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Date:         Tue, 24 Aug 2004 14:28:57 -0400
Reply-To:     Jonathan Farrugia <jfarrugi@UMICH.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jonathan Farrugia <jfarrugi@UMICH.EDU>
Subject:      Re: '84 1.9: 3/4 power and running ugly
Comments: To: Shiva Polefka <shiva@EDCNET.ORG>
In-Reply-To:  <CGEHKAABPGGIIBCALNJJEECJCIAA.shiva@edcnet.org>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

Shiva

stop randomly guessing it will cost you far more money in the end with little in the way of results. test all the fuel injection components to see if they meet spec. also test the wiring harness, as these vehicles age the wiring harnesses fail from heat and vibration. additionally have the engine leakdown tested to see why those compression numbers are so far apart, thats not a good sign. 44lbs is the max allowable difference between cylinders if i remember and you are getting close to that.

jonathan

On Tue, 24 Aug 2004, Shiva Polefka wrote:

> Hello again-- many thanks to those that replied to my previous post. I > realize I should consider searching the archives more extensively, but I'm > already $300 and many hours in to this problem without any improvements and > would like to be tossed a bone. In advance please pardon the lengthy > narrative and request for help that follow. > > My 1984 GL has been maintained attentively and pre-emptively during its > entire 120k. Last month, as i ascended Wyoming's Big Horn Mountains (up to > 10000ft) , the engine switched from a smooth running hum to a rougher but > regular throaty purr. The next day, back at 3000ft, the van continued to > make this more ugly sound, and felt like it was running on 3/4 power --> i > couldnt drive faster than 55mph, and it took a long time to get up to that > speed. > > Wyoming's local garage monkeys claimed they could fix vanagons. They > replaced the fuel filter, the spark plugs and the distributor rotor, and > claimed the problem was fixed. As soon as i hit the road again however, i > discovered that in fact the problem appeared to have not even been addressed, > with all symptoms essentially unchanged. Needing to return to the job > however (rather than wait any more in WY), i crossed my fingers and > continued, and wound up limping slowly but succesfully all the way back > across the Western states to Southern California. > > That experience allowed me to log with some exactitude the symptoms of my > van's malaise, which follow: in the morning, when starting cold, the engine > runs somewhat smooth and fully powered, but displays the infamous chugging to > a significant degree. After ~5minutes of running (after the thermostat opens > up?) power drops off dramatically, and the engine switches from smooth hum to > throaty purr. In fourth gear, at ~50mph, the "miss-y" (but regular) > throatyness and diminished power are particulary acute, and getting above > this speed is really difficult. A long hill here in town that used to be > ascended in 3rd gear at 35 is now a humiliating second gear, ~20mph > experience. > > Once this apparently temperature-induced transition occurs, lurching/chugging > ceases. A couple times while at highway speed, i've felt a temporary surge > as throatiness disappears and full power resumes. each time this lasted a > couple seconds, no more. > > My local mechanic, who is widely considered trustworthy and experienced, was > unable to figure it out. He changed the sparkplug wires and added German > fuel-injector cleaner, to no effect. If memory serves, his compression test > yieled 165 on two cylinders and 135 on the others. > > My internet searching has lead me to suspect my air flow meter, dirty > grounding wire attachments, a need for a $190 "wiring harness," or a vacuum > leak issue. Any clues as to where to look next would be -greatly- > appreciated. Thanks in advance-- my combination of frustration and love > evoked by my van makes me really look forward to getting it back up to full > speed. > > sp. > > >


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