Date: Fri, 13 May 2011 09:57:36 -0600
Reply-To: miguel pacheco <mundopacheco@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: miguel pacheco <mundopacheco@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Trip Report (Boulder SVX motor purchase)
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Just returned with an SVX replacement motor for Fritz. Used my 88 Westy,
2wd......
Drove from Durango to Denver to pick up my girlfriend, Diana, this past
Friday. From there we drove to Poudre Canyon, just west of Fort Collins and
camped in Pingree Park for three days and three nights. We intended on
camping higher, but most of the more remote camping spots were under several
feet of snow. Still, it was beautiful and almost as remote as I wished.
On Tuesday, we drove to Boulder and picked up my new to me SVX motor, with
91K and a 6 month warranty. After dropping Diana off at DIA, I headed south.
Originally I had visions of going west and joining the early arrivals at
Syncro Solstice, but there was a crazy rain storm and a foot of snow was
predicted for that section of I70. In Walsenburg, I ran into very heavy rain
and, after a couple of reports from other motorists, decided against braving
Wolf Creek Pass and headed further south to Santa Fe. Quite a bit out of the
way, but safer and it provided another night of camping. In the morning I
hit Trader Joe's, then made my way into the hills, towards Durango. This is
a beautiful drive with many camping opportunities.
I experienced two mechanical issues. The first was in traffic, while in Fort
Collins. It was inevitable that at some point during VW bus ownership, I
would have the classic, honking horn syndrome. There we were, maneuvering an
intersection when the horn starts blowing like crazy. People were looking at
us, smiling, as if they remembered that very scene in Little Miss Sunshine.
I quickly pulled into a parking lot, removed the steering wheel and peeled
away the offending brass limb that was growing out of the contact ring. That
solved the problem and the horn even works.
Pulling into Santa Fe, the engine would almost die every time I let up on
the gas pedal. When this happened, I would quickly give it throttle and it
would surge forward. I pulled over and, after removing all the gear from
above the engine compartment, had a closer look. I found two things of note.
One was the sheathed wires coming from the O2 sensor were laying right on
top of the exhaust. I zip tied this away, then began checking this and that.
I found the coil wire was just barely on the coil. It went right in with a
satisfying click and away I went. One of these two resolved the problem,
because those symptoms never reappeared. So which one was it? The O2 wiring
or the coil wire?
These vans, as we all know, have all these little things that we have to get
used to and it just adds to the beautiful experience. Picking up a motor and
combining a little camping into the mix, just adds a little thrill to what
would otherwise be a hum drum event.
Miguel
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