Date: Tue, 28 Sep 1999 07:09:34 -0400
Reply-To: Bulley <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Bulley <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
Subject: Re: Frig will not stay lit
Ron & all
Our 1982 went through the same thing...that is, if you mean that the
propane wouldn't stay lit at highway speeds. Of course, you really SHOULD
switch to 12v on the highway for safety reasons, but if you choose propane
on the highway, here is the scoop.
The exhaust/intake vent on your Westy is a marvel of modern design. When it
is in good shape, it provides equal pressure/suction to the intake and
exhaust at all speeds. This equalization is critical, in that any abundance
of pressure or suction on one or the other (intake or exhaust) will blow
the flame out. Barring any leaks elsewhere, (around the airbox, etc.) the
vent itself could be the problem; it was on ours.
Take a close look at the vent. It has three distinct metal plates: one
against the van, one at the very outside (the shiny part), and a "floating"
plate in between. On ours, this floating plate had become very slightly
skewed, when it should be exactly parallel to the other plates. This plate
separates the intake air from the exhaust air, and it has to be parallel. I
gently pried it back parallel, and our fridge works consistently at all
speeds now.
G. Matthew Bulley
Director
Bulley-Hewlett & Associates
www.bulley-hewlett.com
Cary, NC USA
888.468.4880 tollfree
-----Original Message-----
From: Ron Hill [SMTP:rhill@MYLINK.NET]
Sent: Monday, September 27, 1999 8:13 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Fridge will not stay lit
Hello Volks,
Well i'm just back from my first road trip in the new to me 81 Westy.
About 375 miles round trip and she ran flawlessly.
We left Macon, GA at about 2:30 pm Saturday and headed for Atlanta, GA
where my wife's folks live. I dropped the sweet wife off at her Mom's
house and I headed for the North GA mountains for the annual Six Gap
Century bicycle ride. If you like to ride bicycles and you live within
driving distance of N. GA you gotta come do this one. Its put on by the
Dahlonega C of C and its one of the better rides in this neck of the woods.
But back to the Westy.
I spent Saturday night in the North GA. mountains, did the bicycle ride on
Sunday and returned home on Sunday. What a great trip, cool weather, great
bicycling and good fellowship. Only saw one other Westy, a white EuroWesty
and I unfortnately did not get to talk with the owners.
The only problem is that I could not keep the flame lit on the frig while I
was driving in the Westy. Worked fine while I was parked but blew out
every time when I started to drive. What a royal pain in the rear. Is this
how it works or does the frig need work.
Thanks for any help there might be out there.
Ron Hill
Macon GA
81 Westy
