Some things to check: Timing (too much advance) Fuel system--too lean. Check pressure and injectors Carbon build up can increase compression--try a gas additive designed to burn carbon deposits, and you can switch to a higher grade of gas. Cooling system problems can cause engine to run hotter than normal and knock. Also, don't lug the engine, downshift your A/T manually into a lower gear when climbing hills. Probably the lowest gear if you are only doing 15 mph. Unfortunately, it sounds to me that this engine needs a rebuild, it should be able to pull faster than 15 mph on a grade when in the right gear. Justin Wolfe wrote: > > I am absolutely terrified to bring my van up long steep hills. One is > that I drop to about 15mph which maybe normal for a auto transmission > in a 84 westy, but what really scares me is the engine temp goes way up > and the engine begins to knock furiously. What the hell can I do? I > live in the green mountains of VT so I go up and down constantly. I > even have to plan trip routes to avoid areas where I know there is a > steep long hill. > > Justin -- Stuart MacMillan Seattle '84 Vanagon Westfalia w/2.1 '65 MGB (Daily driver since 1969) '74 MGB GT (Restoring sloooowly) Personal mechanic for: '70 MGB GT (Daughter's) Assisting on Restoration (and spending OPM): '72 MGB GT (Was daughter's, now son's) '64 MGB (Son's) Stripped and gone but their parts live on: '68 MGB, '73 MGB, '67 MGB GT |
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