Well, I'd say how to make good coffee on the road is at least as on topic as
how to get internet access on the road.  Neither is particular to vanagons,
of course.

Refinement on my whistling engine, after walking around the van and
slithering under it a ways: I seem to have a whistling fuel pump.  I'm
heading to the repair place in the morning - was just going to get an oil
change, but now I'll ask about this too.  Anything in particular I should
tell him/be wary of/etc?

I talked to this same repair person - an elderly man in Annandale, VA,
outside of Washington DC, Paul Hoffman, of Paul's Auto Service, former VW
repair person now on his own - about my now-intermittent
low-power-at-high-speed problems.  Naturally it started up again, precluding
a trip to visit my sister, and then stopped again by the time I got it to
Mr. Hoffman.  He said there wasn't much point looking at it when it wasn't
acting up.  

But - is a whistling fuel pump likely to also be the cause of my
intermittent power loss?  Wouldn't it be nice if I only had one thing wrong,
not two...  

Mr. Hoffman said last time he saw an intermittent power problem at high
speeds he put in what he called a "wiring harness adaptor to the air flow
box" and that solved the problem.  Has anyone seen this solution?  Of course
I don't know if that's where my problem lies - it's certainly at the other
end of the vehicle from the whistling pump.

Thanks to everyone who has answered my questions so far, and for the past
six months, by the way!  I'm sure even six months into this I still sound
like a mechanical moron - but hey, I am.  No deception here!  I'll admit
that this evening I was wondering if I should continue my travels in my
little 2002 Toyota Prius that has nothing wrong with it and never breaks
down, and give up on Matilda.  I was even trying to figure out how I could
get maximum stuff into a rather small car.  But I'm not going to give up on
vanagons yet.  At least I don't think I am.

Joy

****************************************************************
Joy Hecht
and Matilda, 1989 Burgundy Vanagon
 
For musings about life and the vanadventures:
http://users.rcn.com/jhecht/gypsy
 
****************************************************************

:::-----Original Message-----
:::From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
:::Of Cory Sammons
:::Sent: Wednesday, August 18, 2004 2:39 PM
:::To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
:::Subject: Re: GET BACK ON TOPIC!
:::
:::On 8/18/04 1:19 PM, "Gnarlodious" <gnarlodious@EARTHLINK.NET> wrote:
:::
:::> Ye Gods! A whole window full of off topic posts! Bears and coffee, give
:::me a
:::> break!
:::>
:::> -- Gnarlie
:::>
:::Since many of us use our vans for camping I would have to say that the
:::bear
:::issue, which pertains to both vehicle and personal safety, is a very
:::appropriate topic.
:::Im guessing someone will say the same about coffee flavors, but I think
:::that�s stretching a little too far!
:::Cory Sammons
:::84 Westy
:::99 New Beetle
:::Gardiner, NY