TheSamba.com :: View topic - Worst camping trip ever (Update with Resolution)

Wed Aug 13, 2008 9:47 am

Hey all,

I wanted to write up a story of the family camping/road trip that we just returned from.

I've been working non-stop for the last month at work and was finally able to take a week off to go camping with my wife, 2 year old son and our dog. We planned to head east from Portland to the Wallowa and Blue Mountains. That's about as far east as you can go in Oregon before you get to Idaho.

The truck's been running well, but there had been a nagging ticking sound coming from the driver's side that I couldn't figure out. I tightened the axle nut and repacked the front bearing, but it was still there. That was really my only mechanical concern before heading out.

So we start out on the highway and it's supposed to get to 100 degrees that day. About 150 miles from home, we stopped at a park to do a diaper change and even after 15 minutes, the truck wont start. It just turns over and over. I check and it's hot, but not too hot. I check and all connections seem okay and the filter in the pump and underneath are fine. After 45 minutes, it still wont start. Now, I'm getting concerned and the family is getting restless. I have my wife help start it wit a little carb spray and it gets going, but it's left me wondering what's going on.

We drive another few hours, but then we need to get gas. I told my wife that I was going to try and talk the gas attendant into letting me keep the truck running during the fill up, so I don't have to try and restart it. This is Oregon and we can't pump our own gas. I get the tank filled and my wife runs in to pay and the truck just dies. It had been idling fine. It wont start, so we push it across the street to a park. Once again, we wait for about 45 minutes and then it starts up. It's not about 6:30 pm and we still have quite a distance to our campsite.

I drive down the highway, but notice that if I gun the accelerator, it sputters out. So I just keep a light foot on the gas and it seems fine. We pull into our camp site just in time to pitch the tent and eat before it's pitch dark.

The next day we decide to try and get to a campground at Jubillee Lake, which we'd heard good things about. We get there before noon and try and find the best camp spot. My wife, Kerrie, would run along scouting each site while I drove slowly. We found one that looked good, I pulled into the spot. Then we notice 4 teenage boys making a huge racket in the spot next to us. We're just about to go to another spot, when the truck dies. So we take it as a sign and pitch our tent there.

After getting settled in and doing a little walking around and checking out the lake. I start to tinker with the truck. All the other campers with their 5 wheels and huge trucks just scoff as they see me sitting and working on my truck, but I don't mind. I check the filters again, they're clean. I pull the fuel line from the pump and watch it while Kerrie turns over the engine, it's spurting gas just fine. I then pull the coil wire and check the spark, it's nice and bright. Then I pull the carb, disassemble it and clean everything I can with the can of carb cleaner I have. But there wasn't any visible problem or sediment in the bowl. When I get it back together, I try to start the truck and it does start. It idles for a few minutes just fine. I think that I've fixed the issue, shut it off and try to go back to enjoying my trip.

The next day we leave our site, and all our gear, to make a quick trip in to town for supplies. We get there and once again it dies right outside the one and only coffee shop in town. We end up sitting there for 5 hours. I checked everything I could think of, then start making calls. There's a shop in the next city over that will work on my truck, but only if I can get the truck there that day. Then we start thinking about all our gear back up at the campground. The mechanic also states that if any parts are needed, it'll be a week as he's taking a 2 day vacation himself.

So we decide to just give up on the truck. I find the one U-haul moving truck dealer in town, rent a 15 foot box truck with a car towing attachment and tow the VW back to the campground. There we stay one more night before driving the box truck with the VW behind all the way back to Portland. Between the rental fee and gas, the moving truck cost us $500. I dropped off my truck at my local mechanic, though he's on vacation too, so I won't know what's wrong until next week.

If you've read through all this and are still interested, have a look at the rest of the pictures. Video to come.
http://picasaweb.google.com/waymirechris/CampingInTheBlueMountains?authkey=nUPcvor80mk

Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:02 am

I hate it when that happens! We too had the camping trip from hell many moons ago, only with a Boy Scout troop. Between dead batteries, flat tires, blown outboard motor and freezing nights we finally gave up. My son and his best friend never talked to each other again and joined different troops.
In your case, it looks like at least Arlo & Leopold had fun! You won't forget this trip. Let us know what caused it.

