Date:         Thu, 5 Apr 2001 23:14:26 -0700
Reply-To:     wayout <wayout@IX.NETCOM.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         wayout <wayout@IX.NETCOM.COM>
Subject:      My first day with my new ride / questions
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

Hello Folks...
Im back to VW's again, as I sold my toyota and found a nice 85 GL 122K, one
owner ....got it yesterday.
Heres some photos: http://www.jakerock.com/vanagon.htm

Played around with her today, did little things like replace bulbs, new
rotor / dist cap, new fuel filter, lube the shift linkage....
mostly I just looked around, following pipes and hoses and wires around the
engine compartment and underneath, trying to get oriented.

Ive got a few questions, if anyone has a minute to help me I sure would
appriciate it.

1.) I cant find a timing mark on the pulley... am I just not looking hard
enough?
2.) A couple of times today, after sitting at a stoplight she would have NO
power for about 4-5 seconds as I started out. It didnt die completely, just
seemed like she might, then picked up where her glory left off and were
just fine. Maybe this prob is tied to my next question....
3.) Weird idle. Beautiful and steady sometimes, but mostly erratic....
nearly dying, and then picking up, then nearly dying....on and on, like the
"brainbox" is having trouble deciding what to do and is trying to adjust...

When I took out the fuel filter someone had written "91K"  on the side with
magic marker. (thats 30K on the little bugger) It was pretty dirty in
there, but even with the new filter and a few miles of road she is still
doing these things.

With my last few VW's John Muir's "How to keep your VW alive" was
indespensable. Ive got a bentley, but would like to know what I could read
to try and get my mind around how  works the waterboxer, and especially
Digijet Fuel injection.
Theres no "Idiots guide to Vanagons" right?

Thanks for any help..!
Take care.

Jason Loewenstein
85GL