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taylora
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 46
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 Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2014 4:20 pm Post subject: finally moved my van....having some issues |
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So I've been working (slowly & time permitting) on my 81 Westfalia that I purchased for $1800. I got it running and finally took it for the first real shake-down cruise. The good news is it running well. The bad news- it totally losses power uphill but runs, idles and revs up just fine on the flats. I can have the pedal to the floor on low inclines and the rpms seem to stay up but sometimes it won't want to go over 10mph up modest inclines. It shifts just fine. I'm thinking it's a fuel pump or bad vacuum lines. Do the fuel pumps tend to go bad? The pump runs but perhaps it's not getting enough fuel pressure? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Bear in mind that it was sitting for 10+ years before I started working on it- I have replaced all the fuel lines.
The other issue is with starting the van. Sometimes it will just crank and crank, almost until the battery dies, then it will finally start. Sometimes I mess around with the throttle body (you know with all those springs and such). Is there a write-up on how to adjust the "set screw" on top of the throttle body? I wonder how much tension should be on those springs.
If that is not enough, as a bonus, could someone tell me how much vacuum line & of what diameter I would need to do the entire engine? I know this is a crazy question and would be surprised if anyone knew but it's worth a shot!
Thanks for all the help so far! |
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the joker
Samba Member
Joined: October 12, 2006
Posts: 1287
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| Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2014 4:40 pm Post subject: |
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Check your compression
Oil pressure
You may have a worn engine |
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32632
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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1vw4x4
Banned
Joined: June 22, 2005
Posts: 472
Location: Pgh. PA
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| Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2014 6:07 pm Post subject: |
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Bad fuel. I've run a van with 5 year old fuel but ten years is not even
worth trying. You just do more damage. |
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taylora
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 46
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| Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2014 4:16 am Post subject: |
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| I forgot to mention I had to put in a new tank so it has new gas. The tank and gas was so rusty! I also checked the compression and all four cylinders are good. |
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Wildthings
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50352
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| Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2014 4:36 am Post subject: |
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| I would add FI cleaner (for the injectors) and an upper cylinder wall lubricant to the fuel and add a cleaner to the engine oil. I recently put an engine back into service that hadn't been run at least since ~2002 and probably much longer. I added a quart of synthetic motor oil to the gas to help lube the top end and filled the case with 5w20 which I dumped after only a few miles of driving. I then refilled the case with 30wt with a quart of Marvel Mystery Oil added which I ran for several hundred miles. I then switched over to 15w50 synthetic in the case and continued to add various other upper cylinder wall lubricants to the gas for the next several tanks of fuel. At around 1000 accumulated miles then engine came fully back to life putting out full power and purring nicely. |
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Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22670
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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| Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2014 6:16 am Post subject: |
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| taylora wrote: |
| I forgot to mention I had to put in a new tank so it has new gas. The tank and gas was so rusty! I also checked the compression and all four cylinders are good. |
What are your compression numbers?
Warm engine, strong battery, all plugs out, initial compression number and final compression number..first dry and then wet with oil?
_________________
.ssS! |
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