Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2002 03:44:08 -0800
Reply-To: Devin Chalmers <seraphim@GCI.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Devin Chalmers <seraphim@GCI.NET>
Subject: Fwd: '85 Vanagon with a loud identity
crisis
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Exhaust, eh? That's what my dad thought it was, also... we looked and
noticed that the exhaust pipe seemed to have gone missing, but I
honestly can't remember if it was there when we bought it... (I know, I
know, I'm a bad owner.) I assume there's not much I can do 'at home'
about this? I guess it's probably alright to drive until we can get an
appt. with the Vanagon guy in town, anyway.
It's a little incredible to me that this is all that it could be, cause
the difference in volume is just insane. And yeah, there's quite a bit
of backfiring also. And you could be right about the psychological
aspect of having a crazy loud engine.
This sounds pretty plausible to me, are there any other possibilities
of what it could be?
Thanks again,
Devin Chalmers
Begin forwarded message:
> From: Clive Smith <clive.harman-smith@NTLWORLD.COM>
> Date: Sat Aug 31, 2002 02:26:24 America/Anchorage
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Re: '85 Vanagon with a loud identity crisis
> Reply-To: Clive Smith <clive.harman-smith@NTLWORLD.COM>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Kim Brennan" <KimBrennan@AOL.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Saturday, August 31, 2002 6:48 AM
> Subject: Re: '85 Vanagon with a loud identity crisis
>
>
> In a message dated 8/31/02 1:31:49 AM, seraphim@GCI.NET writes:
>
>
>> Apparently, my Van thinks she's a Harley Davidson. When she idles,
>> there's an odd, loud PUT-PUT-PUT that gets even worse when I
>> accelerate. She seems to be running fine, if anything the acceleration
>> seems better than normal, except that the problem she has with sort of
>> hesitating at stop lights has gotten more frequent and more
>> pronounced.
>>
>
>> Hole in the exhaust system. Might be in the pipes to the cat, or the
> muffler
> itself (but probably before the muffler). Since mufflers tend to
> be...slightly restrictive on the flow of exhaust gases, at least on
> most
> cars, when you have a hole in the system ahead of them, you may notice
> more
> power and an easier running motor. Of course you also notice how LOUD
> the
> engine is (after all, it is Exploding gas to make that power!)..
>
> I'd suggest that most holes in exhausts actually reduce power. A weak
> mixture is one result (hence coinnected to rough running and
> backfiring on
> the overrun), splashy irregular shockwaves in the syetm etc. etc. Any
> supposed power gains are usually psychological due to the loder noise.
> This
> is in contradistinction to a properly designed shorter or more open
> 'tuned'
> exhaust, which don't always give the increased power they are supposed
> to
> and if they do, only in a narrower power band, with poor running and
> reduced
> torque elsewhere.
>
> Sorry, but this doesn't help your question, and I'm not suggesting
> that Kim
> is wrong about a blown exhaust -
>
> Clive
> '88 Syncro Transporter
>