Date: Mon, 20 Jan 2014 14:29:24 -0800
Reply-To: "SDF ( Scott Daniel Foss )" <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "SDF ( Scott Daniel Foss )" <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Organization: Cosmic Reminders
Subject: Re: 1991 westy - altitude sickness?
In-Reply-To: <DD2128C8-9A10-4454-B1CF-0859F302FBC3@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
the octane requirement is always less at altitude, compared to sea level.
I would never run a waterboxer van on premium.
Mid-grade ..sure.
Subaru engines in vanagons ...I'm at about 2,000 ft ASL ..
they run just fine on 87 Octane regular ..
knock sensor equipped of course.
a slight power loss in a naturally asperated engine with altitude is
normal..
but not falling on it's face .
I wonder if it's really truly running right at low altitude .
Like say ...restricted cat ...?
Many vanagon owners never drive any vans other than their own ..
things change gradually ..
they may not notice things changing ..say shift linkage getting stick
and stiff from lack of lube ..
or how about this one ! ...
engine off, floor the gas pedal.
go back there and see if it's getting full, full throttle.
it could only be getting 70 % throttle..
and the owner-driver never noticed the gradual change.
the white tube in the forward half of the body ..
those need to have the throttle cable pulled out .then blown clean with
compressed air and WD-40 ..
then the cable inserted back in adding a fine spray lube as it's inserted..
and ALL the other parts of the throttle linkage similarly gone over
carefully.
For full travel and smooth movement.
also .the white tube slides forward over time ...there's an easy way to
clamp it so that doesn't happen.
when it slides forward there's a gab where junk can get in.
Scott
ne' turbovans
domain name for sale btw.
On 1/20/2014 2:18 PM, Robert Stevens wrote:
> On Jan 20, 2014, at 2:07 PM, KevinPGilleran <kevin@GILLERANENERGY.COM> wrote:
>
> All,
>
> On my last trip out to the Grand Canyon and then circling clockwise around
> to Zion I found that my 1991 westy had problems with what I can only imagine
> is the altitude (4970 ft at Kanab Utah). I could barely get the van up to 50
> miles per hour the entire time we were at elevation. But once we dropped
> back down into California and were back on highway 5 (400 feet or so) we
> were back up 70 mph no problem.
> Any ideas of where I should start on this issue would be much appreciated.
>
> Your '91 says it requires 91 octane on the fuel cover door IIRC?
> Is this a change in altitude performance for your van?
> Do you use 91 octane?
>
> My performance suffers at higher altitude as well, but then I have an engine
> conversion (Subie) and always use 91 octane. I guess I wonder if this is the
> first time this has happened in your travels at altitude, or if it's just been a long
> time since you were driving your van at that altitude?
>
> bob