Date:         Tue, 25 Jul 2000 07:56:51 -0400
Reply-To:     pokeswagon@blazenet.net
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "(Donna Cassano)" <pokeswagon@blazenet.net>
Subject:      Feeling a little sluggish
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Hello List,

Pepe ('84 Westy) has been experiencing a little sluggishness and
hesitation when cold. She starts just fine, but unless I keep revving
her, she'll stall. And at stop lights I have to do a lot of "three
footing". This is where you wish you had three feet 'cause you gotta be
on all three pedals at the same time in order to keep the thing running.
This goes on for about 5 minutes, although it feels like longer,
especially when on a hill at a stop light with Mr./Ms. Rude stuck to my
bumper. Other than this sluggishness/hesitation, she does pretty fine
and I've been averaging 18-20 mpg both city and highway. Although I have
to do a fair amount of down shifting on hills both in the city and
highway, but I figure that's just a Vanagon for 'ya.

Here's a list of what I have done or had done in the last month and a
half since I've been experiencing these symptoms.

NEW : distributor, rotor, plugs and wires, air filter, fuel filter, O2
sensor, oil and filter, AutoBahn coolant, air intake boot.
I also reconnected some vacuum hoses that had been capped off for
reasons unknown. This neither helped nor hurt the situation as best as I
can tell.

I just put the intake boot on yesterday, so it's too soon to tell if
it's helped. We ran it 'till warmed up in the garage listening to a
slight mis-fire (I'll be posting questions on this in a latter message -
unless you think that this is part of the problem ? ).

What else can I look into/do to give Pepe her PEP back? How about
timing? I know this sounds stupid, but I didn't do that. Got a timing
light, but don't know how to use the thing. Sure looks nice sitting in
my cabinet though. ; ) Any suggestions?

Sincere thanks in advance.
Peace - donna
'84 Westy (Pepe)