Date:         Tue, 30 Apr 1996 14:43:56 -0400
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         jrbateman@frick.speedline.ca (Jack Bateman)
Subject:      

Hi There!

        Pulled the '80 Westfalia out of the garage couple of weeks ago after
a cold and lengthy hibernation.  Fired up right off with a bit of clatter
from the lifters but they settled down with in a reasonable period of time.

        Couple of things have been bothering me since I acquired the machine
last year. We've only put a thousand or so kilometres on it and the PO says
he did a tuneup shortly before selling, including new ignition wires.  Looks
to be so and the plugs are clean and gapped properly, but that's all I've
checked.  But what happens is this:

        1.  On startup and until the engine is at operating temperature, the
rpms surge.  It doesn't stall, but the idle dies down and then comes up to a
point beyond normal and this tends to continue until things warm up, at
which time the idle settles down to a constant.

        2.  This second thing really bugs me!  Driving at a constant speed,
for example 80 kilometres in fourth gear, I get a hiccup in the engine.
This is sometimes almost unnoticable, while at other times it is more
pronounced.  The van has plenty of pep and runs very well otherwise.  It
will do this on occasion even when accelerating, but it is infrequent.  This
"skip" will occur at any speed, in any gear, but usually when at a constant
speed.

        I've noticed both situations since we got the van.  Sitting over the
winter has neither improved or degraded the situtation.  As an initial step,
I have added a water-eliminator and fuel-injection cleaner to the last tank
of gas and that has pretty well been used up but there is no noticable
change.  If anyone out there has experienced the same problems, your input
would be greatly appreciated.  

        Thanks in advance for your help....
Jack Bateman
Oshawa, Ontario