Date:         Wed, 29 Jan 2003 17:41:42 -0800
Reply-To:     Matt Ratto <mratto@UCSD.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Matt Ratto <mratto@UCSD.EDU>
Subject:      diesel-gas conversion problems solved!
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Well, most of them! I figured out why I couldn't the darn thing ('82 Westy
now with 1986 Golf CIS engine) to run - I had it 180 degrees out of timing!
I thought for sure that  I had checked that months ago, but somehow it must
have slipped by. Today I pulled the valve cover and watched the valves as it
hit TDC - sure enough, I had it wrong.

Set it up right (and fixed the oil leak from the valve cover) and it fired
right up. It sounds a little rough, overheats, and there's a vacuum leak
from somewhere (possibly the intake manifold itself?!) but it runs. Tomorrow
I'm going to bleed the cooling system, adjust the mixture, and try and
locate the vacuum leak. Hopefully, I'll at least take it for a quick spin
around the block.

By the way, for those of you who have done such conversions before, what did
you use for the brake booster vacuum line? I attached some hose between the
rear nipple on the manifold and the brake booster line, but it's too
flexible.Obviously a trip to Home Depot is in order... Thanks for all the
help so far.

Matt
-------------------------------------
Matt Ratto
Ph.D. Candidate
University of California, San Diego
mratto@ucsd.edu
http://communication.ucsd.edu/mratto
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