Date:         Tue, 23 Apr 1996 02:01:20 -0500
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         farchmir@milwaukee.tec.wi.us (Randy Farchmin)
Subject:      Re: 86 Westy Syncro, runs rough when it rains

>I changed the cap, the wires, and the rotor, and though it helped somewhat,
>it still misfires until the engine heats up enough and it dries off.  This is
>not much of a problem during a damp day or during a light rain, but when it
>rains hard or snows, it runs VERY rough.  I know that this is a very broad
>question, but it seems as though you other fanatics know a lot about the
>idio(syncro)cies of your vans. Help me, help me please, or the van gets it!!!
> Tonight!!!  

This might seem a little strange, but it worked for me.  Two years ago, I
was having the same type of problems.  It was during a period of hard rains
that lasted for several days.  Finally, one day, I couldn't even get it to
start and run.  One of the guys in the math dept hauled out a can of WD-40
and we sprayed down all the electrical parts in the engine compartment,
including the wires, and the _inside_ of the distributor cap, let it sit for
5 minutes, and it fired right up and ran fairly smoothly! Give it a try next
time the van decides to get balky.  Good Luck.

Randy Farchmin    --->            farchmir@milwaukee.tec.wi.us
Dept of Natural(?) Sciences
Milwaukee Area Technical College