Date:         Sun, 4 Jul 2004 10:42:02 -0500
Reply-To:     Patrick Kline <pkline@KC.RR.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Patrick Kline <pkline@KC.RR.COM>
Subject:      1985 vanagon bogging down help in Arkansas
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Hey Gang,

I have finally the need, for better or worse, to call on your collective infinite wisdom. My wife and 2.5 month old drove from Kansas City, MO to Bella Vista Arkansas Friday afternoon to visit some great grandparents. The drive down was uneventful except that our van, Mid, began to miss or slightly bog occasionally. Occasionally enough for us both to write it off to bad gas, or we hoped. After a day down there we drove with a van load of people and it was doing it again but a little worse, bigger load. Finally, yesterday we tried to come home and could hardly get anywhere because it seemed the more gas I gave the more  it would bog down. We tried to check a couple of things but I am fishing for two things now:

1) a mechanic recommendation in Bentonville or there near

2) solution to problem.
clues:  
    fuel pump whines, I think it could be a fuel filter, we could only find a 'Cali' model which doesn't seem to be right (didn't install it)
    Head gasket leak drivers side, been there since purchase last year, no trouble with it yet. 
    Exhaust leak, small never been a problem before now.

Any suggestions, comments, etc are greatly appreciated. 

Thanks  from the midwest,

Patrick