Date:         Mon, 27 Sep 1999 14:19:19 -0700
Reply-To:     Neil Wigley <wigley@SAN.RR.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Neil Wigley <wigley@SAN.RR.COM>
Subject:      '87 rough running, fuel starvation?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"

Hi,

Back from two weeks around the Four Corners and SE Utah; wonderful
time of year to see wonderful countryside + wonderful camping.

On the return trip bought a cheap tank of gas in Tuba City AZ (yeah
yeah I know). Afterwards, car seemed to have less power than normal,
but what do I know, high altitude, etc. Got suspicious when passed by
an RV pulling a car.

Then after a couple of hours it started acting like it was missing.

So I tanked up, this time with Chevron + Techron (ta-dah!). Improvement.

A while later it's acting up again. More tanking to dilute any bad gas.

Stopped and put on a new fuel filter. Again it improved after
resting, but later was up to old tricks, i.e. lack of power and some
'missing'.

At the end of the day we spent the night in Needles CA, which is
where I plan to spend my life after death. :-)

Next morning traveled on towards Barstow. Ran great for a while, then
a little less power, then less, gradually got to the point where we
entered Barstow trying to keep above 40 mph while traveling
*downhill*  !!! Talk about fuel starvation!

Rested in Barstow, called my friend who knows everything but had
nothing to suggest (fuel regulator?), started again. It ran, got to
the top of Cajon Pass, down the other side, through SBerdoo and
Riverside etc. A bit of sputtering, not bad in the power range. Got
home OK.

Now what is the cause of all this? After resting it's fine for a
while, then gradually loses power as time goes on.

TIA

Neil in San Diego
'87 Westy