PM and the Vanagon Part 3

Part 3 Getting better fuel mileage.

Much is made of hybrid vehicles, biodiesel, electric cars, etc. in the way of getting more fuel mileage. While these are all great ideas for new cars what about doing something to help our Vanagons right now? There are many simple things that can be done to assure yourself that you are getting the best miles per gallon that you can with your van, and they don't cost anywhere near the amount of an engine transplant, etc.

Tire inflation.

Low air pressure in tires not only wears them out faster but also increases your rolling resistance and lowers your miles per gallon. Use the chart on the driver's side door jamb. Check your tire pressure once a month to be sure that they are where they need to be. If you are really crazy Wal-mart even sells replacement tire caps that change color from green to red when your tire pressure goes below a certain level. So you can instantly know when your air pressure is low.

Clean and Shiny.

There is a reason why your van and all other cars are painted with nice shiny paint besides the fact that it looks good. A shiny, clean car has less drag and therefore moves through the air better than a dull finished or dirty car. Keep your van clean and the paint in good condition and it will help with your fuel mileage.

Tune up.

It is important to keep your van in proper tune. You should at least check your spark plugs and wires every six months to see what condition they are in. A visual inspection of the plugs requires you to pull them. You should probably also do a compression test at the same time to get an overall picture of the health of the engine. Check the gap of your plugs against the book. If they are worn replace them. Also inspect them for the color of the insulator. If they are a light brown/tan color the van is running fine. If they are a black sooty color then the van is running too rich. If the insulator is white and blistered looking then the engine is running too lean. If you see one particular spark plug that is different than the others, then you should have the cylinder checked so that you can find out what the problem is. A simple way to check your plug wires is to look at the engine in the dark. If you see any sparks or flashes then the plug wires are bad and are arcing. Remove your distributor cap and inspect it on the inside and out. If you see any cracks or carbon build up on the inside of the cap, it should be replaced immediately. If the rotor looks burnt it should also be replaced. Your air filter and fuel filter should also be replaced at least once a year.

Oxygen Sensor.

Your oxygen sensor is key to keeping your fuel mixture right on the money. It should be replaced every sixty thousand miles. If you are experiencing poor fuel mileage and you have checked your other items then I would replace the oxygen sensor to see if this helps.

Grounds.

On the Vanagon ground connections can throw off perfectly good working sensors and cause all sorts of problems along with poor performance and fuel mileage. Check the ground connections that are on your driver's side head. On the 1.9l engine there are several ground wires coming to this point on the 2.1l engine there is just one. Inspect the wiring to be sure it is in good condition and that the ends are clean. If you need to clean them you can use either some sand paper or scotch brite to clean the head and the ends. There is also a ground strap that goes from this connection to the firewall right beneath the coil. Sometimes this strap is totally gone. If that is true then you need to replace it. I have new VW ones that work the best. You could make your own out of some heavy gauge wire with a ring connector on each end. You can check your old strap with an ohm meter to be sure it is still good. It should have zero resistance. If not, then replace it. Also you should clean and check the other ground connections that are on the firewall beneath where the coil is mounted.

Injectors.

Your injectors can get clogged over time and have a bad spray pattern. You can check this visually by pulling the injectors and seeing what the pattern looks like. Be sure to follow the instructions in the Bentley manual when doing this. The Bentley also has a picture of what a good spray pattern should look like. You can do preventive maintenance on your injectors by running some injector cleaner in your van every six months or so. You can find this at your local Wal-mart or automotive parts house.

Slow Down!

The point of owning a Vanagon, for me, has always been about enjoying the journey. I like arriving at my destination in a timely manner, don't get me wrong, but there is also the fun of the trip itself. However many roadways have become race tracks where folks seem to be competing with each other to see who can get "there" fastest. Exactly where they are going, or why they need to get there so quickly is enigmatic. In a Vanagon it can really cost you in terms of mpg. Because of the boxiness of the Vanagon, as you increase speed over 55 mph your drag increases exponentially and also your mpg decreases along the same lines. If you don't feel safe going 55 mph on an interstate then try another less traveled road. You get the benefit of seeing more of our country and should also get better mileage.

By keeping your van running well you can save yourself hundreds of dollars over the course of a year as well as having a safe and reliable van. It should be common sense but if you are experiencing bucking, hesistation, stalling or some other type of driveability problem then the tune up items we discussed should be checked immediately. If you still can't find the problem then you should take your van somewhere that has a competant mechanic that can diagnose your problem. You may spend a couple of hundred dollars now but you will save that much in fuel mileage in the course of just one year (at current fuel costs).

Email me and let me know if this write up helps you with this issue.

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Winter Clearance

Winter is also a great time to get some great deals on parts here at Van-Again We are looking at some parts that we have had sitting around for a while that would probably have a better home installed on your van and we are slashing prices to get them there. Here is a list of things that are close-outs and specials that is only being advertised through this email list:

One set of 15" alloy used Audi rims. These have been bored over to go over the Vanagon hub however they need a set of spacers and longer rear studs to work on a 2wd Vanagon. They may work as is on a syncro. I want $200 for the set and they are non-returnable. They are in pretty nice shape with one having some curb rash, but nothing really bad. I can email pictures if you are interested.

Performance Digijet ECU- $250 (SOLD)

Vanagon front heater core- $199

Diesel VW Rabbit/Jetta/Vanagon Fuel Pump (brand new)- $695

Overhead A/C Parts for Vanagons- Complete set good used condition- $400 I have at least one complete set of overhead A/C parts from a 87 Vanagon. This would include the rear housing with the evaporator and fans in it and all of the tubes that go up to the front. The fans alone are worth over $375 each new.

We will be updating and changing our list of clearance parts as we sell things and stumble across other items. Since these are clearance items they are NOT available through the webstore. Email us or call if you are interested.

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