Date:         Tue, 24 Apr 2007 22:30:55 -0400
Reply-To:     craig cowan <phishman068@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         craig cowan <phishman068@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      backfiring?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

I'm not sure if Backfiring is the term i would use to describe my woes, but
theres definately a problem. First, a little background history:
My '85GL ran happily up until one day, when the distributor essentially
died. It was destroyed and needed to be replaced, and i replaced it. The
distributor actually ejected itself from the engine far enough that it was
no longer catching (when it died). So, with a new distributor in place, and
the timing set to as close as we seem to be able to get it (though it sitll
could be off), the engine runs with considerably less power than it had
before. This suprisingly, is not that big of a problem, it is the way in
which the power is applied that kills me. If i come to a stop and hit the
gas (pedal to the floor)(manual transmission), it just about dies and takes
about 5 seconds to actually "catch" and start to move, then it accelerates
accordingly. So, after getting the bus safely home, i ran the engine and
messed with the throttle body. If i reved it real fast (while standing over
the engine doing it by hand), there would be a huge hesitation. However, if
i applied the throttle slowly, all would be well. After doing this a few
times, i realised that when i hit the gas fast, there is a distinct popping
or hitting sound from the right side of the engine that truely sounds like
its coming from inside the intake mainfold/rubber piece coming from the
airfilter box. It soudns like the stereotypical backfire! I somehow just
passed emissions (even though i know there's a hole in my muffler), and the
O2 sensor is new.

My problem can best be summed up as a HUGE hesitation when laying on the
gas.

It's not safe for the road as a result of this. By the way, i have a fealing
the thermostat may be stuck open, as the engine temp guage has not changed
once since the distributor accident. The engine runs pretty poorly (in
general).
Any ideas?

Thanks a million!!!

-Craig
'85Gl
(REALLY needs help getting htis bad boy back together)