My 412 these days..

[ClassicCamper]

Thanks Ray - I'm hoping it will idle a little smoother. Otherwise, the engine is pretty good. It was a lot of work, I COULD NOT have been here without you. I would have given up. The fuel filler stuff needs attention, so that will be next.
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1973 412 Wagon
1976 Westy
1978 SB Vert

[raygreenwood]

[ClassicCamper]

With a little luck and some help from the Samba crew, I lucked out with not having to lower the engine / drivetrain for now. I'm anxious to see what happens when I install the new oil filler boot. Until then, here is a gratuitous journey in my 412 on the way back from the Maaco shop. It was raining and the wipers didn't work. This isn't a big deal; I'm going to take out the dash and wire in a new one. Check this out if you can:


Link


You'll notice a loud sound as I release the brake and push the gas pedal. Any suggestions?

Here's my camper, taken out for its 2016 test run. So reliable, starts right up every year:


Link


Once the 412 is completed, I can load her up with some camp supplies, etc..
-Ron
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1973 412 Wagon
1976 Westy
1978 SB Vert

[raygreenwood]

There are a handfull of items that cn cause the wipers to not work.....from a blwn fuse to gummed up wiper shafts.....to a cracked "D"shaped shaft lock area on the gear....to a bad ground....and most commonly just loose wires or issues in the wiper lever switch.

The clunk when you release the brake pedal is,because you are missing the small rubber bumper cap that snaps over the end of the screw that adjusts the pedal position. Ray

[ClassicCamper]

Great news... the 412 is back in action! After about 4 hours, I figured out how best to replace the oil filler flexible pipe for the Variant/Station Wagon I tried every variation and came up with what I believe the quickest, safest and most effective way to replace the oil filler boot. Prior to starting, have all parts and surfaces cleaned and degreased. Next, apply a liberal amount of motor oil to inside both ends of new rubber hose. Follow these install guides:

1) Ditch the large snap clamp; find two solid adjustable hose clamps. Unscrew and remove oil filler pipe.

2) Make sure rubber filler tube is oriented correctly: the longest part of the rubber filler tube AFTER the bellows should be facing the engine. The shortest part of tube goes into the void which eventually connects to plastic filler tube. (fyi- PO had mine connected backwards, causing stress on the rubber section by overstretching it)

3) Compress bellows part of rubber filler tube and insert it into the void between oil filler cap and inside engine compartment.

4) Re-insert plastic filler tube and coax it into the new rubber part.

5) Slowly coax out rubber tube until the long end slides nicely over the filler nozzle connected to the engine. Adjust rubber piece so it is not kinked or bent.

6) Slide 1st clamp on to the very top of the rubber part; the clamp should literally be touching the metal cut-out area that plastic tube is coming out of. Firmly tighten clamp.

7) Slide second clamp over the metal oil filler tube that connects to engine. Slide longest part of new rubber filler hose over top of metal hose. Attach clamp and tighten down securely.

8.) Reinstall the two small screws that hold the filler tube to the rear hatch door jamb.

9) I'd suggest changing the oil and check for leaks.

Enjoy a drip-free drive.

Note: the fische shows only 1 snap ring holding the top of the rubber filler part to the top of the plastic oil filler tube. I do not suggest this. It was most likely done with engine out. Use 1 clamp on each side, you will be happy you did so.

If you need any pics or further explanation, feel free to reach out. Enjoy... Ron Wolff.
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1973 412 Wagon
1976 Westy
1978 SB Vert

[ClassicCamper]

I was able to find a flexible tube that connects the air filter to the throttle body. (Thanks Hakon!). This combined with the replacement of a torn oil filler line has made an incredible transformation as far as engine performance goes. I believe that I have the boot hooked up correctly, but can use a sanity check. I have the AAR hose connected to the side of the plastic air cleaner housing and have the cylinder head vent lines connected to the backfire/blowback part which connects directly to the new boot itself:

1) Does this appear correct?

Positive results due to adding new boot and fixing oil filler hose:

1) Engine has much more 'pep' and is more responsive.

2) Idles nice in and out of gear. No more idle hunting.

