Date:         Mon, 18 Mar 96 23:57:48 EST
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Sean Bartnik <sbart7kb@www.mwc.edu>
Subject:      EGR question

Hey all,
I think I figured something out today.  On my '78 bus, I have discovered
that the EGR system appears to be disconnected.  The part of it inside
the engine compartment is still intact but the part where it connects to
the exhaust pipe on the driver's side just in front (FIF) of the muffler
is non-existent.  The hole on that part of the exhaust pipe has been
crimped shut.  Apparently someone has removed this.  I haven't had a
chance to see yet if the opening in the EGR feed pipe has been blocked,
but looking at the intake air sensor, the plastic cap over the mixture
adjustment screw has been opened and apparently the mixture has been
adjusted to compensate for the lack of EGR.  It doesn't seem to be
running rich and I didn't notice any signs of lean burning on the plugs
when I last changed them.  What I wanna know is, is it worth finding the
parts and re-hooking it up or should I just leave it?  My car is
registered in Tennessee and TN does not have vehicle or emissions
inspection.  However, being an environmentally conscious fellow, I'd
like to have my bus running as clean as possible.  But if it costs too
much to fix, then I would be willing to run a little dirtier (ah, the
wonder of economics in action).  Any ideas?

Another interesting question (to me, anyway):  Looking on top my my
heater boxes, on each one there is a round pipe.  The rear of each pipe
is curved upward slightly and is open at the end.  The front of each
pipe is also curved slightly upward and is open, but looking up in front
of each pipe I can see a hole where one of those VW paper hoses is
supposed to connect to the pipe.  There is one on each side.  I've never
seen anything like this before.  The places that these pipes are
supposed to connect to lead into the two short hoses that carry heat
from the engine to the main heater tube under the bus.  There's a hose
from the heat exchanger going to a metal connector and then to the short
fat hoses.  This metal connector also has a receptacle for the hoses
from these pipes.  Could these pipes be extra heat air intakes?  I
wouldn't think they would be because they are open at the rear of the
van, near the exhaust pipe.  What else could they be?  Does anyone else
have anything like this on their bus?  I don't get it.

any ideas & suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks,
Sean