Date:         Wed, 29 Jun 2005 09:26:02 -0400
Reply-To:     Wil Haslup <wil@CHARMFX.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Wil Haslup <wil@CHARMFX.COM>
Subject:      Re: Help... Engine troubles, rapid backfiring under load.
In-Reply-To:  <42C1F43E.2020809@impulse.net>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Nate Saylor wrote:

> I suspect:
>    Cat gone bad from running rich
>    Temp II gone to hell and doing something wierd to the mix when hot.
>    Collapsed lifter(s) as valves won't hold adjustment very well.
>
> Please god don't tell me it's:
>    Burned valves, cause I'm just NOT going to go back into that engine
> again (Subaru here I come).
>
> Need help soon as I've got a pretty good commute to work and my westy's
> my only transportation (hello Hertz).

I think you may be correct on the converter.

not holding tune "recently" is a clue...moving to backfiring or rattling
in the exhaust.

Simple enough to check....drop the converter and look inside.  If there
are broken pieces or you can't see through the mesh odds are this is
your problem.

As an interim measure to keep you running you can knock out the ceramic
mesh with a piece of wood and a hammer on a piece of plastic to keep
down the mess.  Try not to make much dust and bag up the debris and
throw it away.  The housing is stainless on my vehicle so you can
reinstall.  You've eliminated the back pressure from the insides of the
converter so it may not run as well unless you retune until you replace
the converter.

If the converter isn't it then you need to move on to looking for other
culprits.


--

Wil


-- http://www.charmfx.com/

"University politics are vicious precisely because the stakes are so small."
-- Henry Kissinger