3) Engine now downshifts automatically, creating a smoother ride. For example, when going up a ramp per se in 3rd gear, if the engine starts to struggle going up hill, it will gently downshift to second gear.

4) No more surging while waiting at a traffic light.

5) ECU's gray knob can now be set at the 1/2 way point with no negative change in engine performance. (Prior, knob would need to be adjusted fully clockwise in order to idle at all)

6) No surging while driving

7) Smoother ride, less vibration

Challenges / changes that occurred after replacement of boots:

1) Sloppy warm-up: Engine will hunt for an idle speed and goes into a 'surge cycle' as dashpot re-opens throttle prior to a stall. (Note: dashpot adjusted to spec which is laid out somewhere in the 412 forum). Once car takes off and drives for 2-3 minutes, symptoms disappear.

2) Engine religiously starts on 3rd attempt, even with 'priming' by having the fuel pump run first and pressurize system. Typically, it will run for 30 seconds 1st try, 15-20 second try and runs faithfully after 3rd. Switching into gear has no effect, meaning that selecting a drive range will not stall engine.

Other then that, I'm getting ready to consider this engine dialed in and ready for paint. Thanks for your help and looking forward to any insight. -Ron
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1973 412 Wagon
1976 Westy
1978 SB Vert

[sjbartnik]

Yeah man, vacuum leaks cause all sorts of crap!
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1965 Volkswagen 1500 Variant S
2000 Kawasaki W650

[raygreenwood]

[ClassicCamper]

Update: Ray, for whatever reason, re-routing instructions for the AAR and flame suppressor hoses made a difference. I dont know why. The car now religiously starts on the second attempt, rather than the former 3 tries. I couldn't be happier. Not only that, the engine is virtually leak free.

When at operating temperaure, it always starts first time after around 3 seconds. This is even better than my L tronic bus and beetle, both which I feel are in excellent working order. I truly love my T4.

It drives smooth as silk, however, I would like to fine tune the idle. The car seems to vibrate more than I'd like while at a stop light, it doesn't always do this, but I'd like to address it at some point. I'm sure I'll always be fine tuning this old girl, but it still excites me getting behind the wheel of this car.

Thanks to the Samba pep-squad, I'm holding on to her for the long-haul and if my back condition gets in my way, I'll figure out a way to get around it.

If I can give anyone ANY advice on how to restore these cars it would be to read my ongoing 'blog' and follow Ray, Lars' and all T4 veterans resto suggestions. I succinctly remember Ray saying not to drive it, diagnose it first. I took the engine out to avoid temptation and started at the front-end and now I have an incredibly running (and stopping) car. Hell, I learned to fabricate a center link from this site. If it wasn't for the help in the forums, I could have never afforded this car. Finally, I'm doing it because I love my T4; I'll never get back what I put into this. Who cares though....before I know it, I'll be cruising down the Garden State Parkway with my A/C on and the seat warmer on as well.
I'll make sure that I document my installation of the A/C unit. I think the throttle 'kicker' that is already integrated on my car, will be perfect for use with an A/C system.

Now the bittersweet news... after I got it running so nice and drip free- I need to start stripping the car down in preparation for paint. (Remove windows, lights, molding, seals, etc.). Any suggestions how I should begin this process? I want to get this done sooner than later. Thanks again for your ongoing support. -Ron
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1973 412 Wagon
1976 Westy
1978 SB Vert

[raygreenwood]

Will stqrt a dialog on this in the am. Its going to be a matter of degree. How much do you want to do? Ray

[ClassicCamper]

Id like to do all possible. On the interior, they will be painting door jambs and inner front doors only. The rest is fine. Entire exterior will be painted. Than I plan to put in new dash, than headliner, seats and carpet.

After that I'll probably need to live in it for a few months to cut down on living expenses.
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1973 412 Wagon
1976 Westy
1978 SB Vert

[ClassicCamper]

Driving along and and looked out my rear window and saw something a VW owner terribly dreads: Smoke and lots of it. I quickly pulled off to a side street. UGH!

