Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 20:06:37 -0500
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
Subject: Re: HELP!! Stalling, rain, leaking gas tank...
In-Reply-To: <3DD19F67.2B36697@adelphia.net>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Marc,
A frequent cause of this problem is the repeated dousing of the O2
sensor. Between the cooling and contamination of the outside element, it
stops working. The ECU then continually richens the mixture waiting to
see the signal from the O2 sensor. The mixture richens enough the power
loss and stalling is the result. A quick engine restart, (key
off-on-start) allows the engine to operate for a short while open loop
so it runs okay for a minute or so and then the problem begins again.
Make sure your sensor has the clip on shield in place, (most are
missing) and that the cat has it mounted at the proper angle to avoid
some of the wheel spray. An additional home made deflector can be
helpful. To test the theory, next time, completely disconnect the sensor
and try it. If it runs okay, than the problem is found. The ECU will
react differently to a failed sensor or a disconnected sensor. The input
circuit leaks ~.6 volt to the O2 sensor lead. If no sensor is connected,
when the ECU goes closed loop it thinks the correct mixture is there so
no adjustment is made. Connect the sensor, the circuit will load down
and as the voltage goes down, the mixture will richen trying to raise
it. Bad or cold sensor, black smoke here we come.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of Marc Perdue
Sent: Tuesday, November 12, 2002 7:40 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: HELP!! Stalling, rain, leaking gas tank...
Hi all,
I've recently sent messages about my leaking gas tank and my fairly mild
idle problems. Today, something different came up and I suspect it's
related. We got 4 inches of rain today, three of which came down before
I went to work. This is a good thing because of our drought situation
and on-going water restrictions, but perhaps not for my automatic '87
Westy. After driving 15 miles into town, I was pulling away from a stop
light and the van started losing power. I was frantically putting on
the hazard lights and finding a safe place to pull over and didn't
notice the two red lights that had come on on the dash. When I realized
that the lights were on (hmm, which ones were they? The ones on the
left. Is that helpful enough?), I put the transmission in neutral and
restarted the van. It started right up and I drove up to the next
traffic light where it did the same thing when I started to come to a
stop. I restarted again, drove through the green light, turning left,
and headed up a small hill, where it did it a third time. Got it
started, drove a block to the parking lot where I normally park, and it
happened a fourth time. I coasted into a parking space and shut it
down.
Here's my suspicion as to what happened and please correct me if I'm
wrong. Clearly I have a leak on the top of my gas tank (which was
mostly full, BTW). I figured that water had gotten splashed up onto the
tank and into it and was causing my problem. Does this sound like what
happened to you? After work, I got some gas tank de-icer, poured it in
and drove home. It stalled once, a block after I started out. Question
is, will it run right tomorrow?
Thanks for any and all advice and/or suggestions,
Marc Perdue
| 
