Date:         Wed, 3 Jan 2001 19:22:51 -0500
Reply-To:     Richard Bias <rbias@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Richard Bias <rbias@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Clues to the cold start/running problem- my test
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

All,
  I have an 85 with a single throttle position switch with NO click...  Cold
Idle and running is starting to act Flukey...  Could someone shed some light
on my "switch"?  Thank you.
Rich and Annemarie
85 GL "BUBA"
98 Bug


>From: Robert Lilley <Wolfvan88@AOL.COM>
>Reply-To: Wolfvan88@AOL.COM
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Clues to the cold start/running problem- my test
>Date: Wed, 3 Jan 2001 16:15:36 EST
>
>Well, I finally had some time to test my thinking about the cold
>start/running problem.
>
>I put my old idle control module back in and started the van to see if the
>problem would surface.  Cranked it and it started fine and ran fine with no
>problems. Revved the engine OK cold and it would idle and not die (It might
>just mean that my control unit was OK after all, but it did smell
>burnt...).
>
>Waited about 4 hours, to make sure it was cold, and then this time
>unplugged
>the throttle switch (to simulate a misadjusted throttle switch).
>
>Well, it started fine, but when I pressed the gas it stumbled would not rev
>smoothly.  I would press the gas and then let off and it would die.  Each
>time it took a few cranks longer to start.
>
>I took it for a short test drive down the block.  I was in first and it
>lost
>power when I let up on the gas and then pressed it to accelerate back up in
>first.
>
>The idle speed was bouncing between 800 to 1100 after it had warmed a few
>minutes.
>
>It seems that when the throttle switch is out of adjustment, the cold
>start/running problem surfaces.  While cold, the engine cannot run on the
>amount of fuel/air mixture the ECU thinks the engine needs (it thinks the
>engine is revving higher and not idling. The mixture is different for
>idling
>Vs running.  Vacuum changes, when pressing the gas pedal, increase the fuel
>pressure and the mixture).  And therefore the loss of power feeling is due
>to
>lack of enough mixture to support a COLD engine idling.  As the engine
>warms,
>the fuel can then support the idling.
>
>Other problems with the FI can make this problem worse or mask it.
>
>I would recommend all who read this to check there throttle switch(es) and
>listen for the click.  If you do not hear it adjust it until you do.
>
>Robert

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