Date: Tue, 4 Dec 2007 09:34:21 -0800
Reply-To: Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: So thar I was (Engine wouldn't start)
In-Reply-To: <965FD4D4-504F-49A4-994F-B97240D5B446@mac.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
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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