Date:         Wed, 7 Jan 2009 15:21:04 -0500
Reply-To:     Mike Collum <collum@VERIZON.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mike Collum <collum@VERIZON.NET>
Subject:      Re: stuttering
Comments: To: Matthew Snook <matt@SNOOKSBAND.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <0B715FB08CE5465F93217C76089E70BA@Bohemian>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Matthew Snook wrote:
> I have been driving around ('84 Waterboxer 1.9) in the soaking-wet
> conditions here in the Willamette Valley in Oregon, and have noticed that on
> wet mornings the engine stutters at low rpm until it is completely warm.


I drive my Vanagons when it's raining so hard that cows and flat rocks
come to mind.  If anything, they run better when the humidity is that high.

Years ago, though, my '84 7 passenger "Used" to run crappy when it
rained ... until the heat of the engine dried out the engine
compartment, that is.

What cured it for me was new sparkplug and coil wires along with
cleaning out the end of the coil where the wire from the coil to the
distributor cap resides.

Somewhere in your electrical system (maybe even the distributor cap
itself) there is a problem.  Though this is somewhat repetitive, clean
all your connections as well as the "Grounds".  Don't just eyeball them
and/or try to wiggle them.  Take them apart and, using fine sandpaper,
emery cloth, or crocus cloth, clean them to bright and shiny.

Mike