Assuming stock size tires and original gears, 68 mph = 3800 engine rpm.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of Stan Wilder
Sent: Friday, April 26, 2002 1:55 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Spark Coil Failure

While on a Westy search I noticed that my tachometer wasn't displaying
the proper Rpms for my speed in 4th gear.
This was highway driving at 70+ mph.
My Westy is Air Cooled and 70 mph and 3300 should be my readings.
I was getting 2700/2900 Rpm reading on the Tech at 70 mph.in forth gear.
After a quick *wiggle the wire routine* I got no improvement.
I installed a known to be good coil and everything came back to the
normal.
Other symptoms were:
Idle rpm readings of 500 rpm when I knew it to be 800 Rpms using my Snap
On tach, dwell meter.
Engine struggles to reach 4000 Rpms in third gear.
Engine *just had the feeling* that it was working too hard for the speed
and rpm.
I had tachometer needle bounce that didn't seem to go away in idle range
of 800-900 Rpms.
Summary:
I found a bad coil before it found me.
Most common reasons coils fail:
a)Conductive dirt, grit on the end cap causing arching.
b)Age and Heat
c)Coil has been dropped, bruised damaging case and windings.
d)Too much resistance in ignition system.

Stan Wilder
83 Air Cooled Westfalia

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