Date:         Tue, 21 Feb 2006 13:58:04 -0500
Reply-To:     steve vitale <spam@NEWSIE.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         steve vitale <spam@NEWSIE.NET>
Subject:      rough idle, gas guzzling, oil dripping van
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

I've been learning as much as I can about my project van, an 86 vanagon GL
with about 150k miles and decided that now is the time to go to the list.

first off the idling problem:
When I first start up it idles real rough, blows out lots of soot and if I'm
not right on it, it'll often stall.  I can usually smell the unburnt gas in
the exhaust.
After it's warmed up it runs really nice as long as i'm at about 1500rpm or
higher, if it gets below that (which it seems to do after about 30 seconds
at a stop light) it'll idle rough, surge and usually stall if I don't put it
in Neutral (where it seems to idle a bit higher and generally does fine.)
The compression numbers are 120,120,140,140 ( left cylinders are both 120,
right are both 140.)  I'm also getting only about 10-14 miles to a gallon.
I've replaced the O2 sensor the rough idle improved a bit but it's still
pretty bad.
When i checked the timing the rough idle made the timing mark jump back and
forth a bit.  I've seen the term "idle hunting".. which is exactly what it
seems to be doing, so I'm wondering about fuel mixtures being right and some
fauly 80's era electronic fuel injection component decomposing, wondering if
i should do a  full leak down test and lying awake at night with thoughts of
just pulling the engine out taking the heads off especially because I have
to deal with the second problem:

Leak around the oil pump:
It hemmoraging oil right now around the oil pump.  I'm putting in about a
quart a week.   I know it's an easy fix if you can get there but it seems to
be a really difficult job to do with the engine in the car.   I'm sure the
pump isn't bad, it's probably just the oil pump cover gasket, but.... I
appeal list for guidance.
Thanks a bunch
Steve