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Date:         Tue, 16 Dec 1997 12:24:31 -0800
Reply-To:     Sam Scholten <vwvanagon@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.sdsc.edu>
From:         Sam Scholten <vwvanagon@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Awful Mileage - 85 Vanagon
Comments: To: The Martins <nitram@TBCNET.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Larry,

I assume that "cleaning up" your bus implies that it has sat around for awhile. I had a similar situation when I bought mine, which had horrendous mileage when I got it.

While the other replies gave some great suggestions, like Mr. Wilford's, for example, one thing needs to be taken into consideration before you lunge headfirst into the engine bay: the engine may simply need to be re-broken in. Remember that your engine is not new, and it will take a little more TLC to break your engine back in. I'd change the oil every 1,000 miles maybe three or four times, and nurse the motor along (sort of hard to do in a ssssssllllllllooooooowwwwwww van, admittedly) and don't try going any faster than maybe 60 mph. My '84 with 135K still runs fine after all this, with no oil loss, smoke, whatever.

Also, as the other replies have said, don't overlook the dumb s#!+ like tire pressure, timing, idle speed, fuel mixture, etc.

Best of luck!

Sam "just as original as the original=just as many ideas bogarted from VW as the first time"

---The Martins <nitram@TBCNET.COM> wrote: > > Just bought a 85 Vanagon. Seem to get real bad mileage. (75mile per 1/2 > tank) I'm currently cleaning it up real good also putting in new plugs, > cap ,etc. etc. Anything special to fix for such terrible mileage ? In > that 75 miles it did buck and hesitate, etc. after 15 minutes at 55mph. > Turning it off and restarting didn't majically fix it, it worked itself out > in a short time. Only drove it a few miles since then, as it's real dirty > inside and I have to take care of that, but it hasn't happened since. > Although I have not cruised for 15 min. since either. Do I read too much > into things and need to wait it out, or is this a common problem that I can > be perpared to rectify ? > > Thanks, Merry Christmas > > Larry >

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