Date: Tue, 4 Dec 2007 12:14:45 -0500
Reply-To: Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Subject: Re: So thar I was (Engine wouldn't start)
In-Reply-To: <47558942.10409@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes
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/
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