Date: Sat, 17 Aug 2002 08:44:52 -0500
Reply-To: tmarciniak@WI.RR.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Tim Marciniak <tmarciniak@WI.RR.COM>
Subject: Re: Loss of Power False Air Oil Breather?
In-Reply-To: <NBBBLKPACPEEKLBIBDMMAEMLELAA.laurence@alanasmith.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"
Laurence,
As I go back and think about everything I have touched on this van in
the last few weeks I was thinking the same thing. It is shortly
after the water pipe repair which included disconnected the temp
sensor wire that my problems started. I will check that sensor and
connector out more closely.
Thanks,
Tim
>This may be a stretch ... but could the removal of your temp II sender
>on the thermostat housing somehow caused it some damage. If so, then
>the resistence readings for the coolant temp as it warms up could be
>wrong. The computer might think the engine is colder that it really
>is and set the timing incorrectly - which would cause a power loss
>problem.
>
>Laurence Smith
>Hamilton, ON
>90 Westy (fanumbos)
>
>
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Vanagon Mailing List
>> [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
>> Of Tim Marciniak
>> Sent: Saturday, August 17, 2002 12:00 AM
>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>> Subject: Re: Loss of Power False Air Oil Breather?
>>
>>
>> Here is more on symptoms:
>>
>> Van starts fine. When I press on the accelerator there is a
>> hesitation before rpms increase on the tach, maybe a 1/2 second or
>> so. This happens if engine is cold or warm. Normally when
>> I press on
>> the accelerator the van is very responsive immediately.
>> It idles at
>> 800rpm but it does not sound right, it sounds like it is missing to
>> me but when I pulled the old spark plugs they looked ok to me, light
>> tan to gray, they were not carboned up or oil fouled, I concluded no
>> ignition miss, has to be something else. It does not stall. Sound
>> out of the tail pipe is not right. I guess the most
>> obvious thing is
>> the hesitation on acceleration and somewhat lumpy thumpy idle sound
>> from the tail pipe whe I stand near it and listen attentively.
>> Usually the exhaust sound is very pleasant to my ear when
>> its running
>> right.
>>
>> Another thing to mention, about two weeks ago we went camping with
>> the van. Two days before we were to leave the metal water pipe on
>> the drivers side of engine that goes from thermostat
>> housing to water
>> pump springs a leak. The day we are set to leave I replace
>> this pipe
>> and off we go on a 3.5 hr drive up to Northern Wisconsin. The only
>> electrical connection I disconnected was the temp sensor from the
>> thermostat housing when replacing this pipe. Van runs fine all the
>> way, I did note that it was running slightly cooler than usual, just
>> below the red LED. So 10:30 PM we pull into the park we are camping
>> in to check in at the park office. Van is off maybe 10 minutes. We
>> come back out it starts up I go about 10 feet and cant get
>> the rpm to
>> go much over 2000 and it stalls. I'm really confused now becasue it
>> just ran wonderfully for the last 200miles. So I sit and
>> let it idle
>> erratically for a few minutes and then the idle finally smoothes out
>> and I book for our campsite--what a way to start a 5 day camp trip.
>> The following morning I start the van just to see how it sounds and
>> its running but not its usual perfect self. So I open up the engine
>> compartment and start to check things out. I immediately find the
>> braided ground strap that goes from the block to the gound
>> point near
>> the coil is almost split, so I secure with some duct tape and hope
>> that will hold till I get home--it did. I also disconnected the O2
>> sensor to see if that helped and it seemed to. I drove the van for
>> the next five days and it got us back home 65mph all the way. A
>> little nerve racking but the van ran pretty good considering the
>> initial problem I had our first night up north.
>>
>> When we get home from camping the first thing I do is replace the
>> ground strap. At this point I think the van was running fine but I
>> cant be positive now. About 3 or 4 days ago I noticed this
>> hesitation and thats when I did the tuneup and started
>> poking around.
>> Last fall I put a new exhaust system on the van including new O2
> > sensor and catalytic convertor. It has run fine all winter, spring
>> and summer and only since the camping trip has it started to act up.
>>
>> Because the vanagon is so under powered I sometimes mistake a real
>> problem for its assumed lack of power or vice versa. Its when I
>> really stop and listen that I pick up on problems like this
>> one. The
>> van has 100k miles on it and all maintenance has been done
>> by me with
>> the exception of the heads that were replaced at 70k by a very
>> competent vanagon mechanic.
>>
>> I have not measured fuel pressure yet thinking it was
>> ignition system
>> related. Nor did I check ignition timing or even play with that in
>> two years.
>>
>> Thanks for your reply as I contemplate my next step.
>>
>> Tim Marciniak
>> 90 Multivan (Automatic)
>>
>>
>>
>> >Tell us more about the symptoms and less about the things you did.
>> >Loss of power when? Under load? On acceleration? All circumstances?
>> >Does it idle correctly?
>> >Is the fuel pressure correct?
>> >When did this loss of power start, all at once following some DIY
>> >futzing, or gradually over time? If it started all at
>> once, what did you
>> >do just prior? If gradually, what has been different in the
>> >circumstances lately? Hotter weather? New gas station? New
>> teen driver
>> >with access to the Van? Carrying an 18-ton commemorative
>> anchor from
>> >your trip to the USS North Carolina Battleship Memorial?
>> >
>> >From the tiny bit you described, I'd guess the timing is
>> off, you have a
>> >clogged filter (could the air filter have gotten wet?) or
>> your Catalytic
>> >converter is melted/fused and plugged.
>> >
>> >Developing business and guiding change since 1996,
>> >
>> >G. Matthew Bulley
>> >Bulley-Hewlett
>> >Marketing & Communications
>> >Business: www.bulley-hewlett.com
>> >AIM = IExplain4u
>> >Phone: +1.919.658.1278
>> >
>> >
>> >-----Original Message-----
>> >From: Vanagon Mailing List
>> [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
>> >Of Tim Marciniak
>> >Sent: Friday, August 16, 2002 4:31 PM
>> >To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>> >Subject: Loss of Power False Air Oil Breather?
>> >
>> >New problem just cropped up for me with my 90 Vanagon. I seem to
>> >have a significant loss of power both when engine is cold
>> and warmed
>> >up. Recent maintenace included replacing the ground strap
>> from block
>> >to ignition coil, cleaning up contacts on the ignition coil, new
>> >rotor, distributor cap, new spark plugs and wires, new air filter,
>> >recent oil change. Checked throttle position switch and
>> this is ok.
>> >Idle stabilizer is working. I then checked for vacuum leaks and
>> >replaced vacuum line from fuel pressure regulator to
>> intake manifold
>> >because this line looked suspicious although I think it
>> was ok. Next
>> >I pressurized the intake system with air found a leak coming out of
>> >the oil breather pipe. This is the large black plastic pipe that
>> >sits on top on the engine with a line that goes from it to the air
>> >intake hose just after the AFM. This black breather pipe is not
>> >supposed to be vented in anyway to the
>> atmosphere---Correct? Because
>> >of this I suspect I have an air leak into the intake
>> system after the
>> >AFM (false air) which may be leaning the air/fuel mix. Has anyone
>> >had problems with this pipe? Mine seem to be leaking near the top
>> >ridge just under what looks like a cap on this pipe but it is not
>> >removable from what i can tell. Any suggestions appreciated.
>> >
>> >TIA
>> >
>> >Tim
>> >--
>>
>>
>> --
>>
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