Some useful technical hints and tips for the Cali from Holland.

[panadero]

Part 4


Theft

All T5 vans are vulnarable to theft by manipulating the OBD computer port under the dashboard. With smart software thieves connect to these ports and bypass the immobilizer and just drive away in minutes. In the Netherlands some camper insurance companies demand the installation of a OBD lock (like the Bearlock for the gears). This means another key again on your key bunch...

The electrical connector of the towbar is just as vulnarable to this OBD-manipulation. No solution yet.

The Bearlock is also vulnarable to thieves using an angle grinder, though this takes a lot of time and makes quiet some noise.

Just got this OBD lock installed, here's a picture.


Beside this they installed some kind of small steel plate over the upper part of the DSG gearbox (under the hood).Thieves did pull off the cable from it and put the box manually in D (to bypass the gearbox-lock at the dashboard). Not possible anymore....

 

[Hotel California]

Just got this OBD lock installed, here's a picture.
View attachment 31526

Beside this they installed some kind of small steel plate over the upper part of the DSG gearbox (under the hood).Thieves did pull off the cable from it and put the box manually in D (to bypass the gearbox-lock at the dashboard). Not possible anymore....

I was wondering , you guys in Holland need to have this done by dealer with certificate on demand from the incurance compagny , but can one just buy this ODB lock and place it yourself?

 

[panadero]

I was wondering , you guys in Holland need to have this done by dealer with certificate on demand from the incurance compagny , but can one just buy this ODB lock and place it yourself?

The OBD lock is made by "Construct", see their website for more information: https://www.constructsloten.nl/obdlock/

Placing by yourself looks easy.
After some googling I found out you can order a lock here: https://www.campersalon.nl/construct-obd-lock.html

 

[Hotel California]

Bring to Gloucester?

You can see here one of the gadgets i got myself...
https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/portable-shower.23806/

 

[ejmoore]

Thanks for all this great information

Just one point - when cleaning out the 'grease mud' at the bottom of the waste water tank, are you sure it's bicarbonate of soda? or might it be washing soda, a more usual grease-remover?

 

[Baldrick]

Hi, thank you for your most informative post Marc. I’ve searched extensively online for the Silver Sponge you mentioned, unfortunately without success and wonder whether you could advise where to buy them?
Thanks also for a most informative forum all
Tony & Pen

 

[Sonas]

Part 4

View attachment 31448 Experimental bag, it fits into the place of the chairs in the back, without the chairs of course.


Sleeping:

Upstairs the bed will hold a maximum of 250 kilogram, two persons spreaded left and right (avoid point-loading at one spot…)

The bed downstairs is more easily moved to the front if you sit in the middle of the couch and “walk” the bench forwards.


Next generation Cali:

There wil not be a new Cali in the coming three years, according to our dealer. Maybe in 2019 an update of the T6 will appear, with cosmetical changes.

In 2020 or later a new Cali will certainly still be a diesel van. Advice from the dealer: don’t panic about the diesel scandal, do not sell your Cali too hastily. Though extra taxes on diesel vans will vary country to country.

VW is working on an additive liquid that solves the problem of biodiesel soot, but governments have not approved this technique until now. Mixing biodiesel will therefore still stay obliged by law.


Unsorted:

TIP: Stop the mirror heating, to save fuel.

TIP: do not use a fire extinguisher with powder, these are less reliable in the long run. Instead use foam extinguishers. These suffocate flames. Also, these can be reused even after you sprayed them half empty.

TIP: you can clean the fabric of the seats with carpet cleaner. Do not forget to re-impragnate the textile afterwards, otherwise the slightest drop of water leaves big discolored marks.

TIP: you recognize a blown fuse at its black spot.

TIP: during periods of not using the van (months rather than weeks), it’s best to inflate the tyres to at least 4 bar, to prevent them misforming. Also, do not use floor heating in your garage, this weakens the tyres.

Although for many of us these hints are known territory, maybe the information is helpful for new Cali enthousiasts.


Regards from Amsterdam,

Marc.

The max upstairs load is not 250k as stated above in the sleeping section, but it is 150k maximum. How can they say that? its completely wrong advice ??.

 

[CampervanTime]

How do you know it's 150kg? If it's from the manual then it may be a misprint or overly cautious.

After visiting CamperCentrum I'd trust them more than VW. They are an incredible dealer and literally know everything about the Cali.

 

[Amarillo]

How do you know it's 150kg? If it's from the manual then it may be a misprint or overly cautious.

After visiting CamperCentrum I'd trust them more than VW. They are an incredible dealer and literally know everything about the Cali.

I think someone wrote to VW and asked them. The answer came back at 150Kg. But maybe the person replying took their information from a misprint in the manual...


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

 

[Skewif]

Just curious but what’s the evidence it’s a misprint?

 

[Amarillo]

Just curious but what’s the evidence it’s a misprint?

No evidence - just a possibility or suspicion.

