[tcb] Re: A very goofy gremlin
- From: julie.hey.ho.lets.go@xxxxxxxxx
- To: tcb@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 17 Dec 2011 20:58:47 -0600
The horn is NOT a coincidence! And the fuel filter has been changed
recently, the problem was before and after that. I have checked the fuel
pump in the past too.
On Sat, Dec 17, 2011 at 8:54 PM, Duncan <whocanduncan1@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> **
> My bet is tyhe horn is a coincidence.
>
> Replace the fuel filter.
> ------------------------------
> *From: * julie.hey.ho.lets.go@xxxxxxxxx
> *Sender: * tcb-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> *Date: *Sat, 17 Dec 2011 20:20:21 -0600
> *To: *<tcb@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> *ReplyTo: * tcb@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> *Subject: *[tcb] A very goofy gremlin
>
> I enjoy gremlins. They challenge me. But I have one that I can't beat in
> my '71. And I thought I had. He is chuckling loudly right now.
>
> I have electronic ignition and this one has been in this Bus for 95,000
> miles. And the horn is no longer the button in the steering wheel, it is a
> button off to the side and it has been this way for years. Otherwise this
> is a stock Bus, 1600 dual port, nothing unusual.
>
> Sometimes he won't start. But I discovered that if I toot his horn then
> he will start right up, or he will stall and not start until the horn is
> tooted. This has been happening very intermittently since June. It always
> happens on the way home, never first drive of the day, always after 5
> o'clock (this may or may not be a clue). He never does this when there is
> a mechanic or a VW friend that has knowledge greater than mine is around.
> I did bring him to my mechanic a couple of months ago and he cleaned up
> all of the corroded wiring that was hiding behind the dash. It was really
> green and crumbly and nasty back there. We thought that would have done
> away with the gremlin.
>
> I was just a my mechanic's Tuesday morning and we were addressing another
> problem. Donner drove the 70 miles there perfectly. On the way to work
> after the mechanic at one point on the highway it was like we were cruising
> along at a sprint and then suddenly there was a significant lose of power,
> I drifted into the gas station because I needed gas anyways so once he was
> filled up, he started up and made it to work like nothing happened. After
> work he drove 40 miles with no problems. And then at midnight when I was
> heading home he stalled in the first 1/4 mile. Started only after tooting
> the horn. On the highway there were times when I would have sudden
> stepping down loses of power, like I was an Olympic sprinter, then a high
> school middle distance runner, then an out of shape jogger and then stall.
> I have never run out of gas but I assume you would just feel a vehicle slow
> smoothly as the gas runs out? It wasn't like that. And then honk the horn
> and I would be able to start up again. One time as I was going through
> these sudden loses of power I honked the horn and it was like a rocket
> booster, he went back to normal for a little while. So today I was just
> going down the road a bit so I thought I would see how Donner behaves. I
> figured if worse came to worse I can just keep doing my honking trick and
> make it home, this trick has consistently worked. But no. When I was
> going to head home, he wouldn't start. I honked and honked and honked.
> Nothing. My mechanic had me put the key in the on position and un-connect
> the solenoid on the carb and it clicked so I was getting power there. And
> then he had me un-plug the wire that goes to the middle of the distributor
> cap and my mom would have the engine turn over while I held the wire near
> metal and no spark, none at all. So I could not do the pop the clutch
> trick to get started. My mechanic figured it must be the electronic
> ignition. So I called AAA. While waiting the hour for the tow truck I
> fiddled more and more and tooted the horn and tried and tried to get him
> started. Towed him home. As soon as the tow truck left the driveway I
> turned Donner's key, wouldn't start, wouldn't start, wouldn't start. Toot
> the horn and he starts right up.
>
> My mechanic says that electronic ignition problems aren't intermittent.
> It either works or it doesn't.
>
> I will try to make the 70 mile journey to my mechanic next week but I was
> wondering if you guys have any ideas on how to slay this gremlin or at
> least chase him a few states away. The electronic ignition? The ignition
> switch (this one is about 2 years old)? Constantly beep the horn until
> someone shoots me? Any other ideas?
>
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