Fortunately, it looks fixable. From what I can tell is that when the oil filler boot was split open, a good amount of oil was absorbed by the foam engine seal, just under the fan. The seal was beginning to sag over the top of the muffler, slowly burning away the seal. The oil didn't have anywhere to go as the seal burned away, so it dripped over the top of the muffler. Thus making my car a crop duster.

So, that will be my next project. Aside from removing the muffler, do I need to take anything else off the engine to install the replacement seal? Also, it is foam side up, right??

Thanks as always! - Ron
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1973 412 Wagon
1976 Westy
1978 SB Vert

[raygreenwood]

shiny side in or out on the seal......its hard to say. If the shiny side is to the inside...it absorbs less oil and crap from anything you do in the engine compartment.

Shiny side to the outside...reflects just a little bit more heat away and last a little bit longer.

I have had good success with tacking the seal down and brushing the entire outside of the seal with Permatex Ultra Black or Ultra Gray silicone RTV....letting it dry and then installing it.

It makes it slightly stiffer....but basically water and oil proof and a good bit more heat proof. The RTV is good to about 550-600F constant.

Its a bit messy but not too hard. Attach both ends to a board with a thumbtack.

Use either gloved hands or a short bristled cheap paintbrush....squeeze RTV about 1/3 tube at a time onto a piece of plastic and spread it on carefully and thinly but completely.

A seal can absorb about 3 tubes or more. Do one side and the edges....let it dry. Then turn it over and do the other side and let it dry.

I have once also done the slots on both sides...that worked the best but was slow. You have to prop it open and do a section let dry...repeat.

The last one I did this way ran for five years and was still in great shape but got torn during an engine removal. Ray

[ClassicCamper]

Getting ready to put in the new engine compartment seal. Hopefully, this will be the end of my oil drip nightmare. In order to install a new seal, it looks like I have to remove the muffler at a minimum. Any other installation tips?

After I've confirmed compartment seal is the oil drip culprit and installed the new one, I'm ready to start taking her apart for paint! Fingers crossed andI'll keep you posted.
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1973 412 Wagon
1976 Westy
1978 SB Vert

[ClassicCamper]

Anything except for muffler need to be removed to install engine compartment seal?
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1973 412 Wagon
1976 Westy
1978 SB Vert

[raygreenwood]

[ClassicCamper]

Hi All,

I'm back on my feet and at a sad juncture with my 412; I am starting to remove everything for paint. This means no more driving it until complete. Thanks to everyone on the Samba (and your collective patience) I'm pulling it off the road at the pinnacle of its drivability. It happens to run beautifully. I just need to work on the idle "hunting" ever so slightly. Thanks to Ray for posting the procedure for adjusting the 'kicker' or whatever that servo thing is.

Here are some of the latest shots:

More to come!
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1973 412 Wagon
1976 Westy
1978 SB Vert

[raygreenwood]

Very nice! I can't tell from the picture color....but is that bare metal....?

I know the feeling. When I blew the engine in my car in 2002......I could have easily just rebuilt the engine......but I vowed to not put it back on the road until it had all been done right.....mainly body and interior. At the time it had a fully rebuilt front and rear suspension and a refurbed transmission (new bearings).

There were a few details of the suspension that I have since learned to do better.....but it was all new.
Life got in the way and the car got stored. But......it will get back on the road in a year. And back into paijt in another year.

Keep at it! Ray

[ClassicCamper]

Part I
Ray & the T4 posse world-wide, Thanks for the inspiration on this bad ass car. In hindsight, I bought this car for around 3k. It even was advertised with a you tube video of it driving nicely around the neighborhood. I look to find the best in people and the PO probably knew how much it was going to take to have it in safe running condition. When it was delivered to my home, the scene was quite different. After about 7-8 tries, I got the engine to not stall and hold an idle. On its best trip, I couldn't get it to surpass 50 MPH. Soon after, the right brake caliper would overheat, grab the rotor, forcing me to wait until it cooled down to proceed.

