Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2001 10:08:20 -0800
Reply-To: Darrell Johnson <vanagon_carat@YAHOO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Darrell Johnson <vanagon_carat@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Dreaded Vanagon Sydrome
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Any help appreciated with the following:
With a new engine and many new components (see below)
on my '90 Carat I've got intermittent
loss of power, missing and hesitation
in what is oft called the dreaded
"Vanagon Syndrome"
Symptoms-
Starts and runs well most of the time
but on occasion when at a stop, engine will
start to miss and idle will climb and become erratic.
During this period throttle does not respond.
Repeated pumping of the throttle will
eventually cause the engine to respond and
van will get moving,although with much bucking
and hesitation. These symptoms show up anytime,
regardless of how long the engine has been run.
I'm not sure if this is a pattern, but if I've
run the van on a long trip, park it for a
few hours, upon restart it seems more
likely to get the Syndrome.
Of course, the symptoms will not reoccur
for my mechanic.
Capistrano VW went ahead and replaced the
idle stabilizer and the throttle position switch,
but the very next day the symptoms returned.
-------------------
Here's what's new on the Van
(Although I know new parts go bad)
Remanufactured motor (Fast German)
Has VW ECU Harness Fix
New Airflow Meter (Bosch part)
New Ignition Wires
New Dist Cap, Rotor
New Air Filter (K&N Insert)
New Temp II Sensor
New Fuel Lines (in engine)
New Fuel Filter
New Idle Stabilizer
New Throttle position switch
New Catalytic Converter
New Transmission
FYI During recent smog check, passed with *very* low
pollutants
in a very strict California test only facility
-------------------
As a semi-informed lay person I'm thinking that it
might be the ECU, but I don't want to spend $600+
on another gamble. I've already dumped (invested?)
a lot of money on this van to make it
my main machine.
I have to admit, I like this Van, but my days as a
vanagon owner are numbered if
I can't solve this.
Help ;)
=====
Darrell Johnson
Mission Viejo, CA
1990 Vanagon Carat
(w/LT27X8.5-14 Dunlops)
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