Date: Sat, 17 Aug 2002 13:17:41 +0000
Reply-To: john cianci <jcessence@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: john cianci <jcessence@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Loss of Power False Air Oil Breather?
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<P><BR>I have the same symptons...and it looks like the temp sensor may be my problem (I hope), Like Laurence said. I'll let everyone know on monday... The sensor is something I would definately check.that and fuel pressure....good luck., John<BR></P></DIV>
<DIV></DIV><BR><BR><BR>John Cianci
<DIV></DIV>Research Assistant
<DIV></DIV>Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
<DIV></DIV>Clarkson University
<DIV></DIV>315-268-3776
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>From: Laurence Smith <LAURENCE@ALANASMITH.COM>
<DIV></DIV>>Reply-To: Laurence Smith <LAURENCE@ALANASMITH.COM>
<DIV></DIV>>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
<DIV></DIV>>Subject: Re: Loss of Power False Air Oil Breather?
<DIV></DIV>>Date: Sat, 17 Aug 2002 00:12:12 -0400
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>This may be a stretch ... but could the removal of your temp II sender
<DIV></DIV>>on the thermostat housing somehow caused it some damage. If so, then
<DIV></DIV>>the resistence readings for the coolant temp as it warms up could be
<DIV></DIV>>wrong. The computer might think the engine is colder that it really
<DIV></DIV>>is and set the timing incorrectly - which would cause a power loss
<DIV></DIV>>problem.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Laurence Smith
<DIV></DIV>>Hamilton, ON
<DIV></DIV>>90 Westy (fanumbos)
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>> > -----Original Message-----
<DIV></DIV>> > From: Vanagon Mailing List
<DIV></DIV>> > [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
<DIV></DIV>> > Of Tim Marciniak
<DIV></DIV>> > Sent: Saturday, August 17, 2002 12:00 AM
<DIV></DIV>> > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
<DIV></DIV>> > Subject: Re: Loss of Power False Air Oil Breather?
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > Here is more on symptoms:
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > Van starts fine. When I press on the accelerator there is a
<DIV></DIV>> > hesitation before rpms increase on the tach, maybe a 1/2 second or
<DIV></DIV>> > so. This happens if engine is cold or warm. Normally when
<DIV></DIV>> > I press on
<DIV></DIV>> > the accelerator the van is very responsive immediately.
<DIV></DIV>> > It idles at
<DIV></DIV>> > 800rpm but it does not sound right, it sounds like it is missing to
<DIV></DIV>> > me but when I pulled the old spark plugs they looked ok to me, light
<DIV></DIV>> > tan to gray, they were not carboned up or oil fouled, I concluded no
<DIV></DIV>> > ignition miss, has to be something else. It does not stall. Sound
<DIV></DIV>> > out of the tail pipe is not right. I guess the most
<DIV></DIV>> > obvious thing is
<DIV></DIV>> > the hesitation on acceleration and somewhat lumpy thumpy idle sound
<DIV></DIV>> > from the tail pipe whe I stand near it and listen attentively.
<DIV></DIV>> > Usually the exhaust sound is very pleasant to my ear when
<DIV></DIV>> > its running
<DIV></DIV>> > right.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > Another thing to mention, about two weeks ago we went camping with
<DIV></DIV>> > the van. Two days before we were to leave the metal water pipe on
<DIV></DIV>> > the drivers side of engine that goes from thermostat
<DIV></DIV>> > housing to water
<DIV></DIV>> > pump springs a leak. The day we are set to leave I replace
<DIV></DIV>> > this pipe
<DIV></DIV>> > and off we go on a 3.5 hr drive up to Northern Wisconsin. The only
<DIV></DIV>> > electrical connection I disconnected was the temp sensor from the
<DIV></DIV>> > thermostat housing when replacing this pipe. Van runs fine all the
<DIV></DIV>> > way, I did note that it was running slightly cooler than usual, just
<DIV></DIV>> > below the red LED. So 10:30 PM we pull into the park we are camping
<DIV></DIV>> > in to check in at the park office. Van is off maybe 10 minutes. We
<DIV></DIV>> > come back out it starts up I go about 10 feet and cant get
<DIV></DIV>> > the rpm to
<DIV></DIV>> > go much over 2000 and it stalls. I'm really confused now becasue it
<DIV></DIV>> > just ran wonderfully for the last 200miles. So I sit and
<DIV></DIV>> > let it idle
<DIV></DIV>> > erratically for a few minutes and then the idle finally smoothes out
<DIV></DIV>> > and I book for our campsite--what a way to start a 5 day camp trip.
<DIV></DIV>> > The following morning I start the van just to see how it sounds and
<DIV></DIV>> > its running but not its usual perfect self. So I open up the engine
<DIV></DIV>> > compartment and start to check things out. I immediately find the
<DIV></DIV>> > braided ground strap that goes from the block to the gound
<DIV></DIV>> > point near
<DIV></DIV>> > the coil is almost split, so I secure with some duct tape and hope
<DIV></DIV>> > that will hold till I get home--it did. I also disconnected the O2
<DIV></DIV>> > sensor to see if that helped and it seemed to. I drove the van for
<DIV></DIV>> > the next five days and it got us back home 65mph all the way. A
<DIV></DIV>> > little nerve racking but the van ran pretty good considering the
<DIV></DIV>> > initial problem I had our first night up north.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > When we get home from camping the first thing I do is replace the
<DIV></DIV>> > ground strap. At this point I think the van was running fine but I
<DIV></DIV>> > cant be positive now. About 3 or 4 days ago I noticed this
<DIV></DIV>> > hesitation and thats when I did the tuneup and started
<DIV></DIV>> > poking around.
