Date: Mon, 13 Nov 1995 05:08:25 -0600
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: Joneskp@ctrvax.vanderbilt.edu (Kathleen P. Jones)
Subject: subscribe vanagon
I would very much like to subscribe to the Vanagon mailgroup (
Joneskp@ctrvax.Vanderbilt.edu ).
I recently bought a '87 Vanagon Westy Synchro which I love without
bounds. I put 5,000 miles on it in the first month I had it (Yes, five
thousand.) Unfortunately my baby didn't return my love. It would
mysteriously cut out momentarily (the RPMs would dive one or two thousand)
producing a herky-jerky effect. This happened rarely and only at highway
speeds under load, but my nightmare got progressively worse. Eventually
the van of my dreams became undriveable in Cour-de-laine, Idaho, with the
"problem" occuring non-stop and apparent at all speeds. My only repair
option was the dealer in town. Cour-de-laine is not the VW capitol of the
west. It is very popular with conservatives and retired LAPD.
I will spare you the details of the horrors visited upon me. First they
replaced the distributor, and charged me $500, saying the mechanic had test
drove it and it was fixed. I was not able to drive it out of the parking
lot. The "problem" was still there at full force. I ended up replacing
the ECU (the computer) for $1000+. The problem went into remission. I
knew it would soon rear its ugly head again. I could feel it.
About 200 miles later toward Missoula, the van suddenly lost power going
up a steep mountain grade. It lost all its power and died in first gear.
I sat there dumbfounded. The beast had never done this before (and has not
done it since.) I restarted the car it ran normally up and over the hill.
I have not gone over such a steep pass since. The original problem has
only returned a few times in the last 1000 miles and has disappered for
long streches of time. I can only pray.
It seems I have written much more than I expected to. You probably
don't even read these letters. If you do I wonder if you can repost it to
the mailgroup (I new to all this, if you can't tell.) I would love to hear
from anyone who has had this problem or even cares.
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