Date: Fri, 16 Oct 2015 13:20:40 -0400
Reply-To: Larry Alofs <lalofs@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Larry Alofs <lalofs@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: 10/16 ORIGINAL POST is here ... Fw: 10/15 Need Advice AND
Repairs (1991 GMC Vandura) in BERKELEY, Calif.
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Don't start the subject line with a number!
On Fri, Oct 16, 2015 at 12:36 PM, Linda Merrill <
lindamerrillberkeley@yahoo.com> wrote:
> 10/15 Need Advice AND Repairs (1991 GMC Vandura)
>
> Hello, car persons!
>
> My Vanagon's younger sibling is a 1991 GMC
> Vandura 2500. Let's call her "E".
>
> I have E since the beginning of July 2013.
> Right after that purchase, I had her radiator
> re-cored and got new rear tires. New front
> brakes, a kill switch, serpentine Belt & tensioner, front rotors, and
> a new water pump
> followed.
>
> In the middle of this year, E started quietly
> dying when I slowed for stops in-town.
> While this worried me a lot, it helped that
> she was easy to start again.
>
> In late June, the fuel pump was replaced
> "Without dropping the tank"?, and she stalled
> at slowing speeds two more times right
> after that repair. I told the shop owner about
> that, and he was quite dismissive.
>
> Now more stalls for a few weeks.
> Her coolant leak jumped into a flood, and
> the same shop owner had E for over two
> weeks before he replaced the intake manifold.
> She stalled five-seven times on the first
> drive from the shop, and then would not
> start. No electricity to the starter, said a
> helper-by. Same shop owner came, got
> her going, and then put a new starter in.
> (These repairs then totalled $1,500.)
>
> CvAnd E instantly smelled "gassy" in her cab,
> had clearly diminished power at very slow
> speeds -- and went from 8 1/2 to 9 1/2 mpg
> to about 6.2 mpg in town. And stays at 6.2+-
>
> Now, about four weeks later, last weekend
> she stalled going up a steep hill, and the
> engine turned over very well but would not
> Re-start. So, a friendly policeman got a
> friendly two truck driver to take her off the
> hill, tow her about 500 yards, put gas in her,
> Still, the engine turned over very well but would not Re-start.
> A volvo mechanic friend told me to Prime the
> Fuel pump by turning the ignition key on and
> Of about 30 times. I did that, started E,
> and bought 1/2 tank of gas.
>
> Worked "fine for about three days, and then
> stalled pulling into a parking lots on Wednes..
> The "ignition key trick" worked again,
> E started and we parked.
> A two hours later, E stalled while driving
> downhill toward a stop sign on Wednesday
> night, after driving for about one mile . . .
>
>
> NOW E Will Not start -- turns over really
> well, but does not "start."
>
> HELP!!! What will Really Fix this?
>
> I have a big, event-related driving trip coming
> up for NEXT THURSDAY!!!
> E and I have already made this round trip
>
>
>
> WHO can suggest diagnoses, remedies,
> and a great/reliable/economical LOCAL
> Bay Area repair person for me???
>
> I am So out of trust, . . . , and I WANT to take
> E on my trip! -- I do most of my driving in
> Her, and she needs to start and stay running
> NOW!!!
>
> Who has GOOD IDEAS and repairers to suggest?
>
>
> Thank you so much!
>
> Really distressed,
>
> Linda
>
> In Berkeley
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: J Stewart <fonman4277@COMCAST.NET>
> Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
> Date: Fri, 16 Oct 2015 12:46:26
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Reply-To: J Stewart <fonman4277@COMCAST.NET>
> Subject: Re: 10/15 Need Advice AND Repairs (1991 GMC Vandura) in
> BERKELEY,
> Calif.
>
> I know a bit about them I've had several, but this is one of those times
> I'm getting the response, but not the original message, as others here have
> reported. Jeff
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>
> > Anything this age is pretty much a specialty vehicle at this point.
> Meaning
> > the average garage does not see them very often anymore and may not be
> able
> > to properly diagnose problems without some pain and frustration and
> expense.
> > I would do the same thing you did with your vanagon- seek out a specific
> > forum for that vehicle. I'm sure there are people out there that know the
> > GM vans of that vintage like Dennis knows vanagons.
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
> Of
> > Linda Merrill
> > Sent: Friday, October 16, 2015 3:17 AM
> > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > Subject: 10/15 Need Advice AND Repairs (1991 GMC Vandura) in BERKELEY,
> > Calif.
>
> > 10/15 Need Advice AND Repairs (1991 GMC Vandura)
>
> > Hello, car persons!
>
> > My Vanagon's younger sibling is a 1991 GMC
> > Vandura 2500. Let's call her "E".
>
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