Date:         Mon, 31 May 2004 09:28:40 -0400
Reply-To:     Jonce Fancher <strtbug@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jonce Fancher <strtbug@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      85 westi problem found
Comments: To: not a vw club <not_a_vw_club@yahoogroups.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Hi all
found the issue i was having on my 85 westi GL. ill tell the story so
you dont think im a rock.
picked up a 85 westi that needed some work. unknown work but work. did
a few things and it ran like a top with a slight miss but nothing to
burn my britches. sorta started to like the van and love the way it
would drive and handle vs. my 56 single cab and 71 sunroof bus. so
decided to keep it. then it started to have a intermittent problem of
falling off or stalling. so i did many little things just to mull it
over. finally it was running like crap so it was time to nail the
problem. new plugs wires, cap rotor, distributor that was im better
shape and countless hours with a meter and test leads. neil even let me
swap out the O2 sensor with no change what so ever. all grounds were
great and even added a briaded ground to the exhaust to body. took care
of the capacitor fix in the AFM with still no changes. so had to go
deeper and found #3 injector had corroded connector after cleaning it
sounded back to what it ran before the problem. but during this time i
heard Bob abrams 84 vanagon and it sounded smooth as silk compared to
mine so i still thought there was something amiss. so i did the game
what cylinder is cold trick. ( start motor for 3 minutes and shut off
then lightly touch each exhaust pipe carefully) found that #4 is
chilly. so pulled the new plugs in all cylinders to find that it has
oil on the plug and not carboned like the others. so pull out the good
old compression tester that i really should have done when i swapped
plugs. checked #4 1st pulled a whopping 5psi ( is that to low?? just
kidding). so for the record i checked them all with low to ok readings
in all cyl. so i rechecked to make sure i wasnt asleep and pulled 7psi
in #4. not good. i am going to see if i can do a leak down test next to
find out if the rings or valves or at that pressure if there is a hole
in the cylinder or no valves at all. motor makes no clanging or noise
what so ever when turning over or running so i may be in for heads and
p/cs. guess my camping for the year is crap. i will need to get the 84
vanagon up for camping or use the 71 sunroof both 7 passanger.

1 last question. is there a good source for pistons and cylinders at a
good price and will 2.1 and 1.9 swap, or is the crank larger form 1.9
to 2.1not the p/cs.
i have 2 sets of good heads that i will be doing a 3 angle valve grind
to in the next few days. thanks Jonce