Date: Mon, 6 Oct 1997 19:39:35 -0700
Reply-To: David Raistrick <keen@SLURPEE.NET>
Sender: Vanagon mailing list <Vanagon@Gerry.SDSC.EDU>
From: David Raistrick <keen@SLURPEE.NET>
Subject: Augusta to Seattle in 79 hours!
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
Whew...
Its now 7ish, pacific, and we're in Seattle..
Left Friday morning, 11 am eastern...
A little after 1, in atlanta, the bus started rattling, and a puff of
smoke..
Pulled oever, Ryder kept going...
Called dave easterwood, etc etc..Diagnoced as a swallowed accel. pump
tube..
George (of the vanagon list, thanks!!) came out, and we tried to catch up
to theryder, to no avail..came back, worked on bus, etc..
Finially, ~930 PM, we leaft dave's house, with a accel pump tube, and a
decently running bus again..(albiet noisy, due to crappy exh gaskets from
NOPI..burned up a while ago..)
Caught Ryder truck in Jasper TN.
12.34 PM (MTN) Sunday- East of Sinclair WY....Major loss of power, running
rouch...Checked plugs, fine...readjusted points, reset timing...No help.
Ran another 50 miles, decided to put bus on trailer, and drive the camaro
for a bit..
Brainstorming in Camaro, realized it happened JUST after we left this one
gas station..(with NO forwarning!!)
Topped off tank of bus at next major gas chain, w/ premium (we put 10
gallons of the bad scrap in it, ran 1/4 of a tank off, filled with prem..)
Kept driving Camaro, letting premium mix...Found better gas station, put
in bottle of HEET, bottle of octane boost..
Drove Camaro, until down to 1/4 of a tank left.
8:02 PM (MTN) Bus off trailer, retarded timing down to 25 degrees total
(to help prevent pinging from the crappy gas..) After a few miles, ran
great. Loss of power due to retarded timing, but fine.
Next fillup, with premium again, reset timing to 28 degrees.
All power back, running great.
Sometime monday morning: drug out of bed, bus wouldnt start. Started
wouldnt engage. Relay clicked, wires good, tried jumping just in case.
Nothing. Banged on starter. Push started bus, took off.
3 PM Pacifi time Monday...Yeah!! We're here!! At a car wash in Bothell,
washing Ryder..
Total time: 79 hours.
Total milage: 2835.3 (from 218989.7 to 221825.0)
Bus on trailer appox 200 miles.
Dave, thanks much for your help, and you to George..
When i am alive again, Itchigo gets full tune up, etc etc..Not sure yet
when we leave Seattle area...
thanks...david
--
David Raistrick '69 Westy-Itchigo keen@slurpee.net
in Augusta Ga
Mike West's Pushing Back the Darkness Series:
http://www.slurpee.net/~keen/west/darkness.html
The Turning 40 Nostalgic VW Service Tour, and Search for the Beginning of Wind
http://www.slurpee.net/~keen/charlie/charlie.html