[tcb] Re: A very goofy gremlin
- From: atxan <atx_bus@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "tcb@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <tcb@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 17 Dec 2011 21:27:53 -0600
Is this happening with or with out your Christmas lights being plugged in?
Jeff
Sent via iPhone
On Dec 17, 2011, at 8:58 PM, julie.hey.ho.lets.go@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
> 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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