----- Original Message -----
From: "Kim Brennan" <KimBrennan@AOL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, August 31, 2002 6:48 AM
Subject: Re:       '85 Vanagon with a loud identity crisis

In a message dated 8/31/02 1:31:49 AM, seraphim@GCI.NET writes:

> Apparently, my Van thinks she's a Harley Davidson. When she idles,
> there's an odd, loud PUT-PUT-PUT that gets even worse when I
> accelerate. She seems to be running fine, if anything the acceleration
> seems better than normal, except that the problem she has with sort of
> hesitating at stop lights has gotten more frequent and more pronounced.
>

>Hole in the exhaust system. Might be in the pipes to the cat, or the
muffler
itself (but probably before the muffler). Since mufflers tend to
be...slightly restrictive on the flow of exhaust gases, at least on most
cars, when you have a hole in the system ahead of them, you may notice more
power and an easier running motor. Of course you also notice how LOUD the
engine is (after all, it is Exploding gas to make that power!)..

I'd suggest that most holes in exhausts actually reduce power. A weak
mixture is one result (hence coinnected to rough running and backfiring on
the overrun), splashy irregular shockwaves in the syetm etc. etc. Any
supposed power gains are usually psychological due to the loder noise. This
is in contradistinction to a properly designed shorter or more open 'tuned'
exhaust, which don't always give the increased power they are supposed to
and if they do, only in a narrower power band, with poor running and reduced
torque elsewhere.

Sorry, but this doesn't help your question, and I'm not suggesting that Kim
is wrong about a blown exhaust -

Clive
'88 Syncro Transporter