Date:         Sat, 08 Feb 1997 22:45:05 -0500
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         James Wagner <alpine@cpcug.org>
Subject:      Major Hesitation and Power Loss

In the last week, I had a shop do an oil change on my 85 Vanagon and
replace the gaskets on the oil pressure valve and drain plug(both had
been leaking).  I then replaced the fuel filter and fuel pump the next
day because the old one had been buzzing loudly.  Also, I attempted to
fix the problem of a high idle by turning the throttle body screw in
about 2 turns.  The idle dropped from about 1800 to about 1000 but
oscillated back and forth from 950 to 1050.  

	The next time I drove the car it was fine for the first ten minutes or
so, but then just completely lost power above 2000 rpm along with the
oil light coming on.  The light would only illuminate at around idle and
flicker off as rpm rose.  The engine would become loud, not in exhaust
note so much as in piston and valve train noise it seemed, as the rpm
climbed but there is no power, just hesitation and sputtering.
	
	At first I thought something had broken in the engine, but idling is
fine...no odd noises, maybe just a bit louder in the engine than a few
weeks ago.  When the engine is relatively cold it revs up fine in
neutral, but when warm the hesitation and kind of metalic sound are
present even with no load.
	
	It hasn't really been driven much in the last four months, 60 miles
total.  I've been checking the oil regularly and even with the leaks
around the gaskets mention above and a slight leak at a push rod tube,
the oil level will not drop.  It actually has been above the max mark on
the dip stick recently, even after a good warm-up and 5 to 10 minutes
after stopping. 
	I've encounter timing problems in a 79 bus and the symptoms seem
similar except for the oil light and oil level.   Any ideas about the
problem would be greatly appreciated.

	James