Skip to main content
Gerry | Vanagon
Checking account...
← vanagon.com home · Continue the discussion in the forum
Subject:Re: Still lousy gas mileage
From:Scott Daniel - Turbovans
Date:Wed, 2 May 2012 21:41:21 -0700

speaking of Ignition Advance on a 1.9 waterboxer distributor....

I have yet to see the felt pad under the distributor rotor properly damp
with a few drops of oil..
to lube the centrifugal advance, unless I did it myself.
  including on multi-thousand dollar rebuilt engine installs. ..
and fancy tune ups .

Back in the days of points ..
that was a commonly known service item..
and it was still neglected often.

if every part in a vanagon got proper and consistent lubrication ..very
few parts would ever wear out on them.

scott

On 5/2/2012 7:12 PM, Jonce Fancher wrote:
> Have not followed the thread BUT, I traded my 84 Vanagon with 24k
> Miles that I have not driven for 4 years.
> Put a new battery in it and it fired right up. But gas mileage sucked.
> Found it to be the Vac can on the distributor was not advancing. Can
> turned crunchy.
> Swapped it out and Up went the gas mileage.
> still have the 85 westy zetec.
> But the 84 is being driven gently by its new owner locally.
> All in good fun!
> Jonce
>
>
>>>> I would say a manual trans 1.9  Waterboxer Westy will do about 20.5 mpg
>> tops. <<
>>
>> That is my exact average during the summer.
>>
>>
>>>> Your oxygen sensor is working ? <<
>>
>> The voltage looks good, it's 3 months old.
>>
>>
>>>> no restricted cat or muffler ? <<
>>
>> This seems to be the latest consensus.  I think I will replace the
>> cat next
>> week.  May as well get that out of the equation since its probably
>> 4-5 years
>> old and one of the $99 or so ones. I've gotten my money's worth out
>> if it.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Bryan
>
> Jonce Fancher
> 56 Single Cab
> 66 Sunroof Bug
> 66 Squareback
> 66 Porsche 912
> 71 Sunroof Bus
> 84 Vanagon 7 Passenger 24k Miles
> 85 Vanagon Westi 2.0L Zetec
> 03 Sprinter
> 1 Understanding / Tolerant Wife, 2 Kids and 1 Beagle
>
> www.fanchers.com
> <http://www.fanchers.com/>www.busesbythebeach.com
>
> <http://www.busesbythebeach.com/>
>