Date: Sat, 13 Oct 2001 06:50:44 EDT
Reply-To: RAlanen@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Frank Condelli <RAlanen@AOL.COM>
Subject: Engine power loss
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
Well, just when you thought you knew everything there was to know
about these Vanagons, something new crops up. I've been on this List since
its beginnings, work on them for a living, and yesterday came across
something I've never seen talked about here before nor have I come across it
in my shop. For the last month or so my '87 Westy seemed to be loosing
power. It would not achieve more than 120 km/hr on a flat road and
acceleration was not what it had been. With over 350,000 km on its original
engine I began thinking thoughts of Tiico swap. Did a compression test, fuel
pump test, air flow meter test and all seemed normal. The engine starts up
just fine and idles perfectly. When revved up standing still it seemed fine.
So yesterday I start looking again for something. Thought maybe the CAT was
blocked somehow but that was hard to imagine as the guts of the CAT have been
removed a long time ago. Some small fire proof rodent got in there ? The
exhaust seemed fine so what the hell goes on here ? So, while revving up the
engine from the engine compartment yesterday, all of a sudden I notice that
the rubber boot between the throttle valve and the air filter housing is
collapsing when revving up the engine. Humm, not getting air, but I just
checked the air filter and it was fine. Sooooooo........I start following
the air intake track to the outside. Well, friends, that really well German
engineered PAPER and wire flex ducting that goes up inside the right rear
quarter of our vans to allow air to be sucked into the engine had
deteriorated to the point it had collapsed and had now blocked solid the air
intake track ! Engine was trying to suck in what was left of this fine piece
of PAPER flex ducting. Ripped it all out of there which was a major PITA as
you gotta remove the right tail lamp assembly, and the cheapo plastic
firewall that has the air intake passing through it. Then rip out the
plastic tube which connects to this crapo paper flex tube. After I got that
all outa there I went for a spin over to the local Home Hardware to look for
some quality ducting that maybe could be used to "upgrade" this genuine VW
piece of crap. Now the Westy's running like she used to. Plenty if power,
well not plenty but you know, like it used to be anyways. So, at the
hardware I find some 4" diameter aluminium flex ducting for home use or in my
case automotive use. Take this home and spend the next hour getting it
squashed oval so it will get on up inside the wall of the van and connect to
the plastic intake piece located behind that black plastic grill thingy on
the right rear outside of the van. Bet you didn't know that was in there !
Ha ! Never over 'till it over ! Something new everyday. Vanagons provide a
lifetime learning experience. Now what other vehicle can give you this kind
of enjoyment ? A Fiat perhaps ?
Peace
Frank Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
<A HREF="http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm">BusFusion</A> a VW Camper camping event, Almonte, ON, May 30, 31, June 1, 2, 2002
'87 Westy & Lionel Trains
Member: <A HREF="http://www.vanagon.com/">Vanagon List</A>, <A HREF="http://www.bcn.net/~limbo/">LiMBO</A>, <A HREF="http://www.westfalia.qc.ca/CIW_English.asp">IWCCC</A> & Capital City VW Club
Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
<A HREF="http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/stebro.htm">STEBRO/Vanagon Stainless Steel Mufflers</A>
<A HREF="http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html">Frank Condelli & Associates</A> or http://frankcondelli.com
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