----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeremy Speer" <jspeer@POBOX.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, August 03, 2002 8:06 PM
Subject: Zoooooom!

Folks,

I drove out to my mechanic's place this morning to pick up the transmission
mount he'd ordered for me. While we were talking i asked about the ongoing
sluggish performance i'd been experiencing for some time.

I asked, "can we put a timing light on it and check where it's at?"

We got out the light, hooked it up, started the engine, and all he could say
was, "oh, now *that's* not right."

He reached in and unhooked the temp II sensor, the idle increased a bit,
then he checked again with the light. It was fully 3+ degrees retarded.

Working gingerly, right through the moving belts, he loosened the
distributor and turned it. Immediately the idle smoothed out. Holding the
light in one hand and turning the distributor with the other we watched the
notch as it aligned with the case halves... he advanced it a bit more (2-3
degrees), then tightened the distributor and rechecked. He cautioned me to
listen for pinging... and back the advance closer to 5 degrees if i hear any
pre-ignition.

HOLY COW... it's like i have a new engine! I could pull up his driveway in
2nd gear. I can shift at a reasonable RPM now and not dog out while the car
behind me lands in my back seat. I could accelerate in 4th gear and pass
another car on the highway and not have to plan the move five minutes in
advance. On the drive home the temp needle stayed fully below the LED.

I realize i might sound like an idiot spouting off about something everybody
else already knows, but since i don't own a timing light i was never certain
where my timing was set....and the previous shop i went to never even
mentioned timing as an issue.

All in all a very, very good learning experience. Check that timing!

-jspeer

'89 Westy, "Mystery Machine"
Happy at ~7� BTDC