Ok here are two similar scenarios below.  The question is how can you still
get reasonable gas mileage (18-20), burn oil, not blow smoke, hardly notice
the powerloss with a black tail pipe, and not foul plugs.
any comments?

-----Original Message-----
From: Gary Shea <shea@gtsdesign.com>
To: Seth F Gordon <sethgordon@MONTYSBAY.COM>
Cc: Vanagon@VANAGON.COM <Vanagon@VANAGON.COM>
Date: Tuesday, July 07, 1998 12:48 AM
Subject: Re: no power: running lean (i think)

>When I rebuilt the engine from my '81, I had compression something
>like 90-100-110-120.  The van did not smoke, the plugs didn't get
>fouled, but I burned about a half-quart of oil per tank of gas.
>The tailpipe was always black.
>
>After the rebuild I feel like I gained some power, 10-20% or so,
>and of course no oil burning.  I seem to have created a new two-drop-
>per-day oil leak, sigh, but otherwise it's great.  Mileage went from
>maybe 16 on the highway to 20.  Tailpipe is still always black,
>although not quite _as_ black.  I only drive in town, pretty much.
>
>I doubt that this is much help, but it's all I can offer you.  I
>don't recall what your compression test gave you, but if you're
>having a _major_ loss of power, I supsect it's somewhere in the
>FI, electronic or vacuum.  Then again, I'm no expert!
>
> Gary
>
>On Mon, 6 Jul 1998, Seth F Gordon wrote:
>> That is the kicker.  I don't really know  what the problem is.  If one
>> cylinder has bad compression and is markedly improved by adding a little
>> oil, is'nt that the rings.  I feel as though I have checked every
possible
>> cause.  The other interesting thing is that plugging in the ox sensor
>> causes a greater loss of power while trying to accelerate acctually there
is
>> very little loss of power with the oxs out.  So when this first happened
I
>> unplugged the sensor and drove it as little as possible and then put it
away
>> for the winter.  For the summer I decided to drive it and just for the
hell
>> of it plugged the oxs back in.  no problems?  I guess this means I am
>> oppening it up for comment, please tell me what this weirdness is.
>>
>> ps the compression is still bad, and the only sign of problem is a sooty
>> tail pipe.
>>
>> seth gordon
>> 84 wolfsburg weekender
>