Date: Thu, 9 Sep 2004 14:07:53 -0400
Reply-To: dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
Subject: Re: SYNCRO DIENG SORRY LONG POST NEED HELP
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
You either have an O2 sensor that is failing when wet or the shielded wire for the sensor has bad insulation and is shorting between the sensor wire and the shield when wet.
Dennis
----- Original Message -----
From: Chris Almida <vanagon@FLATBLACK.NET>
Date: Thursday, September 9, 2004 1:44 pm
Subject: SYNCRO DIENG SORRY LONG POST NEED HELP
> LISTMEMBERS: (SORRY SO LONG BUT FULL HISTORY IS NEEDED)
>
> I have an 86 Syncro that has always had (since I got it) some
> bucking/bogging "Vanagon syndrome" type symptoms under very specific
> circumstances For the past year whenever it rained I would
> experience engine bucking or surging, no power meaning pushing down
> on the gas pedal would result in nothing happening at all the RPMS
> would not raise and the engine would stay bogged If I could get it
> into 3rd gear and feather it up to about 3000 RPM it would clear out
> and run fine Turning the engine off and restarting did not have any
> real effect I had been told that this indicated an electrical issue
> probably a loose ground I have never been able to find anything
> loose, but as it only happened when it rained and I lived in SO CAL
> it wasn?t that big of an issue
>
> I have since moved from SO CAL to BOONE NC where wet weather is much
> more of an issue Subsequently two weeks ago my symptoms changed
> drastically - now in any weather the vehicle will start fine idle
> well, after about 4 to 8 miles it will start bogging again push gas
> to floor nothing happens at all no increase in RPM the engine just
> stays bogged down As this happened on my way home from work I
> decided to disconnect the AFM harness and see if it had any effect
> -
> it did I was able to give the car gas it revved normally and
> everything seemed fine So I drove it home like that, it drove OK
> except I had to feather the gas pedal very carefully and experienced
> a great loss in power on the steep hills
>
> Two days ago a friend doing a Subaru conversion gave me a bunch of
> parts including two used complete air boxes with AFM and harness I
> immediately swapped one out for mine (the whole box) and am now
> experiencing totally different symptoms again Now it idles great and
> runs for about 10 miles no problem but after that starts dieing every
> time I put in the clutch or come to a stop, if I restart it runs fine
> again for about 2 minutes or so and then starts dieing again =20
>
> As this is my daily driver I really need it to get back on the road
> in a stable condition I am mechanically inclined and have pulled VW
> air-cooled (63 Transporter and several bugs) motors and transmissions
> before but am not very good with electrical I would appreciate any
> advice on how to trouble shoot this correctly or where to go from
> here
>
> Again sorry for such a long post
>
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