Date:         Sun, 31 Jul 2011 08:16:07 -0700
Reply-To:     Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: We went to Mammoth Lakes for a few days too....
Comments: To: Robert Fisher <garciasghostvw@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <CAB5BEXZC_udPDWUk0WUVVY5vCjf13Hf0o1MxHSvKeOF=Dd6Jow@mail.gmail.com>
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On Sun, Jul 31, 2011 at 12:52 AM, Robert Fisher <garciasghostvw@gmail.com>wrote:

> I also had some cold start/rough idle problems there when cold, along with
> poor power at 9000 ft.  I know I don't have my ignition system fully dialed
> in (cold start problem), but I'm thinking the high altitude problem is just
> the way it is.
> --
> Cya,
> Robert
>
> '87 & '86 Auto GLs
>

  Talking through my tailpipe here, since I don't know much about
waterboxer motors..

Could the cold-start issue at altitude be caused by the O2 sensors?  Do
these motors have a  good 3 wire sensor to get them up to temperature right
away?  It would seem like your motors were probably much too rich for that
elevation until they got warmed up enough to 'figure out' and adjust the
mixture.  There really is a significantly lower Oxygen content in the
atmosphere at 8-9000' elevation, and mornings at that altitude are cool...

  The 395 hwy and the Sierras are one of my favorite places.  One (minor)
unfortunate 'downer' about 395 is all the Harleys  on weekends in recent
times...Those are an irritating distraction,  the way most of their owners
make their mufflers so LOUD, and how they travel in 'clots'.  It is
difficult to pass a big bunch of them, 15-50, blatting along in a long line,
all 'stylin ' in their fancy Harley Dealer Duds,  pretending they're Dennis
Hopper, Peter Fonda  Jack Nicholson in Easy Rider.  Or maybe they identify
more with Travolta from "Wild Hogs"... "Mainstream Rebels" these guys and
gals...amusing, but also obnoxiously painful to the ears.
 When you need gas and all the stations in a small town are full of Hardlys
with inept newbie riders trying to paddle those  big heavy hogs around at
the pumps, they can take forever to get it done and move on.