Donner embodies the Christmas spirit (even though he was not named after a reindeer but after the folks that resorted to cannibalism). He doesn't have any Christmas lights. On Sat, Dec 17, 2011 at 9:27 PM, atxan <atx_bus@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: > 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? >> > >