Day 1 of my open university course in VW Campervan Maintenance

Its the difference betwen technician and engineer.
Technicians are taught procedures e.g. how to read OBD2 ports, need a procedure to fix things from there.


Engineers know how things work and have a model in their heads of what is going on, know which bits do what and why they were put there. Also tend to know sooner when they are out of their depth..

 

Hmmm. There's a fair bit of crossover, plenty of educated engineers out there without much common sense and plenty of bright technicians tearing their hair out.

 

Hi Mike and Zedders

I am neither and engineer or technician and I am struggling with a number of things:

1 -Implied knowledge, Mike I don't understand basic terminology.
2- Confidence - I feel I will do more harm than good, although my current mechanic could have said the same.
3 Time , it waits for nobody.

This morning, I tried the van again, hoping that the evil spirits had left, it tried to start , spluttered but would not continue. 1,2 +3 applies again

I am going to look at the accelerator pedal and the accelerator arm, it seems that there is not much pedal movement.

Thanks

Darron

 

@darron smith
1. What type of engine, carb(s), ignition.
2. What is the problem - won't turn over or won't fire?

I guess doesn't turn over as you referenced reading about the starter, so...

3. Do you have a multimeter?
4. Do you have a battery charger?

 

I blame the fall in standards on the reduction in length and quality of apprenticeships, if they even still exist in some quarters.

 

@ Zedders

1 It's a type 4 , twin carb,standard ignition,
2 won't fire
3 No , would have to learn how to use it, can you suggest a simpleton version and make?
4 yes , a bloody good one.

Darron

 

What's the whole story?
When was it last ok?
What's the history since?

 

Doesn`t sound serious if you`ve just parked up and won`t start again , it may just need a good dose of
`propellant` ...

Buy a can of "Easy Start" , give a few squirts and that MAY get it started , how long it runs is another issue but at least you`ll know it`s firing ....

 

Hi Zedders

Ok the truth , the whole truth and nothing but the truth!

The van went in for a clutch change. The van drove in, no problems with starting and apart from losing power going up Bodmin Moor , the van was running ok. After long drives 2-3 hrs , it starts to stall at junctions.
When the mechanic did the clutch change , he did not touch the engine , except take it out. When he was reattaching the parts , he somehow shorted the points causing them to be damaged! As a result he had to get new points and set them and all seemed good. He said he had driven the van up the hill and said he could go up a pretty steep incline in 4th at 30mph. The mechanic thought that the distributor needed refurbishing and the carbs adjusting? He gave a name of a garage near Swansea. When I picked it up , it started 1st time , I drove off home and I started to notice a missing as though I was loosing power , this became more noticable the further I drove , mostly up hill, I live in the b;ackmountains ! The trip takes 15min , by the time I was entering my home track the van stalled at a gate and then just got started , managed to get to the front door, never started again. When it was loosing power I had to push the accelerator down all the way.

Now that,s it all . open to cross questioning.

Thanks

Darron

 

You could have opened with that

 

Check the simple.... see if the fuel filter is blocked.

Check the points are set properly

Check the ht leads are connected still

Check that the wires to the cut off solenoid on the carbs haven’t fallen off (this happened to me during week one)

 

Check points haven't fallen off and the distributor is tight ( i.e. timing hasn't slipped)

 

If you knew how to check the points and static timing setting I'd start with that because we know that has been mucked about with and...

A mechanic who "shorts the points" (???) and is recomending another garage for simple engine tuning is out of their depth and possibly muffed up the points and timing in some way.

 

I wonder if by "shorting the points" he meant that he had connected the points wire to the 12V feed side of the coil?

 

You could be onto something. More likely the only wire he removed from the coil to get the engine out was ths the 12v feed and he put that on the -ve?

If he burnt out the points, could he have also burnt out that little braid connecting the advance plate... "Er...your distributor is 'worn' mate . Not my fault, oh, no, no, it's your crap distributor's fault, you know, the one that was working beautifully until I burnt it out".

 

To keep the OU analogy going, you really need a local tutor and a summer school (Techenders?). Distance learning isn't just about a reading list, random videos and peer groups, useful as they all are. Is there anyone on TLB near you?

 

Zedders and valve Andy your description is how the mechanic described it. But I don't understand why it would start and then fail later?

Doc john I am working on coming but will need another mechanic to sort it out, difficult to find!

Darron

 

I was thinking along those lines . Points don`t `burn out` as such ...
Assuming he DIDN`T connect an electronic ignition the wrong way around , pop the module THEN fitted some points to cover his ass - anything`s possible .....

Who knows ??

Needs a good looking at by someone who actually knows about these things - where abouts are you @darron smith??

 

It is hard to think how you can damage points, given that they’re meant to “short” things anyway. If the braid in the dissy had gone pop, unlikely the engine would run at all.

 

I live near Ammanford South Wales, It;s where king Arthur crossed a river hunting 3 boars. I don't have an issue with the mechanic except I would prefer someone that can repair refurb my distributor and points and may be get the van to have a little more power. I think I have found someone J+P motors near Swansea who seemed to talk sense but the time line is tight 3 days to get it from not running to going to Cornwall. May be a silly question but can you get a distributor already with correct points ? So that you just replace the unit?

Darron