Date:         Fri, 31 Mar 2006 13:11:37 -0500
Reply-To:     Daniel Stevens <dosteven@SYR.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Daniel Stevens <dosteven@SYR.EDU>
Subject:      It started!!! YAY
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actually missed driving the ole camper.. 

long story short on a cold 30' night returning from the last roadtrip of it's season last november my 1980 TD Riviera camper developed a bad case of lost power.. and surging , sputtering and eventually couldn't  hold while shifting gears to make a turn..  was a 300mile trip and tow'd last 5 miles home.. 

anyways. was time for it's winter slumber and pushed it into the tractor shed.. 

charged both the batteries (been stored indoors) had the coolant plugged in  ambient air is 65' today (been cold still can find snow in the yard behind bldgs) and fired up.. albeit a lil begrudgingly..  

I had suspected bad fuel, cold conditions to it's dying and not restarting (or even trying to fire) 
Will run the fuel out of it.. and replace the fliter/h2o seperator, amongst the myriad of other spring renewal items.  I'm just glad it's not likely a failed TD pump. (those are $$$) 

planning on repairing the exhasut and Turbo housing for a perfect sealed xhaust (been cobbed for last year) installing a THING oil bath aircleaner (extra deep oil sump/filtration) so NO SOOT issues I hope. will add Pyro to exhaust.
and giving it the Audi 5000 intercooler thats been sitting on the shelf, a few more ponies wouldn't hurt.. it'll do 75 comfy.. but some hills are still a hard pull .

Dan Stevens
1980 ASI TD camper
1987 syncro Sportsmobile home conversion (coming fall 06)