Broken Axle Beam

Our skyblue Beetle, side-by-side with a Yellow Super Beetle, at Arañas Volkswagen Auto Services (AVAS) that specializes in ACV Beetles and its siblings. Specialize means that they are equipped with tools for volkswagen repair which I don't see with other automotive shops. The shop is located along Diversion Road (Davao City). For Davao beetle owners, this shop is located after Laverna Hills Subdivision (from south).

This is my second time to have my beetle repaired here. The first time was more of carburetor cleaning and timing adjustment. I had to go back to the shop after my front left tire rubbed to the fender. The culprit was the broken axle beam. Though our subdivision road is crazily bumpy, I could not attribute the break to it (sorry I failed to get a pic of the axle because my cell was already lowbat when the axle was dismantled). We found out that it was actually a repaired or welded axle beam and as poorly done it would not meant to endure. We acquired the beetle about 5 years ago when we had only but poor idea or little information about this car. For being naive then, we paid for it now.

Replacing the axle beam cost us our savings. I would like to cry hearing the cost of the repair :-) with a smile. The new axle beam, I asked the local store, cost around Php8,000.00. Add to that the cost of bearings. In short, I had to settle for the secondhand axle beam (packed with bearings already) I got from the shop here at Php7,000.00 inclusive of labor and other two repairs (handbrake and rear bumper). What can I do? I had to do the project or else I could not use the beetle as our regular driver. That's pretty cheaper anyway I convinced myself. In one day, the beetle's repair was done.

About Condensers

One of the replacements I had on my beetle these recent days were the condensers. And so I made this initial evaluation. Before the replacement, I used to equip my beetle with a Brazil-made condenser which I bought at Php100 or near to it (I forget) from local store. Then I changed heart for Mitsubishi condenser which is smaller (see the first pic here) compared to the Brazil condenser. My evaluation with the Mitsubishi condenser is that it could not surpass the performance of the Brazil-made condenser. Anyway, while trying to look for other brand of condenser, I settled for the Mits.

Then I saw the German-made condenser. A new friend whom I met at the shop (he too owns an ACV Beetle) recommended it to me. The German condenser (Bosch), which is bigger, is Php380 from the local autopart supply. This is a lot more expensive than the Mitsubishi condenser.

So, with the decision I made, replacing my second choice condenser, I am obliged to put in record this initial observation on its performance. This morning, I drove my beetle to school for a last-minute enrollment of my kids. (The school is about 6 kilometers from home). This is the first time that I ran my beetle with the new German condenser. Unfortunately, when we went home, about 50 meters from home, the beetle's engine hesitated thrice. I sensed that the culprit were the contact points. I was already three flights from our home when my beetle finally died and I could no longer bring it to life. So I had to check the contact points and I saw the the problem - the loose contact due to the mound that developed on the points. Of course, cleaning them revived the beetle. Could it be that German-made condenser was fake? I don't know. The fact that I bought it was that I have trust in the product.

I wanted to suspect that there could be other reasons for this problem. I was thinking about the ignition coil going so hot. The small mound was tolerable, I just thought. Just maybe. An electrician friend already advised me to put it where it can be spared from so much heat that the power plant generates. The thing is that I never experienced this even when I ran the beetle in 180 plus kilometers with the first condenser I had. With the second condenser, I experienced the problem in about 30-kilometer run. My decision now is to go back to a Brazil-made condenser.

This afternoon, I went downtown to look for the Brazil-made condenser only to find out that stocks were not available. Next time, maybe. Momentarily, I will reattach the Mitsubishi condenser to help out the German-made condenser carry the ignition spark and see if this will improve the beetle's running performance.

(The above discussion hinged on my first impression that the culprit was the condenser. Early this evening (June 4) while going home, we experienced the same problem - the beetle quit. I tried to clean the points again and the beetle ran for few flights and died down. I decided to remove the German condenser and put back the other condenser and the beetle ran for another flights. Along this time, I never checked my fuel line. The third time the beetle died, I checked the fuel line to find out that it was clogged. I thought this was the cause of the problem and not the condenser. (At any rate, I am not closing the possibility that I bought a defective product.) I cleaned it and succeeded in bringing the beetle to life again.)

Reintalling Handbrake

I was a little bit adventurous when I had my beetle repaired by a mechanic who has little knowledge about AC Volkswagen. One sin that I did. But I had no choice, the volkswagen shop that I knew before was a "wise guy" who charged me excessively. Another sin was when I went away for a meeting and let them work to adjust the brake. They could not make it right until I went back and told them that the way to bleeding process. It shouldstart from the rear right drum, rear left drum, front right drum and the last, front left drum, and not the other way around. With the instruction, they had made it right.

For road safety, I decided to put back the handbrake of my beetle. Good thing that parts were available from local stores so I had it reinstalled. Unfortunately, the clip that would supposedly hold together the lever and spring was not available. Anyway, the handbrake is working good (see the lever with no boot yet).

Waka's Moments

Our beetle in a parking lot of our favorite gasoline station here in Panacan. The gasoline station located at the junction of Panacan - Sasa route and Panacan - Buhangin route is accommodating when it comes to allowing us to park in their spacious parking lot. In return, I see to it that I refuel and buy lubricants only from them.

Our beetle needs thorough restoration works. Momentarily, it is serving our transport needs especially during Thursday and Sunday worship services at a locale INC in Panacan.

My Bug Slides to the Canal

One rainy Friday night last April, I was backing when the slippery road surface in our new subdivision pushed my bug to the canal. Since I couldn't find for help that rainy night, I decided to leave the beetle overnight. With the help of two neighbors and my wife who participated in the rescue mission the following morning (I failed to get photos of the action since I was part of the action), we were able to take the beetle from such situation by combining our powers moving it from the canal (the beetle is less than 1 ton).

City Safari

Long Live, the Beetles! LOL. I took these shots while roaming around the downtown area of Davao City. At least this goes to show that there is still a good market base for air cooled volkswagen's spareparts and accessories in the city.

Nice Fuse Box Idea

Volkswagen Tube sent me this very nice idea on how to weather proof the fuse of the air cooled beetle. With the custom box, the messy wiring has finally gone. :-). See the video.

The Contrast

Look at the contrast of these two eye-catching bugs I found in Davao City. The first bug was obviously a newly-revived one and is apparently needing new body paint. I saw this 1500 bug being parked in one hardware in the city selling volkswagen parts.

The second bug I found being parked in the old building of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) was simply eye-catching with its shiny red body.

Bug Cockpit

This is my bug's cockpit. I plan to replace the steering wheel with a jazzy brand but I decided to postpone it until I will have its body repaired in local caza.

Backfire

With weary fuel pump, the engine would experience fuel starvation stalling the car. I experienced that and it took me too long to realize that I needed to replace my fuel pump. I inspected the original fuel pump which I think will still perform if its weak spring is replaced. Anyway, I decided to keep the old fuel pump for future use.

I noticed recently that the engine of my bug backfires when I revved it. Backfires can be caused by worn-out sparkplug, poor timing, high tension wire connection. I checked my tension wires whether they were properly connected and rechecked the timing. The backfiring's gone.