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Date:         Thu, 26 Sep 2002 12:21:19 -0700
Reply-To:     Bill N <freeholder@STARBAND.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Bill N <freeholder@STARBAND.NET>
Subject:      Re: Bad Valve Issues/Question, Opinion sought.
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

If the valves were so bad that the cylinders were doing nothing, compression would be far below 100 pounds. What is it in the other two cylinders? If pulling off the wires has no effect, I would first look at an ignition problem. This test indicates the cylinders are not getting proper spark, at least at idle. If you can climb hills and go 65 MPH, you are not running on two cylinders. Find a better mechanic. This is not to say your valves are fine. It's just that at 100 pounds compression, they aren't completely bad. An aircooled VW Van will run OK with 100 in all cylinders. Not as strong as new, but OK.

Bill

----- Original Message ----- From: "Jeff Strickrott" <jstric01@CS.FIU.EDU> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Thursday, September 26, 2002 11:49 AM Subject: Bad Valve Issues/Question, Opinion sought.

> > Hi All: > > I have a question regarding testing for bad vales. Here is the history. > > I have an 82 Vanagon with 50k original miles. As I have been > reconditioning it, I have been battling a hot start problem. That is the > engine must be turned over for about 8-11 sec's and the gas peddle used > to get it started when the engine has warmed up. I have gone through all > the Bentley's checks on the fuel injection components and have found > nothing wrong. In the process I have replaced all the gaskets/hoses > around the air distributor. My engine vacuum is 14.5-15 inHg @ 850 rpms. > It has new points/plugs/cap/rotor. Old plug wires and coil, but the coil > and engine spark seem to be strong enough. > > I finally gave up and took the car this morning to a local garage that > works on bugs/buses (first time visit) to see if they could solve the > problem. Their opinion was that the car was not running on cylinders 1&2 > because if they removed the ignition wires on 1&2 it did not effect the > idle of the engine. They did a compression test on these cylinders and > got 100 psi. They also checked the FI and concurred that the system > seemed to be working. Their conclusion is that the valves are bad on > cylinders 1 &2. > > Not ever having driven an air cooled van in its prime, I have nothing to > compare the performance/power of the engine to. But I think I would have > noticed if it was only running on two cylinders. The car seems to have > enough power to get up to speed on the highway (65) and to handle hills. > How could I double check their diagnosis? Could someone explain what > would make the valves go bad so early in the engines life? Was this > normal? > > Thanks in advance for the opinions. > > Regards, > --Jeff Strickrott > 82 Westy, South Florida > >


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