Date:         Fri, 5 Jan 2001 09:38:00 -0800
Reply-To:     Donna Stewart <DStewart@CHRM.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Donna Stewart <DStewart@CHRM.COM>
Subject:      1982 Diesel Trip Report - Reno, NV
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Since there seems to be Diesel comments on the list for the last few days it dawned on me that I should tell everybody about my trip to Reno, Nevada in my 82 Diesel last week.  I had to finally have the injector pump rebuilt (expensive!) and we decided to try it out (and visit my favorite junkyard in Reno to find more later model blue seats for my brown van).  Took I-5 north to Sacramento, CA  then picked up I-80 to head over the Sierra Nevada.  Now those of you who have non-turbo Diesel Vanagons and know about crossing the Sierras can imagine how slow my trip was.  Yet in a weird, funky way it's fun.  18-wheelers regularly passed me even on the steepest grades.  Unfortunately when I got to the junkyard in Reno (first stop) I discovered my injector pump was still leaking.  Also smoked way too much on the grades; I've driven it to Reno 3 other times and nowhere near the smoke I had on this trip.  Turned out to be a slight adjustment in timing.  Couldn't do anything about the fuel leak - we did tighten one or two things a bit.  Didn't find any more blue seats, so I have a blue-bed back seat and rest of the seats are brown "leatherette."  Considered getting Audi wheels for it.  Did 29mpg for the whole round trip.  Sierra Nevada weather beautiful but we need snow!  I just love driving the Diesel - I must be nuts - on the steepest grades I was in third gear doing 40.  On flat I-5 I could do 60-65mph.  Went back to injector pump rebuilder the next day and they fiddled with some things so no more fuel leak for now.  Now I need to figure out what to do about curtains so I can sleep in the thing.  No name yet either.  Happy Friday!  

Donna, 1987 Wolfsburg and 1982 Diesel