Date: Wed, 20 Oct 1999 12:16:22 -0700
Reply-To: Debi Webi <mtngal@SIERRATEL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Debi Webi <mtngal@SIERRATEL.COM>
Subject: Re: Marvelous! Mysterious! But what's wrong with my engine?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Marshall,
My van also acted this way.
My guess is it was water/condensation in the tank.
I added a bottle of "HEET" in the gas tank then filled up.
I made sue not to use BERRYMAN'S CHEMTOOL AND HEET TOGETHER.
My thought was: I could figure out the vans symptoms and use
the right additive. I alternate them through winter.
I hope it helps you, Mtngal
----- Original Message -----
From: Marshall Ruskin <mruskin@PANGEA.CA>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 1999 9:29 PM
Subject: Re: Marvelous! Mysterious! But what's wrong with my
engine?
: I have exactly the same symptoms as Steve. Except my idle is
ok.
:
: I even noticed how it varies depending on the level of gas in
the tank, too!
:
: Perhaps there is some crud in the tank - that becomes more
concentrated as
: the level decreases - thus affecting - hmmm - the fuel filter?
:
: Thoughts anybody?
:
: Marshall Ruskin
: 84 Westy
:
:
: >My '88 Westfalia has been running poorly lately. Frequently,
: >when I press the accelerator, the RPM's don't go up. Even if
: >I press it all the way to the floor, the engine doesn't go any
: >faster, and it sounds kind of like it's running out of gas.
Often
: >(but not always), if I release the accelerator pedal and push
it
: >again, the engine speed will surge up. Sometimes it takes
three
: >or four repeats of this to get the engine speed up. The surge
: >is often a bit delayed - that is, it doesn't track smoothly
with my
: >pressing of the pedal, but instead follows a second or two
behind
: >what it should. At idle, the van tends to sound like it's
going to die,
: >but it never has. My gas mileage is down to about 10 MPG.
: >(Usually I get about 15; I thought I used to get better than
that a
: >year or so ago.) A couple of weeks ago, the problem would get
: >much worse as the gas tank got emptier - seldom a problem when
: >the tank was full, lots of problems by the time it reached
1/4. That's
: >less true than it used to be, though - now I have problems
when the
: >tank is full, too.
: >
: >My Westy likes fuel injector cleaner, so I ran a bottle
through
: >one tank of gas. Possibly some small improvement, but not
much.
: >
: >"Water in the gas", I thought, grasping at straws, so I ran a
bottle
: >of "get the water out of your gas" stuff through one tank of
gas.
: >No improvement.
: >
: >Marvel Mystery Oil has been touted on the list lately as snake
oil
: >that actually works, so I figured I'd give it a try. I put 6
ounces in
: >a tank of gas, and... all my problems went away. The van ran
great.
: >The gas mileage went back up. Marvelous! Mysterious!
: >
: >But... despite the improved gas mileage, I did eventually use
up that
: >tank of gas, and filled up again, this time without the
Mystery Oil.
: >And all the symptoms came back, exactly as they had been
before.
: >
: >I used up that tank (which didn't take long), and tried a new
tank full
: >from the same gas station, with the Mystery Oil again. And
the van
: >runs perfectly.
: >
: >So, the Mystery Oil sure is great stuff. Next I plan to add
it to the
: >windshield washer fluid (increases wiper speed by 50%) and the
: >drinking water tank (prevents algae buildup; cures acid
indigestion).
: >
: >But it appears that I'm treating a symptom, rather than the
cause.
: >Tempting as it is to just keep putting 50 cents worth of
Mystery
: >Oil in the gas, it sounds like something needs fixing.
: >
: >Any ideas what's really wrong with my engine?
: >
: >Thanks in advance.
: >
: > -Steven
Sittser
: >
:
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