Great canoe!

Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:05 am

Maybe you're getting vapor lock. It sounds like a fuel issue could be the problem.

Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:08 am

Wow, that is really unfortunate. You didn't mention anything about the distributor; everything in there check out ok?

Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:11 am

I rebuilt the distributor last fall. I checked the cap and rotor, as well as the vacuum diaphragm. Everything seemed in order.

Wed Aug 13, 2008 11:12 am

I have had those kind of trips. That is why the wife prefers we take vacations now without a old VW in the picture.

:lol:

She prefers we get there and actually relax.

Look at it this way, at least you broke down at decent spots where you had some protection from the elements instead of out in the boonies where getting a safe spot to stay is not available.

Chalk it up as a story for a future camping session with other VW buds.

Glad you made it home!

I always hear about this vapor lock issue. What is the fix for that?

tj

Wed Aug 13, 2008 11:31 am

amishman wrote: I have had those kind of trips. That is why the wife prefers we take vacations now without a old VW in the picture.

:lol:

She prefers we get there and actually relax.

tj

You don't have a driver anyway, right?

Vapor lock has been covered a million times: search the forums.

Wed Aug 13, 2008 11:37 am

Sorry to hear about the camp trip.

The problem might be the fuel pump pin. Someone told me that this happened to them when the motor got hot, the pin would get stuck in the plastic and would cause problems like this. The solution was to slightly sand the pin so it would move with ease.

Hope you get it working again. Good luck

P.S. nice canoe.

Wed Aug 13, 2008 11:47 am

I agree on the fuel delivery line of thought...Vapor Lock being one possibility. The other thing to check would be the gas tank filler cap (properly vented?) and sediment/blockage in the fuel tank. The spurting fuel pump test could be misleading, since the problem is intermittent - as soon as you pull the line to test the pump, you relieve the pressure on the system, and the fuel starts flowing...

An easy test is to put a small 2 gallon gas can somewhere safe (when I did this I had a rust hole in the spare tire tray, so I could put the gas can on the rear deck!) and run a fuel line to the pump. If the issue goes away, you know the problem is with the system above that point...

Wed Aug 13, 2008 11:48 am

crofty wrote: amishman wrote: I have had those kind of trips. That is why the wife prefers we take vacations now without a old VW in the picture.

:lol:

She prefers we get there and actually relax.

tj

You don't have a driver anyway, right?

Vapor lock has been covered a million times: search the forums.

Smart Ass. hehehe

I do have the new beetle though that gets 50mpg so we take that on long away trips and tent it when there.

tj

Wed Aug 13, 2008 12:42 pm

plugged fuel tank outlet.

did you take the line off the pump and blow back through it, into the tank? works every time, till it plugs up again. :)
good to see you using your DC. im sure it would be just as useable that loaded down, if it was "slammed on earlies dog" :roll:

hope you get it all figured out.

And i dont want to here anymore bullshit about, oh we choose not to take old vws camping because of the headache.. :roll:
thats not the cars fault, its the person who built it, or the one driving it.
These are the simplest cars ever, there is no way one can cause you that much trouble on a road trip, unless you are not good at diagnosis.
Ive never..NEVER been stranded by a VW. I drive thousands of miles from home, and never bring any tools. just roll out. :)
If you cant even get a set of points to get you 3000 miles round trip, time to buy a new car.

:) rant ended for now. lates

Wed Aug 13, 2008 12:45 pm

mightymouse wrote: plugged fuel tank outlet.

did you take the line off the pump and blow back through it, into the tank? works every time, till it plugs up again. :)

I tried running the truck straight from my jerry can with a long piece of primed fuel line, no difference.

Wed Aug 13, 2008 12:46 pm

Ollie W wrote: mightymouse wrote: plugged fuel tank outlet.

did you take the line off the pump and blow back through it, into the tank? works every time, till it plugs up again. :)

I tried running the truck straight from my jerry can with a long piece of primed fuel line, no difference.

hmmmm. interesting. and carb was full of fuel, whenever youd have the priblem? or was it dry. as in, sticking needle and seat? had that happen before.