Again, I can't blame the dude, he was trying to get his son a cool car for driving around school, etc. Noble attempt, but he probably did what I did: saw a 'big' VW Squareback and jumped on it. Only difference is, I love to learn and try not to give up on any VW. I'll probably say it a million times more: thanks for your help. I nearly sh"& when I read the posts about rebuilding the front-end. (total knuckle-buster and annoying job. But... shimmy is totally gone and it doesn't automatically change lanes if passed by a large teuck. Auto tranny was completely disassembled and rebuilt, although the clutches and internals were in factory-new condition. That is one ballsy trans. Torque converter was rebuilt as well. The BN4 gas heater was completely rebuilt part by part and triple checked, then checked 5x more. Has a few bugs to iron out, but it is more of a nuisance repair. Heats the car beautifully. Rear shocks were replaced. I invested about 1,300 into the engine purchasing the following:

Correct MPS (on a trade)
Rebuilt injectors
Porsche braided FI hoses
New seals for intake runners and throttle body
Oil filler boot
FI line
FI Trigger points
Basic tune-up kit
Exhaust Seals
Engine hardware: nuts, bolts, etc..
Traded existing dizzy, for the correct one
New vaccuum canister
Paint
Thermostat
Checked endplay
Higher output alternator for sound system, A/C, and heated seats. All we be stealth.

Its a low compression 1.7, and I had roughly 118-121 PSI compression in each cylinder with no deviations higher then 7 PSI. It's my hope the long block will last a few more years with light usage. Maybe some scenic trips into the Catskill mountains. I'm getting a little concerned that the front fan seal may be leaking oil. However, when I removed the old engine foam seal for replacement (due to rubber oil filler boot being cracked open) oil went everywhere as the foam just sucked in whatever oil spewed out. Im hoping this slight leak is just residual oil seeping from areas I couldn't sop up completely.

So, here is today's progress (beautiful day in New Jersey)

I should leave front like this. Reminds me of a Schwimwagen

All windows out, including windshield. (I may have a good windshield and new seal available to trade; PM for details. I'll put my WTT list at the end of post.

Rear tail lights out.
Bumpers off.

I am an animal.[/b]
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1973 412 Wagon
1976 Westy
1978 SB Vert

[ClassicCamper]

Part II

1) In addition to the outer part of the doors, I would like to have the inside of the doors painted. Only issue is the aluminum trim that the scraper brushes trim connect to are very firm and locked into place; I would replace them if I could find them. I need to save every dime possible to afford paint, so I'll be gradually taping the car myself. Any tips on how to do a good taping job and which tape to use. Only issue is they are going to need to sand around that area where the soon to be taped aluminum trim sits.

This area around the driver and passenger windows:

2) No one has that gas flap spring, which I plan on using as I work through RG's release mech repair section. Any suggestions where to find one?

3) I have 2 hatch backs now. The one on the car currently had a run in with the vice on my work bench:

The second one, I found in CA with only patina and no heavy rust:

What hatch would you recommend I use? This way, I can decide if its worth shipping cross country. Maaco did say that the dent I made is going to take a lot of work as the 'hump' around the license plate needs to be banged out and reformed. Thoughts?

Any other Maaco tips?

Finally, here is a preview of my WTB or Trade (I'll have this placed on classifieds in the coming days.)

Here is what I'd like to buy or possibly trade for:

Blue coco mats
Blue door panels
Tail light housings
412 padded steering wheel
Blue seats for 412 in any condition
Front bumper for up to 73 412
Visors
Rear shocks max 1/2 ton KYB Gas-Adjust
Blue carpet set

Have to trade or sell:
Working A/C compressor with belt and mounting bracket.
Front windshield for 412, front NOS windshield seal
VW Super Beetle A/C system
VW Super Beetle padded steering wheel
Switches, brake light sensor, etc
Rear hatch glass
Injectors

4) Final question - on my 412 wagon, there are 4-6 (I forget actually) small little 'mini-vents'. It looks like they scoop up air and tees up a flow of air. (Perhaps part of the flow-thru vent system. Issue is that these things have been placed in their area, however, some point in one direction, others point in another. Just trying to see which way these little things should be oriented.

Thanks again, -R
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1973 412 Wagon
1976 Westy
1978 SB Vert