Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2011 22:53:29 -0700
Reply-To: Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@Q.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@Q.COM>
Subject: Re: cranky when wet
In-Reply-To: <AANLkTimHfHBXYj-Re6B=xw4_pnsSgywhBi0JSnw-L8Kq@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Clean the plug wire dizzy ends to bright metal. Same with connections on
dizzy cap (¼” drill with steel wool wrapped around it works well). Coat
liberally with dielectric gel. Reassemble. Report back.
Karl Wolz
_____
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Jonathan Poole
Sent: Friday, February 04, 2011 10:32 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: cranky when wet
Howdy List,
I've got an 83 air cooled vanagon that runs great but occasionally starts
roughly when wet. If it sits for a while in heavy rain it is slow to start
and sort of mis-fires or misses when it first cranks then it stumbles and as
it hits higher rpms (1500 and up) it clears it's throat so to speak and then
runs normally/great.
In the past week the van has been sitting and the last day or two have seen
a lot of rain, at times heavy. Tonight I went out to start the van and it
would turn over fine but not hit at all. I smelled a bit of gas when I went
back to open the engine lid and also tried to start it with fuel turned off
and the throttle open for a while to see if it was flooded. I can do this
because I have a fuel shut-off under the dash for security and high-altitude
cold starting. In any case, turning the fuel off didn't make any difference
and the van was still not hitting and only spinning rapidly over at any
throttle and with fuel off and on. I did notice the tach needle jumping a
small bit. I then checked for power at the coil which was good, and I
checked the opening/closing of the ignition points with an ohm meter while
hand-turning the engine which looked fine. I also checked for fuel pressure
by opening the bleeder in between 3 and 4 and it looked like there was
pressure/fuel. After that I inspected the harness and noticed that the
section running to the jetronic box is getting pretty wet under the air
cleaner. I relocated it to above the canister vent lines to get it up a bit
but wasn't able to do much there. After playing around with the harness
etc. though when I went to try it again it started to hit a bit. After lots
of trying (try for 10 seconds or so then wait a few minutes for close to ten
minutes) it finally started and soon after was running great. Good thing I
have a newish battery, starter etc.
Also, even though I think that the van was getting plenty of fuel I wasn't
able to confirm it since I don't have a remote start hooked up and was doing
this troubleshooting alone. I also don't really know if it was getting
spark or not.
The van has never done more than start roughly when wet so this was the
first time it has done this exactly. I'm guessing that the way the van was
parked or the amount of rain were just right for it to either not have spark
or less likely enough fuel. What I don't know is how to fix the problem.
Have any of you dealt with symptoms like this? Is it an ignition component
problem, a wiring harness problem, the ecu, other? It was annoying when the
van occasionally started rough but now that I know it can prevent starting
at all I intend to get to the bottom of the issue and fix it somehow. Any
suggestions or similar experiences appreciated.
Thanks,
Jonathan Poole
'83 AC Westy
_____
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