Date: Tue, 4 Dec 2007 10:05:04 -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: <ed96608f0712040959p34017ae0m46d9fa59d8060181@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Thanks, Chris -- my TPS is working fine. I have an LED wired across it
in the front cabin right now (part of an earlier project). It goes out
when the foot is off the pedal, indicating that ECU Pin 4's 5V is being
shunted to ground through the switch.
--
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 9:59 AM Chris Lisica wrote:
> The shuddering, and rpm dropping remind me of when my throttle position
> switch was not set properly. Your not starting also reminds me of my TPS
> not being set properly. Check your TPS, does it do the 'click' when you
> rotate the spring loaded lever? Get your hands on the digifant manual,
> and go through setting the TPS properly. It is not that hard, and can
> solve many problems. Having an ohm meter, helps determine if it's set
> properly or not. Worked for me.
>
>
> On Dec 4, 2007 9:07 AM, Michael Elliott <camping.elliott@gmail.com
> <mailto:camping.elliott@gmail.com>> 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>
> > <mailto: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://www.crescentbeachguitar.com>
> > http://subyjake.googlepages.com/ <http://subyjake.googlepages.com/>
>
>
>
>
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