Date: Sat, 12 May 2001 09:25:55 -0600
Reply-To: John Klun <jklun@gj.net>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Klun <jklun@gj.net>
Subject: Blue Smoke Screen- No kidding! (very looong)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Volks-
Something verrry interesting happened to me (vanagon) this past week.
Last weekend, I was using my '84 2 wheel drive GL like a pickup truck,
hauling stuff over extremely rough (for a 2 wheel drive) terrain. (List
member Steve Wacker has seen the terrain). While doing this hauling, I
didn't get out of 2nd gear. The terrain consisted of old irrigation ditches
I had to cross, abandoned adobe-covered formerly irrigated fields and
prairie dog colonies. I also had to 'climb' up some inclines I'd rather not
repeat. For all practical purposes, I was 4 wheelin'- involuntarily.
Last Monday, I had to make a run to Walmart and Country General 34 miles
away. As I headed out of town on the 4 lane and hit my usual 70mph, I
noticed a cloud of blue smoke coming out of the exhaust. I slowed down and
it went away. I speeded up and there it was again but not as intense. I
went a little faster and it got bigger and bluer with some mixed in dark
gray smoke. Then it suddenly turned into a horrendous smoke screen, that
would have made a World War II Destroyer proud. I thought I had blown my
engine! There were no lights on the dashboard and the temp gauge was
absolutely normal.
Of course, I immediately pulled over and the cloud dissipated. I turned off
the engine and checked everything around and under the vanagon. No leaks,
no nothing. I got back in, started her up and got back up to speed. As
soon as I hit 70mph, again it happened. I pulled over and stopped and shut
her off. I got out again and this time I checked the oil. The dip stick
seemed dry! Several times, I checked it and each time it seemed dry. I
added a quart of oil just in case, got back in and started driving again.
This time I kept the speed down to around 55mph and there was no smoke at
all. Only when I speeded up to 70 did I notice any smoke but much less
intense.
I got to Country General and bought 3 quarts of oil thinking I'd have to add
it. After the vanagon sat in the parking lot for about 25 minutes, I
checked the oil again. This time it appeared to be slightly over full and I
didn't have to add any oil at all. I figured it'd burn off eventually if
there was too much.
I finished my errands and started for home. Again, at 70mph on the 4 lane,
heavy blue/dark gray smoke billowed out thick enough you couldn't see any
car behind you. After a quarter mile of this the smoke disappeared! To get
this blue smoke, I now had to drive faster than 70. At slower speeds, no
smoke and everything was fine.
Any thoughts anyone?
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