*http://tinyurl.com/ktrljn*

Rennie,

I probably wouldn't buy that book.

Instead, here's a link from Van Cafe
that has a lot of very useful info.

hope this helps!

*http://tinyurl.com/ktrljn*

best,
John C...
SLC, UT...

On Wed, Aug 26, 2009 at 4:02 PM, Rene Ditton <rditton@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Hello!
>
> Still working on the problems with high idle.  Here's where we're at now...
>
> After
> it warms up, it has an extremely high idle, it will not decelerate
> & throttle valve switch makes no difference.  The idle adjust screw
> makes no difference.  It shows 4.93 volts @ throttle valve switch
> connector.  Switch appears to be OK, closed throttle switch shows zero
> ohms, open shows open.
>
> What does that tell everyone?!  :-)  Any suggestions?
> Any help is super appreciated!!
> Rene
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Rene Ditton <rditton@YAHOO.COM>
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Sent: Saturday, August 15, 2009 12:38:33 PM
> Subject: A newbie needing hard starting help
>
> Hello!
>
> My name is Rene and I'm new to the list, though I've been 'listening' to
> everyone's thread for several months.  My husband and I recently purchased
> an '83 Westy with a rebuilt '87 2.1 watercooled engine from a Syncro.  We
> had ultimate faith in the condition of the van, we purchased it in
> California in April and drove it up to Alaska a week later!  It made it with
> flying colors though one thing worried us.
>
> It's hart to start.  When it's cranked cold, it has a bit of a delay before
> kicking over (a fraction of a second).  It's one of those delays that makes
> you put the clutch in a little more and stop breathing for a moment.  It
> always starts, after a couple revolutions....but makes us nervous.  And the
> hotter the engine is (the more it's been driven), the harder it seems to
> start it.  When it's hot, sometimes it will take 1-3 seconds to get it to
> kick over.
>
> We're in Alaska now and have replaced the starter & bushing (per the
> instructions on the list which were GREAT!).  With the new starter, came no
> change.  It's still as hard to start as before.  We had the battery tested,
> it tested fine and all of the connections were checked.  I just found a
> string that suggested changing out the main cable going to the battery.
>  Should that be my next step?  Are there any other testing I can do to make
> sure it is the cable?  Are there any other suggestions on what to
> check/replace?
>
> The other little things we're having a problem with may not be important,
> but if it's related somehow I just want to mention it.  We have a dual
> battery system, though we're not sure it is hooked up correctly.  The
> refrigerator runs fine on 110 and propane, but won't hold temperature while
> on the battery.  And recently (within the last month or so) the van seems to
> be getting hot when idling for longer periods of time.  For example, if we
> stop at the bank, one of us goes inside and the other is outside for 5
> minutes in an idling van....when we start back on the road, the van 'smells'
> hot and the temperature is up.  It isn't overheating, it's just hot and once
> on the road moving again, it cools down to normal temperature.  Oh, and just
> once it the idle seemed to be 'stuck' on high while we were driving it.  It
> hasn't happened again.
>
> And one final question.  We have the Bentley manual and have been
> contemplating purchasing the John Muir book How to keep your VW alive - but
> it appears it's geared to an air cooled.  Would the book benefit us, having
> a watercooled engine?
>
> Many thanks in advance for suggestions!  I enjoy the list and look forward
> to the responses and apologize in advance for anything I forgot to mention!
> Sincerely,
> Rene Ditton
>