Date:         Tue, 7 Jun 2005 23:22:55 -0400
Reply-To:     Joy Hecht <jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Joy Hecht <jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU>
Subject:      Re: where is the gas?
Content-Type: multipart/mixed;

Hi Lisa,

In my experience, when I've had massive hesitation between pressing the gas and getting power, including flooring the pedal and getting no power, it's been because the oxygen mix is bad and the van is (usually) running rich.

This is, in fact, why I posted yesterday looking for descriptive material about the whole fuel injection system and all the different factors that could be causing the wrong fuel to air ratio.  I got some materials from several people, but haven't read them yet.

Lots of different things can cause this, ranging from trivial (clogged filter in fuel pump) to serious and expensive (whole range of possible bad parts).

Definitely see how it's running in normal conditions.  Also check whether you are putting out black smoke from the exhaust - if it's running rich, you will be, as a rule.  Over longer distances you can also tell by checking your gas mileage, but that's not a practical short-run way to tell anything.  Since you can't usually see that while driving, what I do to check is wipe out the inside of the end of the exhaust pipe with a rag.  If it's all sooty, then probably you're running rich.  But then once it's clean, I drive a few miles and wipe it out again.  That way you can check for sure whether you're spewing soot.

Then if you have all these symptoms, visit your mechanic.

Too bad we put vanagons on our medical insurance!



Joy


****************************************************************
Joy Hecht
and Matilda, 1989 Burgundy Vanagon

For musings about life and the vanadventures:
http://users.rcn.com/jhecht/gypsy

****************************************************************

:::-----Original Message-----
:::From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
:::Of Lisa Bliss
:::Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 4:23 PM
:::To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
:::Subject: Re: where is the gas?
:::
:::To answer Dave's question - there is a massive hesitation between
:::pressing the gas pedal and any revs.  So, I am not engaging the clutch at
:::high revs with the pedal to the floor - it took flooring the pedal to get
:::any response at all.  I have not noticed this problem during regular flat
:::driving but since I am so new to the vehicle I guess I will take it out
:::tomorrow and watch for this specifically.
:::
:::Lisa