorrect oil pump and
having the engine spin a rod bearing thus causing a stall in the fast lane
at 8 o'clock in the morning.
8. Doing elctrical work under the trunk and forgettin about the "saftey
latch" then have your best bud come out and scare the "bejesus" out of
you and bashing the back of your head into said latch.
9. Driving previosly mentioned super during a hurricane storm.
10. Sitting on the rear bumper to have a cigarette break after doin a tune
up and letting the tail of your favorite flannel shirt get caught up in the
crank pulley thus relieving the whole back side of said shirt from the
front, sleeves and collar.