Suggest a leak down test.  Could be just bad valve adjustment.  100lbs
should fire.  I would suggest higher heat range plugs, too.

Adam P
81  Westy "The Brick "
70 Single Cab "Whitey"
74 Beetle "Ol Yeller"
73 Transporter (STILL at paint shop)
1988 Vanagon Wolfsburg
75 Campmobile "for sale'
Used Vanagon Parts for sale (mostly aircooled)
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeff Strickrott" <jstric01@cs.fiu.edu>
To: "Vanagon List" <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>; "Type Two List"
<type2@type2.com>
Sent: Thursday, September 26, 2002 2:49 PM
Subject: [T2] Bad Valve Issues/Question, Opinion sought.

> Hi All:
>
> I have a question regarding testing for bad vales. Here is the history.
>
> I have an 82 Vanagon with 50k original miles. As I have been
> reconditioning it, I have been battling a hot start problem. That is the
> engine must be turned over for about 8-11 sec's  and the gas peddle used
> to get it started when the engine has warmed up. I have gone through all
> the Bentley's checks on the fuel injection components and have found
> nothing wrong. In the process I have replaced all the gaskets/hoses
> around the air distributor. My engine vacuum is 14.5-15 inHg @ 850 rpms.
> It has new points/plugs/cap/rotor. Old plug wires and coil, but the coil
> and engine spark seem to be strong enough.
>
> I finally gave up and took the car this morning to a local garage that
> works on bugs/buses (first time visit) to see if they could solve the
> problem. Their opinion was that the car was not running on cylinders 1&2
> because if they removed the ignition wires on 1&2 it did not effect the
> idle of the engine. They did a compression test on these cylinders and
> got 100 psi.  They also checked the FI and concurred that the system
> seemed to be working. Their conclusion is that the valves are bad on
> cylinders 1 &2.
>
> Not ever having driven an air cooled van in its prime, I have nothing to
> compare the performance/power of the engine to. But I think I would have
> noticed if it was only running on two cylinders. The car seems to have
> enough power to get up to speed on the highway (65) and to handle hills.
> How could I double check their diagnosis? Could someone explain what
> would make the valves go bad so early in the engines life? Was this
> normal?
>
> Thanks in advance for the opinions.
>
> Regards,
> --Jeff Strickrott
> 82 Westy, South Florida
>
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