[Vwdiesel] Nutmeg limps home for the holidays

[Libbybapa at wmconnect.com]

In my previous post I told how "Nutmeg" the family TD camper vanagon blew out 
an intercooler connector on the way to Prescott for the holiday family 
get-together.  Well, on Tuesday, I replaced the rubber "plumb quick" adapters with 
pricey silicone high temp, high pressure, cloth-imbedded hose.  I remade the 
ABS intercooler tubes (again with ABS), and made a spare set at the same time 
(just in case).   I went for a test drive from Flagstaff to Williams (a repeat 
journey).  Everything ran great.  I averaged 27.4 mpg on the two trips to 
Williams and back.  Since the test drive went sooo well we decided to head for 
Prescott on Wed.  Everything went well on the trip down.  I was impressed with the 
vans performance.  We stayed overnight and decided to head back up the hill 
after breakfast.  I was looking forward to the hill from Ash Fork to Williams.  
A couple of miles of 6-7% grades.  About 10 miles before Ash Fork I noticed 
that it was hard to maintain 60ish on a couple of smaller hills.  I also 
noticed that the EGTs with WOT on hills had dropped from about 1,000  to about 800.  
Then the back window started to get splattered.  I pulled over and took a 
peek.   Diesel fuel everywhere.  The line to #2 had snapped at the injector (all 
anti-vibration clips in place and pump bolts snug).  Well, I went for it.  
Running on 3 cylinders and diesel squirting about I kept on going.  Took the Ash 
Fork hill in 3rd at 37 mph and the rest of the trip was 50 in fourth or 68 in 
fifth.  Made it home at noon.  I had the lines changed, the engine cleaned and 
was home from the car wash with the tank filled at 3:00.  On the 250 mile 
round trip I averaged 22 mpg.  I'll have a spare set of lines with me next time.
Andrew