Hello Volks, Lately, I've started smelling gasoline while driving my 2.1L 1990 GL. Alarmed, I immediately checked for any gas spilage or moisture under the van (looking for the dreaded fuel hoses failures I've heard so much about on this list) but found no sign of it. I also noticed that the Vanagon is not pulling as usual (top speed of 75mph instead of the usual 88mph...:-), vibrating more in idle and taking more time to stabilize in idle after cranking. My conclusion: one (or more) of the cylinders is not firing, resulting in reduced power, uneven running and unburned gas smell. Occasionaly, I feel minute power surges suggesting that the faulting cylinder/s do/es fire sometimes. I checked the ignition cables but all were fit well. I took them off the spark plugs and all seemed clean except for one which was a bit oily inside (suggesting spark discharges over the oily path instead of normal ignition inside the cylinder). I cleaned it with fuel but to no avail. So I think one of the plugs is dirty INSIDE (I wonder how it got dirty in the first place: not tightened properly or the gasket failed?). Before I start removing the plugs (I'd prefer to avoid this if possible, because I once shreaded the threads on one of my motorbikes plugs...:-( ), can anyone point me to a debug procedure (in the Bentley or Haynes manuals) to find out which cylinder is not firing externally (e.g. if it's an external ignition cable or distributor problem). I tried to improvise an "ignition voltage sensor" by putting a Neon bulb next to the spark plug ignition cables (at the end of a large stick of course...:-), with no results. I know it's probably a dirty spark plug, but this factory overhauled motor has only 40K on it's clock and it's been serviced regularily, so there should be no reason for one spark plug getting dirty suddenly (unless it's a sudden oil seal failure...:-( Here's an idea: has anyone found a dirty spark plug just by measuring resistance from tip to ground (without removing the plug)? Last question: does anyone really put the anti-seazure copper compound on the spark plugs threads before installing them (as recommended in the Haynes manual) or is this just for "pharmaceutical" mechanics?... Cheers, T-man ____________________________________________________________________ Get free email and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=1 |
Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of
Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection
will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!
Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com
The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.
Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.