150 Kg for a couple is nearly the average weight of a German couple, so if that is the limit for the upper berth, VW are excluding it as being appropriate bed for two people for very nearly half the German population.


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

 

[Sonas]

How do you know it's 150kg? If it's from the manual then it may be a misprint or overly cautious.

After visiting CamperCentrum I'd trust them more than VW. They are an incredible dealer and literally know everything about the Cali.

As Amarilo said VW replied to an enquiry which stated 150k is the limit. There is a thread here about it. I would definitely not put a 250k load up there. Im sure the dealer is great and the info I have read from your visit look like good advice, but I still would question the upper bed limit. When my wife and daughter sleep up there you can see the ceiling bend when they turn around , and that amounts to 130k. I couldn't imagine 250 up there.

 

[Eber123]

Good morning,

Based on a different discussion recently I contacted VW Commercial Vehicle in Hannover, to find out what the weight limit on the upper berth officially is.

I got a reply from VW Commercial Vehicles in Hannover on the 25/04/2018 that the maximum load for the upper berth is 150 kg. That is what the upper berth was designed for.

If it will cope with more weight is a different thing, which everybody needs to find out for themselves. But if something happened during the warranty time I don't believe that VW will entertain any cases if the maximum weight exceeded.

Personally I think this is a bad design from VW. It is a bit of a sensitive issue, but I believe that a high percentage of VW camper couples will be over that limit (certainly my wife and I are over the limit, which is mainly because of me, I am hasty to say ).

Regards,
Eberhard

 

[Sonas]

Good morning,

Based on a different discussion recently I contacted VW Commercial Vehicle in Hannover, to find out what the weight limit on the upper berth officially is.

I got a reply from VW Commercial Vehicles in Hannover on the 25/04/2018 that the maximum load for the upper berth is 150 kg. That is what the upper berth was designed for.

If it will cope with more weight is a different thing, which everybody needs to find out for themselves. But if something happened during the warranty time I don't believe that VW will entertain any cases if the maximum weight exceeded.

Personally I think this is a bad design from VW. It is a bit of a sensitive issue, but I believe that a high percentage of VW camper couples will be over that limit (certainly my wife and I are over the limit, which is mainly because of me, I am hasty to say ).

Regards,
Eberhard

Thank you for confirming.

 

[Bellcrew]

As Amarilo said VW replied to an enquiry which stated 150k is the limit. There is a thread here about it. I would definitely not put a 250k load up there. Im sure the dealer is great and the info I have read from your visit look like good advice, but I still would question the upper bed limit. When my wife and daughter sleep up there you can see the ceiling bend when they turn around , and that amounts to 130k. I couldn't imagine 250 up there.

Whilst the safe working load is listed as 150 kg the manufacturer would have to allow a factor of safety to cope with predictable overloads/"brisk movement" etc. Failure at anything under 200 kg would be an indication of poor design.

 

[stephen watson]

"brisk movement"
Ah I wish. Personally I've found that as I get older and my weight increases any kind of movement is a bonus..

 

[Velma's Dad]

150 Kg for a couple is nearly the average weight of a German couple, so if that is the limit for the upper berth, VW are excluding it as being appropriate bed for two people for very nearly half the German population.

No, no, back to school for you Amarillo. You've forgotten your stats lessons.

Assuming by 'average' you're referring to the statistical mean, it's very unlikely that half of Mr and Mrs Germans are heavier than that. We can assume that the weight distribution will be skewed by a small number of very heavy couples, so that the mean is higher than the median and considerably fewer than 50% of couples will be heavier than the mean.

 

[Skewif]

Thank you all for the detailed reply’s. As with most load ratings I would expect at the very least a +50% safety margin before failure. Has anyone ever broken the top bed?

 

[stephen watson]

Slightly intrigued Tom by your knowledge of the weight of an average German. I was wondering if this was based on empirical evidence and perhaps you have been weighing people as you travel around Europe? If so publish the results please!

 

[CYCLOPATH]

Great stuff

I’ve read most of it on this B.B. but very useful for those who haven’t.

Edit: Very reassuring on many issues. Theme comes through to use it or lose it and give it a good blast. Mine being a DSG gets an occasional drive in manual to hold the gear and up the revs.

Mike

I pop it into sport, and overtake something....my 180 day is surprisingly nippy (and fun), especially when not loaded up

 

[Baldrick]

Hi, thank you for your most informative post Marc. I’ve searched extensively online for the Silver Sponge you mentioned, unfortunately without success and wonder whether you could advise where to buy them?
Thanks also for a most informative forum all
Tony & Pen

If anyone else is searching for this, in the UK believe it's sold as an 'Aquaroll Filter'

 

[AlanC]

If anyone else is searching for this, in the UK believe it's sold as an 'Aquaroll Filter'

If you use this, how do you get it out of the fresh water tank at the end of the season?

Alan

 

[AlanC]

Just answered my own question I think.
Can you find it by opening the pump panel inside the wardrobe?

Alan