Date: Mon, 27 Dec 2010 16:05:33 -0600
Reply-To: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Re: engine dies while driving - possible causes?
In-Reply-To: <AANLkTi=Ny+YyHwGZHk5peY53FaXYtM7iSKDtHc++irCG@mail.gmail.com>
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Joy,
In Alaska we always ran some HEET in the tank with every fill up. The
alcohol would suck up any water or ice crystals in the fuel, and then
when it was burned, the alcohol/water/ice crystals would be burned out.
'Course with today's 10% alcohol/fuel blend, I don't know if it would
work. Might be too much alcohol. Dunno.
John
John Rodgers
Clayartist and Moldmaker
88'GL VW Bus Driver
Chelsea, AL
Http://www.moldhaus.com
On 12/27/2010 8:04 AM, Joy Hecht wrote:
> Hi folks,
>
> I was going to take my van to Washington yesterday, but I'm having a problem
> - thank goodness my friends in NJ let me take their second car instead!
> (and thank goodness I missed the blizzard in NJ)
>
> The symptom is that the engine dies. This happened in October (when I was
> heading out to Westies at Watkins - some might remember that I showed up 12
> hours late due to van trouble). I started to drive, stopped at a stop sign,
> and the engine died and wouldn't start again. In October I had it towed to
> the local repair place (which has worked on my van before, they seem to know
> what they are doing). They replaced the alternator. I drove to Watkins
> Glen& back with no trouble.
>
> Since then, the van has mostly been parked in my friends' driveway in NJ -
> they haven't been driving it. In November I came back to NJ from overseas.
> Headed out somewhere and the engine died again. But then five minutes later
> restarted, I drove maybe 50 miles with no trouble. Then the poor van sat
> for another four weeks. Last week I figured I should check it - took her
> out on a short errand, no problems.
>
> Then yesterday morning before heading to DC I figured I'd let her warm up a
> bit - she sat running for 5-10 minutes. Then I got in, was just sitting in
> the van and the engine died. Started up without trouble, so I drove around
> the block, but it died again en route - then started up okay. So I parked
> her back in the driveway, dumped my stuff in my friends' car, and headed to
> DC.
>
> I'm guessing (based on not much knowledge) either that I need a new battery
> or that the alternator they put in is bad. But are there other problems
> that might cause this? I'm about to go overseas again for another four
> weeks, but I'd like to get it fixed before I go.
>
> Suggestions?
>
>
>
> Joy
>
>
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