Couple bus questions

kiaora · Post by **kiaora** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 6:00 am

My 67 split camper has a ball joint beam. Is that right ?

Also whats the idea about removing the reduction boxes. Wht do you replace it with ?

Thanks

vw-in-neptune · Post by **vw-in-neptune** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 12:28 pm

67 is still link pin 68 is ball joint.

now in bugs they went to ball joint in 66 but that doesn't matter here

as far as the rear you can do a couple things

if you plan on taking off the rgbs then you can replace the entire tranny with a type 3 tranny or a tranny from a 68 bug. these have longer axles and tubes that you need to make up for the rgb you just took off. if you cant find a tranny that is drum to drum you can get the axles and tubes from either the type 3 or 68 tranny and put them on your bus tranny only thing now is that you have 4 reverse gears ans 1 forward so before you put the axles and tubes on you have to go into the tranny and flip the pumpkin form one side to the other. that is how my 65 sundial is done. then put the axles and tubes on. now after you do the axle swap you are gonna need the offset spring plates everyone gets them from nate at wagons west but there are a couple other people making them that are the exact same and cheaper. on is in north carolina and the other i know if is in jacksonville florida. both make good plates. now the last thing you need to consider for the bus is once you take of the rgbs and straight axle the rear you will need to lower the front simple solution. drop spindles. nate also makes these in cali but my buddy here in jacksonville florida does them as well as the spring plates.

this is a quick summery for what you can do. hope the helps

MedicTed · Post by **MedicTed** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 4:14 pm

The Bus has RGBs because of the extra frontal area (drag), high payload capacity and base weight with a relatively low power engine. If you have an improved engine, then it's generally no problem to remove the RGBs. If you are completely stock, you may want to consider leaving them.

vw-in-neptune · Post by **vw-in-neptune** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 8:33 am

im running 3.5 inch dropped spindles and im straight axle'd.

i am also running a sp 1500 and can do 65mph all day

MedicTed · Post by **MedicTed** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 12:17 pm

vw-in-neptune wrote:i am also running a sp 1500 and can do 65mph all day

I'm willing to bet that you drive with almost no load in the Bus, and not in the mountains.

vw-in-neptune · Post by **vw-in-neptune** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 1:44 pm

not in the mountains (i live in florida)

but my bis does have the complete sundial camper kit in the back of it which i guess weighs 800 lbs complete. and then you have the heat here that will grenade an engine in a heart beat. it all evens out.

gblakeney · Post by **gblakeney** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 2:05 am

60 SC, straight axle, 4.12 w/.82 4th, 2276, 44IDFs, sidewinder, Unilite vac. adv., 044s and DTM, balanced, 8.1:1 CR.

Desert temps, she'll do 75 all day at 3500 RPM, maitained >70MPH up Baker and Cajon passes last week on my way to Anzo-Borrego for a camping trip. Loaded to the gills too.

I drive it to Austin once a year also. Plenty of miles on the engine.

I have been tuning this bus for over a year to get me over those passes without having to downshift. Runs fairly cool as well.

Pillow · Post by **Pillow** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 11:15 am

Greg, are you using an auxiliary cooler or is that all off the stock oil cooler?

gblakeney · Post by **gblakeney** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 9:08 pm

I have a 96 plate cooler with thermo switched fan under the left rocker and a type IV cooler in the DTM.

She does run warmer than most would like in the summer, but I blame some of that on this POS aluminum case I have. 200 - 210 is (from what I have read in many places) about right for a bus driven all 'zesty like' LOL

I am seriously considering getting a new mag case and doing an tear down/ inspection, then reassemble with the mag case.

Right at a year on the 2276 now with probably 15k miles or so on it.

Pillow · Post by **Pillow** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 7:03 am

Thanks for the info Greg. It sounds like a very nice setup!

Also I am happy to see some miles on it as well showing that a big motor will last in a bus.

Where is your oil temp sender located? I ask becasue depending on where it is will show a little bit different temp. Mine is located on top of the remote oil filter mount (1/8 NPT style) and it is more accurate than a sump mount, but reads higher. So in my case I am not that worried until I hit about 230F, but really keep an eye on oil pressure as it will start to drop fast once the oil gets really hot, then you know to back off. At 230 on mine you can still get out and pass the dipstick test. But really in normal driving it will stay around 190.

gblakeney · Post by **gblakeney** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 7:24 am

I have one that replaces the oil control valve plug, and another that is tapped into the type 3 oil fill block off plate peeking into the sump.

The sump does run about 20 degrees or more warmer than the control valve location.

On the hottest Vegas summer days I can get between 220 and 235 - but again, great pressure, plenty-o-power, and cools down quickly.

I think the control valve is a blend of oil sloshing up out of the hot sump off of the cam gear and cooled oil getting past the control valve on its way back from the cooler.

Now last year when I went to TX without an external oil cooler, anda type 1 cooler in the doghouse shroud, I just about baked my engine. I got to 285 ish, but only at about 280 did I notice a differencein power. This was when it was a 1915, reading temp from the control valve position. I would pull over for 20 minutes and then drive easily on, limping into Phoenix.

I added the cooler in Phoenix and all was well.

I tore that engine down in November and it looked fine. I saw no damage, although I could have imploded it if I had not let up. I was pretty unhappy with the lack of torque for hill climbing on the 15 so I stroked it Thanksgiving week last year.

Pillow · Post by **Pillow** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 11:17 am

I totally agree that a bus motor is very happy with a stroker crank. Sounds simplistic, but strokers just bring the torque in bigtime.

Some people swear up and down about 1776 and 1914 engines in a bus but I just do not see it. Now in a Beetle that is a different story as they do not need tractor like torque to get moving.

285, yes that is HOT. I have seen a few people just drive by the philoshy that the motor is not hot until it starts to loose power... And the engines still last a long time which totally blows my mind.

gblakeney · Post by **gblakeney** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 12:25 pm

I am convinced a stroker is just about a necessity when hills are in the picture.

I had a 40Hp in my SC for a while with a standard gear and it would run 70+ on FLAT ground all day. LOL

The 1915 was great too, until I headed to Cali

I am also running small 32mm venturis in the 44s so I have gobs of low end torque (at least in my opinion). Downside is that it stops breathing by about 5200RPM.

Those charts don't lie! LOL