Date:         Sat, 19 Jan 2002 23:02:26 -0800
Reply-To:     harald_nancy <harald_nancy@EMAIL.MSN.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         harald_nancy <harald_nancy@EMAIL.MSN.COM>
Subject:      Re: AFM upgrade using 16 volt tantalum capacitor
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Marshall,
It took me quite awhile before I tried this cap fix.
First I cleaned my old AFM, similar to the way you described.
That didn't improve the bucking syndrome much.
I installed a new AFM.
Then on a trip to the California, it was "bucking" worse
than ever before with the relatively new AFM.
Soldering in the cap seemed to do the trick, and the westy hasn't
given me any trouble since.
If the driveability problem is due to a defective or dirty AFM,
VW would just sell you a new AFM.
But to cure the so called intermittent syndrome, VW developed
the pigtail harness. Btw, VW wants $166 for the pigtail harness now.
Harald
'90 westy

Marshall wrote:
> An even cheaper solution is to open up the lid of the AFM, and spray
> electrical contact cleaner over the resistive surface.
>
> Run the wiper back and forth a few times, let dry and close up.
>
> This method doesn't require soldering, and totally removes the problem in
> *most* cases - it doesn't just hide it like the pigtail or the cap fix
does.
>
> Marshall Ruskin
> 84 Westy
> Winnipeg, Canada
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "developtrust" <developtrust@HOME.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Saturday, January 19, 2002 10:29 PM
> Subject: AFM upgrade using 16 volt tantalum capacitor
>
>
> Today I made the AFM improvement installing a 16 volt tantalum capacitor
> using the instructions on Harald and Nancy's web page.
> http://www.geocities.com/harald_nancy/intermitt._syndrome.htm
>
> Steve Freyling who is a new vanagon friend from this list down the street
> from me found the 16 volt tantalum capacitors for about $1.13 each which
we
> got to ensure they were new versus the ones I found for 35 cents at a
> surplus electronics place. We wnated to make sure they were new and not
old
> to avoid any unkown problems due to the unknown age of the surplus
> capacitors.
>
> When I went for a test drive I was very, very, VERY impressed witht he
> results, and very surprised at the positive improvement. I was surprised
to
> find that the engine performed noticably smoother at all RPMs including
slow
> speeds of 30 to 40 MPH. I thought I was imagining things and contacted
> Harald who said he too found improvement at all RPMs.
>
> I just thought the list should know how easy it is to do this under $2 fix
> ont he AFM versus the over $100 harness you can buy.
>
> This AFM fix took me less than 5 minutes to accomplish by soldering in the
> capacitor plus some extra time for clean up to vacuum out the AFM and get
> rid of any dust or dirt.
>
> I encourage everyone to make this upgrade. You will be very happy that you
> made the effort.
>
> A choice between over $100 for a pigtail harness or less than $2 is an
easy
> choice.
>
> William Polowniak
> 1989 Vanagon GL
> 1988 Mercedes 300 SE
>