Date: Tue, 10 Dec 2002 16:21:26 -0800
Reply-To: Eric Unrau <eunrau@YAHOO.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Eric Unrau <eunrau@YAHOO.CA>
Subject: Re: Loss of power - super hot muffler
In-Reply-To: <000301c29ef2$49a4b340$373aad8e@bc.hsia.telus.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252"
Thanks for all the responses. I had a few minutes today to check out a
few things on the van. Hope these observations might provide some clues
to narrow down the possibilities.
1) At first engine wouldn’t start. Flooding? Pulled the plugs - they
are BLACK. Changed the plugs, rotor & cap (overdue anyway)
2) Engine starts. Runs rough. Exhaust smells like fuel.
3) Plenty of exhaust pressure at the tailpipe. Does this rule out a
plugged cat?
4) unplugged the O2 sensor - no change - still rich and rough
5) Maybe a bad injector? Decided I'd unplug injector wires one at a
time to see what would happen:
Unplug wires at cylinder #3 - idles much rougher, plug back in
Unplug wires at cylinder #4 - no change to idle, plug back in
Unplug wires at cylinder #1 - idles much rougher, plug back in
Unplug wires at cylinder #2 - no change to idle, plug back in
Does this mean that injectors #2 & #4 have failed???
If the rain stops for a while tomorrow I might be able to pull the
injectors to see if they are spraying. Any other comments, answers or
suggestions before then would really be appreciated.
~Eric~
'89 Westy
Vancouver, BC
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
Behalf Of
> Eric Unrau
> Sent: Sunday, December 08, 2002 11:45 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Loss of power - super hot muffler
>
> Hi folks. I drove my Westy today for the first time in a couple of
> weeks. Oil level was ok, coolant level was ok - started up fine. As
we
> drove to the airport, about 10km, the engine seemed to lose some
power,
> but I wasn't too concerned - just thought it might be time to swap in
a
> new set of ignition wires. On the way home from the airport the power
> loss worsened until we were barely able to hold 40kph. Noticed that
the
> muffler was really hot, in fact so hot that the body coloured shield
> below the rear bumper has discoloured from the heat.
>
> In my search through the archives I've found a few possible
explanations
> for these conditions:
>
> 1) plugged cat
> 2) slipped timing
> 3) failed O2 sensor
>
> Any other possibilities or thoughts on steps toward determining the
> actual problem??
>
> Thanks,
>
> ~Eric~
> '89 Westy
> Vancouver, BC