Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2003 11:38:47 -0700
Reply-To: Jeffrey Schwaia <jeff@TSSGI.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jeffrey Schwaia <jeff@TSSGI.COM>
Subject: Re: Vanagon Syndrome
In-Reply-To: <20030711154511.2556.qmail@web41305.mail.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
The VW factory and Bosch believe in it, otherwise they wouldn't have created
a retrofit repair harness to fix the issue (Unless you're the paranoid type
that thinks the factory created this harness just to make more money and
placate a small but vocal group of Vanagonites).
But I do agree with you about checking for the obvious before resorting to
the "Vanagon Syndrome" fix. If the ignition and FI systems are in good
working order, it's possible that the factory cable fix harness has gone
bad. I've seen and heard that the circuit boards can fry in the harness fix
as well.
Is the factory fix the same as the capacitor fix? I doubt it. There's a
lot more going on in the factory fix than a capacitor between terminals.
Does the capacitor fix work? Perhaps. Many swear by it, I haven't had the
opportunity, or need, to try it myself.
Cheers,
Jeff
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
Of gary hradek
Sent: Friday, July 11, 2003 8:45 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Vanagon Syndrome
Ed,
I am not a big believer in the "Vanagon Syndrome".
Heck I have had a few fords with "Vanagon Syndrome".
I think it is more useful just to say the obvious.
"I do not understand what is going on" and move from
there. There may be some truth to the idea overtime
the lead from the AFM to ECU may degrade. I think
that in fact the older oem cables were just not up to
specifications and the later ones were just better
quality. Also just plugging and unplugging them may
make a better contact as the leads become oxidized
over time. Ed, You have to always do the obvious
fixes first. Then move to the more obscure. If you
have a headache you take an aspirin before you seek
the brain surgeon. Do the plugs, do the wires do the
cap. Replace the temp2 sensor. Pull the 02 sensor
wire when the van acts up to see if the bucking goes
away. Ask yourself if the afm is performing well as
these are mechanical items that can wear out. Check
your grounds and your cable plugs. The fix is easy
it is identifying it that is the problem. Hense the
concept of the "vanagon sydrome" has been invented
like a ghost to explain something that take too much
work for many to carefully find. There exist no
single fix for the "vanagon syndrome" since it is an
invention in the minds of vanagon owners. Even a
blind sow can find an acorn in the forest, likewise if
you work long enough to solve this problem, something
specific to your problem will solve it and you may
never know what you actually did to fix it.
The capacitor fix could be just some mojo when what
really fixed it was pulling some plug.
good luck, gary
Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2003 09:22:48 -0400
From: Ed Hinchey <EJHin@AOL.COM>
Subject: 89' Wolfsy - Vanagon Syndrome
I just got my Wolfsy. An 89' Weekender, blue on blue
with the skirts.
Driving home, it bucked and shuttered and shut down
about an hour into
the trip. Sounded like syndrome, felt like syndrome,
and smelled like
syndrome. It has the VW cable fix on the AFM, so I
immediately pulled
apart and cleaned contacts, pulled on the grounds and
got nowhere.
Finally I opened the ECU compartment under the back
seat, the cooling blades
were hot so I helped it cool down by fanning with an
old Mother Jones
magazine. After five minutes of fanning - it started
and away we went
with the back seat open and the ECU getting a B@#& Job
for the next two
hours all the way home.
My quesions are:
Does the 89' 2.1L benefit from the capacitor fix or
should I stay with
the VW cable repair?
Could an overheated ECU have givin me these symptoms??
If heat is the culprit, is there a way to instal a
cooling fan on the
ECU?? Should I get a new one? Am I way off base??
Thanks,
Ed in Syracuse
84' Westy
89' Wolfsy
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