Progress is Made

So, it's Wednesday, and we've moved ahead on removing the old engine.  Step one:  drain the coolant.  Bostig's video shows them enthusiatically vacuuming out the coolant with a shop vac.  I have a shop vac, but I also have a shop - a wood shop, and I suspected that using my wet-dry vac on coolant would at least cost me a filter, and maybe leave enough residue in the vac and hose to render it useless for vacuuming sawdust.  So, I decided on an alternative:

I placed a cheap sprayer tank between the vac and the coolant, using a vinyl hose to suck the coolant into the sprayer tank, before it got to the vac.  As you can see, this three-gallon sprayer is almost full.  The Vanagon holds LOTS of coolant, and I know I didn't get it all.  To do that, I would need to open drain plugs on the cylinder heads.  They're covered by shrouds that are held by bolts that are rusted thoroughly in place, so I'm going to have to live with spilled coolant before this is done.  Not much, though.

Before I started anything, I had to disconnect the battery.  Simple job - just remove the grounding strap. The battery is easily accessible under the passenger seat.  BUT:

 Well, what's the radio doing there?

The Heidelberg radio was considered so valuable (by its manufacturer) that it was made with a locking function that takes hold if the radio is disconnected for more than a few minutes.  To remove the lock, you enter a security code that is provided with your vehicle.  However, we've long lost the code.  VW says they no longer have it on file (I checked).  There is at least one website that claims it will provide the code for $25, but I see that as a last resort.  What you see above is the radio, removed, and attached directly to the battery, so that it believes that it's not stolen and won't engage its lock.  Glad I'm smarter than the radio.

Here's a lineup of removed component parts as of today (not including the *&^$* new alternator):

I'm not sure what to do with the A/C compressor (at right).  I think it's probably worthless.  The other stuff may be eBay-able.

Finally, a shot of the engine minus its accessories, and with a lot of stuff disconnected:

It's pretty messy-looking, isn't it?  You wouldn't believe how many hoses and clamps are in this vehicle.

More action tomorrow (thurs) afternoon.