Date:         Fri, 15 Feb 2002 15:09:08 -0500
Reply-To:     "G. Matthew Bulley" <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "G. Matthew Bulley" <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
Organization: Bulley-Hewlett
Subject:      Re: <AIRS> 81 Vanagon Help
In-Reply-To:  <v03110700b89314c0f0f2@[130.91.38.28]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

I'd agree with most of Stan's stuff... Recapping thusly, and asking a
few more questions.

Points are the most likely cause, based on the limited info. I'm sure it
will spark at start, or low idle, but not under load with toasted
points. Walk them through replacing, doing a "matchbook cover" dwell
setting, and a static timing setting, which will get them to a VW
dealer, or even an "All Tune and Lube" type place to get it corrected.

I wouldn't futz with the condenser as it requires pulling the
distributor to replace it, and we don't want our neophytes doing that.

If they can't get points, file the old ones (pray they are in a place
where they can buy a small metal file). The two halves come apart by
gently pinching the spring, and pulling the movable point and spring off
the hinge pin. Dress the points to be convex, NOT flat, reassemble,
clean ALL grease off (water and a clean rag will do this). Set the dwell
with matchbook cover or double-folded $ bill.

Clean the rotor, and the brass contacts inside the distributor, and
clean away all carbon tracing inside the cap.

If all of this fails,

From historic, walkable Mount Olive, NC,

G. Matthew Bulley
Bulley-Hewlett
Corporate Communications
Business: www.bulley-hewlett.com
Alliance: www.ntara.com
Home: www.MountOliveNC.info


-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
Of Karl Ploessl
Sent: Friday, February 15, 2002 2:44 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: <AIRS> 81 Vanagon Help

Shawn wrote:

"Volks:

I got a call last nite from a couple of bussers having trouble with
their 81 Vanagon.  Neither knows much about VW or autos for that matter.

Symptoms:  Wouldn't start.  May have burned up the starter trying.
Starter has been replaced.  Then, while driving noticed a loss of power.
Backed off the accelerator and it regained power.  They had a non-VW
mechanic "adjust" the timing.  Ran well, then sputtering/losing power
again.  Now it won't start. Starter working intermittently.

I'm trying to talk them thru as much as possible before I drive 2
hours.

So Far:

Battery o.k.  Starter works most of the time.
It has spark.
I've got them trying to adjust the timing (without a timing lite).
Fuel Filters o.k.

I don't know much about the Type IV.  Is there anything they should
immediately check before trying to troubleshoot the FI system?

Please respond B/C.  I'm on Digest Mode.

Thanks
Shawn Clark
71 Westy
84 Westy        "


I had similar experiences and it turned out to be bad points and
condenser.
Don't know how to diagnose it but me mechanic knew :-).

Maybe somebody can chime in.

        Karl.

Karl
'81 Westy "Jenny"
Wilmington, DE