Messages

1

Vanagon concerns / 2.1 WBX won't start after running out of gas

« on: August 22, 2010, 10:04:10 PM »

Just made it to gas station, but it started chugging prior to getting there.  Filled it up with 15.5 gal and now it won't start. Always started fine for years.  Fuel pump sounds fine when the key is turned on.  I have tried repeated on/off/on/off with fuel pump in hopes of purging any possible air in lines.
I'm sure many folks have run many vanagons dry before.  Any ideas?

2

Vanagon concerns / Broke off a spark plug - ouch

« on: August 06, 2010, 08:33:38 AM »

Evidently plug was corroded in, probably aggravated by constant coolant leaks in head.  Was very tight but it did turn about 1/2 turn....then snapped off.  All the porcelein came out clean with the hex, now I have the threads still in the head.  It's on the aft right cylinder if peering into engine bay.
Concern now is the threads in head may be galled.  To remove remaining part of plug I was planning on trying heat then an easy out.  Penetrating oil is already working.
BTW, '91 Carat Multi, 186K mi. original 2.1 engine with one rebuild at approx. 85K mi.  Van has been in the family since '93 and less than 20K miles.  Basically the daily driver since '99 without major grief (maybe I've forgotten) but the emotional "keep it going...cool factor....can't replace the classic" feeling is fading fast and the mutliple little problems that aren't worth fixing start to wear on the psyche too.  Add to that the wife doesn't care; she's not a VW junkie.  Sorry, got carried away with the nostalgia - I guess typing to you all is therapy.
Has anyone needed to repair/fix this SPARK PLUG problem, and what was successful :?:

3

Vanagon concerns /

« on: August 06, 2010, 07:47:40 AM »

I had the exact same issue in my 83 and now in the 91.  Sloppy work practices by "oil change" shops.  Anyway, I used the rubber expandable "well nut" trick for years until I was fed up with the continued drips.  So I bought an oversized thread cutting bolt, bit my lip, and went for it.  Wouldn't you know, it didn't go in perfectly straight so still had the same drip.  I ended up finding a tall hard rubber washer in my plumbing leftovers that fit over the bolt threads very snuggly.  That allowed the washer to squish more on one side than the other to adjust to the "tapered" space under the head flange of the bolt.  NO DRIPS.  The washer I used was white and actually a seal for an extended sink faucet aerator.