Date: Wed, 5 Mar 97 07:48:27 -0800
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: vince_pappalardo@om.cv.hp.com
Subject: Re: Starting problems - 86 GL
Item Subject: Starting problems - 86 GL
Paul,
I recently had a problem with my van that has some similarities with
yours. The first similarity is that you smell gas. Mine was a very
strong odor that I could smell when I got out of the van. The second
is that it did not even sputter when cranking. I eventually traced it
down to a melted fuel injector harness that was grounding and thus
turning on the injectors (good engineering--put the wiring harness
over the muffler heat shield and make an exhaust system that is prone
to rusting in places you can't see--Arghhhhhhhhhhhh!)
However, before you blame your fuel injection check for these signs.
Check for gas in the oil by pulling the dip stick and smelling the
oil. Remove the plugs and check for gas on the plugs--they should not
be wet with gas after only 20 seconds of cranking a cold engine.
Lastly, check for spark at the end of the spark plug. Be *VERY*
careful when doing this if you smell gas in the engine compartment.
Some gas vapors got into the air box controller housing. This blew
the top cover off the controller box when I inadvertently left one of
the plug wires laying unhooked against this part and the spark ignited
the vapor inside the box. Hey, now I have a easy way to remove the
cover when I need to test it next :').
You can also check the injectors with a 12V test light. The test
light should flicker if the injectors are pulsing. I would check all
for injectors. I figured it had to be a global problem if I was not
getting any sputter; so, I only checked one of the injectors and found
that it pulsed. I did not bother to check the others but they were in
fact were the problem.
The above comments are some possible things to check. Use good
diagnostic skills to narrow down on the problem (does it have gas,
spark, too much gas, spark at the right time, etc.). Hope some of
this helps.
Regards,
Vince.
'85 Gl Westy (needs an exhaust system before I drive it again)
______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Starting problems - 86 GL
Author: Non-HP-vanagon (vanagon@lenti.med.umn.edu) at HP-Corvallis,shargw1
Date: 3/5/97 12:25 AM
My 86 Syncro is having starting problems, this is a recent problem and some
days it starts just fine but other times it just won't go.
When the problem occurs the van either cranks and cranks with no sputter or
sign of starting or it cranks and sounds as though it is about to fire but
never does. Inevitablly, it smells of gas so I push the accelator pedal to
the floor before trying again, but that doesn't seem to help.
Also, if it does start and for some reason stalls then it needs to sit for
at least ten minutes before it starts again, it has been t his way since I
bought the van and thought originally that the two problems were
independant but now I wonder if this problem has grown into something the
problem above.
Any ideas??????
Paul
86 Syncro - 180K
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