Date:         Thu, 19 Oct 1995 14:20:27 EDT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Ed." <CLAIBORN@cw-f1.umd.umich.edu>
Subject:      '72 update and questions.

ahhhh elation.
    Ive finally found that elusive power problem.  Yesterday I was 
crusin along maxed at 45 when I started droping power and ended up at 
35.  This was a little disturbing but after I stopped for a light I 
was able to get back up to 50.  I spent most of the day confused and 
on the way home, while going up a slight grade, i began feeling a 
slight jearking like the bus wanted to go faster.   I pondered for a 
while and decided it had to be a vaccume leak sucking it self closed 
at higher rpms.  Now came the problem of finding it since I had 
already replaced all of my hoses in an ealier attempt to cure the 
problem.  It turned out to be a loose solinoid in the left hand 
carburetor.  looks like the PO either striped the threads out of the 
carburetor or put in the wrong module because it slides easily in and 
out.  I removed it, cleaned it, wraped the threads in a wad of 
teflon, hardwired a ground, and crammed it back in the hole.  this 
brought my idle up from 800 to 1800.  now I have plenty of power but 
still need to figure out how to turn down the idle.  While working on 
the leak I also noticed that if the accelerator is held to the floor 
I can still turn the bar between the carbs another 50 degrees.  The 
junction between the cable and the bracket had just wore out, I tied 
that together with electrical wire and was on my way.  I feel sorry 
for the PO who had the right hand carb rebuilt and put teeny tires on 
the rear to try to correct such a simple problem.  Now I am maxin at 
72mph at 5000 rpm. (this is acording to my speedo which ticks and 
bounces all over but flattens out at 45.  I figure it is within +-
5mph.)  My only qualm is, is it ok to run the engine at 5000rpm? I 
have not been able to get a definitave answer as to where it 
redlines.  Also, if anyone knows how to fix the speedo problem I 
would apreciate the insight.  I took the connection off the back and 
tried turning the cable with a pair of plyers, it only twisted and 
then came back into its original position.
Ed.
feeling one step closer to VolkswagZEN.