Date: Tue, 4 Aug 2009 10:53:25 -0500
Reply-To: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Re: vanagon syndrome plus poor gass economy
In-Reply-To: <4A7824C8.8040600@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
If you have not already done so - replace ALL fuel hoses in the engine
bay - and I do mean all, including the little short hoses that connect
the fuel injectors to the fuel rails. AND DO IT NOW!!!
Also replace the short hose in front of the firewall where the plastic
fuel fitting is attached. In fact - get your mechanic to remove that
fitting, install a grommet in it's place and run the fuel hose directly
through the hole in the new grommet and connect to the hard fuel line
that goes to the fuel pump. That plastic piece is notorious for leaking
and breaking. After all - the van is over 20 years old.
Get yourself a complete hose replacement kit from one of the list vendors.
Why all this hassle?
Well, these vans are notorious for burning, and nearly every time its a
fuel related fire that starts in the engine compartment as a result of
leaking fuel hoses. This is nothing to mess around with. Don't even
think - "Well, it's just a block to the Post Office" or some other silly
thing. Leave it parked until you get the parts, then replace the hoses
yourself (not that big of a deal) before you ever move it again or at
least take it straight to the mechanic. But don't start and run it
un-necessarily. It may cost you more than you want to pay. Fuel in the
engine bay is delivered at 30 psi pressure - and if you don't think a
split hose with gasoline spraying out at 30 PSI isn't going to cause
problems, then you are enjoying to much "weed" or worse.
Good Sucess in the fix.
John Rodgers
88 GL Driver
Ellen Robey wrote:
> I am brand new to the list, have only owned my vanagon a year now. She's
> an 86, 2.1 water cooled. so, i am experiencing the intermittent loss of
> power while driving, she occasionaly dies coming to a stop at a light or
> off the freeway, and sounds LOUD to me. I can smell gas. Fuel economy
> has dropped from20mpg around town to 16mpg around town.
>
> So, found some bad hoses, replaced those, still doing this. Swapped out
> the AFM to see if it made a difference; it didn't. put mine back in and
> kept the spare as a 'just in cas' part. From time to time i can hear a
> high pitched whistle from the engine. mechanic thinks it is coming from
> the throttle body itself, all hoses intact.
>
> I am going to get: idle control valve, new throttle body gasket,
> operating cam and clip for the throttle switch, a new fuel filter, and
> the 22 microfarad capacitor.
>
> What do you guys think? Anything I am leaving out? Thought i had a
> throttle body but haven't heard back from the guy.
>
> thanks for any suggestions
> erobey
>
>
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