Date:         Tue, 21 Jan 2003 22:04:28 -0500
Reply-To:     Marc Perdue <marcperdue@ADELPHIA.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Marc Perdue <marcperdue@ADELPHIA.NET>
Subject:      Re: Idle update
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

Thanks Fish-man!  You did tell me this before and it's not that I'm totally
ignoring your good advice, just partially.  :^)  After passing all the little
trials and tribulations I've been joyfully experiencing with this quirky idle
situation on to the list, and given all the great expert advice I've been
receiving (very gratefully, I might add), I found one thing lacking.  That
would be a definitive way to test the idle stabilizer valve.  In my case, the
valve is buzzing as it should, I cleaned it thoroughly, I don't have a known
good spare laying around to pop in there to test, nor access to one that I know
of, and, at $190 for a new one, I couldn't afford to buy both the valve and the
control unit at the same time.  The control unit, OTOH, was very clearly
fried.  So, until somebody comes up with a better test of the idle stabilizer
valve . . . well, guess I'll just take my chances.  Having said that, it just
occurred to me . . . shouldn't you be able to pull the valve, apply a certain
voltage (what would that be?), and see the valve operate to determine whether
it's functioning or not?

Thanks all,
Marc Perdue

Robert Steven Fish wrote:

> I would suggest that you trade out your Idle Stabilizer Valve with a "known
> good" one BEFORE you put a new or new/used Control Unit in for testing.
>
> The guys at the BOSCH shop here tell me that if the valve is sticking, it
> can create a situation where the delicate electronics of that Control Unit
> get fried.
>
> That mechanic, who knows his ECU stuff pretty good, says taht he will not
> replace either/or for a customer... if they come in and want him to service
> it, he replaces BOTH components with NEW parts.
>
> Apparently the "D" unit is built a bit stronger to withstand the stresses
> made by A/C and Power Steering.... Extras that were not readily available
> when the Digifant was first being produced (tested) in Europe. But a stuck
> valve can kill either a "B" or a "D".
>
> Of course, this can be extreme... as in extremely large quantities of cash
> heading out of your wallet... but it is some interesting info.
>
> Good Luck!
>
> RSF
>
> IMPORTANT!!! In order to reply to me, you must have the word "FISH"
> somewhere in the subject line of the email.  Otherwise it goes directly in
> the trash.
>
> <º)))>{   <º)))>{   <º)))>{   <º)))>{   <º)))>{   <º)))>{
>
> Robert S. Fish
> Salzburg, Austria
> 1987 Wolfsburg Vanagon 2.1 GL Weekender
> 1987 Golf Cabriolet
> 1991 Golf
>
> ----snipped---
> I replaced the breather hose and the idle stabilizer control module (with
> the "D" version) in my '87 Westy.
> ----end snipped----