Just a couple thoughts-

as a last resort, if you're going to replace the engine anyhow, apply all
the force you need to get that plug out.  No harm done.
check the timing
keep an eye on the temperature, if it just smells hot, but isn't really hot,
where a clothspin on your nose
the spotty acceleration may be caused by the AFM.  Check it's resistance
track
could also be holes in the exhaust causing backfire/back acceleration (due
to O2 sensor)

Check the compression.  If it's good maybe you don't need a rebuild. No
coolant leaks? No oil leaks? If the compression is good, I don't think I'd
touch it.  I'd look for the real culprit in the system.

Bradley Flubacher
State College, PA
'82 VW diesel westy
'84 GL wasserboxer

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
Of Suzanne Hackett
Sent: Sunday, April 22, 2001 12:41 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: I think I'm at the Crossroads

Hi List:

Haven't posted in a long while, but I'm having a perplexing problem with
Geordi, my 1990 Vanagom Carat.  Up until this winter, after resolving many
of Geordi's other issues (he's got just about new everything except an
engine) and now approaching 189,000 miles, I think I'm at the point where I
either need to replace/rebuild the engine, or give up.

Geordi's mechanic just gave him a tune-up (he did the last one too) and
reported that one of the spark plugs was jammed in there too tight for him
to get out and replace.  he said he was afraid of damaging the engine.

Geordi's current symptoms are poor idling, excessive backfiring at startup
and while driving, and spotty accelaration.  The engine is also smelling
hot.  Coolant's okay, oil seems to be okay (it was just changed).  But the
performance is unacceptable, and not at all how's its been.

Issue #1 is deciding whether I'm going to jump on this mechanic to fix the
problem he may have reated...but I wanted to see if I could get some
thoughts from the list on what might be going on first.  Thanks.

Suzanne
*****************************************
Suzanne Hackett
Goldwell Open Air Museum
Rhyolite, Nevada
http://www.fundraiserx.com/goldwell.html
goldwell@fundraiserx.com
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