Date: Tue, 4 Dec 2007 09:48:17 -0800
Reply-To: Michael Elliott <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Michael Elliott <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: So thar I was (Engine wouldn't start)
In-Reply-To: <71d9cdf90712040934sdbb1f39v32538fafe0b57e62@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Okay, so any wiring bits associated with high voltage.
--
Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano
KG6RCR
On 12/4/2007 9:34 AM Jake de Villiers wrote:
> Plug wires too!
>
> On Dec 4, 2007 9:14 AM, Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@mac.com> wrote:
>
>> spark plugs, distributer cap and coil. Wouldn't hurt to hit the
>> grounding point too. Don't get it on the O2 sensor.
>>
>> On Dec 4, 2007, at 12:07 PM, Michael Elliott wrote:
>>
>>> Where be the best place to spritz the WD-40 when the engine is wet and
>>> cold and doesn't want to spark?
>>>
>>> To answer your question about how the engine ran after started, the
>>> engine
>>> ran fine, with one exception which I think is an unrelated side issue:
>>> When the engine is cold (even 75F cold) it has this odd behavior
>>> where it
>>> doesn't want to continue to idle. Typically, this means that I'll
>>> leave
>>> the house (or school parking lot, or wherever) and trundle along for
>>> two,
>>> three minutes, get to a red light and wait. After about 20 seconds
>>> or so,
>>> the engine kind of "shudders" -- you can feel it in the seat. Then the
>>> rpms start to drop, lower and lower, like the engine is missing. If
>>> unattended, it will die -- although it will start instantly.
>>>
>>> My O2 monitor tells me that the mixture is fine. When I see this do
>>> this
>>> with a timing light, the timing marks starts going spastically all
>>> over
>>> the place.
>>>
>>> Once it gives its warning shudder and the tach starts wobbling
>>> downward, a
>>> slight pressure on the gas pedal to raise the speed to 1,000 rpm or so
>>> suffices to keep it from dying while waiting. After about 5 seconds,
>>> the
>>> engine will suddenly and smoothly rev to about 2,000 rpm.
>>>
>>> Once warm, the engine doesn't do this.
>>>
>>> When I got to the top of the mountain last week, I paused to talk to
>>> the
>>> campground host, discuss which sites were open, whether the water was
>>> turned on, whether the flush toilets had been shut down (they were,
>>> it was
>>> outhouse time for Mr Squirrel), the weather forecast, etc. While
>>> chatting,
>>> the engine slowed and died. It started at a touch of the key.
>>>
>>> After it eventually started that cold, wet morning it didn't want to
>>> idle
>>> long enough for me to pack the wheel levelers I'd just pulled off
>>> of. But
>>> it did re-start immediately.
>>>
>>> Like I say, I don't think this is related. But since you asked....
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
>>> 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
>>> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
>>> 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano
>>> KG6RCR
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 12/4/2007 8:48 AM Jake de Villiers wrote:
>>>
>>>> If it was moisture, take along a can of WD-40 - Water Displacement is
>>>> what it does best.
>>>>
>>>> Some more description of the engine's behaviour when it did finally
>>>> start might be helpful....
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Dec 4, 2007 8:29 AM, Michael Elliott < camping.elliott@gmail.com
>>>> <mailto:camping.elliott@gmail.com>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> All adventure tales should start with, "So thar I was . . ." This
>>>> alerts
>>>> the listener that some old codger is about to embark on a long,
>>>> rambling,
>>>> and ultimately pointless tale.
>>>>
>>>> This alerted, the smart listener knows that it time to leave the
>>>> room,
>>>> mumbling some excuse about needing to check the mail or get a lung
>>>> removed.
>>>>
>>>> But anyways.
>>>>
>>>> So thar I was last Friday, camping at 6,000 feet in the mountains
>>>> east of
>>>> San Diego. We were having a record storm: 40 mph winds, several
>>>> inches of
>>>> rain, and lows in the middle 30's (F). By many standards, that
>>>> ain't
>>>> much
>>>> of a storm, but around here it's notable.
>>>>
>>>> Mellow Yellow was parked broadside to the wind and while the
>>>> gusts shook
>>>> the van, the poptop showed no sign of stress. However, the force
>>>> of the
>>>> wind pushed water right through the fabric on the weather side.
>>>> Things got
>>>> a little damp in the spice rack.
>>>>
>>>> The rain blew horizontally. All day and all night.
>>>>
>>>> In the morning, the rain had stopped, but the wind continued.
>>>> Easily
>>>> Beaufort 7 (moderate gale). I packed up and went to start the
>>>> engine, but
>>>> it didn't want to cooperate.
>>>>
>>>> Cranked and cranked and cranked. But there was no indication of
>>>> combustion. I paused, thinking, "I don't want to have to call for
>>>> help! I
>>>> just want to go home to Mrs Squirrel."
>>>>
>>>> After waiting a bit, I tried again -- lots of cranking, and
>>>> after a bit
>>>> the engine caught -- grudgingly, it seemed -- and shortly
>>>> thereafter
>>>> I was
>>>> on my way home.
>>>>
>>>> Here's the thing: I am scheduled to go up that mountain every
>>>> month and
>>>> spend a couple of nights. December, January, and February. If
>>>> the engine
>>>> didn't want to start this last time, I worry that it might be
>>>> worse next
>>>> time. it might not start at all.
>>>>
>>>> I don't know what the problem was. There was gear covering the
>>>> engine
>>>> hatch, my fingers were cold, and I didn't have an assistant to
>>>> crank the
>>>> engine while I checked for spark or other stuff (actually,
>>>> checking for
>>>> spark is about the limit of my skills, anyway).
>>>>
>>>> Cold, altitude -- those both cold affect starting, I reckon. I
>>>> wonder also
>>>> whether a full day and night of sideways horizontal rain might
>>>> have
>>>> gotten
>>>> the ignition parts wet. I don't have enough information to
>>>> hazard a
>>>> guess.
>>>>
>>>> So my question is: if you had just had this experience, what
>>>> would you
>>>> have done? What might you bring along the next time to help get
>>>> the darn
>>>> engine started, in the snow or rain, with no one to assist?
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
>>>> 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
>>>> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
>>>> 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano
>>>> KG6RCR
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Jake
>>>> 1984 Vanagon GL
>>>> 1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
>>>> Crescent Beach, BC
>>>> www.crescentbeachguitar.com <http://www.crescentbeachguitar.com>
>>>> http://subyjake.googlepages.com/
>
>
>
> --
> Jake
> 1984 Vanagon GL
> 1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
> Crescent Beach, BC
> www.crescentbeachguitar.com
> http://subyjake.googlepages.com/
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