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Date:         Tue, 12 Mar 2002 00:53:32 -0500
Reply-To:     Laurence Smith <lsmith@COGECO.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Laurence Smith <lsmith@COGECO.CA>
Subject:      Re: No Start - '87 Vanagon
Comments: To: Bruce Nadig <motorbruce@HOTMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <LAW2-F88WkXn4jaqFms000105c0@hotmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Bruce,

Sounds like your immediate problem is electrical. I would get a helper to find out if you definitely don't have a spark while you crank the engine - this is the fundamental start of your diagnostics.

If no spark, then get a Bentley manual and go through the diagnostic checks that are explained. There are many reasons why you would not get a spark, such as: * ECU dead (very unlikely) * Coil dead (unlikely) * Hall sender dead (unlikely) * Rotor bad (unlikely) * Ignition switch bad (unlikely)

If spark, then its probably a fuel delivery problem. Again the Bentley manual has lots of diagnostics you can do. Problems areas are: * TempII sender bad (they do go bad) * AFM bad (they do go bad) * Fuel filter clogged (maybe) * Fuel pump dying (good chance) * Grounds (all those brown wires) bad (not likely) * Fuel pressure regulator (not likely)

Given what you have mentioned so far my guess is: * there probably is a spark from the coil to ground * the distributor cap or wires may have been repositioned wrongly after you checked the wires and changed the plugs

If you get it running, I would then work on the original fuel delivery problems: * check fuel filter and pump * check fuel pressure * check throttle switch * look for vacuum leaks * remove and reconnect all the electrical connections you can find (this sometimes helps re-seat a bad connection) * get yourself a volt/ohm meter and do the Bentley diagnostics

You have a some work ahead of you to pin this down.

Laurence Smith Hamilton, ON 90 Westy (fanumbos)

> -----Original Message----- > From: Vanagon Mailing List > [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf > Of Bruce Nadig > Sent: Monday, March 11, 2002 6:15 PM > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > Subject: Re: No Start - '87 Vanagon > > > All, > > Here is some more information: > > The engine cranks but will not start, or even come close to > starting. > The gas probably O.K. When I first bought the Vanagon it > was practically > empty. I immediately went and filled the tank. Everything > was fine until now > (about half of a tank). Had the gas been a problem it would > have shown much > earlier. Also, it seems to run O.K. at higher engine speeds > if you can get > it there. I think that there is probably no spark. I have > sprayed starting > fluid into the intake and tried to start, but without success. > > Thanks, > Bruce > > >From: Laurence Smith <lsmith@COGECO.CA> > >Reply-To: Laurence Smith <lsmith@COGECO.CA> > >To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > >Subject: Re: No Start - '87 Vanagon > >Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 12:21:38 -0500 > > > >Bruce, > > > >There are so many things it could be. We need to know much more > >information to be able to help. There are fundamentals we need to > >know such as: > >* is there a spark > >* is the fuel pump working > >* do you have good gas > >* does it turn over and just not catch > >etc. etc. > > > >Tell us more detail and you will get help from the List members. > > > >Laurence Smith > >Hamilton, ON > >90 Westy (fanumbos) > > > > > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: Vanagon Mailing List > > > [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf > > > Of Bruce Nadig > > > Sent: Monday, March 11, 2002 11:34 AM > > > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > > > Subject: No Start - '87 Vanagon > > > > > > > > > Fellow Listers, > > > > > > I just bought a very clean 1987 Vanagon. I ran very well > > > for a couple of > > > days. Then, it started to have a huge hesitation problem > > > just above idle. In > > > fact, it was almost, if not completely, impossible to pull > > > away from a > > > standstill. In neutral if I could get the engine to start > > > revving, say above > > > 2,500 rpm or so, it would rev very well. > > > > > > I think, but I'm not sure, that things were O.K. when > > > starting cold. Things > > > seemed O.K. when the engine was warm. The problem seemed to > > > be when the > > > engine was between cold and hot. > > > > > > Now I can't even start it. I checked the cap and rotor. > > > They look O.K. (not > > > perfect), so I cleaned them. I replaced the spark plugs. It > > > still won't > > > start. The idle motor is buzzing so I think it is > working properly. > > > > > > Any help is greatly appreciated. > > > > > > TIA, > > > Bruce > > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > > Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at > >http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp. > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com


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