Date:         Sat, 9 Jun 2001 15:25:18 -0400
Reply-To:     John Haddad <jgh3rd@MINDSPRING.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Haddad <jgh3rd@MINDSPRING.COM>
Subject:      Re: On being well grounded
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset=us-ascii

All,

Thanks for all of your responses/ideas.

I seem to have solved the fickle-idle disorder.  I believe that cleaning
the grounds really well and fine tuning the throttle switch did the trick.
   I took a flat file and removed material from the flat area on the driver
side of the block with 2 bolts with various ground wires attached until it
shined.  Then I did the same to the wire terminals.  I also made sure that
where the bolt touches the terminals it also was shiny.  A good cleaning
and coating with battery terminal spray (mostly petrolatum) and tightening
and I was all set.

For '85 owners, the throttle switch is different too.  Starting at 24.35
in the Bentley, there are some good pictures and procedures.  This took a
while for me to do, but basically the switch should only read 0 Ohms when
the throttle is at rest and full throttle positions.  When I first checked
this on mine (from the brain), it was giving a fluctuation of 0.5 and 0
Ohms.  I just adjusted the switch with the meter hooked up until it stayed
at 0, then got my wife to floor the accelerator pedal to check it at that
position too.  This is a very fine adjustment, so my only advice is to
just loosen the adjustment screw just enough so that you can't move the
plate radically.

However, my original problem is still there.

David suggested following the resistance down the harness until I find the
problem, which I'll try.  How do I do this without cutting the loom's
insulation?  Could the tranny to body ground be insufficient?  To Joel's
message: I'm going by Bentley pp. 24.20 & 21 for my resistance specs for a
Digijet.  Which book do you have that says 14-18 Ohms is within spec?

John Haddad