Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2000 21:51:18 EST
Reply-To: KENWILFY@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: KENWILFY@AOL.COM
Subject: Re: MPG and HEADS
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
In a message dated 1/24/00 6:34:09 PM Eastern Standard Time, andys@ECE.UBC.CA
writes:
<< 1)I have an 84 KOMBI camper conversion (nicely done) with 110K
original MILES. I am aware that the head gaskets will eventually fail
sometime in the nearish future. I have put on 10K MILES with not drop
in coolant level. What I want to know is:
a) what are the first signs of leakage
b) how much time after the first signs until van is not driveable
c) If heads are $400 and gaskets etc are $100 why does everyone make it
out to be such an expensive troublesome repair. I feel I may be missing
something important.>>
Mainly folks are afraid of doing something they have never done before. It
is usually not that big of a deal. Occasionally you will run into a head
replacement "nightmare" where you will break a head stud and these stories
scare alot of people into not attempting the head replacement themselves or
nursing their vans along for several more years by using "Bar's Leak" etc as
a temporary fix.
Get a manual, understand what you are getting into, get some good tools, and
go for it! If you need help, that's what the List is here for.
2) I can't find mileage specifications anywhere for my 1.9 wasserboxer.
Using 1gal = 3.78Liters my mileage appears to be around 18-19mpg on the
highway @65-70mph. I feel this may be slightly low but then again I really
have no idea. My compression is 144psi across the board and passes the
full power emissions test with flying colours. But it fails the idle
emmisions test
because it idles slightly rich. Any tune up tips or am I worrying about
nothing? >> Your mpg figure is pretty much on the money for your van. As
far as your rich idle goes, I would check your idle switch on the throttle
body. Be sure it is there and working/adjusted properly. What do you mean
there isn't any? There is your problem!
Seriously, I don't know how many times folks have called me with a similar
problem. It seems that alot of mechanics felt that 1.9l Vanagons just didn't
need throttle position switches as they have been removed or monkeyed with on
most of the vans I have worked on. These switches tell the computer that the
van is at idle or at full throttle and must be working for the injection
system to work properly.
Sorry for the minor rant. Hope this helps.
Thanks,
Ken Wilford
http://www.vanagain.com
John 3:16
Office (856)-765-1583
Shop (856)-327-0027
Fax (856)-327-2242
