Date: Sat, 23 Nov 2002 23:04:23 +0100
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: 85' low idle, loss of power/compression, surging please help
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Normal idle is around 800 ... if you are accepting 2000 as normal, they your
setup is so out of spec that you should seriously consider starting from
scratch and getting a major tune up.
The fact that you do not notice too many problems in warm summer weather
would lead one to believe that the problem lies near the ECU. The fuel/air
mix and injection can be seemingly ok in warm waeather, when the ECU really
doesn't have to do much anyway... but as soon as the cold weather sets in,
your ECU needs to do some thinking and adjusting.
Rainy conditions causing FI problems could also mean that your ecu or the
cables or connectors are etting soaked in wet weather.. this makes the ECU
go crazy and it ends up in the closed loop condition, which presents as a
rich high idle mess.
I have an 87, and am not certain if '85 is digijet or digifant... so until
you find this out, my info may be not 100% correct.
I personally would start with the grounds... and not the expensive FI
components. Check to be certain that the engine block(head) to chassis
ground connection is solid... this is mounted on the driver's side engine
top, underneath the A/C compressor (if you have A/C). Once this is ok, then
check all the brown grounds in that area.. and replace, clean as necessary.
Then replace your tranny to frame ground. This solves many idle related ECU
related problems.
Then move on the the idle control stabilizer and stabilizator control unit
and AFM and the other componants... but hopefully the new grounds will show
you some improvements.
you may also want to search the archives for the dreaded "vanagon syndrome"
as all digifants have it (whether they know it or not) and it also may be an
issue relating to your hesitation woes, and loss of power.
Good luck troubleshooting!
RSF
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Robert S. Fish
Salzburg, Austria
1987 Wolfsburg Vanagon 2.1 GL Weekender
1987 Golf Cabriolet
1991 Golf
