Date:         Fri, 3 May 2002 10:37:03 -0700
Reply-To:     Bob Whitby <rpwhitby@MINDSPRING.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Bob Whitby <rpwhitby@MINDSPRING.COM>
Subject:      Chasing Surge
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No, not a Fellini movie...

But the long, drawn-out story of a man in hand-to-hand combat with an 87 Westy that runs beautifully except for that rotten idle surge problem.

Up and down at stoplights, 50-100 rpm. Gets the back end of the van jumping up and down, making everyone at the stoplight think there's some major action going on in the back.

I've checked the timing, reset the throttle switch per Sir Bentley, made sure my ISV rattles and hums, fiddled with that ridiculously placed idle computer behind the tail light. This morning I attempted to adjust the idle mixture. Unplugged the 02 sensor and the rpm connection for the ISV valve (again per Sir Bentley) and viola! the idle is smooth. No 02 sensor = smooth idle. Another strange thing: I'm getting really high readings off my 02 sensor, like .9 or above. Small fluctuations, but not wild bopping around. Turning the idle mixture screw on the AFM had no discernible effect on the 02 sensor readings.

Got a new 02 sensor on the way from BD. Does that sound like it could be the problem?

Bob W.