<DIV></DIV>> > Last fall I put a new exhaust system on the van including new O2
<DIV></DIV>> > sensor and catalytic convertor. It has run fine all winter, spring
<DIV></DIV>> > and summer and only since the camping trip has it started to act up.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > Because the vanagon is so under powered I sometimes mistake a real
<DIV></DIV>> > problem for its assumed lack of power or vice versa. Its when I
<DIV></DIV>> > really stop and listen that I pick up on problems like this
<DIV></DIV>> > one. The
<DIV></DIV>> > van has 100k miles on it and all maintenance has been done
<DIV></DIV>> > by me with
<DIV></DIV>> > the exception of the heads that were replaced at 70k by a very
<DIV></DIV>> > competent vanagon mechanic.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > I have not measured fuel pressure yet thinking it was
<DIV></DIV>> > ignition system
<DIV></DIV>> > related. Nor did I check ignition timing or even play with that in
<DIV></DIV>> > two years.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > Thanks for your reply as I contemplate my next step.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > Tim Marciniak
<DIV></DIV>> > 90 Multivan (Automatic)
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > >Tell us more about the symptoms and less about the things you did.
<DIV></DIV>> > >Loss of power when? Under load? On acceleration? All circumstances?
<DIV></DIV>> > >Does it idle correctly?
<DIV></DIV>> > >Is the fuel pressure correct?
<DIV></DIV>> > >When did this loss of power start, all at once following some DIY
<DIV></DIV>> > >futzing, or gradually over time? If it started all at
<DIV></DIV>> > once, what did you
<DIV></DIV>> > >do just prior? If gradually, what has been different in the
<DIV></DIV>> > >circumstances lately? Hotter weather? New gas station? New
<DIV></DIV>> > teen driver
<DIV></DIV>> > >with access to the Van? Carrying an 18-ton commemorative
<DIV></DIV>> > anchor from
<DIV></DIV>> > >your trip to the USS North Carolina Battleship Memorial?
<DIV></DIV>> > >
<DIV></DIV>> > >From the tiny bit you described, I'd guess the timing is
<DIV></DIV>> > off, you have a
<DIV></DIV>> > >clogged filter (could the air filter have gotten wet?) or
<DIV></DIV>> > your Catalytic
<DIV></DIV>> > >converter is melted/fused and plugged.
<DIV></DIV>> > >
<DIV></DIV>> > >Developing business and guiding change since 1996,
<DIV></DIV>> > >
<DIV></DIV>> > >G. Matthew Bulley
<DIV></DIV>> > >Bulley-Hewlett
<DIV></DIV>> > >Marketing & Communications
<DIV></DIV>> > >Business: www.bulley-hewlett.com
<DIV></DIV>> > >AIM = IExplain4u
<DIV></DIV>> > >Phone: +1.919.658.1278
<DIV></DIV>> > >
<DIV></DIV>> > >
<DIV></DIV>> > >-----Original Message-----
<DIV></DIV>> > >From: Vanagon Mailing List
<DIV></DIV>> > [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
<DIV></DIV>> > >Of Tim Marciniak
<DIV></DIV>> > >Sent: Friday, August 16, 2002 4:31 PM
<DIV></DIV>> > >To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
<DIV></DIV>> > >Subject: Loss of Power False Air Oil Breather?
<DIV></DIV>> > >
<DIV></DIV>> > >New problem just cropped up for me with my 90 Vanagon. I seem to
<DIV></DIV>> > >have a significant loss of power both when engine is cold
<DIV></DIV>> > and warmed
<DIV></DIV>> > >up. Recent maintenace included replacing the ground strap
<DIV></DIV>> > from block
<DIV></DIV>> > >to ignition coil, cleaning up contacts on the ignition coil, new
<DIV></DIV>> > >rotor, distributor cap, new spark plugs and wires, new air filter,
<DIV></DIV>> > >recent oil change. Checked throttle position switch and
<DIV></DIV>> > this is ok.
<DIV></DIV>> > >Idle stabilizer is working. I then checked for vacuum leaks and
<DIV></DIV>> > >replaced vacuum line from fuel pressure regulator to
<DIV></DIV>> > intake manifold
<DIV></DIV>> > >because this line looked suspicious although I think it
<DIV></DIV>> > was ok. Next
<DIV></DIV>> > >I pressurized the intake system with air found a leak coming out of
<DIV></DIV>> > >the oil breather pipe. This is the large black plastic pipe that
<DIV></DIV>> > >sits on top on the engine with a line that goes from it to the air
<DIV></DIV>> > >intake hose just after the AFM. This black breather pipe is not
<DIV></DIV>> > >supposed to be vented in anyway to the
<DIV></DIV>> > atmosphere---Correct? Because
<DIV></DIV>> > >of this I suspect I have an air leak into the intake
<DIV></DIV>> > system after the
<DIV></DIV>> > >AFM (false air) which may be leaning the air/fuel mix. Has anyone
<DIV></DIV>> > >had problems with this pipe? Mine seem to be leaking near the top
<DIV></DIV>> > >ridge just under what looks like a cap on this pipe but it is not
<DIV></DIV>> > >removable from what i can tell. Any suggestions appreciated.
<DIV></DIV>> > >
<DIV></DIV>> > >TIA
<DIV></DIV>> > >
<DIV></DIV>> > >Tim
<DIV></DIV>> > >--
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > --
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV></div><br clear=all><hr>Join the world’s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. <a href='http://g.msn.com/1HM1ENUS/c157??PI=44364'>Click Here</a><br></html>
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