[T2] L-jet reliability vs the VW transporter world, random musings

[John Anderson]

Interesting talk with my dad today, which brings to light my thoughts on the Facet pump reliability and then on good ole bay L-jet reliability, despite the woes and diagnostic tips recently expounded here.  I have got to say, in experience with probably 30+ bays, 15+ Vanagons, 6-7 Eurovans, I'll take good ole L-jet in a bay or Vanagon, even a 35 year old setup over anything else VW has since put in a transporter, except maybe for an IDI diesel, or a 30-PICT, but I do want some power and all.
 
This is brought home by the conversation with dad.  '95 EVC, I bought this van front end wrecked at 48k, 1 owner miles, had sat about a year, put it back together over 4-5 years, dad has ran it for about 8-10 years now.  Irregularly over the last few.  Over the couple years it initially sat while I tinkered away at the bodywork, the fuel pump had died, all the injectors in the rail seized, all had to be replaced when I put it back together.  Dad used it a lot 5-6 years ago but has diligently started it every 1-2 months, driven it around the block, but hasn't really used it in 3-4 years while he has worked on his new house.  He goes to let my sister borrow it, drives poorly, he tosses VAG-COM on it, but can't find anything obvious in a quick look, takes it to his mechanic, who notes a number of ECU sensors very intermittently coming and going.  So the guy is messing with the ECU connector when he notes the entire ECU is PULSATING !!!  He pulls it
 open and the ECU is FULL OF GASOLINE !!!  The fuel pressure regulator is attached to the ECU MAP sensor with a T into the manifold, and had failed and filled the ECU with gas, and was spurting gas into the manifold, with the manifold vacuum pulsations pulsing the walls of the ECU.  Still ran though in its defense, poorly but ran, electronics submerged in gasoline and all.  They dried it out, dad pulled a MAP sensor off a spare '93 ECU to repair the '95 only model, they replaced the regulator and fixed, sort of.  
 
Now I've had 1 L-jet regulator fail in my life, and it just failed to high ring pressure, diaphragm didn't rupture, didn't really matter much, ran rich but ran.  I mean the EVC is to me still a newish car, it still has under 70k miles on it and the entire fuel delivery system has failed.  I've bought L-jet bays that haven't run in 15 years, fired em, drove em home, replaced the fuel lines just for safety and put 50k more on them without investing a cent.  From VW the EV fuel pump is over $400, the injectors over $200 each (though back in the day I replaced all with stuff from parter vans.)
 
Other EVC things dying from 3-4 years of sitting, the ridiculously large pressure lift cylinders for the roof, a no longer available custom sized skylight vent that the Vanagon skylight guy never bothered to repop since so few people bought EVCs, the rear hatch lift cylinders, and a thermostat to open the cooling vanes on the radiator fan shroud, that costs, get this $56, and of course 3 others on parter shrouds I had sitting around (dry garage storage) all shot as well.  Just from sitting.  Spring hatch in a bay doesn't go bad, manpower powered roof lift frame doesn't go bad, who needs a stinking skylight vent, and hell T4 thermostats, well, um, err, let's not talk about those.
 
1.9 Waterboxer injection is cursed by grounding issues, 2.1's are cursed by ECUs with cold solder joints, D-jet was well, just a bit too complex for its day, yet the air cooled bay and Vanagon L-jet soldiers on.  Clean up all the connections on your harness and repair any heat damaged wires, and it will run when it is 50 years old.
 
I am right now sorely tempted by a '96 Rialta for sale for $3500 up here in AK, engine died overheated because the Winnebago side of the conversion sprung a coolant leak in the ridiculous unplated, unpainted (and of course NLA) mild steel piping they ran back to a rear heater and coolant/domestic hot water, water heater (itself not a great idea IMHO when running ethylene glycol.)  Had Winnebago just ran coolant hose all the way, it would still be fine.  I am of course the only one in AK that happens to have a low mile EVC 5 cylinder mill sitting in my garage gathering dust, but the thought scares me because even if I got a better deal than it already is, and having the engine at hand, I could easily be $2000 into the fuel and cooling system, and who knows what else.  So although it kills me I'm letting it pass.  Plus the layout is dismal, seats 3 driving, but sleeps only 2 in separate twin beds.  I guess just the thing if you are living in the
 1950's without a kid...
 
Anyway, if weather isn't torrential downpour, we'll take the '77 out this weekend, for last weekend of the summer.  I'll check the tires, top off the tank, fill the water tank, and I'm sure drive it several hundred uneventful miles even though the fuel lines are 8-9 years old at this point, as are the tires (oh my, oh me.)  Although we've only had it out once at the beginning of what was a busy working summer I'm sure it will start, run, go wherever we decide, with a canoe strapped on the roof, with no complaint.  Just like it always does.
 
I'll lazily put off doing the fuel ring one more year, and think about restoring the A/C to operation again, eyeing Ron's Sanden compressor conversion mount, since we may end up back down in the 48 next year.  I will finally install the retractor front belts my wife bought from BD last Christmas as somehow the drivers side fixed belt seemed to have shrunk terribly, so I had to install it as a 3 point for the 6yo in the back, and my cobbled together Vanagon retractor system didn't look so nice even if it was dirt cheap.  Seems like the rearward adjustment on the drivers seat has gone to hell, and the steering wheel has gotten larger as well, I might have to look into those issues as well.
 
Anyway have fun all.  L-jet forever.
 
John