Howdy Folks,
I bought a '91 Carat (automatic) in Oklahoma City while I was in school
there, and drove it home to Pittsburgh Thursday and Friday, (1100 miles
roughly). No drivability problems except in the first 50 miles or so, (a
couple of bouts of low power, no bucking) which I wrote off to bad gas, and
the rest of the trip was perfect. Tonight, (Friday, about 36 degrees out) my
wife took it to pick up our son from the movies. She called me to say it was
not turning over, she meaning it was not firing, when I thought she meant it
was not cranking (flag terminal on starter sprang to my mind). When I got
there, to check, I tried just reaching in and cranking it, which it did, but
didn't start (fuel pump was operating). I then hopped in and floored the gas
pedal, and it started instantly. My question is, do any of you find it
necessary to use full throttle to get your van to start in colder weather,
or is something else going on here? My wife has driven air and water cooled
Vanagons for years, and the other two water cooled vans we have (when cold)
will usually start using the partial (i.e., very little) pedal technique. I
installed new Bosch Platinum tipped spark plugs prior to the trip, and had
no problems Friday morning in Vandalia Illinois at 31 degrees. Any ideas?
TIA,
Dave Milo