Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2002 00:07:16 +0200
Reply-To: Robert Steven Fish <fish@SALZBURG.CO.AT>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Robert Steven Fish <fish@SALZBURG.CO.AT>
Subject: Re: future is looking bleak....
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
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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.
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One other thing that I forgot to mention... In the process of
troubleshooting my vanagon syndrome, with a racing idle at 2500 or so, that
would not go down anymore (used to go away after a restart of the car...
then not even.. but would disappear randomly... then constant 2500 or so at
idle, which is not really so nice in city traffic at stop lights) was taht I
replaced a bunch of things at the same time... so I really do not know 100%
what was causing the problem. I replaced, in addition to the AFM, the Idle
Stabilizor Unit (valve) and the COntrol unit (the electronic box located
behind the right reaaar taillight).
But the one thing that may have made all the difference in the world was
randomly finding that the main engine to chassis ground strap (drivers side)
was toast. It was a crumbled oxidized mess of dust. I replaced it with a
nice 1cm thick length of Monster speaker cable, and made certain that all
the contacts were clean and happy.
I have learned since, that a bad ground, even one, can screw the ECU up so
bad that it either runs in "closed loop" which defaults to a mixture that is
rich (ie, hot exhaust pipes) or can simply screw the small voltage signals
up enough to make just about any related componant just act plain old
screwy.
Check all your grounds.. but do definately also check that idle switch on
the throttle housing... it is relatively easy to check (not so easy to
adjust precisely though). You can hear/feel it go "click" when the throttle
is full open or full closed... at all other times it should be off, and then
the ECU will be in charge (so if your ECU is screwy, it could manifest
itself in the inbetween position I guess).
Good Luck!
RSF
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Robert S. Fish
Salzburg, Austria
1987 Wolfsburg Vanagon 2.1 GL Weekender
1987 Golf Cabriolet
1991 Golf
