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Date:         Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:52:41 -0700
Reply-To:     Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Smog test failed - here is my plan
Comments: To: Roland <syncronicity1@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <38e334640907221202j2b3d8ad0g83b129ef4948bff6@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

I had a pretty bad experience with VW Paradise's work several years ago when a 71 baywindow that I bought from a third party suffered from an overheated and locked engine. The engine had been rebuilt by VW Paradise (had their stamp on the top) and as I dug into it I found that it was very poorly put together - I found a bolt rolling around in the bottom of the case, several stripped studs, and a small host of other problems all of which pointed to lack of attention by whoever built up the engine. The details are hazy, sorry, in the old memory, but my frustrated rants exist forever in the archives of the Usenet: rec.autos.makers.vw.aircooled

Long story short, I was sufficiently put off by their lack of QC and the loud music and grab-assing I saw back in the mechanic's bays that I didn't let them near my bus. That was around 2003 or so and maybe things have changed.

I always had good work on Mellow Yellow at Hugos Foreign Car in Encinitas, on coast highway. Plenty of Vanagon experience.

-- Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana") 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano Bend, OR KG6RCR

On 7/22/2009 12:02 PM Roland wrote:

> Yes, one of our favorite subjects: good old CA smog test, '89 2.1. It has > passed twice before without needing help, but not this time. > > It has high hydrocarbons at idle, which means it is running rich. > > So, I plan to change cap, rotor, plugs which is the advice I gathered from > the archives. Also will use a bottle of injector cleaner for the next few > days. > > Actually, I am going to let the shop do it, since they have a pre-test > capability and work with the local official smog check station to get it > passed. VW Paradise (http://www.vwparadise.com), north San Diego County, > have had some work done there before, seem like pretty good guys. Seems > there are always 4- 6 vanagons there in various state of repairs. > > I would do those "tune-up" items myself, but by the time I get it done, and > maybe adjust the AFM (which I've never done), I'd be guessing, and then go > back to get it checked again, and if it fails, then guess again, and go > back. The process stinks, given all the governmental stuff in CA, I am > getting sick of this state anyway (sorry for the editorial). Recent reports > show the smog test system as useless: now there are so many newer cars on > the road which don't go bad, that this whole smog test junk is just a tax on > older car owners. > > Things I learned from the Smog Test station (who is a really good guy): > - don't use premium fuel - it will increases the probability of failure. > - don't ever buy ARCO gas, he was adamant about this! > - California has a CAP program which my Van qualfies. I have to mail in an > application, then if approved I go to a CAP qualified repair facility, and I > pay the first $100.00 of smog repairs, then the state pays the next > $500.00. But many of these "certified" CAP stations refuse to touch > vanagons. Takes about 2 weeks to hear back from the state after you send > the application. > > Any comments appreciated. > > Roland >


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