Date:         Fri, 19 Jul 2002 16:55:50 -0400
Reply-To:     Richmond Mike <keepongrowin@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Richmond Mike <keepongrowin@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: future is looking bleak....(no Fish content)
Comments: To: fish@salzburg.co.at
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

Ok, So I just replaced the AFM with a used and much cleaner part. I thought
this should do it. It does seem to be idling and picking up much better at
first, but after picking up speed and then when coming to a stop and then
accelerating again it's the same old thing. No response after stepping on
the pedal till I mash it to the floor.
  Also the exhaust is definitely getting MUCH hotter than normal. Now the
mechanic that saw it last week (who doesn't have much vw exp.) heard noises
from the valves on the right side. Till my usual guy gets back from vacation
I won't know for sure what I'm dealing with. So, if any of you could tell me
your stories, experience, or give me some hope I would greatly appreciate
it.
million thanks
-Mike
85 wolfsburg weekender automatic

----Original Message Follows----
From: "Robert Steven Fish" <fish@salzburg.co.at>
To: "Richmond Mike" <keepongrowin@HOTMAIL.COM>
CC: "Vanagon Mailing List" <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Subject: Re:      future is looking bleak..
Date: Fri, 19 Jul 2002 13:27:15 +0200

---- snipped --------
quick  inspection shows that the exhaust has super heated. the engine temp
guage is about a third of the way up but my nose tells me somethings really
wrong.
---- end snipped ---------

Check a few items:

AirFlowMeter for the intermitent "pauses" in power at highway full
throttle... could also be the idle switch, but I had the same thing
happening with my 1987, and after replacing the AFM it was better. (I also
had the dreaded intermittent vanagon syndrome, which has disappeared too).

If your exhaust overheats, and the engine coolant is not boiling... then it
may be a timing issue, leaky fuel injectors, or as was the case in my
situation, a switched spark plug wire.  I switched the right side
inadvertently, and although the van ran (not so smoothly) it built up enough
heat fighting with itself, that the cat became red hot within 15 minutes or
so, and the insulation from the wires above the heat shield bagan to
smoke... stank like hell.

The idea is that fuel can, when things are out of adjustment, pass out of
the cylinders, and into the exhaust ... if there is a ton of gasoline in
your pipes, burning... then it gets rather hot in there.

Hope this helps!

RSF

IMPORTANT!!! In order to reply to me, you must have the word "FISH"
somewhere in the subject line of the email.  Otherwise it goes directly in
the trash.
<º)))>{   <º)))>{   <º)))>{   <º)))>{   <º)))>{   <º)))>{

Robert S. Fish
Salzburg, Austria
1987 Wolfsburg Vanagon 2.1 GL Weekender
1987 Golf Cabriolet
1991 Golf




_________________________________________________________________
Join the world’s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail.
http://www.hotmail.com