Date:         Wed, 24 Oct 2007 18:00:34 -0700
Reply-To:     Mark Drillock <mdrillock@COX.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mark Drillock <mdrillock@COX.NET>
Subject:      Re: Sputter, Sputter, Cough, Cough, Die. (no, not my ex wife...)
Comments: To: TJ Hemrick <x53gunner@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <989ea5a20710241733w368c38dfk579974bd06629f44@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed

Make sure that the spark plug wires are in the right order on the cap.
It is pretty common to reverse the ones to the passenger side cyls.
These two wires should cross while the two going to the other head don't.

Mark

TJ Hemrick wrote:

>   ............................
>
>   Third, I got another driving problem.  This time, it's an 87 GL.  Just had
> the full work over (new radiator, h20 pump, cap, rotor, plugs, wires) and
> now it drives like crap.  It's super hard to start (like 15-40 seconds of
> rotation and trys to catch) but barely does and when it does it's just
> hanging on at around 500 rpm.  If you give it any gas, be it just a bit or
> WOT, it coughs and dies.  When you get it start (more like IF) you can hear
> what sounds like muffled misfires, like it's firing at the bottom of the
> stroke.  It's that unmistakable sound if you've ever heard it.  Like a
> muffled popping.  The whole time it's missing certain cylinders and
> coughing.  It only smooths out if you work it up to 4k or more on the tach
> and even then you might hear it rough.  It stranded me a few times today and
> that's getting real old.
>   I went through all the vacuum lines (again) and the AFM boot
> connections--No luck.  I swapped the AFM from the 87 Syncro but the EXACT
> same problem so it's 99% not that (I got another from an 87 that I'll try
> out of desperation.  If you get going down the highway, you'd never notice
> anything was wrong.  I have a spare (used) O2 sensor but the DSPO (you
> figure it out or I'll p-mail you) welded the bung AND the sensor head into
> the exhaust on a hack job so I have to cut it out.  I disconnected it just
> to put in the "limp home" mode but NO difference what so ever.  Don't all
> jump on the bus (no pun intended) but I'm thinking fuel filter and/or pump.
> Only thing is, I've had pumps fail before and they usually go at a very
> certain point with a cut out and surge and then finally give up the ghost a
> short time later.  Maybe a temp sensor???
> Anyhow, someone throw me a bone.  I'm done.  You can pmail or go to the list
> for a reply.
>
> Thanks,
> TJ
>