Wed Aug 13, 2008 1:03 pm

What is your current points gap? I've had too close a gap before and when everything got hot they sorta closed up. Also the same symptoms you describe match a cracked head among the other fuel theories.

Wed Aug 13, 2008 1:15 pm

After pulling the motor and replacing it in my '61 (to do what I forget) (Maybe change main seal?) it seemed to have some issue. It ran okay until I got on the freeway, but after getting up to speed it started hesitantig and dying, so I pulled over. It turned round and after a bit started up. When I got up to speed again it got all funky. I drove home okay on the surface streets.

Figured out the problem the next day. Turned out I had pulled the reserve switch to 'off' and left it that way. :oops: :oops: :oops:
Since the fuel tap had not been rebuildt at that point and the rubber 'seal' was all dried up, some fuel still came through.... but not enough to feed the engine at sustained revs.
I pushed the knob back in and everything was fine. :P

But that probably isn't your issue.

You could always try another carb.

Wed Aug 13, 2008 1:23 pm

BarryL wrote: What is your current points gap? I've had too close a gap before and when everything got hot they sorta closed up. Also the same symptoms you describe match a cracked head among the other fuel theories.

I am so amazed and how well folks here get to know these VWs inside and out. I guess it takes lots of practice and experience over the years having common issues happen to them. Maybe one day, many moons from now, I will have 1/8 the knowledge of the good folks here and feel more comfortable working on my own VW rides and getting them better prepared for longer journeys. The farthest I took my older aircooled (minus the recent trip home from Colorado to California bringing home a 1967 bus), was 400 mile round trip. I was able to fix my issue and get home that time too but sure have a lot to learn.

For now, trips to other states far away will be done in my modern modes of transport until I get better able to work on my own cars.

tj

Wed Aug 13, 2008 1:25 pm

amishman wrote: crofty wrote: amishman wrote: I have had those kind of trips. That is why the wife prefers we take vacations now without a old VW in the picture.

:lol:

She prefers we get there and actually relax.

tj

You don't have a driver anyway, right?

Vapor lock has been covered a million times: search the forums.

Smart Ass. hehehe

I do have the new beetle though that gets 50mpg so we take that on long away trips and tent it when there.

tj

LOL, you do kbnow that a new beetle is the same as a Honda though, right?

Wed Aug 13, 2008 1:27 pm

mightymouse wrote:

And i dont want to here anymore bullshit about, oh we choose not to take old vws camping because of the headache.. :roll:
thats not the cars fault, its the person who built it, or the one driving it.
These are the simplest cars ever, there is no way one can cause you that much trouble on a road trip, unless you are not good at diagnosis.
Ive never..NEVER been stranded by a VW. I drive thousands of miles from home, and never bring any tools. just roll out. :)
If you cant even get a set of points to get you 3000 miles round trip, time to buy a new car.

:) rant ended for now. lates

Word to big bird.

Wed Aug 13, 2008 1:34 pm

One of my club members had this problem a few weeks ago while driving down from the mtns in 100 degree temps.........Vapor lock. He just opened the gas cap and it released and then ran fine the rest of the way home.
Just as a thought check your venting or get a vented gas cap.

Wed Aug 13, 2008 1:36 pm

crofty wrote:

LOL, you do kbnow that a new beetle is the same as a Honda though, right?

That's OK, we have owned a Honda CRX HF model my wife had purchased before we were married and that little car ran and ran and got great mileage for a gasser. In the 40s back them mpg. The Beetle we have is a TDI and does great on super long trips. 55mpg on a super long trip once. My wife likes it, feels comfortable in it, and has done well for us. It has quirky CEL issues so I have had to learn to deal with those but I am still happy with it.

I am sure one day I will feel better about my mechanic capabilities where I can finally restore and make road worthy one of my older VWs. I will keep plugging away and learning bits here and there, and by the time I am retired, I will have one done. hehehe

It is great to see so many folks that get out in their old VWs and enjoy. I am striving to be one of those as soon as I can get off my ass and get something running better. :lol:

tj