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vanaglobal
Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2016
Posts: 50
Location: NYC
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 Posted: Wed May 12, 2021 7:24 am Post subject: Re: Another stranded Vanagon -- Won't start |
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What do you guys think of just replacing the coil to see if it fixes the situation first?
It’s the one that came with the car about 12 years ago.
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83.5 1.9l wasserboxer westfalia |
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Wildthings
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005
Posts: 50352
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| Posted: Wed May 12, 2021 7:40 am Post subject: Re: Another stranded Vanagon -- Won't start |
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| vanaglobal wrote: |
What do you guys think of just replacing the coil to see if it fixes the situation first?
It’s the one that came with the car about 12 years ago. |
The coil should effect all cylinders the same. Take your timing gun and put in on the wire to the bad cylinder and see if you get a flash. If not try replacing the plug for that cylinder and if that doesn't work replace the spark plug wire. A distributor cap with a crack would also cause one cylinder to misfire. |
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vanaglobal
Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2016
Posts: 50
Location: NYC
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| Posted: Wed May 12, 2021 7:46 am Post subject: Re: Another stranded Vanagon -- Won't start |
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| Wildthings wrote: |
| vanaglobal wrote: |
What do you guys think of just replacing the coil to see if it fixes the situation first?
It’s the one that came with the car about 12 years ago. |
The coil should effect all cylinders the same. Take your timing gun and put in on the wire to the bad cylinder and see if you get a flash. If not try replacing the plug for that cylinder and if that doesn't work replace the spark plug wire. A distributor cap with a crack would also cause one cylinder to misfire. |
I just replaced all of those things recently:
Distributor, distributor cap (the newer kind without the ground wire), cables, plugs, I swapped out all the fuel lines around there too.
I guess I’ll just do the compression test.
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MarkWard
Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2005
Posts: 17154
Location: Retired South Florida
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| Posted: Wed May 12, 2021 8:01 am Post subject: Re: Another stranded Vanagon -- Won't start |
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Did you try physically swapping the injectors to see if the misfire moves?
The warning about disabling the coil is to ensure you don't accidentally start a fire. Engines that won't start or won't run right can have unburnt fuel that given the right conditions a spark will ignite the fumes. So, don't skip this .
My preference is to disconnect the hall sender when possible. This disables spark and injector pulse while cranking. The problem is that can be easier said than done on a 30 + year harness.
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jlrftype7
Samba Member
Joined: July 24, 2018
Posts: 3582
Location: Chicago
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| Posted: Wed May 12, 2021 11:44 am Post subject: Re: Another stranded Vanagon -- Won't start |
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| MarkWard wrote: |
Did you try physically swapping the injectors to see if the misfire moves?
The warning about disabling the coil is to ensure you don't accidentally start a fire. Engines that won't start or won't run right can have unburnt fuel that given the right conditions a spark will ignite the fumes. So, don't skip this .
My preference is to disconnect the hall sender when possible. This disables spark and injector pulse while cranking. The problem is that can be easier said than done on a 30 + year harness. |
Yess, I still remember giving myself a brief fire on my old '77 Corolla Hatchback. Was holding the Coil wire down with something other than a proper jumper wire set-up. Cable lifted up enough from the engine to jump a spark while cranking the engine for testing, and the splashed fuel and gunk build up on the engine did the rest.....  Zero damage done other than to my pride since it was a flash fire that was gone in an instant, but damn lucky that day too. 
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'68 Westy- my first VW and vehicle/Bus- long gone.- sold it to a traveling Swiss couple....
'67 Type 3 Fastback, my 2nd car- gone
'69 Semi-Auto Stick Shift Beetle-gone
2017 MINI Coopers, our current DDs
‘84 Tin Top - Hilga....Auto |
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Howesight
Samba Member
Joined: July 02, 2008
Posts: 3274
Location: Vancouver, B.C.
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| Posted: Wed May 12, 2021 1:31 pm Post subject: Re: Another stranded Vanagon -- Won't start |
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I talk the talk, but I don't walk the walk. Many times in repairing, I take a lot of risks that I shouldn't.
