Date:         Sun, 25 Jul 2004 11:47:22 -0400
Reply-To:     Edward Maglott <emaglott@BUNCOMBE.MAIN.NC.US>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Edward Maglott <emaglott@BUNCOMBE.MAIN.NC.US>
Subject:      Re: Passing another Westfalia
In-Reply-To:  <BAY17-F17FB7suOfDib000ea3e2@hotmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

Yes, this passing should not be attempted at any time.  The van you tried
to pass obviously had more mojo power than your van and usurped it in order
to go even faster up the hill.

The something that snapped was between the pedal and the arm on the trans
that connect to the linkage on the throttle.  I have found this is pretty
tricky to get adjusted just right.  You want the pedal to hit the floor at
the time that the lever on the trans is all the way forward, which triggers
the kickdown into lower gear.  At the same time, the linkage is pulling
against the spring on the throttle, which should already be at wide open.

Sequence of events as pedal is pushed to the floor is:

throttle is wide open, you feel increased resistance on pedal
pushing past this resistance, trans goes into kickdown
pedal hits floor (before or at the same time lever on trans hits its stop)

Often, in order to assure the trans lever goes to kickdown,  it is adjusted
so that the pedal is not on the floor when trans lever hits its stop.  So
pushing the pedal further at this point means you are pulling against an
immovable object.  Not good.  Something will give at some point.

Edward

At 01:07 AM 7/25/2004, you wrote:
>I must have broken some sort of unwritten Vanagon rule.
>
>Three days ago I attempted to pass another westfalia (they were towing some
>sort of small trailer).
>
>As it turned out I never got a good look at this rare sight. When I
>uncharacteristically floored the accelerator something snapped between the
>pedal and the throttle linkage and I watched as the mystery Westfalia
>disappeared over the next hill.
>
>Back in the engine compartment everything was working fine. It didn't take
>much of a brainstorm to realize all I had to do was tie a 1/4" line to a
>bungee cord hook and attach this to the throttle linkage. Running the line
>forward I was able to pivot my elbow on the armrest and tug on the line to
>give some power. It took a while to train myself not to reach for the
>accelerator pedal.
>
>I wouldn't recommend this for anybody with a manual shift.
>
>Phil
>'89 Westy