Thanks Dennis.  It seems my distributor cap had an unusual failure at about
6000miles, given that the crack goes almost to the top of the unit and it
seems I could easily pull it into two pieces.

I found that my air intake sensor was barely contacting the air intake hose
-- it was making more of a suggestion than a connection.

There has got to be an easier way to graduate from Vanagon School.

I'm going to rename Betty to Miracle Betty.

On Thu, Sep 7, 2017 at 1:17 AM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
wrote:

> For spark plugs I have been using the quad tips 4477 or the newer iridium
> 4506. They are really a "D" reach plug by catalogue but they do not
> protrude as far as some other multi electrode "D" plugs and I have not seen
> a problem on the Vanagon. They seem go for 30K. Conventional plug gap .028".
>
> Distributor caps and Rotors are wear items and can suffer from
> contamination and moisture. Once they can flash or arc over you can get
> carbon tracks or what is often called a cracked cap.
> The real original ignition wires could last for many years/miles and some
> are still in use. They were tinned copper core with resistors on both ends.
> Most of the replacement stuff is junk. The wire ends at the cap end have to
> match the cap, pin or barrel.
> Back to the cap I like to use the later 03-214 with the plastic
> suppression cover. The metal cans tend to collect dirt and short out the
> cap easier.
> Temp2 sensor is really a lifetime part unless something happens. Most of
> the time a problem with this sensor is really the connection, not the
> sensor itself.
> O2 sensor 1.9L service interval was 30K, 2.1L is 90K but they rarely last
> that long. Test, replace when needed.
> AFM, lifetime part until tampered with. Rebuilds questionable results.
> Exhaust- leaks are a real problem. Leaks at the flanges or close to the
> heads can lead to warped-burned valves. Hot exhaust gasses in the wrong
> place good melting stuff and causing fires.
>
> Dennis
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
> Of Gabriel Hourtouat
> Sent: Thursday, September 7, 2017 12:33 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Distributor Cap and Rotor, Leads, Timing
>
> Schooled again.
> First, I got shocked twice before I figured out that I had a cracked
> distributor cap while trying to adjust the timing -- did I break it just by
> touching it?  Are they delicate?  Should they only last about a year
> (7000miles)?
>
> Next, I put my old distributor cap back on; but still, I am unable to set
> the timing per Bentley and a timing light.  I will attempt to interpret
> that Bentley page again tomorrow.  But somehow the engine seems to be
> running well.  Better, maybe?
>
> And, I see on the Condelli page, there are two different rotors: big hole,
> small hole.  What's puzzling, is that the OLD rotor that had been operating
> with the OLD cap (OLD cap is currently re-installed), looks like a BIG hole
> rotor for the 1.9 L engine, not the SMALL hole for the 2.1L, which is what
> I have.
>
> I presume that the tune-up kit I had received was correct.  So, what's
> going on?  I had also bought (and installed) with the Prenco Premium
> Performance Wire Set (1200ohm).  Can you mix and match big hole and small
> hole rotors and HT leads?
>
> What is the longevity of the HT leads, distributor caps, rotors, spark
> plug s and hall sensors?
>
> To do a good job of a tune-up, what should I check/change/set?
> -distributor cap, rotor, hall sensor, HT leads, and spark plugs?
> -gap at "the points"?
> -O2 sensor?
> -T2 sensor?
> -AFM?
> -Exhaust leaks?
> -what else?
>
> Oi, I feel weak in the knees.
>
> gabby
> 1986 camper with 2.1L wbx
>