Date: Tue, 4 Dec 2007 09:07:14 -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: <71d9cdf90712040848v6de4f134n3973642fda98fdf7@mail.gmail.com>
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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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