Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2000 16:47:06 -0500
Reply-To: Bulley <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Bulley <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
Subject: Re: Poor MPG, '81 Westy -- Injector Problems?
Lee wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Reading Malcom Stebbins' MPG survey confirms what I've thought for a long
time: my '81 Westy is getting poor gas mileage.
I have about 2,000 miles on a rebuilt engine and the builder (local German
car garage in Menlo Park) can find no problems which might cause poor fuel
mileage. Also, it tends to overheat. (I posted yesterday about the radiator
behind the front fresh-air intake actually being an oil cooler. I really DO
need that cooler, even on a fresh engine.)
I'm wondering if my fuel injectors might be clogged or something. Would
this cause poor fuel economy *and* overheating?
Opinions? How to fix?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
A motor that runs too hot gets poor mileage, as the heads get hotter, the
motor is less efficient, and you push it harder to do the same work. Per
haps your problem is the "hot", and the fuel is a symptom?
A lot of things can cause the 2.0 to run hot.
The first among them: did they ruin your cooling system during the rebuild?
Did they remove your thermostat flaps in the main cooling cavity? MANY
well-intentioned, but stupid "german" garages will remove these, thinking
the motor will "get more air". In effect, they are taking away your
motor-mounted oil cooler when they do this. Make sure ALL of your tin is in
place, including the warm-air guides under your push-rod tubes, that the
heat shield under the fan/above the muffler is in place, that they put in a
new thermostat, and put the flaps in, and that the foam seal around the
circumference of the tin is in place, and in good condition.
Second, make sure your dwell angle and timing are dead-nuts on spec.
Deviations can cause overtemp.
Third, make sure your EGR system is fully operational, and clear as a bell.
It plays a role in keeping #3 and #1 cool by lowering the temp of
combustion. It doesn't really affect mileage, though.
Fourth, make sure "unrelated" things are correct: Air filter clean, correct
tires (6 or 8 ply load range C or D), proper inflation of tires, brakes NOT
dragging, Alignment correct, not too much junk in your van.
I suspect that if your van wasn't overheating before, but is now, the
culprit lies back in the "garage" where you had the work done. Let us know
what you find.
G. Matthew Bulley
Bulley-Hewlett
Corporate Communications Counselors
www.bulley-hewlett.com
Cary, NC USA
888.468.4880 tollfree
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herein and herein contained, et cetera, et cetera . . . fax mentis
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