Ray:

When I bought my Syncro and first inspected the airfilter, that "catch
basin" upstream of the air filter was 1/2 full of water and grit.  It must
be doing something!  :-)

Brent Christensen
'89 GL Syncro Westy
'91 Taurus SHO (For Sale)
'95 Cherokee Sport

----- Original Message -----
From: Ray Perry <perryale@FIDALGO.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, April 17, 1999 10:00 AM
Subject: Heavy-Duty Air Filters

> Here is a plug for the HD Syncro airfilters:
>
> I suspected my aging engine was loosing power.  It occured to me the
> airfilter may be restricted, but I had recently replaced it.  So I
> considered other possibilities (since I started this site subscription
> to v@g, there seem to be so many possibilities as to why one could loose
> power ).  I use this vehicle when I go on trips, so it does not get
> driven regularly.  Finally, I took a few moments to take the cover off
> the motor and take a peek.  Seems a critter had made a nice home in
> there over the winter and placed some building insulation in there to
> make things cozy.  The filter element was a Mann brand with VW part
> nubers and German writings (stock paper element I suppose).  I was a bit
> unnerved by the critters desire to chew some parts of the paper element
> creating a few holes in the filter.  Thankfully, I had recently
> purchased an HD syncro airfilter from a vendor who is active on this
> site.  This filter is what it says, heavy duty.  The metal grids should
> protect the element from any future rodent encampents, but I am
> considering a cat to keep watch on things.
>
> I did wonder what that clear (now) catchment thing was upstream of the
> airfilter.  Is it part of some sort of gravel-catcher or cyclone system
> designed to "prefilter" the incoming air?
>
> Keep an eye on those air filters!
>
> Ray
> 90 syncro westy