Date: Mon, 4 Apr 2011 17:08:38 -0400
Reply-To: pat <psdooley@VERIZON.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: pat <psdooley@VERIZON.NET>
Subject: Re: back on the road
In-Reply-To: <4D9A233D.9070302@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
I can fully attest to this and going thru the pain right now.
It was in a Metro, not a Vanagon, but same difference.
The old fuel gummed up the valve guides and hung an exhaust valve.
The fix involves pulling and full disassembly of the head.
I never heard of this happening before, but with my problem and now this one
documented I would say be very careful.
We keep hearing about fuel quality taking a nosedive and this surely
supports it. The gas in the Metro was 1 year old.
_____
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
zzyzx
Sent: Monday, April 04, 2011 4:00 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: back on the road
Hello David,
I have recently learned my lesson on old residual fuel.
If the fuel tank has an aroma of lacquer I am now very cautious.
My short story;
Bought an air cooled Westy that sat for 5 years with 7-8 gals. in the
fuel tank in need engine rebuild.
Mains, rods, cam bearings & heads were done and reinstalled. Beautiful
when they're finished aren't they?
Drained the tank of residual fuel that would drain with tank in situ.
Regrettably that leaves about 1-3 gals
in the tank depending on how many dents are in it. Added 2.5 gals of
fresh fuel to tank.
I like to take 15 minutes after installing to reflect, Asking myself
...is there any thing I've missed?
No...lets spool it up. Vrooom Vrooom.....sounded beautiful after lifters
pumped up. Ran it for about 5 min.
After throwing back a beer on that hot summer day in the desert I decide
to listen to the music
of the fresh flat four again. Crank crank crank but the orchestra
doesn't come to life. In fact it would
barely crank over at all, kinda like a dying battery. Ba Hum Bug, I
figured I'll get at it tomorrow.
The next morning it would not crank at all!!!
I diagnose this, that & the other thing...blah.blah blah... but still no
chuckles.
Long story short....
During that fateful 5 min.of run time there was enough highly
concentrated varnish/fuel cycled through the engine
to build up on the valve stems to seize them in the guides after cooling.
No solvent in the shop would come close to loosening the valves. Heads
required removal & valves had to be pressed out.
So if you can't drop the tank and drain it all out follow the advice of
so many of the other fine
members you once again will be pleasured to associate with..
My two cents in concert with the other suggestions...dilute it enough
and run it long enough.
Welcome back David,
Steve
BTW anyone on the list get the 1981 Adventurewagen in Lodi for a $100?
I was too late, said he committed to another...
http://stockton.craigslist.org/cto/2303610295.html
Higginbotham, David A. wrote:
> Volks,
>
> It has been several years since I lurked on the list and unfortunately it
has also been several years since I cranked my van. It has been sheltered
since 2006 and nothing special was done to it when it went in the shelter.
It has simply been sitting. To quote a Doc Watson tune, "life gets tedious
sometimes". So.... Other than the obvious battery charge/replace, what would
you folks advise I do to the thing before I try to crank it, if anything? It
is an 82 aircooled, stock, no engine mods.
>
> Thanks,
> David Higginbotham
> 82 Westfalia
> Silk Hope, NC
>
>
_____
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