I (and my dad) did things today, plus I got a thing.

"Logansteno: Bought a VW?" (logansteno)
10/12/2014 at 22:21 • Filed to: Safari Life!

Like changing the spark plugs and wires, cap and rotor, air cleaner, and my brake discs and pads.

First we started with the most problematic thing that wanted to kill me: the brake rotors.

They were pretty straight forward. Unscrew a few bolts and allen screws, wiggle the caliper out of the way, slide disc off. Then grease new disc and bearing and reverse undoing. In the end I ended up with shiny new brakes discs and fresh shoes.

So fresh, so clean.

Then we got to the hard job: replacing the spark plugs and wires.

This was a big PITA. Mostly because of awkward placement and almost ZERO work space.

The beast. 4.3 liters of American Fury!

One side we could get from the wheel well, but the other side we had to attack from inside the van in the 1-2 inch gap on the side of the engine. Also, take note where the engine is is comparison to my foot on the gas pedal. And all that's between me and it is a big piece of plastic.

So finally we got the plugs out and, well... they were pretty bad.

The gap on each plug was supposed to be about .35. All of these were at about .60. My dad said that one also had fuel on it, so I was probably occasionally running of five cylinders. Wouldn't surprise me.

So we got the plugs and wires all put back in and reclipped together and everything, reassembled my interior, and I took it for a test drive.

OH. MY. GOD.

It's like a whole new car. The brake pedal has more than an inch of travel before, and the ABS doesn't kick on almost instantly. I was able to slam on the brakes and take the van from 35 to a stop without an issues, which wasn't the case beforehand. The whole thing feels more lively as well. I tried to test my 0-60, but it was wet outside so I kept spinning my tires on takeoff. I can certainly tell it's faster though. All-in-all worth all the work.

And I was surprised with a new Hot Wheel car.

It's a new Fiat 500 and it's so tiny and adorable!

And there's hardly any flaws in the headlight and taillight stamping, which is something that always bugs me.

Overall today has been a good day.

DISCUSSION (21)

crowmolly > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
10/12/2014 at 22:26

Those plugs were beat to shit. I'm not surprised it made a big difference!

Vicente Esteve > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
10/12/2014 at 22:27

RED INTERIOR?!

I only have the red 500 with black interior...

whoarder is tellurium > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
10/12/2014 at 22:28

Tell me you replaced the plug wires, rotor and cap too.

VincentMalamute-Kim > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
10/12/2014 at 22:28

I know nothing about vans. But it seems like there ought to be some trick like loosening engine mounts and tilting the engine one way and the other to get more room? My minivan is at 105,000 miles and who knows if the plugs have been replaced. Way easier than your job but still not looking forward to it.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > Vicente Esteve
10/12/2014 at 22:29

You bet your ass it has a red interior.

I want an Abarth Hot Wheels.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > whoarder is tellurium
10/12/2014 at 22:30

Like changing the spark plugs and wires, cap and rotor, air cleaner, and my brake discs and pads.

Yes we did.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > crowmolly
10/12/2014 at 22:30

I don't think beat to shit starts to describe them.

whoarder is tellurium > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
10/12/2014 at 22:31

Sorry, saw giant shiny new rotor and got distracted.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > VincentMalamute-Kim
10/12/2014 at 22:31

There probably is a trick, but we weren't about to go unbolting the engine from the mounts. The easiest way would've been dropping the front subframe from the van honestly.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > whoarder is tellurium
10/12/2014 at 22:32

Understandable, I just wish I had shiny new calipers too.

Vicente Esteve > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
10/12/2014 at 22:37

Id give yours a shot at painting it!

mcseanerson > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
10/12/2014 at 23:02

Did you do the seafoam too? If not you're probably better off to experience that change all by itself.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > mcseanerson
10/12/2014 at 23:03

No, we didn't end up doing that. Maybe when we change the shocks we'll pick some up and do it.

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
10/12/2014 at 23:13

Astro?

Don't have any experience with them. My dad had a couple G20's, though, and damn they're a bear. The forward-most spark plugs on each bank were almost impossible to get a socket onto. There was basically no way to do it without losing skin on the sharp edge of the doghouse hole. The 350 is pretty well the same as the 4.3, just up a couple cylinders. So the spark plugs were also right next to the exhaust. Couldn't do it hot without getting burnt. Also, it was impossible to see what you were doing, especially those two front plugs. The next pair wasn't great either. I kinda liked the vans, but damn were those engines impossible to get to. But you can't complain about being able to set the distributor timing by ear while driving... yeah, I did that.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee
10/12/2014 at 23:19

Safari, same thing though.

My dad did the plugs. He did cut his hand a couple times on the dog house. He said it was easier than he thought it was going to be though, so that's good. The distributor is most certainly the easiest thing to access on the whole engine. You know, once you take apart the whole front of the interior.

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
10/13/2014 at 00:31

Those spark plugs made a spark...?
The undercarriage of my GLI looks cleaner than those!

Glad to hear she's running and stopping well now!

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
10/13/2014 at 00:34

Sometimes. Maybe not all the time.

When those plugs were changed last I was probably still in diapers. So like fourteen years ago.

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
10/13/2014 at 00:36

holy jebus.

Well, I'm glad it's running ok now!

on a slightly related note: my friends have a band, and their transport Vehicle's an early 90's AWD Astro! they call it the "Midnight Astrovan", since the band is named "Midnight Atmosphere"

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
10/13/2014 at 00:52

That's amazing.

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
10/13/2014 at 01:04

glad you approve

VincentMalamute-Kim > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
10/13/2014 at 20:51

I'm starting to learn unbolting engine mounts/subframes make a lot of stuff massively easier or even possible at all. And therefore worth it.