Date:         Sun, 8 Sep 2002 12:04:03 EDT
Reply-To:     CMathis227@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Chuck Mathis <CMathis227@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Vanagain Rant/New Intake Boot
Comments: cc: kenwilfy@comcast.net
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

A couple weeks ago that stinky, rotten Ken Wilford posted a special on 1.9L
intake boots.  I quickly ordered one and in typical sorry Vanagain
performance the correct part arrived well packed with little wait.

With the new boot installed the hesitation I've been battling for a long time
is gone.  To correct the problem I had:

Replaced the distributor cap and rotor,
Replaced the spark plug wires (the old ones had fused together!),
Cleaned and shifted the AFM board,
Replaced all vacuum hoses,
Replaced the intake runner boots,
Replaced the throttle body seal,
Replaced and adjusted the throttle position switch, and
Replaced the fuel injector seals (did this at the same time I replaced all
the fuel hose).

Each of these things made some improvement in the stumble but never
completely cured it.  My van spent much of its early life sitting -- only 41K
miles from 1985 to 1999 when I bought it.  The intake runner boots and some
of small vacuum lines crumbled when I removed them and the injector seals
were hard as rocks.  I was suspicious of the intake boot but it looked okay.
After working  at inserting the large vacuum hose and crank case breather
fittings in the new boot I realized that appearances are deceiving.  These
fittings were a very easy fit in the old boot but very, very tight in the
new.

With the new boot I have a rock solid idle and smooth throttle response from
a dead stop.  Before I had to engage the wide open throttle position to move
away from a stop surely.

If you are having hesitation or stumbling problems check the intake boot --
if the fit of the two fittings in addition to checking for cracks.

Thanks Ken.

Chuck
'85 Wolfsburg Westy - 'Roland the Road Buffalo'