But when I tell the uninitiated to do a compression test, I imagine them with fuel spraying everywhere, someone else grinding a weld nearby with sparks all over, parked next to leaky propane containers, and smoking a Marlboro (or two).
I would hate to be the guy who failed to warn.
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vanaglobal
Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2016
Posts: 50
Location: NYC
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| Posted: Sat May 15, 2021 9:19 am Post subject: Re: Another stranded Vanagon -- Won't start |
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So bad news...
0 compression on the Cylinder in question...
Getting about 90 on the other two and 100 on the best one...
What would you say the best move from here would be...?
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Ahwahnee
Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010
Posts: 9810
Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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| Posted: Sat May 15, 2021 2:13 pm Post subject: Re: Another stranded Vanagon -- Won't start |
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| I would be observing the behavior of the valves. |
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djkeev
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Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32625
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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Captain Pike
Samba Member
Joined: December 30, 2003
Posts: 3343
Location: Talos IV, Piedmont Arizona
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| Posted: Sun May 16, 2021 5:11 am Post subject: Re: Another stranded Vanagon -- Won't start |
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If your lucky its only a burped pushrod holding open a valve. Take the rockers off the dead hole. Look at the springs, run a leakdown test.
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59 Panel bus, 1966 Single cab. 73' 181. 73 Westy. 91' H6 Vanagon 3.3L.
.....................All Current....................... |
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vanaglobal
Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2016
Posts: 50
Location: NYC
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| Posted: Tue May 18, 2021 5:56 am Post subject: Re: Another stranded Vanagon -- Won't start |
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There’s no way or chance that adjusting the hydraulic valve lifters might remedy this situation? 
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djkeev
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Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32625
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22670
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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| Posted: Tue May 18, 2021 7:36 am Post subject: Re: Another stranded Vanagon -- Won't start |
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| vanaglobal wrote: |
| There’s no way or chance that adjusting the hydraulic valve lifters might remedy this situation? |
There is a chance, about the same as my getting a date with Beyoncé tonight
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vanaglobal
Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2016
Posts: 50
Location: NYC
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| Posted: Tue May 18, 2021 8:36 am Post subject: Re: Another stranded Vanagon -- Won't start |
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| Abscate wrote: |
There is a chance, about the same as my getting a date with Beyoncé tonight |
Let me see a photo. Chances might be higher than I think lol.
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chazie78
Samba Member
Joined: August 30, 2020
Posts: 8
Location: Colorado
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| Posted: Tue May 18, 2021 9:20 am Post subject: Re: Another stranded Vanagon -- Won't start |
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Hi guys, I am following along as I have a similar problem, she was a little sluggish the last few drives and seemed to deteriorate in performance. I just did the coil, cap. and rotor, and plug wires. I am going to check fuel pump and filter today. Thank you all for the info......
addition info: I was low on gas, and lifted her up to change a tire. No start after lowering. No start after adding 5 gallons of fuel. The fuel pump is not making a priming noise from what I can tell.....
Thoughts?
Chas |
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djkeev
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Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32625
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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chazie78
Samba Member
Joined: August 30, 2020
Posts: 8
Location: Colorado
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| Posted: Tue May 18, 2021 5:38 pm Post subject: Re: Another stranded Vanagon -- Won't start |
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| I dont have a fuel pressure gauge but no fuel came from the test port when cranking with the screw removed, a few drops maybe.... |
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32625
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22670
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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| Posted: Tue May 18, 2021 6:40 pm Post subject: Re: Another stranded Vanagon -- Won't start |
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| vanaglobal wrote: |
| Abscate wrote: |
There is a chance, about the same as my getting a date with Beyoncé tonight |
Let me see a photo. Chances might be higher than I think lol. |
I had it set up but the Vanagon wouldn’t start.
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vanaglobal
Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2016
Posts: 50
Location: NYC
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| Posted: Thu May 27, 2021 7:48 am Post subject: Re: Another stranded Vanagon -- Won't start |
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So I’m torn as to what to do now...
Get new heads (or just one) and see how long it lasts.
Get a new engine, but I don’t have a garage or resources to do it myself...
Took the valve covers off but don’t really know what I’m looking for...
How do I check to see if it’s a “burped pushrod?”
Trying to get some info to see what the next best step might be.
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