Date:         Tue, 7 Sep 2004 21:26:53 -0500
Reply-To:     James Fritz <jfritz@ALPINECOM.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         James Fritz <jfritz@ALPINECOM.NET>
Subject:      looking for technical assistance in Wisconsin or Michigan/UP
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed

>
> Subject: Re: looking for technical assistance in Wisconsin or
> Michigan/UP
>
> Joy,
> Remember my email to you about my problem with the fuel pump whining?
> It had exactly the same results eventually.  Loss of power.  Once I
> came home from Des Moines at a top speed of 45 mph.
>
> Here's how to test and see if my theory is correct.  Take a wood 2 X 4
> and give the fuel pump a couple smart whacks with it.  If you get in
> and everything is hunky dory for 20-30 miles then your problem is
> likely identical to mine.  However, eventually you'll be back to 45
> mph (or worse)
>
> As you may recall, the problem was a little plastic  inverted cone
> shaped filter on the inlet side of the fuel pump.  It was packed full
> of rust and crud.  I carefully removed it, avoiding damaging it in the
> process, cleaned it, and it has purred like a kitten (until last week
> when the ECU died :-(  good thing Darrell Boehler will be at the
> campout in 2 weeks.  I'll send it home with him and he can fix it!)
>
> Couple of key points to remember if you try this yourself:  #1
> disconnect the battery! (no explosions , please!), #2 find some type
> of clamping device to pinch the fuel line on the inlet side (I used a
> C clamp with a couple of wood shims.  The shims protected the fuel
> line from damage  by pinching but yet really shut off the fuel flow.)
> #3 Remove fuel pump (be careful of electrical connections.  I broke
> one the first time I tried this.)  #4 CAREFULLY remove cone filter on
> inlet side (I  recall using a toothpick to get it out so I didn't
> puncture it or otherwise damage it).  If I'm guessing right, you'll
> find this thing packed with crud.  Clean it, re-install, hook-up the
> battery and don't be late for Buses over the Rainbow!   :-)
> Jim
> Jim in Iowa
> 89 Westy GL
> 91 Passat Wagon GL
> 66 Beetle
> On Sep 7, 2004, at 4:52 PM, Joy Hecht wrote:
>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> Matilda has been great for the past week and a half - had a lovely
>> visit
>> with my sister and her family near Ithaca NY, stopped briefly in
>> Ontario to
>> meet Tom Shiels and get my Vanagon.com stickers, had a splendid trip
>> up the
>> Bruce Peninsula between Lake Huron and Georgian Bay and across to
>> Manitoulin
>> Island on the ferry, did some lovely kayaking up around there, and
>> then had
>> a great four days at the Chippewa County Fair in the upper peninsula
>> of
>> Michigan, with the extended family of someone who came across my
>> website and
>> is planning to move into her Westy in the spring.
>>
>> Today, however, Matilda decided that she's tired of running at full
>> speed
>> and she's been cutting out on me.  We dawdled for 160 miles at around
>> 50 mph
>> to Marquette Michigan, which is a major metropolis after the places
>> I've
>> been the past week.
>>
>> She might be in fine form tomorrow, but I'm assuming this isn't going
>> to get
>> better.  I already had the fuel filter replaced before I left
>> Virginia, and
>> now I'm trying to track down a new-to-me fuel pump that someone
>> offered me a
>> few weeks ago.  I've also been looking at the directions on the web
>> for
>> addressing intermittent Vanagon syndrome.
>>
>> So now I'm looking for someone who might be able to give me a hand
>> with some
>> of these things.  Is there anyone out there in Wisconsin, roughly
>> between
>> the UP and the Madison area who might be willing to spend some time
>> directing me on how to do things like check fuel pressure, change
>> fuel pump,
>> etc.?  I expect to be visiting a friend in Madison later this week,
>> in case
>> anyone is there.
>>
>> I also once dredged up info about a good Vanagon mechanic in the
>> Madison
>> area.  I could try to dredge that up again, but if anyone knows who
>> that
>> might have been, could you please let me know?  I'd rather do this
>> stuff
>> myself, though, with a bit of technical assistance, if I can.  I
>> gotta learn
>> somehow!
>>
>> Matilda works, albeit slowly, so hopefully I'm not going to be stuck
>> in
>> Marquette Michigan indefinitely.  But if anyone is near here, please
>> do get
>> in touch, that would be even better!  Phone is below, if you're
>> around here,
>> please do give me a call, as I'm going to log off soon.
>>
>> Thank you!
>>
>>
>>
>> Joy
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> *******************************************************************
>> Joy Hecht
>> and Matilda, 1989 Burgundy Vanagon
>>
>> email:  jhecht@alum.mit.edu
>> telephone:  1-202-494-1162
>> for musings about life and the vanadventures:
>> http://users.rcn.com/jhecht/gypsy
>>
>> *******************************************************************
>>
>