Date: Fri, 13 May 2011 11:58:54 -0700
Reply-To: Mike Miller <mwmiller@CWNET.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mike Miller <mwmiller@CWNET.COM>
Subject: Re: Trip Report (Boulder SVX motor purchase)
In-Reply-To: <BANLkTi=6qNa13Uus28bdWgCWjknnMPNEJA@mail.gmail.com>
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Why'd you drop your GF off at the Defense Intelligence Agency?
On 5/13/11 8:57 AM, "miguel pacheco" <mundopacheco@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> 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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