Date: Sun, 3 Oct 2004 09:15:31 -0700
Reply-To: Larry Chase <roadguy@ROADHAUS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Larry Chase <roadguy@ROADHAUS.COM>
Subject: Re: [VWVANFULLTIMERS] Help wanted!!!! here we go again - power
problems in Custer, SD
In-Reply-To: <E1CE7Bc-0006qo-00@smtp01.mrf.mail.rcn.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Joy,
I'm sure you will get lots of good advise ..... from our more
experienced troubleshooters.
But for what's it worth ....
My 1 cent opinion ... I'd suspect water in the gas.
I'd get to a garage (most any will do)
First have them check for the obvious .... sparkplug wire lose and such.
If they find nothing,
Have the gas tank tank and fuel lines drained.
Refill with a good quality High Test gas and a can or two of Chevron
Techron or similar product, added.
Then have them run the engine for a while and see if that fixes the
problem.
Please keep us posted.
job, job, I need a stinking job!
Larry Chase
Email: RoadGuy@RoadHaus.com
Web:
<file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/RoadHaus/Application%20Data/Micro
soft/Signatures/WWW.RoadHaus.com> WWW.RoadHaus.com
What: North American Road Trip
How: RoadHaus - 1990 White VW Westfalia Syncro
Today: at an undisclosed location in Arizona
-----Original Message-----
From: Joy Hecht [mailto:jhecht@alum.mit.edu]
Sent: Sunday, October 03, 2004 7:18 AM
To: VWVANFULLTIMERS@yahoogroups.com; vanagon@GERRY. VANAGON. COM
Cc: Westyman
Subject: [VWVANFULLTIMERS] Help wanted!!!! here we go again - power
problems in Custer, SD
Matilda has been just fine after following Jim Fritz's instructions to
clean
out the little screen in my fuel pump.
Till this morning. I headed out of my campsite (down a dirt road, very
quiet and peaceful and free) and headed up the hill into Custer. I had
no
power. Well, almost none. First it got up to around 35 or 40 but was
hesitating and jumping, and the coolant light was on, though the engine
was
cold. I stopped, turned the engine off, waited a bit, turned it on
again,
and tried again. Now it wouldn't get above 2000 rpm or around 25 mph.
I
made it to the top of the hill (pretty steep) and pulled over, where I
am
now making coffee and waiting for the engine to cool down enough that I
can
check the coolant.
I don't think it's a coolant problem, though.
I have filled the tank a few times with the mix of regular fuel and
ethanol
that they sell here. Gas mileage went down, and I stopped buying it.
Could
that have messed something up? Now I have regular gas in the tank.
So, suggestions?
1. VW mechanics anywhere near Custer, SD? Ah, I see from Larry's site
that
the famous Rocky who helped Frank Condelli's' friend to is in Rapid
City.
Yippee! Even within AAA towing range! I already spent two days in
Rapid
City, it's an okay place to be stuck for a bit. Whew. Though I sure
would
like to make it to the buffalo roundup in Custer State Park tomorrow.
:-)
Anyone going to it?
2. What might cause it to suddenly lose power that dramatically? My
previous power problems came on quite gradually and weren't so dramatic.
Oh, and for those who have been following any of my sagas - I did manage
to
fix my windshield wiper when it went kaflooie in the middle of the storm
(thank you, Tom Shiels, who showed me how a month ago in Ontario!) and
to
finish repairing and hooking up my water tank (thank you, Frank
Condelli,
who diagnosed the problem six months ago at Everybus). Maybe I'm
educable,
slightly?
I'd be glad of any thoughts on what would cause such a sudden loss of
power!
And if Matilda doesn't magically repair herself this morning, I guess
I'll
be getting towed to Rocky in Rapid City.
Joy
p.s. Karl, are you actually anywhere in this area - like Colorado? (I
know, that's not exactly close!) I'd love to have you take a look at my
van
and see what you can see, if we end up anywhere near the same place at
the
same time. Though at the moment I may not even be leaving Custer, SD,
so
that might not work at all. But you keep telling me I need to have a
reliable mechanic look it all over, and you are the most reliable
mechanic I
know.
****************************************************************
Joy Hecht
and Matilda, 1989 Burgundy Vanagon
For musings about life and the vanadventures:
http://users.rcn.com/jhecht/gypsy
****************************************************************
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