Date:         Mon, 30 Dec 2002 08:58:51 -0800
Reply-To:     TJ Hannink <tjhannink@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         TJ Hannink <tjhannink@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Trip Report Orlando - Asheville - Orlando
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Just returned from a 4 day weekend in Asheville, NC, a place much to cold for a
Florida resident. Drove about 1600 miles with 4 adults, 1 child, a German
Shepard and a small rabbit as passengers, plus about 400+ lbs. of luggage.

Had a great time and trip with only some minor vehicle problems.

I didn't get a chance for much pre-trip maintenance with the exception of
re-wiring some of the A/V equipment. I didn't get the opportunity to run the
new power feed to the aux battery so I ended up tapping the A/C distribution
block again. Unfortunately, I didn't install a cut-off so when I went to start
the van Thursday morning, the marginal main battery was completly dead. I had a
spare battery handy and swapped it out quickly and we were on the road.

The wireless headphone setup worked well with both the Playstation-2 and the
VHS, with the rear passengers being able to use the rear LCD had headphones
while the front occupants could listen to the tuner or a CD.

The drive up was uneventful, keeping the speed around 70 mph and the fuel
mileage stayed between 19-20 mpg.

When I got up the next morning, it was around 20F and there was a small puddle
of coolant under the van, just in front of the coolant distributor. I crawled
under and found that the screw type hose clamps were loose on wone of the main
hose connections. I'll be replacing them with the O.E. spring type at the next
coolant flush/fill.

I hopped in to start it up, turned the key and got idiot lights but no starter
action. Went under, tapped on the starter, retried and still no starter action.
Then I went to the old standby and held the ignition switch in the start
position longer and it turned over after about 5 seconds. I had to do the same
thing each of the following mornings, but it works each time.

Lastly, about 15 miles from home after a 13 hour day on the road, the engine
started bucking and missing at highway speed. I pulled off at the next exit, it
stopped running, but I was able to get it running again by bumpstarting it as I
was approaching the end of the ramp. It ran fine the rest of the way home.

My temp gauge ran consistantly below the LED due to the 80F thermostat and fan
switch, except for the 30 minutes of stop and go traffic on I-95 in Georgia,
when it climbed to just above the LED until I started moving again. I ended up
abandoning the interstate and taking back roads through Georgia. If I were to
move up north (unlikely), I would probably have to re-install the 87F
thermostat and fan switch back in.

Anyway, the performance of the van impressed me considering the amount of
weight it was carrying. I never downshifted going up any of the Interstate
grades, and only had to drop down to 3rd gear on a 9% grade getting to the ski
resort. I even got to play in some snow and ice (and salt) so I need to get
under the van and wash it this afternoon.

Happy New Year!!!






=====
TJ Hannink
Goldibox - 1987 Vanagon Camper, Wolfsburg Edition
Winter Park, Florida
http://home.earthlink.net/~tjhannink/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wolfsburg_campers
http://photos.yahoo.com/tjhannink [Vanagon] Album

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