Date:         Fri, 18 Jan 2002 17:54:58 -0600
Reply-To:     Larry Alofs <lalofs@ENTERACT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Larry Alofs <lalofs@ENTERACT.COM>
Subject:      Re: Need ideas - diagnosing troubles.
Comments: To: Blake Thornton <thornton@MATH.UTAH.EDU>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Blake Thornton wrote:
>
> Help, I need some ideas.  My 84 van is *still* acting up.  I've posted
> several times and have replaced many parts, but I've still got problems.
> What happens is that the van will drop to low rpms (about 500-800 maybe)
> and will not respond to the throttle.  It might stay like this for 5
> minutes, and then, for no reason I know of, it starts up and runs fine
> again.
>
> I by-passes the idle stabilizer the other day, and this hasn't happened
> since then and I hoped I had it solved.  But today, driving around 65mph,
> the van started "shuddering," meaning it would kind of die, but only
> momentarily and then it would run again.  So, I was "stumbling" along at
> 65mph.  I couldn't get it to do it at lower speeds, but I don't really
> think it is a speed issue.
>
> I have checked the fuel pressure during the problem - and I think its
> normal (33-38 psi - is this normal?)  So, this tells me that my fuel pump
> must be working fine and my fuel pump relay as well.
>
> I've replaced many parts and don't really know what to do.  *IF* this were
> your van, where would you start hooking up meters and waiting for a
> problem (for example, I checked the fuel pressure already).  What else
> should I check?
>
> Thanks a ton for any help or ideas!
> Blake
> SLC UT

Sounds like two separate problems.  The stumbling at high speed sounds
like the classic "Vanagon syndrome".  The usual prescription is to try
the  capacitor fix or buy the $100+ remedy from VW.  Of course you
should rule out the simpler things like water, dirt, or ice in the
fuel/filter etc.

Larry A.